MIAMI (AP) — League One Volleyball is bringing an expansion franchise to Miami for its third season, boosting the women's professional volleyball league to 10 teams for its upcoming third season.

The league made the announcement on Thursday, adding that it will also introduce an Eastern and Western Conference format for the 2026-27 season.

Miami will join the league's Eastern Conference, along with Atlanta, Madison, Minnesota and Nebraska. The Western Conference will include Austin, Houston, Los Angeles, Salt Lake and San Francisco.

The league said the goal of the new format is to create new regional rivalries and more competition for fans and athletes.

“Expanding to Miami marks an exciting next chapter for the league as we continue building a truly national platform for professional volleyball," said commissioner Sandra Idehen in a statement. "Miami’s passion for sports, global influence, and deeply rooted volleyball community make it an ideal home for our newest team. With the addition of LOVB Miami and the launch of our Eastern and Western Conferences, we’re creating even more opportunities for regional rivalries, marquee matchups, and unforgettable fan experiences throughout the season.”

League One Volleyball, branded as LOVB and pronounced “LOVE,” launched in January 2025 after securing more than $100 million in funding from private equity and individuals, including Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn and NBA star Kevin Durant.

It has expanded since debuting with six teams and is among numerous recently launched women's leagues hoping to capitalize on rapid growth in popularity and investment in women's sports.

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Fans were treated to an absolute thriller at the Garden in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and we pick back up at the Garden for Cavaliers vs. Knicks Game 2 tonight.

Our basketball experts have their favorite NBA picks for this contest, where we're cashing in on how both teams will adjust their defensive schemes.

Cavaliers vs Knicks Expert Picks Tonight

Pick	Odds
Jon Metler: Brunson 7+ assists	+102
Jason Logan: Harden 18+ points	-120
Joe Osborne: Knicks -6.5	-105

Odds courtesy of bet365.

Jon Metler's expert pick: Jalen Brunson Over 6.5 assists

Price: +102 at bet365

Jalen Brunson fell just short for us in Game 1 with six assists, but if sportsbooks are going to repost 6.5 at plus money, I’m going right back to it. Nothing from Game 1 changed my outlook on this prop. In fact, I feel even better about it heading into tonight: Brunson consistently broke down James Harden in isolation, and it’s hard to imagine the Cleveland Cavaliers continuing to let that happen without sending more help defenders or double teams. If Cleveland adjusts defensively, it should naturally create more passing opportunities for Brunson. What really stands out is that despite taking 29 shot attempts in Game 1, Brunson still generated 12 potential assists. That’s a very strong underlying number and suggests the playmaking opportunities were there all night. I price the Over 6.5 assists closer to -165.

Jason Logan's expert pick: James Harden Over 17.5 points

Price: -120 at bet365

The New York Knicks blitzed James Harden in the first half of Game 1, sending extra defenders to force the ball out of his hands. He scored only seven points on 3-for-5 shooting and couldn’t get inside to draw fouls in the opening two frames. However, Cleveland was able to skip the ball to open hands, building a big lead in the process. New York’s crazy comeback started when it switched up its defensive scheme in the second half and played Harden straight up. He took 10 FGAs and got to the foul line six times but walked away with just eight points in the second half due to poor shooting (2 for 10). Harden’s usage jumped from 23.7% in the 1H to 29.2% in the 2H, and if the Knicks stick to what worked, Harden will get plenty of scoring opportunities — but the Cavs won’t generate so many wide-open looks. Projections are bullish on "The Beard" with most models north of his 17.5-point total, including a few on the happy side of 20 points.

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Knicks -6.5

Price: -105 at bet365

I’ll take the Knicks to pick up where they left off in Game 1. There were clear signs of rust after an eight-day layoff, yet New York still finished on top in most key statistical categories... despite trailing by 22 in the fourth quarter. Zooming out, New York leads all playoff teams in both net rating and effective field goal percentage, with eight of their nine postseason wins coming by 11+ points. Cleveland’s road efficiency has cratered, and the Cavs looked completely rattled late in Game 1, which is an enormous red flag with a raucous MSG crowd to contend with again.

More Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 2 picks

• Cavaliers vs. Knicks prediction
• Free NBA picks
• Best NBA betting sites

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Born from a basketball pedigree, Cameron Boozer is a natural-born winner. Boozer has made a case as possibly the most accomplished high school player of all time, claiming four Florida state championships, three Nike EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League) rings, two gold medals, and countless individual awards. This isn’t a coincidence; Boozer has one of the most mature, league-ready skillsets and physical frames in the 2026 NBA draft class. Although Boozer couldn’t bring home an NCAA Tournament title to Duke in this year’s March Madness, he could play a significant role on a contending team through his physicality, floor spacing, and high basketball IQ.

Boozer was cerebral, consistent, and physical in his short stint in Durham. He averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game on .556/.391/.789 shooting splits. His all-around success can be attributed to how he played at Duke. As a stretch-four playing alongside 6’11” Pat Ngongba for most of the season, Boozer was Duke’s primary offensive hub. He didn’t confine himself to any area of the court; he could be found on the block as frequently as he would be at the top of the key. His ability to read defenses and to adjust to the pace of the game helped him serve as a secondary ballhandler for Duke, and his physicality and efficient shooting made him very dangerous on screens.

Boozer is a great scorer. He isn’t just a wrecking ball in the paint; he has a deep post bag. He can finesse past opposing bigs with an array of shimmies, pump-fakes, and shuffles. Although going up against smaller, less skilled ACC defenders helped a bit, he legitimately showcased a league-ready understanding of post scoring and consistently found great looks. Additionally, his three-point shooting makes him a true floor spacer and a headache to deal with on screens, where Boozer was equally dangerous barreling down the floor or putting up a fluid, fundamentally sound jumper. Just ask Trevon Brazile and the Arkansas frontcourt.

Boozer was an above-average defender while at Duke, averaging 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. Despite the elite burst of athleticism that many of this draft class’s top prospects share, his intelligence and feel for the game extended to the other side of the ball. He keeps up active hands to disrupt passing lanes, and he’s an elite rebounder, meaning he’s more than serviceable on the defensive end. Additionally, his seven-foot wingspan allowed him to swat a couple of shots, even in the presence of the renowned shot-blocker Ngongba.

His roughly 6’9”, 250-pound frame, coupled with his playmaking instincts, efficiency, and dangerous jumper, has drawn him comparisons to Nikola Jokić. But Boozer is much smaller than Jokić, meaning he projects more like a modern-day, more athletic Kevin Love. However, Boozer’s natural athleticism is a major concern for analysts. Although he isn’t a total non-factor when it comes to vertical leap and agility—he clocked higher than AJ Dybantsa and Caleb Wilson in several Combine agility measurements— he has looked a little sluggish when switching onto smaller guards. He doesn’t play above the rim as much as the prototypical NBA power forward does, and although he can, his vertical ability isn’t as evident as it is with Dybantsa and Wilson.

Additionally, his fit on an NBA roster would be cloudy. Boozer was one of Duke’s primary initiators on offense, running pick-and-rolls and advanced sets as a do-it-all forward. However, Boozer was largely restricted to the interior on defense, and his height makes it very hard for him to be the imposing rim protector that the prototypical NBA center is. He looked really uncertain switching onto guards throughout the season, and it proved difficult for him to bang around with college’s larger centers like UNC’s Henri Veesaar and Michigan’s Aday Mara. His relatively slow feet play a large part in this, and his ability to deal with smaller wings on the perimeter and larger, agile bigs inside is a legitimate concern. Thus, it’s hard to see him making the same disruptive impact he had on opposing defenses in college without drastically improving his perimeter defense to match up against other stretch forwards.

Although Milwaukee’s chances of selecting Boozer are very, very slim, he’ll still be an exciting player to watch elsewhere in the league.

Who would you want to pick with the fourth pick in the NBA Draft? Vote in our community draft board below!

Arguably the biggest story in sports in recent days came in the NBA. On Monday night, the San Antonio Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. A large reason — literally and figuratively — for the victory was San Antonio’s star Victor Wembanyama. The man known “Wemby” scored 41 points and grabbed 24 rebounds, also making a game-tying three to send it to double overtime, where the Spurs came away with the win.

Just by looking at him, you would be able to tell that Wembanyama in a freak of nature, which I mean in the positive sense. The man is 7’4”. Then you watch him actually play, and he’s even crazier. Most players with his massively tall but slender build tended to be of the “stiff” variety who mainly made it because they’re just taller than everyone else. However, Wembanyama can do all sorts of basketball things that should be impossible for someone his size.

Watching him dominate action the other night got me thinking: who are the biggest freaks of nature you’ve seen in your years watching North Carolina Tar Heels’ sports?

There’s probably going to be a couple popular choices here, including one Julius Peppers. For one, Peppers just played two sports in general, and was at least a contributor in both. Peppers was obviously better on the football field, where he went on to be a top NFL Draft pick and had a career that got him inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

However, Peppers was also a very handy basketball player. He played on the Tar Heels’ basketball team in the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons. In the first of those, he helped Carolina go on an unexpected run to the Final Four, averaging 4.5 poings and 3.5 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game.

Also, just look at this man, they made one of those.

However, my own personal choice is someone who played solely on the basketball court, but also doesn’t require much explanation.

I came of a sports-watching age in the late 1990s into the early 2000s. At that time, there was no basketball player cooler for a kid than Vince Carter. Part of that was that he played for a pro team with a name would appeal to a child on the Toronto Raptors, with fun jerseys. (He also played for a college team that had awesome jerseys.) Oh, and there was also the dunks.

I personally chose the #15 to wear in basketball for my grade school team — who had light blue jerseys, it should be said — just because of Vince. He was so cool. (I mean, he probably still is, he just was then too.)

What about you, who do you think the biggest freak of nature you ever saw play at UNC was?

Before the Dallas Mavericks announced the hiring of team president Masai Ujiri, very little had been reported on the search. Every couple months between the November firing of Nico Harrison and this month’s hiring, there would be a sprinkle of insight into team governor Patrick Dumont’s thinking. The team made it clear that they would let the season play out, that the interim leadership would be considered, and a shortlist of recognizable industry names were sought after. And while Ujiri’s name floated in that reporting, traction on that or others remained silent.

Looking at that candidate list one could gather that Dumont was most interested in flashy names, some even completely unattainable. Forgive me if I read that reporting and felt past traumas of Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson-led free agency strategy of aiming for whichever top tier target existed only to strike out and keep the powder dry.

Even more surprising was the announcement days later that Ujiri had named draft expert and former Portland Trail Blazers assistant general manager Mike Schmitz as team general manager. With these hirings and the skillsets each leader brings, the organization has found experience and balance that the team hasn’t had in quite some time.

Their first task is finding a new head coach to lead them into this new Mavericks era, after Tuesday’s announcement that the team had mutually parted ways with Jason Kidd. This important next step officially initiates the Ujiri-Schmitz era — one that hopefully allows the pair to install a new vision around Cooper Flagg.

The last 24 months at Mavs HQ has been anything but calm. Few pro franchises, in any sport, have experienced the emotional highs and personal devastation in such short, public order. Dumont has faced such a steep learning curve since taking over in January 2024, with a rapid fire sequence of mistakes across 2025 that required extreme damage control.

Before that damage was done Dumont seemed content for the operational leader — at the time, Nico Harrison — to run the team as he saw fit. And boy did he. With Tuesday’s decision, and the press conference on Wednesday where Ujiri made clear that the decision to move on from Kidd was his alone, it underlines that Dumont is handing the keys over to Ujiri to the run the team as well. The difference between the former leader and this one, is a wealth of experience and a stable presence that the team sorely missed in the Harrison era.

In Wednesday’s presser Ujiri spoke of a “new slate” and a unified direction with all leaders to build under the same shared vision. That vision starts with Schmitz, who steps into the role for the first time, with his previous stint in Portland after making his name in global NBA draft scouting. And their relationship has been in depth and unified.

“I’ve worked with him how many years in this league, scouring, scouting the whole world. Whether it’s in Uganda, Russia, Serbia, or South America — we’ve been all over the world together,” Ujiri shared about his relationship with press Wednesday. “You see the basketball mind, you see the strategy, you see the people relationships, you see the respect for an organization. And you see the focus on winning. And the focus on direction.”

In the few short weeks Ujiri has been at the helm, and the even fewer times he’s spoken publicly, it’s clear that he brings clarity and intention in the way he communicates. He speaks with an authority and integrity that quite frankly the organization has lacked. And while their could be questions about how tapped in he still is with an ever-evolving league landscape after a slow fade in Toronto, the addition of Schmitz effectively balances his potential gaps with a young, development forward, general manager who has a deep global knowledge of the game. They will compliment each other in leading this team.

Now they’ll be on the lookout for the final leadership piece. Ujiri didn’t elaborate much on who he’ll be looking for to lead their bench. He clarified that he hasn’t yet spoken to any candidate directly, but will take an aggressive approach to finding the right match, as they align the team to Cooper Flagg’s timeline. It’s worth unpacking that the other two times he’s hired a head coach, both did not previously have NBA head coaching experience — something he acknowledged on Wednesday, but said it was out of circumstance. He will leave no stone unturned in finding the right match. And with the draft nearly a month away, expect that to progress quickly.

Honestly, the fact that San Antonio lost ranks fourth or fifth on my list of most troubling facts about last night’s game. By far the most serious issue is Dylan Harper’s injury, as he has been absolutely essential in this playoff run and clearly the second-best Spur in the series so far. The second most vexing problem has been San Antonio’s proclivity for turnovers, especially since many of them were unforced and they unequivocally cost the Spurs the game. In any case, one silver lining is that last night’s box score is unusual and interesting in several ways, so let’s dive in:

Note: Now that we’ve moved into the postseason, the reference period used for grading changes from the set of regular season games since 2012-2013 to the set of postseason games since 2012-2013. Unless otherwise noted below, this set DOES include play-in games. As of the end of May 20, 2026, this group include 1,193 games.

Factors that decided the game

• For as complicated and messy as the game appeared to be at times, the key issues deciding the game are actually quite clear.
• First, San Antonio’s shooting efficiency surpassed OKC’s (albeit by tiny-to-modest margins) from everywhere; in fact, in recent NBA history it has been quite rare for a team to win a playoff game with the FG%, 3P%, and FT% margins that the Thunder had (more on that below).
• Furthermore, OKC didn’t enjoy any notable advantage in rebounding; they did record one more offensive board, but San Antonio won the defensive glass by five (largely because the Thunder took more shots).
• Quite simply, the Spurs’ turnovers were devastating. Because OKC had 11 fewer giveaways, they had more opportunities to score, both from the field and at the free throw line. Most importantly, the Thunder enjoyed a FGA margin of +10, which allowed them to make four more shots despite having a lower FG%.
• On top of their advantage from the field, OKC had a FTA margin of +7, partly because of a terrible rash of fouls by the Spurs in the fourth quarter. This allowed the Thunder to extend their lead by four points from the charity stripe despite having a lower FT%.

Rare Box Score Stats

• Let’s start with team stats from the graded box score. Everything mentioned in this section captures the frequency of different statistical combinations in the 1,193 postseason games played since 2012-2013 (i.e., the “reference period”):
  • This is the 30th game in which the winning team had a turnover margin of -11 or better.
  • Given such a favorable turnover margin, it’s actually a bit shocking that OKC didn’t win in a blowout. In fact, they became just the eighth winner with a turnover margin of -11 or better and a point differential no greater than +9.
  • San Antonio became just the eighth loser to log FG%, 3P%, and FT% values at least as good as 48.81%, 40%, and 88.24%, respectively.
  • There were A LOT of offensive rebounds in this game, with 16 for the Spurs and 17 for OKC. In fact, this is just the 22nd contest in the reference period in which at least 33 offensive boards were recovered (that’s about 1.76% of the 1,193 postseason games played in this period, or roughly 1-in-54).
  • The offensive rebounding numbers are especially surprising when you consider that both teams logged a pretty good FG%, so there weren’t a huge amount of rebounds to be had. In fact, there is just ONE other contest in the reference period in which 33+ offensive boards were recorded with both teams shooting at least 47.87% from the field. That other game was another OKC win, this time over Minnesota in Game 4 of the 2025 Western Conference Finals.
  • The Thunder became just the 11th winner in the reference period to log FG%, 3P%, and FT% differentials as bad or worse as -0.94, -3.89, and -9.07 percentage points, respectively.
• Now let’s turn to stats for individual Spurs, which includes some good news and bad news:
  • Wemby recorded just the 15th instance since the 1996-1997 postseason in which a player pulled down 41+ rebounds over two consecutive playoff games (this is excluding play-in games). Available data do not capture how many times a player has done this with Isaiah Hartenstein BLATANTLY HOLDING his off arm at all times, but I assume that this number is much lower.
  • Sadly, Stephon Castle has become the first player across all true playoff games since 1996-1997 to run up a total of 20 turnovers over tow consecutive games. The previous high was 17, a former record shared by LeBron James and Cade Cunningham.

What are Team Graded Box Scores?

Very briefly, these box scores grade winner-loser differentials for basic box score statistics, with the grade being based on the winning team’s differential relative to other NBA winners during a defined reference period. Think of it like a report card for understanding how a given winner performed relative to other winners. The reference period used runs from the start of the 2012-2013 season to the latest date of play, including only games in the same season category (i.e., regular season and playoff games are not compared to each other).

Data Source: The underlying data used to create these box scores was collected from Basketball Reference. In all cases, the data are collected the morning after the game is played. Although rare, postgame statistical revisions after data collection do occur and may affect the results after the fact.

When Donnie Nelson was fired in 2021, and Rick Carlisle stepped down shortly after, no one argued whether or not this was the correct decision. Nelson had failed to put together a functional roster, and Carlisle’s relationship with Luka Doncic grew sour. The question revolved around who they hired to replace them. And, as history will now tell us, the skepticism was rooted in some amount of truth. 

Jason Kidd and Nico Harrison were hired as a coach/general manager packaged deal before the 2021-22 season. At the time, there was a lot of caution exhibited when trying to project the tenures for both hirings. Kidd was a Hall-of-Fame point guard, but his head coaching resume to that point was far from stellar and included a lot of crucifying anecdotes from his time in Milwaukee. Harrison had no prior experience working in basketball and was the poster boy for Nike’s botched shoe deal pitch to Steph Curry. Needless to say, the Mavericks had a lot of hope in their young superstar in the summer of 2021, but the support from the coaching staff and organization remained to be defined. 

It was always a “wait-and-see” with those two. There was no clear-cut floor, and the ceiling was like one of those drawings of a tunnel on a wall. This time around, however, there is both a concrete expectation and an endless possibility of hopeful outcomes. Masai Ujiri is an accomplished basketball professional. He has the respect of a lot of players and personnel league-wide, and the way he has spoken to the Dallas media in two short press conferences is already leaps and bounds above the slop that Harrison produced. 

Ujiri has won a championship, something that most general managers around the league cannot say. With the coaching search now underway following his dismissal of Jason Kidd, it feels different than it did in 2021. There is an adult in the room now, something that was not true of the past five years, which was made very clear in retrospect. Ujiri’s first hire, Mike Schmidtz, is a widely celebrated, draft-centric savant who adds a level of care for scouting and an emphasis on building through the draft. When looked at in conjunction with Ujiri’s comment about making decisions based on the future and not winning now, it paints a picture that the foundation of the organization is far more stable than the one they put in place the last go around.

After 15 months of chaos, anger, and uncertainty, it seems like the Mavericks have rebounded incredibly from an unprecedented situation. There is a hierarchy in place that has voiced a commitment to time. Letting time build, connect, and improve the organization and the city of Dallas. The old regime made no such pledge. They promised a quick win and could not deliver. This time, the Mavericks are doing it right. And they’re doing it in a way that lends itself to a long run of success.

It’s been almost a week since the Minnesota Timberwolves season came to a flaming end. Though the final on the court memory of the Wolves was them getting smacked with eight minutes of garbage time left, there were still plenty of good parts to the journey. Let’s not lose sight of all that.

So let’s walk through Canis Pulsus Vol. 50 – Memories Edition together!

Welcome to Canis Pulsus Vol. 50!

For those of you who have been ignoring this series since the 2021 season — Canis Pulsus is designed to give our Canis Hoopus community a published voice.

A pulse, if you will.

We all know that if CH occupied all seats of the Minnesota Timberwolves front office, we would be celebrating our 36th consecutive championship this year. But for now, it’s time for us to exercise our right vote. How would you grade the performance of our pups?

It’s a simple concept, really. Just submit your vote as honestly or sarcastically as you would like. All individual submissions will remain anonymous so no one will know if you were the one voter who enjoyed Spurs-Wolves game 6. The results as a whole will be published on Canis Hoopus and (in theory) be texted to all the Wolves staffers and players.

Canis Pulsus Vol. 50 – Memories Edition

Vote link:
https://forms.gle/gGmLybCmiW1x2Fjn9

*Voting ends Sunday, 5/24*

1. My top five favorite games of the season were…
2. My top three favorite non-basketball memory of the season were…
3. What do you most hope the Timberwolves do this offseason with their roster?
4. What non-roster things do you most hope the Timberwolves do this offseason?
5. How satisfied/dissatisfied were you with the final result of the 2025-2026 season?
6. What are you most excited about during the offseason?
7. My current feelings on the direction of the Timberwolves are…

Link to previous Canis Pulsus results

Since my last article on second round prospects, we’ve seen the ping-pong ball gods reward the Wizards, and the draft combine gives us a better understanding of the physical tools of the players the Suns might select at 47.

In another case of “I hate being right”, most of the players I identified as possibilities back in April have seen their draft stock steadily rise. As a result, players that intrigued me the most (Jefferson, Okorie, Ejiofor, Veesaar, and Chinyelu in particular) now appear to be late first or early second round picks, and likely to go about 12-15 spots too high unless the Suns trade up. Another player (JT Toppin) has elected to go back to college after an injury shortened his senior year. Flory Bidunga seems likely to follow.

The draft combine measurements were kind to Baba Miller, Rueben Chinyelu, and Zuby Ejiofor. The latter may sneak into the late first round as a result. Josh Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic did not do themselves any favors, however. Momcilovic may well slip all the way back to 47 now. Bruce Thornton also fared poorly and may fall out of the draft altogether.

After all this movement, four players have been popping up in mock drafts for the Suns that look both interesting and potentially available at 47. While I loved Ejiofor, Veesaar, Okorie, and Chinyelu, they’re very unlikely to be available when the Suns pick. I think Ejiofor, in particular, could contribute right away. I’m much less excited about these next four: they mostly seem like two-way players who might develop into useful reserves.

So, in order of best first, here are four more players that would make sense for the Suns, and that I’ve seen go to them in one or more mock drafts. The analysis of draft positions is based on 16 recent mock drafts and big boards from various well-known sources.

Trevon Brazile (Arkansas, Senior, PF)

Trevon Brazile is a highly athletic, 6’10”, 226-pound power forward with an elite 7’4” wingspan and notable bounce, profiling as a modern stretch-four and vertical spacer. He brings immense physical upside and defensive versatility but is often evaluated as a developmental project due to inconsistent offensive aggression and fluctuating half-court feel.

Key Statistics

31.5 MPG, 13.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.6 APG, 3.1 stocks, 52.5 FG%, 34.1 3FG%, 71.7 FT%

Strengths

• Elite Physical Profile: Possesses NBA-level size and length, highlighted by a massive wingspan and a 41.5″ vertical, allowing him to play well above the rim.
• Vertical Spacing: A dynamic lob threat and explosive rim runner who thrives in the dunker spot, on pick-and-rolls, and in transition.
• Shooting Upside: Capable of stretching the floor as a stretch-big, showing the ability to knock down catch-and-shoot threes and project as a floor-spacer.
• Defensive Versatility: Uses his length and impressive foot speed to switch onto smaller guards on the perimeter, while offering strong weakside shot-blocking and transition defense.

Weaknesses

• Offensive Creation: Lacks a highly creative handle and struggles to generate his own offense in isolation, relying mostly on set plays or put-backs.
• Inconsistent Motor & Feel: Can drift in games and sometimes lacks aggressiveness off the ball, leading to quiet stretches where he isn’t heavily involved in the offense.
• Defensive Discipline: Has shown tendencies to be foul-prone, which has at times mitigated his overall impact as a rim protector, though this has improved over his college career
• Injury History: Dealt with a significant ACL tear in his sophomore season, but recovered well enough to dominate the draft combine
• Age: 23.45 years at the time of the draft; his remaining upside is an open question, given his lack of feel for the game.

Draft Range

Between 36 and 57 in the 13 mock drafts he appeared in.

Why the Suns Should Take a Look

Trevon Brazile absolutely annihilated the combine as perhaps the best athlete there, tying for the top overall score at Tawny Park Metrics. Standing reach equal to Rasheer Fleming, big wingspan, leaps out of the gym, agility and acceleration better than most point guards, 8 inches shorter and 30 pounds lighter than him. Oh, in addition to being a long, athletic, mobile big man who can switch on all five positions, he shoots threes at a respectable percentage, and his mechanics are smooth with high release, good arc, and good back spin. He shoots 43% from three when left unguarded. He doesn’t turn the ball over, has his foul rate under control, and posts a respectable Box Plus Minus.

The reason he’s not a lottery pick is that he’s more of an athlete than a basketball player. He lacks killer instinct, his attention waxes and wanes, and his fundamentals are “meh”. He has the physical tools to be a number one pick, but his issues are all between the ears. He’s a 5th-year senior, and it’s debatable if he will ever “get it”. However, of all the players in this article, he has by far the most upside. If it ever does “click” for him, he could be a surprise all-star or all-defensive team player.

NBA Comparison

Amir Johnson most likely, but Aaron Gordon if it all comes together for him.

Jaden Bradley (Arizona, Senior, PG)

Jaden Bradley is a highly experienced, 6’3″ pass-first point guard who established himself as a premier floor general and the Big 12 Player of the Year at the University of Arizona. Known for his physical downhill play, elite free-throw rate, and on-ball defensive tenacity, he projects as a reliable, high-IQ backup guard in the NBA.

Key Statistics

30.6 MPG, 13.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.4 steals, 46.3 FG%, 39.4% 3FG%, 80.9 FT%

Strengths

• Rim Pressure & Free Throw Drawing: At around 205 pounds, Bradley possesses excellent size and strength for his position. He uses a quick first step, body control, and clever footwork to get downhill and initiate contact. He is elite at drawing fouls and consistently gets to the charity stripe.
• Playmaking & Pace: He operates as a traditional, pass-first floor general. He avoids over-dribbling, plays at a steady, controlled tempo, and excels at running the pick-and-roll.
• Defensive Tenacity: Bradley plays with a high motor and gets after it on the defensive end. His strength and 6’6″ wingspan allow him to pressure the ball full-court and guard multiple positions.
• Winner’s Mentality: He brings significant championship DNA, having played meaningful roles for title-winning and contending teams at Alabama, Arizona, and throughout his final season

Weaknesses

• Perimeter Shooting Consistency: While he has shown flashes of improvement, outside shooting remains a primary concern. Teams may sag off him and dare him to shoot from beyond the arc.
• Playstyle Limitations: He thrives with the ball in his hands and in college-style systems. It remains to be seen how smoothly he will transition to an off-ball, floor-spacing role in the NBA.
• Half-Court Scoring Versatility: He prefers driving right and can be reliant on mid-range pull-ups when the lane is clogged, making him somewhat predictable against set NBA defenses.

Draft Range

The highest draft position in 13 mock drafts was 41. He went undrafted in three of the 16.

Why the Suns Should Take a Look

Jaden Bradley is one of those generally unexciting players who made it this far based on his discipline and basketball IQ more than raw physical talent or supernatural situational awareness. He graded out at the combine as slightly above average athletically as a point guard. Defensively, he’s aces with a great feel for the game at both ends. The most common criticism of him was his shooting, but in 2025-26 he raised his three-point percentage to more than respectable 39.4%.

The biggest problem with Bradley is that it is tough to look at him and find anything he’s elite at. His profile kind of screams perennial third-string point guard. That’s not the worst thing in the world, but his upside seems very limited, but with a solid floor. Given how well Booker did in the past next to a defensively solid, pick-and-roll point guard, Bradley might be a good fit culturally.

NBA Comparisons

Aaron Holiday, Derrick White

Izaiyah Nelson (South Florida, Senior, PF/C)

Izaiyah Nelson is a 6’9”, 219-pound center/forward high-motor defensive specialist and rim-runner. After transferring from Arkansas State, Nelson dominated the American Athletic Conference during his senior year, taking home AAC Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year honors. He recently reinforced his draft stock at the NBA Draft Combine, showcasing a rare mix of elite length and functional lateral quickness that projects well into a modern NBA energy-big role.

Key Statistics

27.3 MPG, 15.9 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, 3.0 stocks, 56.1 FG%, 14.3 3FG%, 72.5 FT%

Strengths

• Elite Physical Tools & Motor: Nelson optimizes every inch of his length, utilizing a 7’3″ wingspan and a massive standing reach to heavily impact the game on the borders. He plays with an incredibly high, relentless motor, making him a constant double-double threat.
• Pick-and-Roll Defensive Versatility: Unlike many traditional low-major bigs, Nelson boasts exceptionally smooth footwork and excellent lateral speed. He tracks smaller guards tightly on switches, possesses the baseline recovery time to execute clean drop blocks, and can confidently defend out to the three-point line in five-out schemes.
• Offensive Glass Mastery: Nelson is an absolute menace on the offensive boards, hunting out-of-area rebounds and easily converting physical putback dunks over heavy traffic.
•  Pro-Ready Screening: Out of handoffs and high pick-and-rolls, he acts as a hard “wall-setter”. He absorbs defensive contact rather than slipping early, creating direct separation advantages for his ball handlers before rolling aggressively to catch lobs.

Weaknesses

• Lack of Perimeter Modernization: Nelson’s offensive utility is strictly confined to the paint. He shot an abysmal 14.3% from beyond the arc on low volume as a senior, signaling that he offers virtually zero floor-spacing threat out of the gate.
• Self-Creation Limitations: He cannot reliably generate his own look off the bounce and relies almost entirely on drop-offs, cuts, lobs, and second-chance opportunities to score.
• Lack of Ideal Center Bulk: Weighing 219 pounds, he can still give up deep post positioning against heavier, physical NBA interior bigs and occasionally struggles to finish inside if he cannot exploit his initial vertical pop. He projects as more of a 4 in the NBA.

Draft Range

His highest position was 44th in one of the 10 mocks he was picked in. Went undrafted in six out of 16 mocks.

Why the Suns Should Take a Look

The Suns desperately needed rebounding, length, and defense from a power forward this year. Nelson is extremely raw offensively, but he’s an exceptional offensive rebounder and great at generating steals.

Defensively, he fits the Suns’ switching defensive scheme, and his aggressive, high-energy style is seemingly “aligned” with Ott’s philosophy. The plus-minus statistics suggest he’s great at setting screens and slipping them for amazing dunks. Izaiyah Nelson also had a very good showing at the draft combine (though not as good as Trevon Brazile), both in terms of vertical leap and agility.

The downside is that he doesn’t space the floor at all, and it’s hard to see how he would mesh with Ighodaro or Williams. However, he might be an intriguing fit next to Maluach if Man-Man keeps developing his three-pointer. All in all, Nelson projects as a potential two-way player upgrade over Isaiah Livers.

NBA Comparisons

Nic Claxton, Onyeka Okongwu

Jeremy Fears, Jr. (Michigan State, Sophomore, PG)

Jeremiah (Jeremy) Fears, Jr.is an undersized (6’0” barefoot, 196 pounds), gritty point guard with elite playmaking vision, a high motor, and advanced ball-handling skills. He excels at generating paint touches, slashing to the rim, and drawing fouls, but he struggles with outside shooting consistency and can be prone to turnovers with a high offensive usage rate. Note: it is widely expected that Fears will return to MSU.

Key Statistics

32.4 MPG, 15.2 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 9.4 APG, 1.3 steals, 43.1 FG%, 32.1 3FG%, 88.5 FT%

Strengths

• Dynamic Slashing & P&R: Exceptional at navigating ball screens and using creative change-of-pace dribbles to get to the basket. He scores efficiently at the rim for his size.
• Elite Free Throw Creation: He draws contact at a very high rate and converts efficiently at the free-throw line (historically shooting around 85%).
• Playmaking Vision: Possesses great court vision, frequently executing drive-and-kick passes, wraparounds, and no-look feeds.

Weaknesses

• Shooting Limitations: His three-point shooting remains a work in progress. Defenses are known to sag off him, which can clog the half-court spacing when he operates off the ball.
• Physical Profile: Measured at around 6’2″ barefoot with average length, he is slightly undersized for a modern NBA lead guard. He isn’t the most explosive athlete, making it occasionally tough for him to finish over length in the paint without relying on floaters or drawing contact.
• On-Court Discipline: His intense competitive nature has occasionally boiled over into visual frustration or controversial physical plays, including multiple highly scrutinized technical fouls during rivalry games.

Draft Range

His highest position was 47th in two of the three mocks he was picked in. Went undrafted in 13 out of 16 mocks, though he showed up in the low 60s in three other mock drafts.

Why the Suns Should Take a Look

Former GM James Jones and others have observed in the past that prospects need to have at least one elite skill to survive in the NBA, and Fears’ skill is playmaking. He might have been the best pure point guard in college basketball last year, leading the nation at 9.4 APG. However, assists and assist-to-turnover ratios historically have been mediocre predictors of success in the NBA. For every Ja Morant or Trae Young, there are two Yuri Collinses or Jalen Moore’s. Fears’ mediocre three-point shooting, below-average height, wingspan, and reach are all red flags in the modern NBA for a point guard.

However, I noticed something looking at historical data. Players who lead NCAA Division 1 schools in APG fall into one of two categories: guys who went to major schools and go on to really good NBA careers (Morant, Young, Ball), and guys who went to smaller schools and never panned out (Moore, Collins). While APG isn’t a great indicator of success by itself, APG and school size together are. Fears led the NCAA in APG, and he went to a big school and faced top-level competition, which bodes well for his future.

That said, I think there’s a significant chance the Suns take him at 47 if he doesn’t withdraw from the draft and return to MSU for several reasons.

First, there’s the Michigan State connection with Owner Matt Ishbia. He loves his Michigan State guys, and there’s a zero percent chance he hasn’t been watching Fears. If Fears unexpectedly decides to stay in the draft, I would take it as a huge sign that Ishbia has made Fears a promise of a guaranteed NBA contract, especially given his feisty, tough, intense play style is aligned with the Phoenix team concept.

Fears’ weaknesses also aren’t as they appear at first glance. His super-high free throw percentage and relatively young age strongly suggest that his three-point percentage will improve over time. He’s still 6’1 or 6’2 in shoes, and the advanced metrics say he isn’t a liability on defense due to his excellent agility, strength, and vertical leap, which all graded well at the combine. His defensive box plus minus was a stronger positive than his (slightly) negative defensive rating, per Tankathon.

NBA Comparisons

Jaden Ivey, Markelle Fultz, Tyus Jones

Final Verdict

Most of the players I was really stoked about when I started looking at the draft have either returned to college or risen out of range of the Suns’ pick. All of the players here project as two-way players, except perhaps Fears, if Ishbia has decided that he’s willing to make promises of guaranteed, multi-year money for an MSU alumnus. (Seriously, I wouldn’t put it past him: if Fears doesn’t drop out of the draft, I’d drop a wad of money on the Suns picking him, it’s the only reason he wouldn’t).

Multiple mocks have shown the Suns picking each of these new players, and which one the Suns select says a lot about what the Suns are looking for. Brazile is a swing for the fences, take a flyer on a guy kind of move, and he’s the only one I could see developing into a high-quality starter. Izaiyah Nelson is a safe pick if you’re looking for the next Lou Amundson, high-energy, low-skill power forward to provide a spark from the deep bench and keep practice competitive. Jaden Bradley is a low-risk, low-reward sort of deep bench, third-string point guard who you can trust to not do anything incredibly dumb in limited minutes. Jeremy Fears has a higher ceiling than Nelson or Bradley if he figures out his three-point mechanics. Given his free-throw percentage, I believe he will.

If you made me rank these four players in terms of my own personal preference, I’d say Brazile, Fears, Nelson, and Bradley from most to least.

The 2026 NBA Draft Combine was held from May 10-17 in Chicago with the Washington Wizards being the center of attention. Obviously, when Washington has the No. 1 pick, that is to be expected.

However, in the last week, we have heard rumblings of the Utah Jazz looking to trade up to No. 1. The Jazz have the No. 2 pick and consensus No. 1 pick and former BYU star AJ Dybantsa has played in their state.

But if the Wizards think Dybantsa will be the best fit at No. 1, they will select him, and he will play in D.C.

Or will they?

Josh Robbins and David Aldridge of The Athletic polled front office executives during the draft combine and found that out of 10 executives in an anonymous poll, seven indicated that Dybantsa will go at No. 1.

There is also an indication that there are four prospects who stand out, including Dybantsa. Darryn Peterson of Kansas, Cameron Boozer of Duke and Caleb Wilson of North Carolina are also part of this “Fantastic Four” group. It would be who Washington to take a deep look at the other three players as well.

Jeremy Woo of ESPN released a post combine mock draft with the Wizards selecting Dybantsa. But if Washington begins to covet one of the other three players in the “Fantastic Four,” then we can expect trade talk to heat up more than it already has.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

The Oklahoma City Thunder evened the Western Conference Finals Wednesday evening with a 122-113 win. The series is now tied 1-1

Jared McCain came off the bench to score 12 points, hitting 4-14 overall and 3-9 from behind the three-point line.

Mason Plumlee did not get off the bench for San Antonio.

Victor Wembanya continues his assault on the league, scoring 21 points, pulling down 17 rebounds, passing out 6 assists and blocking 4 shots.

This has quickly become the most interesting rivalry in the NBA, but the future belongs to Wembanyama and OKC will have to find a way to counter him. They can either find someone who can more or less match his abilities, which is a long shot at best, or they can find some modern equivalent of the Jordan Rules, and that might mean substantially altering their roster.

Fortunately, they have a ton of options.

They could, for instance, build a frontcourt specifically to cage Wembanyama, at least offensively. We’re just using hypothetical examples here, but if you threw Steven Adams, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Zion Williamson at him, that’s a frontcourt that would expose his biggest weakness, which is his pipe-cleaner frame. When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar entered the league, his physique was somewhat similar, but by the time he retired, his body was much thicker. But it took him years to muscle up.

Alternatively, they have a ton of draft picks to work with. Over the next five years, the Thunder have up to 11 first-round picks and between 12-15 second-round picks.

Already one of the deepest teams in the NBA, Oklahoma City clearly can’t use that many picks. It’s possible they could put together a deal for, say, Antetokounmpo, who would help a lot. Or they could look for another emerging young big man.

Or to go another route, the Thunder could just ruthlessly pursue great three-point shooters to counter Wemby. With great ball movement, you could just bomb away, and as freakish as Wembanyama can be, he can’t chase the ball around the perimeter. Again, this is hypothetical, but imagine if you hit him with Steph Curry, Kon Knueppel, and Luka Doncic.

Everyone is going to have to figure out how to deal with Wembanyama as the future of the league. OKC probably has the best chance of actually doing it.

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Deandre Ayton was the Lakers’ biggest X-factor during the 2025-26 season that ended during the playoff’s second round after a four-game sweep by the Thunder.

And Ayton will remain that for the Lakers during the offseason until he makes the decision that’ll have a ripple effect on the team’s summer plans.

Ayton is one of three Lakers, along with Austin Reaves and Marcus Smart, who have a player option for the 2026-27 season. 

The expectation around the NBA is that Reaves will opt out of his $14.9 million option for next season and become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career. He’ll be eligible to sign a maximum five-year contract worth $241 million with the Lakers or a four-year, $178 million deal with another team.

Smart, who has a $5.4 million player option for 2026-27, should be able to sign a more lucrative deal this offseason — including one with the Lakers — if he opts out after having his best season in a few years.

But Ayton, and his $8.1 million player option, will be a pivot point for the Lakers’ offseason as he weighs his options after saying after the season ended that he didn’t know what decision he’d make.

“Just being honored and happy to be on this platform,” Ayton said. “And another chance, and all of that. There’s great players I learned [from] here. I haven’t really thought about nothing else, to be honest. I have a little break to myself.”

Ayton added: “I trust my agents. That’s about it. That’s really out of my hands; I love it here regardless. Fans and everybody that’s been around me, the coaching staff. They treat me like family.”

With the Lakers looking to “retrofit” the roster around superstar guard Luka Doncic, there’s a heightened spotlight on the team’s big man rotation — especially the starting center. 

Doncic has been at his best when playing alongside a rim-running, lob-threat center who’ll also protect the rim defensively, evident during his run to the 2024 NBA Finals when the Mavericks had a center rotation of Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford.

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Ayton and his style of play don’t fit that archetype.

There was a push-pull dynamic between what Ayton had been and wanted to be versus what the Lakers needed from him throughout the season — which Ayton acknowledged after the Lakers’ playoff run ended. 

Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft, is used to being the featured option within an offense and have the opportunities to impose his scorer’s mentality.

But that wasn’t what the Lakers needed from him most games. They needed his presence on the boards. A stout rim protector and defensive anchor. Even when his offensive touches were limited and consistently infrequent. 

This dynamic is why Ayton said he came to the Lakers with a “different mindset” and “had to adjust.” And why he referred to 2025-26 as “humbling.”

It reflected in his career-low averages of 12.5 points and eight rebounds. But to his credit, Ayton also shot a career-high 67.1% from the field. The Lakers were better at protecting the rim when Ayton was on the floor during the regular season and a significantly better rebounding team with Ayton playing during the playoffs. 

“I came in here with a scorer’s mentality, and we don’t really need that,” Ayton said. “We have the best players on the team and the best playmakers. Kind of had to break down my game where just rebounding, defending the rim was what the team wanted. It’s not what I want, but it’s what the team wanted the most.”

This is why he’s the X-factor for the Lakers’ offseason. 

If Ayton opts out and signs with another team, it would help open pathways for the Lakers to sign or acquire another starting center who is a better fit alongside Doncic. 

Ayton opting in or re-signing with the Lakers on another deal would make those pathways narrow and murkier.

It’s important to note that Doncic and Ayton are represented by longtime agent Bill Duffy of WME. And that Doncic recruited Ayton to the Lakers last summer after Ayton was bought out of his contract with the Trail Blazers. 

The Lakers have been searching for the right center to pair with Doncic since they acquired him last February. 

And they’re still searching.

How simple or complicated that search will be this summer will depend on Ayton.

We just watched the torch being passed from LeBron James to Victor Wembanyama in real time. 

Wembanyama is next.

He rubbed it in our faces. He made it impossible to second-guess. He all but etched his name on the metaphorical baton.

It happened in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals between the Spurs and Thunder. The evening began with Wembanyama watching NBA Commissioner Adam Silver hand Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the MVP Award he coveted.

It ended with our jaws on the floor. 

Wembanyama had 41 points, 24 rebounds and three blocked shots in the Spurs’ 122-115 double-overtime win over the Thunder on Monday. He followed that by a 21-point, 17-rebound, six-assist and four-block performance in the Spurs’ 122-113 loss on Wednesday.

If anything, Wembanyama was underhyped when he was touted as the best prospect since James.

He’s not like anything we’ve seen before.

He was dominant in Game 2, constantly chasing down any missed shots with unreal timing. But Game 1 was his magnum opus. That was his official coming out party He made the reigning champions look vulnerable. He made Gilgeous-Alexander look like he pulled a fast one on MVP voters. 

Wembanyama was the human incarnation of opposing teams’ nightmares. 

The 7-foot-4 anomaly imposed his will everywhere. The paint belonged to him on both ends of the court. He was an unsolvable math problem for a Thunder team that had the NBA’s top-rated defense two straight seasons. 

But what makes Wembanyama especially dangerous is he isn’t chained by the typical restraints of big men. He can dribble. He has a soft touch. He defies the rules. 

Wembanyama transformed into Steph Curry in Game 1 with 27 seconds left in overtime and the Spurs trailing by three points, 108-105. He caught the ball just past half court. He fired a 28-foot 3-pointer. The ball swished through the net, forcing double overtime. 

Plays like that make you wonder about Wembanyama’s ceiling. What isn’t he capable of doing? If he stays healthy, could he soon nip at the heels of LeBron James and Michael Jordan? 

Then, in the second overtime, Wembanyama single-handedly outscored the Thunder, 9-7. He went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. He had as many rebounds (four) as the entire Thunder team. 

In the final minute of that period, Wembanyama was fouled on a made dunk and completed the three-point play. He made an alley-oop dunk. And he concluded his one-man symphony by blocking and grabbing a shot attempt by Jalen Williams. 

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said what impressed him most wasn’t even measurable. 

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“His level of physicality and execution through physicality was tremendous,” Johnson said. “His rebounding obviously showed in the box score, but what was off the charts was defensively, he was in his stance almost all night. That’s 49 big minutes, and it was high level for the majority of those.”

Wembanyama has said he wants to be the next face of the league. This season, he argued his case for the MVP Award, finishing third for that honor. He won Defensive Player of the Year. 

He wants this so bad. 

There’s nothing nonchalant about him. There’s nothing halfhearted. He’s all in, and he has the skills to be transformative. 

He didn’t even sugarcoat things when asked if Game 1 felt personal after he witnessed Gilgeous-Alexander receive the league’s most prestigious individual award.

“Yeah, for sure,” Wembanyama said. “Everything you just said.”

Watching Wembanyama is exciting for so many reasons. 

But above all, he’s this good — and he’s only 22 years old. He became the youngest person to record at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a playoff game on Monday. And on Wednesday, he had game-highs in rebounds and blocks while making three 3-pointers.

This is only the beginning. 

It feels as though we’re witnessing magic. We’re watching a masterpiece being painted in real time. 

We’re witnessing history. 

The 41-year-old James has made it clear he’s going to retire soon. But we can all breathe easy because the league has been handed over to a guy who’s going to take good care of it. 

He’s going to give it his all. 

And if everything goes as expected, he’s going to become one of the all-time greats.