Category: Basketball

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TGIF, folks. How are we feeling after that series sweep?

For most enjoyers of the sport, those three games were hailed as “good baseball.” Now that we’re on the other side of it, I agree, but it was a very stressful three nights. Brandon Gaudin wasn’t lying when he called it “a taste of October” – I forgot what that particular flavor of anxiety was like. 

But here we are. The 79-55 Atlanta Braves will welcome two other NL West teams to Truist Park over the next four days. For this next three-game set, the Dodger blues in the opposing dugout will give way to the grays and purples of the Colorado Rockies.

Victims of being swept by the Braves themselves back in May, the Rockies come to our place 30 games under .500 (52-82) with Purple Row readers pondering how/if they’ll avoid another 100 loss season.

Big flashing warning sign for the 2026 Braves, who have played winning teams tough with a 37-23 record. But for teams we should beat… not quite as successful. While getting swept in Minnesota feels fainter now, it certainly still lingers.

The Braves are looking to keep the good vibes rolling and extend their win streak to five behind Grant Holmes (8-5, 3.64 ERA). Holmes has gone six innings in three of his four outings in August, and each were quality starts versus the Marlins, Yankees, and Chicago White Sox. The one blow-up was the 3.2 innings and six earned runs against the Diamondbacks here at home on August 15. But he’s rocking a 2.49 ERA on the month. Another quality start could help his case to stay in the rotation with Reynaldo López set to return soon. If not? For the hundredth time this season… get ready to learn bullpen, buddy.

Speaking of the bullpen, ours should be fresh due to the heroics of Chris Sale last night. 

The majority of Colorado’s hitters have seen Holmes, with the exception of Zac Veen, Cole Carrigg, and Brett Sullivan. Hunter Goodman and Connor Norby lead the team with six total ABs. Goodman and Troy Johnston each have a double off him, and Mickey Moniak has the lone home run. 

The Braves will face yet another Japanese starting pitcher. Right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (12-7, 4.96 ERA), was teammates with Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Team Japan at the World Baseball Classic. He’s a new face for the Braves as they’d never faced him in his debut season in 2025 as a Baltimore Oriole. Prior to that, he was an ace for twelve seasons with the Yomiuri Giants.

In his seven-pitch arsenal, he leads with the split-finger, followed closely by the four seamer and sinker. He’ll also mix in a cutter, sweeper, slider, and occasional curveball. The big red bar on his Baseball Savant page? His walk rate is in the top 7% of MLB. But he’s been hard-hit in his last two outings: in eight innings (5.0 vs. LA, 3.0 vs. CLE), he was tagged for 16 hits and 12 runs (11 earned). It’d be nice if the Braves could build on the offensive signs of life we’d seen in the Dodgers series.

Lane Thomas and Dominic Smith are the only Braves with any experience against Sugano. Dom is hitless with a K in two ABs, and Thomas is 1-for-6.

It’s not another high-octane battle between two first-place teams for a bye, but win number 80 on the season and a five-game win streak are at stake. So play them just as tough, Braves, please and thank you.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Friday, August 28, 7:15 p.m. ET

Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA

TV: BravesVision

Streaming: MLB.tv

Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM

In what was a busy offseason, the Philadelphia Flyers re-signed almost all of their free agents, but one forward who played a key role for the team down the stretch is now a solid option for one of the NHL's powerhouses.

On Wednesday, the Edmonton Oilers announced in a press release that forwards Matt Savoie and Mattias Janmark, goalie Frederik Andersen, and defenseman Alec Regula are all expected to miss training camp next month due to injury, putting a massive dent in the Stanley Cup hopeful's depth with little time left before the season.

Arguably the most considerable loss for the Oilers is Janmark, who has been a two-way, bottom-six staple for Edmonton for several seasons now.

Janmark, 33, underwent season-ending surgery back on March 6, and started 62.9% of his even-strength shifts in the defensive zone in the 43 games he did manage to play in.

Savoie, 22, emerged as a penalty-killer, too, and scored twice shorthanded for Edmonton last year in what was his first full NHL season. It's unclear when Janmark will be back, but Savoie isn't expected to be out terribly long, according to GM Stan Bowman.

Still, the Oilers will need another forward to start the season, and that's where free agent Flyers forward Luke Glendening comes in.

Flyers' Glendening could get one last chance to play for a contender

Glendening, 37, is one of three remaining free agent forwards who played at least 100 minutes on the penalty kill last season, featuring in that role for both New Jersey in Philadelphia.

The wily vet salvaged his season with the Flyers after being claimed on waivers from New Jersey, scoring five points in 18 games with Philadelphia after recording just four in 52 games with the Devils.

Glendening was part of a formidable fourth line formed by the Flyers and head coach Rick Tocchet, playing alongside Garnet Hathaway and Sean Couturier and occasionally drawing in as a center to take faceoffs for matchup purposes.

Notably, Glendening has played 100 or more minutes on the penalty kill in every year of his NHL career, and while Father Time is beginning to catch up, Glendening was still able to handle a whopping 76.3% defensive zone start rate with the Flyers.

The Oilers could do worse than an experienced, battle-tested Glendening who proved he still has something left in the tank to close out the 2025-26 season.

It helps, too, that the unsigned Flyers forward is a right-shot, like Savoie, and has the versatility to play on the wing if and when needed. The offensive upside is null and void, but the Oilers can leave that up to Connor McDavid, Evan Bouchard, and Leon Draisaitl in the interim.

The Flyers were previously considering bringing Glendening back earlier in the offseason, but the addition of free agent Noel Acciari makes that unlikely in the absence of any injuries to the Flyers' forward group.

So, if this is it for Glendening and the Flyers, the Oilers are a logical next step for the 13-year NHL veteran.

The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.  

Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games. 

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

12. Adam Kleber – Defense (Minnesota-Duluth – NCAA)

Kleber was the Sabres second-round pick at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas. The Chaska, MN native played his amateur hockey in Minnesota and two years in the USHL with Lincoln before being selected 42nd overall with a pick obtained from the San Jose Sharks when Buffalo traded down from 11th to 14th overall.

The 6’6”, 214 lb. right-handed blueloiner is defensive-minded, something that will be a good fit down the road with a Sabres blueline that is predominantly left-handed and offensive-minded. The 20-year-old possesses above-average skating ability and good awareness and habits in his own zone, skills that project him to be an effective penalty killer down the line, but at the Sabres Development camp earlier this summer, he showed some offensive ability as well. 

Adam Kleber with some nifty moves. 👀#LetsGoBuffalopic.twitter.com/a6iih6Dc3n

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) July 2, 2026

In his freshman year at Minnesota-Duluth, Kleber had just five points (2 goals, 3 assists) in 33 games, but was part of Team USA’s gold medal-winning squad at the 2025 World Junior Championships, and again played for Team USA last December. His offensive totals slightly picked up as a sophomore, and after his junior season, it is likely that the Sabres will try to get him signed to an entry-level deal. 

Follow Michael on X, and Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

78% of Carolina Panthers fans will be disappointed in head coach Dave Canales’ decision to hold starters out of tonight preseason finale against the Houston Texans. There is always a debate between keeping your guys healthy and getting them enough experience to be ready for Week 1. Canales has always erred on the side of caution in that debate. His Panthers teams are also 2-6 in September over his first two years as a head coach.

22% of y’all agree with his decision to rest starters while another 22% want them to play a full half. 9% want more than that while a near majority, at 47% of fans, want to see the starters play the first quarter.

This data came off of a one question survey and obviously doesn’t capture a whole lot of nuance. I want to see y’all down in the comments between now and kick off arguing for your vote. If you want them to play a whole game, tell us why their experience and risk matters more than evaluating the bottom of the roster guys who are getting their last time to shine tonight. If you want to see no time at all, I want to hear why another slow start to the regular season is a worthy risk.

Sign up, scroll down, and sound off to share your opinion.

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Asa Montgomery, one of the summer’s biggest risers, is taking an official visit to LSU this weekend, sources told Rivals.

The 6-foot-7 small forward out of Hillgrove High School (GA) is now ranked as the No. 15 overall recruit in the 2027 class, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.

Montgomery, a high-four prospect, led the Nike EYCL Circuit in scoring this summer, averaging 27.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game for AOT.

In addition to the Tigers, he’s received offers Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, UConn, Louisville, Florida, Alabama, Houston, Auburn, Arkansas, Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, and more.

Scouting Asa Montgomery + what he’s looking for in a school

Rivals National Recruiting Analyst Jamie Shaw has evaluated Montgomery multiple times in person. Here’s what he had to say about him after watching him in July:

In the most recent 2027 Rivals150 update Asa Montgomery jumped to No. 15 overall. The length and explosive 6-foot-7 forward has had as much success as anyone through the spring and summer. On Wednesday night, Montgomery was able to do whatever he wanted on the court. He showcased his handle, creating advantages for himself and his team. He knocked down multiple threes, both off the catch and the bounce. And he displayed top-level-type explosive burst finishing above the rim.

The upside remains very high with Montgomery, but with that upside comes the current level of production he is seeing. A lengthy and explosive wing with positional size and three-level scoring ability is intriguing. Especially when you also look at his defensive upside. Montgomery has been one of the steepest spring risers, and I don’t expect that to change in the coming week.

In a previous interview with Rivals, Montgomery discussed what he is looking for in a college program.

“I want to go to a family-oriented team. A tight team, and I want to play for a coach that can help me develop and who will put me in the right situations for where I am trying to go.”

Happy Friday, and welcome to another heart-stopping, breathtaking edition of “You’re Nuts.” Specifically, this is the hoops-related version — despite college football being mere hours away, we at Land-Grant Holy Land will continue to sprinkle in the basketball-related content wherever we see fit, even during the lean, dark days of the off-season.

The Buckeyes are back on campus, and on top of that, the Ohio State men’s team made a late-summer addition to the roster in 6-foot-9 power forward Lee Aaliya. Aaliya, who turns 22 in November, has played professionally in Argentina for multiple seasons, and actually was committed to play for Juwan Howard at Michigan in 2023. That never materialized for whatever reason, with Michigan coaches citing “logistical” issues, including visa problems and friction with the University of Michigan admissions office.

Aaliya is not expected to be a “project” player or someone who will take several months to acclimate to this level of basketball. He will have an opportunity to compete for minutes right away, despite not having been with the team for summer practices or the team’s trip to Puerto Rico, where they beat two local professional teams by a combined 80 points. Aaliya is considered more of a post player who is more explosive around the rim, not around the three-point line. He will likely log some minutes at power forward and center.

Last week, Connor and Justin predicted Ohio State’s record in the non-conference portion of the schedule, since that part of the schedule has officially been published on the team’s website. The guys were pretty close, with Connor picking Ohio State to go 10-2 in those 12 games, with losses to UConn and Vanderbilt. Justin picked them to go 9-3 in those 12 games, with losses to UConn, Vanderbilt, and BYU.

Full transparency — news is slow right now in the men’s basketball world, unless you’re interested in talking about lawsuits, temporary restraining orders, and 20-something’s trying to play another season when they should probably be updating their resumes.

For that reason, we’re backing up a few months and revisiting the group of players who transferred out of Ohio State in the spring. Five guys left Ohio State — Devin Royal (Villanova), Taison Chatman (Utah), Colin White (Akron), Gabe Cupps (UIC), and Mathieu Grujicic (Radford). Which guy do you think set themselves up for the most success in their new program?

This week’s question: Which outgoing Ohio State transfer will have the most success with their new team?

Connor: Taison Chatman

Unlike the other four guys, there’s a real chance that Taison Chatman becomes one of — if not the — key player in his team’s offense. Especially after the news earlier this week that former Israeli basketball star Noam Yaacov won’t be allowed to play at Utah, this Running Utes’ roster is looking pretty bleak.

Utah went 10-22 last year overall and 2-16 in conference play, and there’s not a ton of confidence that they’ll be a whole lot better this season. Chatman projects as the starting shooting guard for Utah this season, which means in his fourth year of college basketball, the 6-foot-4 guard will finally have a wide open lane to a starting role, consistent minutes, and a large role in an offense.

Last season from January 26 onward, Chatman averaged just over 7.2 points per game while playing 21.7 minutes per game in those final 13 games. He’s a career 43.8% shooter, 42.4% from beyond the arc, and better than 80% from the free throw line.

Fair or unfair, Chatman was really never given the opportunity at Ohio State to be a featured guy. Would those shooting numbers hold steady if Chatman was taking nine shots per game instead of the three per game he took last season? That question is going to be answered this season for Chatman, because nothing will be stopping him from playing a boatload of minutes for second-year Utes coach Alex Jensen. I think Chatman is going to easily score 10 points per game this year in the Big 12, and perhaps even more if Utah finds a way to get out of the basement of their own conference.

Justin: Devin Royal

Devin Royal transferred to Villanova for his senior season after spending three seasons at Ohio State. Being a kid from Columbus and a large contributor for the Buckeyes for his career, it was a bummer to see Royal hit the transfer portal, but it wasn’t unexpected.

With the emergence of Amare Bynum last season and five-star freshman Anthony Thompson joining the team. There were two starting spots for three guys, and Royal seemed like the odd man out from the jump. He only has one season of college basketball left, and I doubt he wants to spend that coming off the bench after two years of being a starter.

Last season, Royal averaged 13.7 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game, and 1.6 assists per game. For his career, he averages 10.6 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game in 96 games played.

Things were rocky with Ohio State a couple of times, but for the most part, Royal was great for the Buckeyes and is easily the best player who hit the portal. He will go to Villanova and likely average somewhere in between 12 and 15 points per game and could be an All-Conference type player.

It’s the last podcast before we get back into the in-season flow next week. Today, we’re answering listener questions as we get ready for what would seem to be an extremely promising 2026-27 U of L athletics season.

Direct link here.

The France men’s basketball team defeated Slovenia, 92-67 yesterday in Paris at Accor Arena. The Washington Wizards have Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr as part of the pipeline. They were not named for the roster yesterday however. Sarr is recovering from foot surgery earlier this offseason, but he should be ready to go this fall.

As one of the top teams in the world, France should easily make the FIBA World Cup next year. Hopefully, we’ll also see Sarr and Coulibaly playing for Les Bleus as well when the World Cup happens.

Earlier this month, the Detroit Red Wings announced their promotional schedule for the 2026-27 season, packed with giveaways and theme nights designed to give fans plenty of reasons to head down to Little Caesars Arena for the franchise's 101st season.

Familiar fan favorites are returning, including Halloween, Thanksgiving Eve and New Year's Eve games, Star Wars Night, Heritage Games, College Games and three separate Kids Day contests.

Among the new additions, the headline giveaway will almost certainly be the 2002 Stanley Cup 25th Anniversary Bobblehead Series, featuring Sergei Fedorov, Nicklas Lidstrom and Scotty Bowman. Other new giveaways include Salt and Pepper Shakers around Thanksgiving and a nod to Moritz Seider's German heritage with a Seider-themed beer stein.

College Night ticket packages will let fans represent their alma mater alongside the Red Wings, with participating schools including several notable around the state like Ferris State, Detroit Mercy, Michigan Tech, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Michigan State, Western Michigan and Michigan among others.

Heritage nights make up a huge chunk of this year's giveaway slate, and the Red Wings are covering a lot of ground. Fans can look forward to shirseys honoring Canadian, Hispanic, Chaldean, Polish on Hockey Fights Cancer Night, Albanian, Greek, Italian, Swedish, Filipino, French, and Irish Heritage on participating nights.

Detroit Red Wings announce 2026-27 theme games and promotional schedule | Detroit Red Wings- Single-game tickets on sale Aug. 4, presale access available at DetroitRedWings.com/Tickets - Fan-favorite theme nights return, including Halloween, Thanksgiving Eve and New Year’s Eve, Star Wars Night, Heritage Games, College Games and three Kids Days - Door giveaways include 2002 Stanley Cup 25th Anniversary Bobblehead Series, featuring Sergei Fedorov,

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.

Beyond heritage nights, there's also a Star Wars Night shirsey, a Grateful Dead shirsey, Hometown Heroes shirseys honoring police officers and fire/EMS personnel, a Military Appreciation Night shirsey, and a Faith Day shirt presented by The Walk.

The Red Wings are also leaning into a full "Build-Your-Own-Fit" series this season, letting fans piece together a look one giveaway at a time. That includes a Build-Your-Own-Fit crewneck, sweatpants, socks, a vest, and a hat, giving dedicated fans the chance to collect an entire wardrobe over the course of the season if they hit enough games.

Rounding out the schedule is a wide mix of specialty items, including a Sisterhood hat, a Love Your Melon beanie, a Winged Wheel Podcast beanie along with a separate Winged Wheel Podcast item later in the year, the classic Zamboni gravy boat making its return, a Margaritaville tote bag, and Pride Night and Weekend tumblers. 

Fans supporting community causes will also see two separate Educator Appreciation lunch box nights and two Healthcare Appreciation tote bag nights throughout the year, along with a Red Wings ugly sweater giveaway around the holidays.

It's shaping up to be a packed slate of theme nights and giveaways at LCA this season, one that should give Red Wings fans plenty of reasons to come out to the rink no matter the night.

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As the FIBA World Cup break looms, the WNBA’s playoff picture is looking a lot clearer.

We know who will be playing in the postseason now that all eight teams have clinched their spots. However, seeding is still very much up for grabs.

Only three games separate the No. 3 seed and the No. 8 seed, so which teams will have homecourt in the opening round and beyond is still unknown. Here is an overview of the current playoff outlook for each team, with every team having about five games left to play.

No. 1-seed Minnesota Lynx (31-8)

The Minnesota Lynx are sitting pretty as the top seed. They are three games in front of the No. 2-seed Golden State Valkyries, and considering that they won the season series, only an utter collapse will have them falling in the standings.

Minnesota is right where they want to be: in complete control of their destiny.

No. 2-seed Golden State Valkyries (28-11)

The Valkyries might not catch the Lynx, but they have to keep playing to win.

The Las Vegas Aces are right behind them, just two games back in the standings. Since they lost all three matchups against Las Vegas, the Aces own the tiebreaker. So, the Valkyries need a couple more wins to lock up the second-best record in the WNBA.

No. 3-seed Las Vegas Aces (26-13)

Here is where things start to get interesting.

The Aces are just a half game ahead of the Atlanta Dream and a full game in front of the Indiana Fever. Even with just five games left, that leaves plenty of possibilities.

Las Vegas owns the tiebreaker over the Dream, but they lost the season series against the Fever. Luckily, they have the easiest schedule in the WNBA, giving them an advantage as they try to maintain their position.

However, the season-ending injury to NaLyssa Smith could result in the Aces experiencing more challenges than their strength of schedule suggests.

No. 4-seed Atlanta Dream (25-13)

The Dream have had a very good year. Head coach Karl Smesko has his team on track for another season with a better than 60-percent winning percentage. They are hanging on to the No. 4 spot, just a half game in front of the Fever.

Atlanta and Indiana split their head-to-head matchups, and they are currently neck and neck on the next tiebreaker, which is the best record against teams with a record over .500.

The Dream are 11-11 and the Fever are 10-12 against winning teams, so the team that will end up with the fourth seed will likely come down to the last weekend of the WNBA season.

No. 5-seed Indiana Fever (25-14)

The Fever have the firepower to win it all. But, they need to stack up some victories to be in position to do it.

That’s not going to be easy for Indiana because they have so many matchups left against playoff opponents. They play the Lynx twice and face the Washington Mystics, New York Liberty and Dallas Wings.

If they are truly title contenders, then they’ll win more than they lose and will stay at the No. 5 spot, and perhaps even jump up in the standings.

No. 6-seed Washington Mystics (24-15)

The Mystics have been the pleasant surprise of the year. Their youth movement is ahead of schedule, and they’ll be competing in the playoffs this year instead of tanking for a draft pick.

They are only a game ahead of the Wings and Liberty, so they could still drop down to eighth if they have a bad ending to the regular season. Regardless, it’s been a good year in Washington, and they are playing with house money.

There is no pressure at this point, and whatever happens will be a good learning experience for the Mystics as their rebuild is going better than anyone, even if the organization itself, could have envisioned.

No. 7-seed Dallas Wings (23-16)

The Wings have been up and down lately. While they’ve won three-straight games, they’re 5-5 over their last 10 contests, and with Azzi Fudd out for the rest of the year, it’s hard to see how they can make a jump in the standings.

However, with Paige Bueckers, all things are possible. Dallas is just a game behind the Mystics, so there is hope they can avoid the bottom two playoff spots.

No. 8-seed New York Liberty (23-16)

The Liberty’s entire year has been a struggle.

They were supposed to take a step forward, and they’ve done the opposite. Unless they dominate their remaining schedule, they’ll finish with their worst winning percentage since 2022.

The good news is they’re in the playoffs. Also, with five games left, a strong finish could push them as high as the No. 4 seed. It’s unlikely they’ll end up that high, but they can finish better than they currently stand.

Despite all eight teams securing their spot, just getting in isn’t the only thing that matters.

Last year, the only lower seed to win in the first round was the No. 6-seed Fever. Homecourt advantage is incredibly value, so every team needs to try to set themselves up for success. When the World Cup break ends, there will be just one week of WNBA regular-season action for these eight teams to improve their playoff position, or put themselves at risk of an early postseason exit.

Jump in the comments and let us know how you think the playoff seeds will shake out.

The 2026-27 Kentucky Basketball schedule has been released.

Thanks to the NCAA’s change to preseason exhibition contests, Kentucky will play three Division I teams before regular-season play begins, all being at Rupp Arena. Following Big Blue Madness on October 2, the Wildcats play their first exhibition foe on October 16 vs. Little Rock, led by former Kentucky great Travis Ford.

On October 23, Kentucky will play host to Texas Tech. Then on October 28, they’ll host UCF.

After that, the real fun begins for the Wildcats.

The regular season tips off on November 3rd when Kentucky hosts the Manhattan Jaspers inside Rupp Arena, officially beginning Year 3 of the Mark Pope era.

After a November 6th clash with the James Madison Dukes, the Wildcats get their first major test of the season when they face the Kansas Jayhawks in the 2026 Champions Classic, which takes place at the United Center in Chicago on November 10th

Kentucky’s next major test comes November 20th vs. the Indiana Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. This will be the second meeting of the two schools’ new series, which currently runs through the 2028-29 season.

The Wildcats then return home to host Wichita State on November 27, bringing up memories of the program’s two memorable NCAA Tournament matchups in 2014 and 2017.

A challenging December slate will begin with Kentucky hitting the road to face a potential top-10 Virginia Cavaliers team in Charlottesville.

The annual Bluegrass rivalry game happens on December 12th when Kentucky plays host to another top-25 squad, the Louisville Cardinals.

The annual CBS Sports Classic tips off December 19th at Madison Square Garden in New York, with Kentucky facing the North Carolina Tar Heels and new head coach Mike Malone.

SEC play gets started on January 2nd against the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman, followed by the SEC home opener vs. the Ole Miss Rebels. 

The Wildcats end regular-season play in Gainesville on March 6th vs. the Florida Gators, the likely preseason No. 1 team.

The following week, SEC Tournament play runs from March 10-14 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Then comes the 2027 NCAA Tournament, which Kentucky hopes will be a special one for what could be a preseason top-15 Wildcat squad.

So, what are your thoughts on the 2026-27 Kentucky Wildcats schedule? Sound off in the comments section!

2026-27 Kentucky Basketball Schedule

Need more A Sea Of Blue coverage? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to get all the latest Kentucky Wildcats news and views, then add us to your “Preferred Sources” on Google. Check out our friends at Bleav in Kentucky for everything you need to know about the Cats packed into weekly podcasts. And as always, Go CATS!

In case you missed it, the NCAA approved uniform jesey patches for Division 1 sports back in January. As the college football season has been spooling up, you might have noticed one school or another announcing their jersey patch. For example, Wisconsin has partnered with Culver’s for football, men’s basketball, and men’s hockey. Probably means that everyone’s favorite purveyors of butter burgers and frozen custard is off the table as a patch option for Marquette, huh?

In fact, Marquette hasn’t announced a jersey patch sponsor yet. This isn’t a blog about that fact, I came to the conclusion that if MU was going to debut a patch for only men’s basketball, that announcement was going to come at the very least after the fall semester started (that’s still not until Monday) and probably much closer to the start of basketball season in November. If there’s not a department-wide patch sponsor — Notre Dame has an all-sports deal with SoFi, for example — then there’s no reason to announce anything before the women’s soccer season got the 2026-27 athletic calendar going back on August 12th.

All of this brings me to Thursday’s newsletter from Matt Brown over at Extra Points. I’m a proud Day 1 subscriber to Extra Points, and Matt’s writing helps me contextualize a lot of things going on in college athletics. As you can probably tell, I don’t usually use his newsletters to generate ideas over here, but this one made me start thinking, and here we are. The topic from Thursday?

Why DePaul’s jersey patch deal with Desert Cactus could pay off in multiple ways

Yep, DePaul has a jersey patch deal. According to the Extra Points Jersey Patch Tracker, it’s only for men’s basketball, but it’s also currently the only announced jersey patch in the entire Big East. The Blue Demons are leading the way in this department, getting out ahead of not just Marquette, but also UConn and St. John’s, two of the more successful men’s basketball programs in the country over the past couple of seasons.

This isn’t a new announcement, either. DePaul announced the partnership back in mid-July, so they were first to market in that regard by a wiiiiiide margin as no one else has joined them yet. Because I know you’re asking about Desert Cactus:

Desert Cactus is a Rolling Meadows, Illinois-based licensing company that designs and distributes officially licensed merchandise for 650+ colleges and universities, professional sports leagues, and pop culture brands. Since 2012, we’ve built long-term partnerships with consumers and organizations that trust us to create high-quality, on-brand products at scale.

From flags and headwear to stickers, keychains, and party supplies, Desert Cactus produces a wide range of custom, on-brand products for the organizations we partner with. Every item starts with an official license, giving retailers and fans confidence that what they’re buying is authentic. We also work directly with teams, schools, and brands on custom designs, low minimum order quantities, and quick turnaround times which is outlined in more detail on our wholesale page. It’s part of how we keep every order, big or small, moving quickly without sacrificing quality.

Matt got a chance to talk to both DePaul Athletic Director DeWayne Peevy and Desert Cactus president and founder Joe Stefani about their partnership, and I’m going to cherry pick a couple of quotes along the way here that are going to make my point for me here:

The majority of Big East schools don’t actually have a staffer just dedicated to handling licensing. But DePaul bucked the trend by hiring Lindsay Martin away from Big East peer Butler to become the department’s senior associate athletics director for merchandise and licensing back in 2021.

And:

“This is not just branding; this is a testing ground for us. That’s really, really important. Testing different ideas, trying new products, new packaging and new pricing. … Essentially, this is one giant focus group for us. It’s been awesome.” Stefani said.

Here’s a concrete example: Next week, DePaul will host the powerhouse Nebraska Cornhusker women’s volleyball team ahead of a series of matches at Wrigley Field.

Stefani told me, “I went to Lindsay, and I said, ‘I think we need to do co-branded merchandise for when Nebraska volleyball comes to play DePaul at Wintrust Arena.’ Usually a retailer will not take a chance on that in venue, but I said, ‘hey, we’ll do it on consignment.’

“We’ll do it for free. If it doesn’t sell, I’ll eat it. But I at least want to see if it’s going to work or not. Let’s try posters and keychains and stickers and stuff. So it’s things like that that we’re willing to take the risk and try it. Because if it does work, now we can take that lesson and apply it to other schools.”

And:

Essentially, if the partnership is successful, DePaul gets paid twice. Once via the original sponsorship fee and then again as university licensing revenue increases. And then Blue Demon fans benefit too, since they’ll be able to buy new stuff, and in more locations than before.

And:

Beyond just cash, products and shared expertise, Stefani told me, the company also wants to hire DePaul students for paid internships to assist with graphic and product design projects. “We’ve done this before with some of our HBCU partners, like Jackson State, and the students helped create some of our best-selling products,” he said.

Now, let’s go ahead and break some of this down. This isn’t a “Marquette is getting beat by DePaul” blog. The biggest reason why? Larry Birkett is Marquette’s Director of Retail & Licensing for the athletic department. He’s been with Marquette for 25 years, and he’s had that specific title since 2022. Marquette also has a Director of Athletic Business Affairs in Mason Darling, and while his job leans more towards keeping a hand on the tiller of the overall business that is Marquette athletics, you’d have to figure that the “financial planning and policy” part of his job description on the athletic department website would at least wind into the idea of signing a jersey patch sponsorship, one way or another.

In short: There are people in place to think about and work on these types of things, and that’s before you even consider the role of Learfield Sports and their multi-media services for Marquette in all of this.

Here’s where I’m going with all of this, and it’s not “Why doesn’t Marquette have a jersey patch sponsor yet?”

It’s “What is Marquette doing to maximize the value of their future jersey patch sponsor?”

Yes, future, not potential. A jersey patch is coming to a Marquette uniform near you. It might not be in 2026-27, but it is going to happen eventually, and we have to ask what the administration is doing to get the most out of it.

DePaul is doing something innovative with a local business to help the business get some attention and also use the athletic department as a bit of a product development laboratory. They get the paycheck to put the patch on the basketball jerseys, but more than that, they’re getting access to new and better information about what kind of products with collegiate partners are selling like hotcakes lately. That helps the Blue Demons make big executive decisions about what direction to take their marketing and advertising dollars, and on a long enough timeline, the partnership with Desert Cactus has the potential to provide financial benefits to DePaul for years and years to come, possibly even past which point the jersey patch sponsorship still exists.

That’s being creative to activate new revenue streams in a moment in time where every athletic department in the country could use extra money flowing in because of revenue sharing with the athletes. Marquette is not immune to that pressure, and look no further than The Athletic confirming that new men’s basketball transfer Sananda Fru will be picking up at least $3.9 million during the 2026-27 season to understand MU’s place in things.

For now, my question is not “Why doesn’t Marquette have a patch sponsor yet?” and it’s not “When is Marquette getting a patch sponsor?” My question is “What is Marquette doing to maximize the value of the sponsor partnership they will eventually sign?” I’m asking about what inventive and creative ideas are being thrown around the McGuire Center, because an athletic department can not survive on raising ticket prices and mega-donors footing the bill alone. There has to be something else, something new, something interesting in play.

I asked this same question about men’s basketball scheduling back when Duke struck their broadcasting deal with Amazon. For now, I don’t have any answers or signs or whatever you want to call it that Marquette is moving in a creative manner on that or on a jersey patch or on anything else. That’s fine, sometimes deals take a long time to marinate and develop. Immediate answers aren’t crucial here. But the longer we wait, the easier it is to say that a lack of anything creative coming out of the office is a notable problem, and once we get to that point, that problem is going to start growing exponentially.

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Awa Fam is the future.  

Just ask the Seattle Storm, which selected her with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. Or ask the FIBA, which tabbed the 6-foot-4 forward as Spain’s “rising star” for the upcoming Women’s Basketball World Cup.  

Fam, 20, will be in good company when the global women’s basketball competition tips off in Berlin, Germany, on Sept. 4. Only three — Czechia, Nigeria and Puerto Rico — of the 16 participating teams won’t feature an active WNBA player.

In an interview with USA TODAY, Fam beamed at the idea of both her worlds colliding on the global stage.  

“I’m excited to speak Spanish with my teammates. I’ll see my (Storm) teammates, too,” Fam said with a laugh as she looked ahead to the tournament.  

Three other Seattle players will compete in the World Cup. Ezi Magbegor and Jade Melbourne will play for Australia and Dominique Malonga for France. The New York Liberty will send a league-high seven players to the tournament.  

It's all evidence of the WNBA becoming more international, which commissioner Cathy Engelbert described as “what’s next,” for the 30-year-old league. Engelbert made that declaration at the 2026 WNBA Draft, the same night Fam realized an aspiration she said she’s held since she was 3 years old — being drafted in the league along with 17 other players born outside of the USA.  

Now, a difficult rookie season winds down with the last-place Storm (8-31) sitting three losses from tying the league record for most in a season. Fam is a bright spot, along with a young core which features 2025 No. 2 overall pick Dominique Malonga and fellow rookie Fla’Jae Johnson.  

“I love Awa,” Johnson told USA TODAY. “Even though I'm a little older than her, I feel like we're on the same vibe. She's so mature.

"But we’re really just learning how to play together and it's so cool. It’s like we’re trying to read each others minds. We be messing up and then we'll get it.”  

Fam's transition to the WNBA 

Fam has lived a double life since she was 15 years old. 

That’s when she joined Spain’s Valencia basket, becoming the youngest to play for the top-tier club. Fam would get out of school at 2 p.m. and travel for a game — Turkey one day, Italy or Berlin the next. All while learning to be a ”normal girl” and a professional on the court.  

“I was 15 years old playing against 30-year-old girls,” Fam said. “I remember it was a really crazy life.”  

The lead up to her delayed WNBA debut was no different. As she opted to rejoin Valencia for the Liga Feminina playoffs after she was drafted, the Storm arranged Zoom calls with assistant coaches to accelerate her acclimation to the WNBA.  

Days after Fam aided her longtime club to a fourth consecutive LF championship win, she made an instant impact for the Storm, coming off the bench in her first contest to record 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting with two rebounds in a 97-85 win over the Washington Mystics on May 24. 

On June 3, 14 days short of her 20th birthday, she earned her first WNBA start — the youngest Storm player to start a game in franchise history. 

Storm building on Big 3

The Storm is swimming in young talent, with Malonga boasting the title of the WNBA’s youngest player last season at 19.  

The French phenom, who made the jump from standout rookie to All-Star reserve this season, is currently leading the Storm in scoring (17 ppg) , rebounding (8.8 rpg) and (1.5) blocks.  

On paper, Malonga and Fam make a formidable frontcourt duo. Fam leads all rookies in rebounding (5.8 per game) and offensive boards (1.9 per game). She also ranks first among rookies in total blocks with 26 on the season and is second among centers in 3-pointers made with 1.4 per game. 

But the Storm’s wealth of bigs doesn’t stop there, with 27-year-old Australian veteran Ezi Magbegor also on the roster. Fam, Magbegor and Malonga have only made one start together this season with a lackluster result, combining for 14 points on 4-for-19 shooting in a blowout loss to the Dallas Wings on Sunday, Aug. 23. 

“It takes time for them to play together and see how that looks,” first-year coach Sonia Raman said. “It’s just a work in progress.”  

Maybe the roster will look different next year. Fam hopes she, Johnson and Malonga are given a chance to keep working at it long-term.  

“We are a really good three,” Fam said. “We really connect on and off the court ... Just let us cook. That's the one thing that I want. I really think that it's going to be super, super great.”  

What to expect in the FIBA World Cup

Malonga couldn’t hide her smile when she told reporters there's already been "a little" trash talk between the Storm’s World Cup-bound players.  

“I’m not going out there to make any friends. I want to win, and so that’s the mindset I’m going with," Malonga added.

She has that chance representing France, which has a whopping eight WNBA players and a chip on their shoulder from narrowly losing Olympic gold to Team USA at the 2024 Paris games. Les Bleues are widely viewed as the biggest threat to the United States’ squad continuing its streak of four consecutive World Cup titles.  

Spain has a difficult path ahead against Japan, Mali and Germany but is the slight favorite to come out of Group A – especially since they beat Germany en route to taking silver at the FIBA Women's EuroBasket champions last year.  

With Fam and Portland Fire draft-and-stash selection Iyana Martin, Spain will pair a new genertion of talent with veterans like Mariona Ortiz, Alba Torrens and Maria Conde.  

“These are really good basketball players,” Fam said of the level of World Cup play. “It's more tactical, more physical ... I really trust in Spain. So we’ll see what’s going to happen.” 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The WNBA's future is global. Seattle Storm rookie Awa Fam is what it looks like