Four-star slot receiver Dequane Provo is committed to Arkansas but that could change after a recent ACC visit.
Former Panthers Coach Joel Quenneville hired by Anaheim Ducks following temporary ban from NHL
A former Florida Panthers head coach is back in the NHL.
Joel Quenneville was hired by the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, the team announced.
The Stanley Cup winning bench boss now joins his fifth NHL franchise as a head coach.
"This is the organization I wanted to restart my career with and am truly grateful for this opportunity," Quenneville said in a statement released by the team. "The Ducks have incredible ownership, management and passionate fans. In nearly four years away from the game, I have learned from my prior mistakes and realized it will be actions over words that demonstrate my commitment to being a better leader."
Quenneville coached Florida from 2019 until seven games into the 2021-22, when he resigned from the Panthers following the fallout of the investigation into the Chicago Blackhawks treatment of Kyle Beach.
An independent report that was completed in October of 2021 outlined the failures by the Blackhawks organization in addressing allegations made by Beach regarding sexual assault at the hands of Chicago's then-video coach, Brad Aldrich.
The allegations were made as Chicago was embarking on their Stanley Cup run in 2010.
Eventually, the NHL ruled that three members of the Blackhawks, former GM Stan Bowman, former executive Al MacIsaac, and Quenneville, were essentially banned from working for any teams in the league.
The Blackhawks organization was also fined $2 million.
Less than three years later, in July of 2024, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman lifted the ban, with the league saying in a statement:
“While it is clear that, at the time, their responses were unacceptable, each of these three individuals has acknowledged that and used his time away from the game to engage in activities which, not only demonstrate sincere remorse for what happened, but also evidence greater awareness of the responsibilities that all NHL personnel have, particularly personnel who are in positions of leadership. Moreover, each has made significant strides in personal improvement by participating in myriad programs, many of which focused on the imperative of responding in effective and meaningful ways to address alleged acts of abuse."
That same month, Bowman was hired to be the next general manager of the Edmonton Oilers.
Quenneville had been overseeing the start of the Panthers ultimate turnaround, as he and Florida General Manager Bill Zito had begun reshaping the team with veteran additions like Patric Hornqvist and Radko Gudas to surround their core of Sasha Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Jonathan Huberdeau and Sergei Bobrovsky.
Following Quenneville's resignation, Florida briefly handed the keys to one of Quenneville's assistants, Andrew Brunette, and the Panthers went on to win the Presidents' Trophy that season.
That offseason, however, Zito and his staff decided to take their gritty, skilled team and shift ideologies, hiring a defensive-minded head coach who had been in the league for three decades in Paul Maurice.
It's worked out nicely for the Panthers, who have reached the second round of the playoffs in four straight seasons and won the Stanley Cup in their second of back-to-back trips to the final in each of the past two postseasons.
We'll see how things work out for Quenneville, now 66 years old, with his new team out west.
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Former Blackhawks Head Coach Joel Quenneville Returns To NHL
During the golden era of Chicago Blackhawks hockey from 2009 to 2017, they were one of the best teams in the NHL. They had a handful of trips to the Western Conference Finals and won the Stanley Cup three times.
Head coach Joel Quenneville led the way on the ice during those runs. He was a master at getting the most out of a group committed to team defense.
After being let go during the 2018-19 season, Quenneville took a job as the bench boss of the Florida Panthers ahead of the following season. His time in Sunrise came to an unexpected end due to off-ice reasons.
Quenneville resigned due to his role in the Bradley Aldrich sexual assault scandal against former player Kyle Beach. The NHL cleared Quenneville to return to the NHL in July of 2024.
Former Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman was cleared to return to the NHL at the same time as Quenneville but it didn’t take him as long to find work. He became the GM of the Edmonton Oilers quickly thereafter.
The Anaheim Ducks conducted a massive search of Quenneville during the hiring process. They found that he was doing the proper things to work in hockey again.
Ducks GM Pat Verbeek feels that his findings from the background check on Joel Quenneville suggest that he has learned from his mistakes and is ready for a second chance.
TSN’s Darren Dreger and ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported on his background check and the Ducks speaking to Kyle Beach before making this decision, ahead of the Ducks making it official.
Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) on XAnnouncement coming shortly. Sources say the Ducks did an extensive background check specific to the Kyle Beach case, including the work Quenneville has done to reform from mistakes made during that time. He was the first candidate Anaheim spoke with after firing Cronin.
Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) on XThe Ducks are hiring Joel Quenneville as head coach, as @DarrenDreger first reported. David Carle had a two day interview before extending with DU. Jay Woodcroft & Rick Tocchet were other final candidates.
Anaheim did an extensive search into Quenneville’s role in BlackhawksKaplan also mentioned that other head coaching candidates, including Jay Woodcroft and David Carle, were in consideration. After weeks of rumors, their decision to go with Quenneville became official on Thursday.
On the ice, Quenneville’s teams have had great success, which is what makes him appealing to the Ducks. After making a large (21-point) improvement in 2024-25, they feel that this is a necessary step toward becoming a playoff team once again.
He enters this job as the NHL’s second-place leader in all-time wins. He only trails Scotty Bowman for the top spot, whom he will attempt to eclipse in the coming years with this young Ducks team looking to advance their development.
Can he get the most out of young stars like Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, and Trevor Zegras, as he did with Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Duncan Keith? Only time will tell.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
Edwards returns after injury scare in Warriors-Timberwolves Game 2
Edwards returns after injury scare in Warriors-Timberwolves Game 2 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors’ Western Conference semifinal series with the Minnesota Timberwolves took another wild turn late in the second quarter of Game 2.
And for a moment, it appeared as if the Timberwolves were going to experience a major blow.
With less than five minutes remaining in the second quarter on Thursday at Target Center, star Anthony Edwards went to the locker room after apparently suffering a left ankle injury. The 23-year-old was in pain, holding his ankle before leaving the court.
Really bad scene in Minnesota: Anthony Edwards is in a ton of pain and can barely move leaving the court pic.twitter.com/tlL6FubI8p
— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) May 9, 2025
During the halftime break, Edwards, who initially was listed as questionable to return, ran drills in preparation to return to action.
Before the injury, Edwards was struggling from the floor, having made just 2 of 7 field-goal attempts for seven points.
The Warriors, without star guard Steph Curry due to a Grade 1 hamstring strain, are looking to take a surprising 2-0 lead on the Timberwolves.
With Edwards back on the floor, the odds certainly don’t favor Golden State, however.
Injured Steph Curry calms down upset Draymond Green after Game 2 technical foul
Injured Steph Curry calms down upset Draymond Green after Game 2 technical foul originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Steph Curry isn’t playing Thursday night at Target Center, but he still found a way to help the Warriors.
Early in the second quarter of the Western Conference semifinal Game 2 between the Warriors and the Timberwolves, Draymond Green picked up a dead-ball technical foul for hitting Naz Reid after a foul was called on the Minnesota big man.
Green was incredulous over the technical foul and was close to picking up another when Curry stepped in to calm down his longtime teammate.
Green now has five technical fouls during these playoffs, putting him two away from an automatic one-game suspension.
Per the Associated Press’ Josh Dubow, Green has far and away the most NBA playoff technical fouls since 2013.
With Curry out for at least two more games, the Warriors need Green to lead by example, and a big part of that is keeping his composure.
Oilers' Bowman Made Quenneville's Big Return Possible
EDMONTON – Well, what have we here?
Nearly 10 months after the Edmonton Oilers hired Stan Bowman to be their GM, another individual who did not respond adequately to sexual assault allegations will be given an NHL job.
Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more.
Several reports indicate that the Anaheim Ducks will name Joel Quenneville as the successor to Greg Cronin in the head coach position.
This move raises a significant volume of eyebrows – but it shouldn’t surprise anyone. The writing was on the wall once the Oilers offered the GM job to Bowman.
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The NHL is a league predominately ruled by executives who want a return on their investment. This leads to “safe” business choices.
In the eyes of an executive, hiring a head coach with a Stanley Cup-winning pedigree is a safe business decision. Does it make it right? On the surface, it doesn’t.
Does that stop them from making the decision? No.
That is part of the issue involving the hockey world. Innovation is often interpreted as risky, something penny-pinching executives typically avoid. However, innovation is how the game can expand, reaching new audiences and allowing new voices to be heard in hockey's inner circles.
See how the day unfolds, but indications are Joel Quenneville is going to be the next head coach in Anaheim. Suggestion of an announcement today.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) May 8, 2025
If an organization is going to hire someone who failed to respond to serious allegations, it’s imperative to ask that individual what they have done to avoid similar future scenarios. How will they avoid putting other players into challenging scenarios due to their inaction?
When Bowman was hired by the Oilers, he referenced his work with Sheldon Kennedy and the organizations with which he is involved. Kennedy was present at the press conference when Bowman’s hiring was announced, showing his support for the new GM.
While it's unfortunate to see an organization recycle the same people for the same positions instead of injecting new thought into the NHL, hopefully Quennville has done the work and has a higher regard for the safety of players in vulnerable situations.
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How many NBA teams have come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs?
How many NBA teams have come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs? originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
It’s must-win time for both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.
The East’s top two teams each lost the first two games of their respective second-round series on their home courts, and they will now look to avoid facing a 3-0 deficit that no NBA team has managed to overcome.
The Cavs — the top-seeded team in the East after going 64-18, including 34-7 at home – dropped consecutive games to the Indiana Pacers, the latter on a buzzer-beating heartbreaker.
The Celtics – the East’s No. 2 seed and defending NBA champions – surrendered 20-point third-quarter leads in consecutive losses to the New York Knicks.
Many NBA teams have come back from a 2-0 series deficit – 34 to be exact — but all that managed to do so were victorious in Game 3.
As for the teams that lost Game 3 to go down 3-0, here’s a look at how they fared and why history shows it’s a must-win game for the Cavs and Celtics.
How many NBA teams have come back from being down 3-0 in the playoffs?
An NBA team has never come back from a 3-0 deficit to win the series in the playoffs. Teams that opened a 3-0 series lead in an NBA postseason series have gone 159-0.
The Celtics nearly became the first NBA team to pull off the historic comeback just two seasons ago. After losing the first three games of the Eastern Conference Finals to the No. 8 Miami Heat, No. 2-seeded Boston won the next three games before losing Game 7 at home.
As for other professional sports, the only Major League Baseball team to win a series after trailing 3-0 was the 2004 Boston Red Sox. Four National Hockey League teams have managed to do so: the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, 1975 New York Islanders, 2010 Philadelphia Flyers and the 2014 Los Angeles Kings.
How many teams have forced Game 6 after being down 3-0 in the NBA playoffs?
Of the 159 teams to face a 3-0 series deficit in the NBA playoffs, only 15 managed to force a Game 6:
- 1947 BAA Semifinals: Washington Capitols trailed Chicago Stags 3-0, lost in six
- 1949 BAA Finals: Washington Capitols trailed Minneapolis 3-0, lost in six
- 1951 NBA Finals: New York trailed Rochester Royals 3-0, lost in seven
- 1962 Western Division finals: Detroit trailed L.A. Lakers 3-0, lost in six
- 1994 Western Conference semifinals: Denver trailed Utah 3-0, lost in seven
- 1996 NBA Finals: Seattle trailed Chicago 3-0, lost in six
- 2000 Eastern Conference semifinals: Philadelphia trailed Indiana 3-0, lost in six
- 2003 Western Conference first round: Portland trailed Dallas 3-0, lost in seven
- 2007 Eastern Conference semifinals: Chicago trailed Detroit 3-0, lost in six
- 2010 Eastern Conference finals: Orlando trailed Boston 3-0, lost in six
- 2013 Eastern Conference first round: Boston trailed New York 3-0, lost in six
- 2013 Western Conference first round: Houston trailed Oklahoma City 3-0, lost in six
- 2015 Eastern Conference first round: Milwaukee trailed Chicago 3-0, lost in six
- 2022 Eastern Conference first round: Toronto trailed Philadelphia 3-0, lost in six
- 2023 Eastern Conference Finals: Boston trailed Miami 3-0, lost in seven
How many teams have forced Game 7 after being down 3-0 in the NBA playoffs?
Only four teams that went down 3-0 in an NBA playoff series forced a decisive Game 7:
- 1951 New York Knicks: lost to the Rochester Royals in Game 7 of the NBA Finals
- 1994 Denver Nuggets: lost to the Utah Jazz in Game 7 of the second round
- 2003 Portland Trail Blazers: lost to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 of the first round
- 2023 Boston Celtics: lost to the Miami Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals
How many NBA teams have come back from being down 3-1 in the playoffs?
Only 13 teams in NBA playoff history have managed to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the series. The most recent team to do so was the Denver Nuggets, who overcame 3-1 deficits in consecutive series during the 2020 playoffs, defeating the Utah Jazz in the first round and Los Angeles Clippers in the second round.
The only team to come back from a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals to win the championship was the 2016 Cavaliers, who won three straight games to stun the Golden State Warriors.
Anaheim Ducks Explain Why They Hired Joel Quenneville As Their Next Coach
Joel Quenneville is returning to the NHL as the 12th coach of the Anaheim Ducks.
Quenneville is an NHL coach for the first time in more than three years as he replaces Greg Cronin, who was fired by the Ducks on April 19.
Before the hire became official, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that the Ducks conducted an extensive background check on Quenneville, including his work to reform from mistakes he made in the handling of a player’s sexual assault allegations toward a video coach. ESPN’s Emily Kaplan added the team spoke with the player, Kyle Beach, too.
Quenneville resigned as coach of the Florida Panthers on Oct. 29, 2021, in the wake of a sexual assault investigation from an incident with the Chicago Blackhawks.
It was determined that Quenneville, along with GM Stan Bowman and VP of hockey operations Al MacIsaac, had an inadequate response to allegations that the team's video coach, Brad Aldrich, sexually assaulted left winger Kyle Beach during the team's 2010 Stanley Cup run.
As of July 10, 2024, all three of them were reinstated and were allowed to pursue NHL positions again.
“Over the last two weeks, we conducted interviews with many outstanding coaching candidates, while simultaneously conducting a comprehensive review of what took place while Joel was head coach of the Blackhawks in 2010,” Ducks GM Pat Verbeek said in a news release Thursday. “We spoke with dozens of individuals, including advocates for positive change in hockey and leadership of the NHL, which last July officially cleared Joel to seek employment in the league.”
In July 2021, Quenneville initially said in a statement he was not aware of the allegations at the time. The report released by law firm Jenner & Block in October 2021 reported that Quenneville did learn of the allegations during the 2010 playoff run but said they could not deal with the allegations at the moment.
“Our findings are consistent with Joel’s account that he was not fully aware of the severity of what transpired in 2010,” Verbeek said. “It is clear that Joel deeply regrets not following up with more questions at the time, has demonstrated meaningful personal growth and accountability and has earned the opportunity to return to coaching."
The Ducks made big steps this season, finishing with a 35-37-10 record for 80 points. That’s a 21-point improvement from the 2023-24 campaign, when they had a 27-50-5 record for 59 points to finish seventh in the Pacific Division.
Anaheim is the fifth-youngest team in the NHL with an average age of 26.65, according to eliteprospects.com. Verbeek said hiring Quenneville could be the next step in helping the team grow into a playoff contender.
“Joel is a proven winner and one of the top coaches in NHL history,” Verbeek said. “We believe this is a major step forward in our process of being a perennial playoff contender.”
Dreger reported that Quenneville was the first candidate that Anaheim pursued. Kaplan added that Jay Woodcroft and Rick Tocchet were among the final candidates to be the Ducks’ coach.
Kaplan also mentioned David Carle had a two-day interview before he committed to the University of Denver, signing a multi-year extension with the NCAA program.
Quenneville has been a coach in the NHL for more than two decades, dating back to his first bench boss role in the 1997-98 season with the St. Louis Blues. He went on to coach the Colorado Avalanche, the Blackhawks and the Panthers.
With Chicago, he won three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013, and 2015. He won the Jack Adams Award in the 1999-2000 season with St. Louis, as well as in 2012-13 with Chicago and 2020-21 with Florida.
The 66-year-old is the second-winningest coach in NHL history, with a 969-572-150 record, along with 77 ties. He is 276 wins from overtaking Scotty Bowman, who has 1,244 victories in the NHL.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice is just below Quenneville with 916 wins in 1,930 regular-season games behind the bench.
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Knicks vs. Celtics notes: Mitchel Robinson most impactful Knick, Porzingis puts positive spin on losses
Two games, two 20-point Boston third quarter leads, two times the Celtics shot less than 25% after getting those leads, twice Boston turned the ball over an lot in the clutch, two games where in the clutch the Celtics played predictable — meaning: defendable — offense, and twice the Knicks showed resilience, twice New York got to the free throw line when it mattered, twice Mikal Bridges made a clutch defensive play, and twice the Knicks completed the comeback inside TD Garden.
With the Knicks up 2-0 as the series heads to Madison Square Garden, here are a couple of notes out of the Knicks vs. Celtics
Mitchell Robinson most impactful Knick
Through two games, Mitchel Robinson is a series-best +32. For comparison, Jalen Brunson is +1 through two games, while Mikal Bridges is -3.
When Robinson is on the court in the playoffs, the Knicks' defense is 17.6 points per 100 possessions better, giving up less than a point per possession — this is the vision the Knicks had for him and Karl-Anthony Towns when they traded for KAT right before the season. Recovery from Robinson's offseason ankle surgery put that vision on hold, but it has hit the Celtics full force.
Which led to Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla to call for a hack-a-Mitch plan late in Game 2 (as he had done at other points in the series), intentionally fouling the career 52.2% free throw shooter, trying to force New York to take him off the floor.
"He was a +19, all their starters were in the negative," Mazzulla said.
That strategy backfired in Game 2. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau left Mitchell on the court until his team was in the bonus the rest of the way, which came with 2:41 left in the game. At that point, Thibodeau swapped out Mitchell for OG Anunoby and let his offensive players foul hunt the rest of the way. Jalen Brunson won the game from the free-throw line (on a shooting foul).
"Actually, that makes me feel like a threat," Robinson said of the intentional fouling. "You want me out the game?... I'm just saying, you trying to get me out the game? Why y'all want me out the game?"
The other thing that has thrown the Celtics off is something Thibodeau envisioned since the KAT trade — a double-big lineup with the defensive-focused Robinson next to the offensive-focused Towns. It's similar to how Towns thrived last season in Minnesota, playing next to Rudy Gobert. The Knicks have a +17.8 net rating in the playoffs when both their bigs are on the court together. Mazzulla and the Celtics need to figure out how to handle this quickly. If they go down 0-3 in this series on Saturday, their season is all but over.
Porzingis says pressure of Celtics
Kristaps Porzingis has played just 27 minutes through two games in this series, slowed by a non-COVID upper respiratory issue that has been with him for a few months. His lack of presence on the court means Boston is not exploiting Towns' defense like they hoped, and one of their best scoring options is not impacting the game.
But it was Porzingis with the positive spin on Boston being down 0-2 in this series.
"In a way, it kinda takes all the pressure off of us," Porzingis said. "If you check the odds, maybe the Knicks are the favorites now to win. We were expected to win, so for us to be in this hole right now, with our backs against the wall, we have nothing to lose. We've got to go out there and leave it all out on the floor. It's still a lot of basketball left to play, and let's see where it goes."
Even with the Knicks up 2-0, our partner BetMGM has the series even — both teams are -110 to win the series — and the Celtics are -5.5 point favorites to take Game 3 in Madison Square Garden.
Also, is the pressure off Boston? If they lose this series — then head into an offseason where many around the league expect the Celtics to trade away a key rotation player or two because of the NBA second luxury tax apron and its team building restrictions — hard questions will be asked. Championship teams only get so many bites at the apple, the pressure is on Boston to take advantage of theirs, not assume they will be back in this position next year.
Devers calls out Red Sox front office for asking him to play first base
Devers calls out Red Sox front office for asking him to play first base originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Red Sox asked Rafael Devers to consider playing first base in the wake of Triston Casas’ season-ending knee injury. It didn’t go well.
Speaking to reporters after Thursday’s 5-0 win over the Texas Rangers, Devers called out the Red Sox front office for asking him to change positions for the second time since spring training.
“They had the conversation with me,” Devers said through translator Daveson Perez. “I don’t think, me personally, it’s the best decision after they asked me to play a different position, and I only have two months of playing this position. … to all of a sudden have me try to play another position.
“So from my end, it doesn’t seem like a good decision.”
Devers’ discontent with Red Sox brass dates back to February, after the club signed veteran third baseman Alex Bregman. With Bregman coming off a Gold Glove season and Devers statistically the worst defensive third baseman in the league, the Red Sox asked their $330 million slugger to become a full-time designated hitter.
After initially refusing to move off third base, Devers reluctantly accepted the DH role. Asking him to acquiesce again — even with a glaring void at first base following Casas’ injury — is a bridge too far for Devers.
“I know I’m a ballplayer, but at the same time, they can’t expect me to play every single position out there,” Devers added. “In spring training, they talked to me and basically told me to put away my glove — that I wasn’t going to play any other position but DH. So right now, I just feel like it’s not an appropriate decision by them to ask me to play another position.”
Devers revealed it was chief baseball officer Craig Breslow — not manager Alex Cora — who approached him about playing first base. His comments made it clear that the relationship between him and the Red Sox front office has frayed over the last few months.
“It was the GM that I spoke with. I’m not sure what he has with me,” Devers said. “He played ball and I would like to think he knows that changing positions like that isn’t easy. …
“Here in the clubhouse, thankfully, the relationship that I have with my teammates is great. I don’t understand some of the decisions that the GM makes,” he added. “Next thing you know, someone in the outfield gets hurt and they want me to play in the outfield. I think I know the kind of player I am. And yeah, that’s just where I stand.”
Considering the Red Sox’ lack of first base depth, Devers was among the most sensible options to replace Casas. Now, unless they move someone else to first, they will have to explore external candidates for the position.
“Now I think they should do their job, essentially, and hit the market and look for another player (to play first base),” Devers said. “I’m not sure why they want me to be in between the way they have me now.”
Finding a full-time first baseman won’t be easy. The top free-agent first baseman available is 35-year-old Anthony Rizzo, whose career seems to be nearing its end after back-to-back injury-plagued seasons with the New York Yankees. A trade is possible, but it would be a surprise if Boston lands anything better than a replacement-level player.
After taking two out of three from the Rangers, the Red Sox will hit the road for a three-game series against the red-hot Kansas City Royals. Abraham Toro or Romy Gonzalez will likely play first base when the series begins Friday at 7:40 p.m. ET.
The Hockey News Big Show: Second-Round Storylines In The NHL Playoffs, Ft. Drew Shore
The Hockey News Big Show is here to look around the NHL playoffs and beyond, with help from a special guest.
Second-Round Storylines In The NHL Playoffs, Ft. Drew Shore by The Big ShowundefinedHere’s what Michael Traikos, Ryan Kennedy and ex-NHL player Drew Shore discussed in this episode:
0:55: Does Sunrise, Fla., get enough credit for how good of a city and Florida Panthers home crowd it is to play?
1:31: How important are line matchups between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Panthers going to be now that the series is headed to Florida, where Paul Maurice will have the last change?
3:06: Which line should Florida match up against Auston Matthews or William Nylander's line, as the top line?
6:05: Will the Florida Panthers try to slow play down and win with low-scoring games?
7:06 The Mikko Rantanen Show was on full display again. Have we ever seen one player take over like this before?
9:42: How will the Winnipeg Jets stop Rantanen?
10:26: Is Jim Nill the best GM in the Modern Era?
14:28: The Carolina Hurricanes is up 1-0 against the Washington Capitals, but can you see this series going to six or seven games?
16:14: What is it like being coached by Rod Brind'Amour?
17:30: Is there something about Carolina's style of hockey that doesn’t translate into the playoffs?
18:36: Sebastian Aho has the type of slight build that shouldn't work in the playoffs. What makes him so effective as a competitor?
20:46: Will goaltending be Edmonton's Achilles heel, or is it good enough?
24:15: Alex Pietrangelo and Pavel Dorofeyev of Vegas were absent from practice. How big would these losses be?
27:56: World Championship: which players have the most to gain/lose?
32:27: Why has James Hagens dropped so far in the rankings heading into the NHL draft?
34:47: Joel Quenneville is reportedly joining the Anaheim Ducks. Is he the right coach for this team?
36:55: Kraken/Golden Knights/Mammoth: which recent new team has the best name?
37:35: Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel: Regular seasons aside, who has been the better playoff performer?
39:12: Home teams aren’t performing very well in the second round of the playoffs, so is home-ice advantage real?
40:25: Who is your early Conn Smythe pick? Anyone else besides Rantanen?
41:02: Would the Avalanche have been better off with Rantanen or depth?
42:30: What's your current pump-up song?
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Parsons calls out Draymond for ‘little harsh' criticism of Brooks
Parsons calls out Draymond for ‘little harsh' criticism of Brooks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
In the NBA world, there’s plenty of criticism to go around.
Retired forward Chandler Parsons believes Warriors star Draymond Green is wrong for his criticism of Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks, who refused to shake Golden State’s hands after Game 7 on Sunday at Toyota Center.
Parsons, Brooks’ teammate for two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, pointed out an irony in Green’s message.
“The message is fine. It’s just the messenger is a little interesting here, coming from Draymond Green, who has probably been suspended and fined more than anybody,” Parsons said to host Michelle Beadle and former NBA player Lou Williams on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back” on Thursday morning.
“It’s OK not to like someone; just say that you don’t like him.”
Draymond Green is wrong about Dillon Brooks 👀
"The message is fine. The is messenger is interesting, coming from Draymond Green who's probably been suspended and fined more than anyone. … I had him in Memphis…Dillon Brooks is an awesome dude." – @ChandlerParsonspic.twitter.com/hHXhGY6AvM
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 8, 2025
As his former teammate, Parsons pushed back on Green’s idea that the league’s players unanimously don’t respect Brooks.
“’No one respects him’ is a little aggressive, a little harsh,” Parsons added. “There’s people that respect him. I had him in Memphis. He’s actually an awesome dude.
“He’s just gone a little sideways, but that’s who he is. That’s how he’s found his calling in the NBA.”
Friction between Green and Brooks dates back three-plus years, when the two faced off against one another in a heated series between the Warriors and the Grizzlies in the 2022 Western Conference semifinals.
As Williams indicated, the impression players give on the floor isn’t always reflected behind the scenes. The retired guard, who has experienced it himself, knows Brooks has a distinct demeanor off the court.
“I like Dillon as well. He’s been nothing but respectful towards me the times that I’ve competed against him, even with some of the antics,” Williams said.
“He would do some of those things, and behind the scenes, he would tell you, ‘Bro, I love your game. I respect you. I grew up watching you’. That’s why it’s important to have that optic in that situation.”
Considering the beef between Green and Brooks, however, mutual respect between the two is just a pipe dream at this point.
Jimmer Fredette talks new USA Basketball role, retirement, Olympic 3×3 change he'd like to see
Jimmer Fredette announced both his retirement from basketball and his new role in the sport — USA Basketball men’s 3x3 national team managing director — last month.
Fredette recently discussed both moves as he ventures into the administrative side of the sport.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity:
OlympicTalk: When did you know you were ready to retire?
Fredette: My original plan was play the Paris Olympics, hopefully medal, and then be able to ride off into the sunset, right? Of course, what happened — getting injured right in the beginning of the Olympics and not being able to compete the full time — was definitely difficult. I had a long rehab ahead of me. I knew it was going to be an eight-, nine-month rehab. As I was going through it, I wasn't playing basketball, but I was just kind of preparing to kind of get back into shape.
As I thought about it, I was like, man, I kind of don't love the grind anymore. I don't love being out there and trying to work out and be in the gym every single day like I had been. For me, that was a big sign, because I loved that throughout my career. That was my favorite part was the grind of it, was the practicing, was the getting better. That's what made me the player that I was. So when I had that type of feeling, I was like, I don't want to force it, it's probably a good sign. Then decided to make it official. It just felt like the right time. Now being home with the three kids, and being the dad and doing all those things has been really rewarding.
OlympicTalk: If you could change one thing about Olympic 3x3 basketball, what would it be?
Fredette: I would have, in our case of what happened in Paris, if someone does get injured, that you would be able to sub a guy in so that they could still have four players. That's one of the biggest things that we've talked about, just because it's such a difficult and unfair advantage to have four versus three players when you're going through the Olympic process.
I get it completely (why they don't have it). There's costs involved. There's stuff that goes on, but a general FIBA 3x3 event is only two days, and you only play five games if you win it. You can play with three guys and get away with it.
Whereas the Olympics, you're playing seven days and 10 games (if you get to the final). It's just a way longer period. It's a way different time frame than we normally do, so if someone does go down with a rolled ankle or whatever happens, I feel like you should be able to have at least one person that's an alternate that can sub in, and then that's it, just one time, and then it's over with.
OlympicTalk: Would you like to see a U.S. Olympic Trials type event for 3x3?
Fredette: It's fun to watch trials, right? People like to get familiar with the players before the Olympics. I think we can do some type of form of that, but it's a little interesting. With 3x3, you're not just going through and being like, all right, I'm going to pick this guy, this guy, this guy, and they're just going to come together, and then I pick the team, and then it's over.
These guys are going to be playing a lot for the next three to four years. It'd be fun to have, maybe, a tournament or a trials or something like that, where you could see the collection of players together that we would be able to at least showcase — this is who is in the pool. These are the guys that have been playing for the last two to three years that care about the sport, that have gotten better. They're playing professionally, and now you get to see them and know who they are. It wouldn't be like the final pick or anything like that for me, because it would be a whole long process, right?
From that perspective, you can have a bad tournament, but still be on the team, because you have had a whole body of work. But I think it would be fun to be able to do that in a capacity where the USA would be able to see it.
OlympicTalk: For the first two Olympics in 3x3, eligibility rules made it difficult for NBA players to participate — they needed to have competed in 3x3 events outside of the Olympics. Would you like to see those rules relaxed to make it more accommodating for NBA players?
Fredette: I think it would be great for the sport somewhat. But I also do love the fact that it's (currently) kind of like a true Olympic story, where these guys are going through for years, and some of them have had other jobs, or do other things or play in other leagues, and then they play 3x3 as well professionally.
It's fun to see guys that have been homegrown, that have been doing 3x3 for so long, to be able to get rewarded and play in the Olympics at the end.
I think it would be good from a marketing standpoint. Obviously, if you had some of the top NBA players that aren't on the 5x5 team, maybe come and play 3x3. From a branding perspective, obviously, people would watch and be aware of that. But I do like the idea of guys that are kind of homegrown and playing professionally being able to get their shine as well.
OlympicTalk: The 3x3 World Cup is next month. Are you selecting that team so early in your USA Basketball tenure, and if so, how is that looking?
Fredette: For sure, I'll still pick that team, but our USA Basketball player pool is pretty small right now. That was intentional, because we had myself and all of my team were kind of playing through the Olympics, and that's who they kind of put their money into, and all that stuff.
There were other guys playing, obviously, but not necessarily through USA Basketball. So coming into 2025 we knew we were going to have a little bit of a smaller pool, but we still have a really good team that's out there playing in Team Miami on the FIBA World Tour, which is the team I played for. One of the guys, Dylan Travis, was on the Olympic team. He's still playing on that team. Then some other guys that were alternates and have been playing professionally for a while. So we have some really good guys to play at the World Cup and to build.
My opportunity is to now try to find more guys as we move forward for the next several years. These guys that are playing now will continue to be in that mix, obviously, and be able to help us as we push forward and then integrating some new players and some new talent. So by the 2026 World Cup, and all the things that we have coming up, we'll be able to have more players in our pool.
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