🎥🤯 2.21m NBA star dazzles with football skills on the pitch
There are many very tall footballers who have a legendary status among fans. Peter Crouch, Jan Koller, and Per Mertesacker are just three of them. All were just over or under two meters tall. If they were to stand in front of Victor Wembanyama, they would probably all get a stiff neck. The NBA superstar of the San Antonio Spurs is in fact 2.21m tall and thus even among basketball players a giant. Despite this, he recently showed that he has a few football skills on the local pitch.
🤩🇫🇷 Pro basketball player Victor Wembanyama with this free-kick! He is 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m). ⛹️♂️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/RYMtYIPakY
The Frenchman's free-kick lands exactly in the corner. No wonder the crowd present completely freaks out and celebrates the giant. Probably Wemby had looked over the wall beforehand and thus spotted the goalkeeper.
Free agent forward Jake LaRavia has agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. LaRavia had a strong finish after joining the Sacramento Kings last season. pic.twitter.com/hXw9E1PzZV
Sacramento acquired LaRavia from the Memphis Grizzlies at February’s trade deadline; the Kings sent guard Colby Jones and center Alex Len to the Washington Wizards to complete the three-team deal.
In 19 games with the Kings last season, LaRavia averaged 6.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 19.3 minutes, while shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from 3-point range. The third-year forward was a significant defensive contributor off the bench, recording nearly a steal per game in Sacramento.
“I had even told (the Kings) in the exit interviews that if they gave him (Christie) the head coaching job, I’d look forward to going back there even more,” LaRavia told Ben Pfeifer of Basketball Insiders. “I really did enjoy being there in Sacramento, even outside of the coaches and the players, the fanbase there was amazing. I could see going back there as an option.”
The Kings brought in another versatile power forward in last week’s NBA Draft, taking Stanford big man Maxime Raynaud with the No. 42 overall pick in the second round.
Schröder, a 12-year NBA veteran, was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft but since has been on nine different teams, and now 10. Just last season, he bounced around three organizations, starting with the Brooklyn Nets before being traded to the Golden State Warriors and then ending the year with the Detroit Pistons.
Over his career, the 31-year-old has averaged 13.9 points on 43.2-percent shooting from the field and 34.2 percent from 3-point range, with 2.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 27.3 minutes.
After trading De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs in February, the Kings tried to fill the void with Malik Monk and Markelle Fultz. It wasn’t sustainable for an already choppy offense, and new general manager Scott Perry made it his top priority to bring in someone new to help run the offense.
Now, after checking the top thing off his to-do list, Perry and Co. can shift their focus elsewhere this offseason.
Free agent guard Malik Beasley, who played last season for the Detroit Pistons, is reportedly under federal investigation relating to gambling allegations in conection to league games. (Eric Gay / Associated Press)
Veteran NBA player Malik Beasley is under federal investigation relating to gambling allegations in connection to league games, according to multiple media reports.
According to ESPN, which was first to report the investigation, the allegations are from the 2023-24 season when Beasley played for the Milwaukee Bucks. ESPN cited a gambling industry source who said that at least one prominent U.S. sportsbook noticed unusually heavy betting interest on Beasley's statistics starting around January 2024.
“There have been no charges against Malik,” Beasley's attorney, Steve Haney, told the Associated Press. “It’s just an investigation at this point. We hope people reserve judgment until he’s charged — or if he’s charged. It’s not uncommon for there to be a federal investigation.”
Haney told ABC News that he understands that the U.S. attorney's office in the Eastern District of New York is leading the investigation. A spokesperson for that office declined to comment for this article.
On Sunday, NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement that the league is “cooperating with the federal prosecutors’ investigation” into Beasley.
Beasley has played for six teams during his nine-year NBA career, including a stint with the Lakers during the 2022-23 season. He played for the Detroit Pistons last season, averaging 16.3 points a game and setting a franchise record by making 319 three-point shots during the regular season.
In April 2024, the NBA banned then-Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter after finding that he had violated numerous league rules in relation to sports betting, including limiting his participation in one or more games and disclosing confidential information to bettors. Porter eventually pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and has yet to be sentenced.
CLEVELAND — To say June was a bad month for the Cleveland Guardians would be an understatement.
One of the worst offensive months in team history would be more like it.
The Guardians went 9-15 in June and had a .206 batting average, which is tied for the third-worst batting month in franchise history with at least 13 games played.
“We need to score more. We need to get more going,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “We’re all trying to be perfect right now, whether it’s pitchers, position players, doesn’t matter. Everybody’s trying to be perfect. We need to relax. We need to just take a deep breath, take a step back and go play baseball.”
Cleveland, which is on a four-game losing streak, begins a three-game series at the Chicago Cubs. At 40-42, they are 2 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot after being five games over .500 and in wild-card position on June 1. Last season, the Guardians won the AL Central and reached the AL Championship Series.
The Guardians dropped five of six on its recent homestand and were shut out three times. They have scored runs in only two of the last 40 innings. They scored 72 runs during the month, the third-fewest they have scored in a June in franchise history.
“I think it’s frustrating, but if we knew the answer, we would’ve done it two months ago,” outfielder Nolan Jones said. “We have the arms to compete against anybody and have some guys who have been swinging it well and some guys like myself who haven’t been contributing a ton.”
José Ramírez is seventh in the American League with a .309 batting average, and leadoff hitter Steven Kwan is 11th at .295. The rest of the everyday lineup, though, doesn’t have anyone batting above .250.
The organization hoped catcher Bo Naylor would bounce back after batting only .201 last season, but that hasn’t happened. Naylor has a .168 average and mired in a 1 for 31 slump since June 10.
Outfielders Lane Thomas and David Fry — the heroes of last year’s AL Division Series victory over Detroit — also have struggled with injuries and slow starts at the plate. Fry missed the first two months after undergoing offseason elbow surgery and is 6 for 43 with 21 strikeouts since returning.
Thomas — who had stints on the IL because of wrist and foot injuries — is batting .168 but is 6 for 24 in his last seven games.
The lack of offense is not surprising, as it was a potential concern during spring training. The Guardians go into July with a .226 team average, second-lowest in the majors.
Despite the offensive struggles, the Guardians continue to get solid pitching. The staff had a 3.79 ERA in June, which was eighth-lowest in the majors. Shane Bieber was hoping to be back by the All-Star break after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last April, but his comeback is delayed by elbow soreness.
Chris Antonetti, Cleveland’s president of baseball operations, did credit Naylor as one reason for the pitching staff’s solid month.
“The pitching staff has not wavered, and the fact that he’s been able to help and he’s been a big part of that group making progress over the last couple months and separate his offense out from that, it’s a great credit to him,” Antonetti said.
Whether help is on the way through the minors or other moves leading up to the July 31 MLB trade deadline is something to keep an eye on.
Outfielder Chase DeLauter is batting .305 in Triple-A Columbus with a 26-game on-base streak, while first baseman/outfielder C.J. Kayfus has 10 home runs and a .303 average.
The biggest concern with DeLauter remains injuries. He was contending for a roster spot during spring training before having surgery in March to address a sports hernia injury.
“We’re constantly thinking about, ‘How do we find that right mix of guys to give us the best chance to compete each night at the major league level.’ And we do believe that we will get reinforcements and support from some players that are not yet at the major league level,” Antonetti said. “I think as we look forward, the results will be better from here than they’ve been over the last month. I don’t think the last month is indicative of the potential of the guys that are on the roster.”
After a difficult June, the schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Guardians. After the Cubs series, they host AL Central leader Detroit for three games before a seven-game road trip to Houston and the Chicago White Sox ahead of the All-Star break.
“We’ve got 13 games in a row coming up after this off-day. We have an opportunity to get it rolling, and that’s the way I look at it,” Vogt said. “This is a really talented team. I believe in each and every one of these guys, and I know we’re going to break out of it.”
The Boston Red Sox farm system still has plenty of promising young talent outside of Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer.
Several players have emerged as candidates to take over the No. 1 spot in Boston’s prospect rankings once Anthony and Mayer officially graduate. Among them are slugging outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia and middle infielder Franklin Arias, who both have worked their way into Baseball America’s most recent Top 100 list.
Who else could contend for that top spot? Who are the most intriguing pitchers in the minors? And who’s knocking on the door of the majors?
2025 stats: .288/.423/.491, 10 HR, 29 RBI, 51 BB, 56 SO (58 games at Triple-A Worcester); .193/.324/.333, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 10 BB, 17 SO (18 games for Boston)
Roman Anthony has finally arrived. And although the above MLB numbers don’t jump off the page, they don’t tell the whole story of his first taste of the big leagues.
Anthony, the No. 1 prospect in baseball, has hit the ball hard in many of his plate appearances so far with Boston. He started to find the gaps more during the Red Sox’ series against the Toronto Blue Jays, going 6-for-13 at the plate with three doubles. He recorded his first career three-hit game on Saturday.
2nd inning: 107.9 mph single 5th: Double down the line 8th: 107.2 mph ground-rule double
Roman Anthony showed off his ability to produce eye-popping exit velocities in his first multhit game for the @RedSox. pic.twitter.com/7zRL4y28tW
It feels like Anthony’s breakout is imminent. Don’t be surprised if he surges into the American League Rookie of the Year conversation by the season’s end.
2. Marcelo Mayer, INF
2025 stats: .271/.347/.471, 9 HR, 43 RBI, 20 BB, 38 SO (43 games at Triple-A Worcester); .208/.262/.429, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 6 BB, 26 SO (27 games for Boston)
Like Anthony, Mayer is hitting the ball hard when he makes contact. However, he has struggled more than his fellow top prospect in the swing-and-miss department.
Still, Mayer has looked the part so far in the majors. His left-handed power has been on display with four homers thus far, including two in one game against Tampa Bay:
Mayer’s silky smooth infield defense has been the most impressive part of his game. The 22-year-old has perennial Gold Glove candidate written all over him.
3. Franklin Arias, SS
2025 stats: .302/.353/.410, 4 HR, 38 RBI, 20 BB, 27 SO (19 games at Low-A Salem, 45 games at High-A Greenville)
MLB ETA: 2027
Arias’ bat cooled off considerably in June. The promising 19-year-old slashed .169/.228/.265 this month after hitting .404/.438/.576 in May.
It’s likely a minor blip on the radar for Arias, who has emerged as a candidate for the No. 1 spot in Boston’s prospect rankings once Anthony and Mayer officially graduate. With elite bat-to-ball skills and impressive middle-infield defense, Arias looks like the real deal.
“He’s a really exciting prospect,” SoxProspects.com’s Ian Cundall said in a recent conversation with NBC Sports Boston. “He’s someone that, what really stands out is the hit tool. He’s arguably the best pure hitter in the system. … When you see him play, he’s just on base every time. He puts the ball in play, he gets on base.”
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) June 20, 2025
4. Luis Perales, RHP
2025 stats: N/A
MLB ETA: 2027
Perales has begun a throwing program after undergoing Tommy John surgery last June. The 22-year-old flamethrower has tremendous top-of-the-rotation upside, but it remains to be seen if he’ll have the same stuff when he returns from injury.
5. Jhostynxon Garcia, OF
2025 stats: .275/.359/.486, 12 HR, 40 RBI, 33 BB, 67 SO (33 games at Double-A Portland, 33 games at Triple-A Worcester)
MLB ETA: 2026
Garcia, perfectly nicknamed “The Password,” has taken over for Anthony and Mayer as the star in Worcester. The 22-year-old slugger was promoted to Triple-A in mid-May and has done nothing but rake since, slashing .292/.363/.569 with nine homers and 23 RBI in 33 games for the WooSox.
Major League Baseball has recognized Garcia’s performance by naming him to the 2025 All-Star Futures Game. He will be Boston’s lone representative at the July 13 event in Atlanta.
6. James Tibbs III, OF
2025 stats: .246/.374/.452, 12 HR, 32 RBI, 48 BB, 57 SO (57 games at High-A Eugene, 11 games at Triple-A Worcester)
MLB ETA: 2027
The Red Sox acquired Tibbs from the San Francisco Giants as part of the Rafael Devers trade. The 22-year-old outfielder was picked 13th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, one slot behind the Red Sox’ selection of outfielder Braden Montgomery, who was sent to the Chicago White Sox in the offseason deal for Garrett Crochet.
Tibbs was red-hot with 12 homers in High-A before joining the Red Sox organization, but he has yet to find his groove at Double-A Portland. That’s likely to change soon as the former Florida State standout boasts impressive power that has been showcased for most of his collegiate and professional career.
James Tibbs III triples and is 2-for-3 on the night. He's hitting .357 since joining the Red Sox organization. pic.twitter.com/zfDM5SLfFn
— Portland Sea Dogs (@PortlandSeaDogs) June 20, 2025
7. Yoeilin Cespedes, SS/2B
2025 stats: .236/.288/.391, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 19 BB, 55 SO (60 games at Low-A Salem)
MLB ETA: 2028
Cespedes looked outstanding last year in rookie ball before suffering a season-ending hand injury. The 19-year-old hasn’t been able to find consistency at the plate since, though he has shown flashes of his potential with 13 doubles, four triples, and five homers this year in Low-A.
Homer No. 5 on the season for Yoeilin Cespedes was a go-ahead three-run blast! 💥 pic.twitter.com/r1Hw1xcSMw
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) June 26, 2025
8. Dorian Soto, SS
2025 stats: .382/.413/.574, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 5 BB, 11 SO (18 games at Dominican Summer League)
MLB ETA: 2029
The Red Sox signed Soto — no relation to Juan Soto — as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic in January. Now 17, the talented infielder is tearing the cover off the ball in the Dominican Summer League.
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) June 20, 2025
Soto is a switch-hitting shortstop listed at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, and he’s likely not done growing yet. If he lives up to his lofty potential in the minors, we could see Soto inside the top five Red Sox prospect rankings in no time.
9. David Sandlin, RHP
2025 stats: 4-3, 3.66 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 21 BB, 69 SO (13 appearances, including 11 starts at Double-A Portland)
MLB ETA: 2026
Sandlin has only gotten better as the season has gone on in Portland. The hard-throwing righty has allowed just one hit and zero runs across his last 10 innings of work.
David Sandlin continues to shove after another scoreless outing for Portland. pic.twitter.com/k2Jf0CHpiU
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) June 29, 2025
Sandlin has a 2.18 ERA over his last six outings (five starts). It’s all starting to come together for the promising 24-year-old, who arrived via the John Schreiber trade with the Kansas City Royals in 2024.
10. Connelly Early, LHP
2025 stats: 6-1, 1.94 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 24 BB, 81 SO (12 appearances, including nine starts at Double-A Portland)
MLB ETA: 2026
Early has been one of the breakout stars of Boston’s farm system this year. The 23-year-old southpaw has made it look easy at Double-A, including during a brilliant performance Sunday in which he tossed six no-hit innings with seven strikeouts.
Absolute dominance from Connelly Early on Sunday. 😮💨
Chase Burns arrived in the big leagues with a flourish, striking out the first five hitters he faced for Cincinnati in his debut against the New York Yankees.
He’s just the latest young pitcher in the NL Central to show his impressive potential.
Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes, of course, finished third in the National League Cy Young race as a rookie last year. More recently, Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski threw 11 straight hitless innings to start his career and then beat Skenes in a head-to-head matchup. Now Burns, the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft, has reached the majors, and Skenes could have some help in his own rotation whenever Bubba Chandler — MLB Pipeline’s No. 2-ranked prospect — is promoted to the Pirates.
These pitchers have given the NL Central quite a shot in the arm after the Chicago Cubs have appeared in control of the division at various points. Milwaukee has won 22 of its last 31 and trails the Cubs by just two games now. Cincinnati has won 14 of its last 21. Even the last-place Pirates have played better than .500 baseball for over a month, and they just swept three straight from the New York Mets by a combined score of 30-4.
Four teams in the NL Central are at least four games over .500, and every team has an ERA under 4.00 — the only division that can say that. These young starters, who have joined more established pitchers like Freddy Peralta of the Brewers and Hunter Greene of the Reds, suggest the future is bright in the division — as long as you’re not a hitter.
SF slump
The Giants dropped two of three to the lowly Chicago White Sox immediately after losing three in a row to Miami. San Francisco is now 7 1/2 games behind the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers and has gone 4-8 since its big trade for Rafael Devers.
Devers has hit .217 since arriving from the Boston Red Sox.
Trivia time
Washington’s James Wood became the first player since Barry Bonds to be intentionally walked four times in a game. But which Hall of Famer drew five intentional walks in a game in 1990?
Line of the week
Sonny Gray — another NL Central pitcher — was sensational in St. Louis’ 5-0 win over Cleveland, throwing a one-hitter with 11 strikeouts. Gray had not thrown a complete game since 2017 and hadn’t thrown a shutout since 2015.
Gray did not have a walk, faced one batter over the minimum and threw only 89 pitches.
Comeback of the week
Miami trailed Arizona 7-3 before scoring three runs in the eighth, one in the ninth and one in the top of the 10th to win 8-7. Dane Myers stole second and third in the ninth before scoring the tying run on a sacrifice fly, and Agustín Ramírez put the Marlins ahead in extra innings with an RBI single.
Arizona’s win probability peaked at 97.4% in the bottom of the seventh, according to Baseball Savant.
Honorable mention: Baltimore fell behind 6-0 in the second before blowing out Tampa Bay 22-8. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Orioles became the first American League or National League team to win by at least 14 runs after trailing by six.
Trivia answer
Andre Dawson of the Chicago Cubs was intentionally walked five times on May 22, 1990, against Cincinnati. The Cubs won that game 2-1 in 16 innings.
Major League Baseball announced the full National and American League rosters for the 2025 All-Star Futures game, and the Mets and Yankees are well-represented.
For the Mets, starting pitcher Jonah Tong and outfielder Carson Benge will be part of the NL roster, while shortstop George Lombard Jr. will be part of the AL squad.
The 22-year-old Tong is in the midst of an unbelievable season for Double-A Binghamton, pitching to a 1.73 ERA with a ridiculous 115 strikeouts in just 73.0 innings (14.2 strikeouts per nine innings).
Tong pitched 6.2 innings of a combined perfect game for the Rumble Ponies on May 10, and he recently spoke with SNY's Danny Abriano about how his work this past offseason put him in this position, his evolving pitch repertoire, and more.
Benge, the Mets' first-round pick in the 2024 draft, posted an .897 OPS in 60 games for High-A Brooklyn this season before recently getting promoted to Binghamton. The early returns have been pretty solid for the center fielder, who has a .742 OPS over his first five games at the Double-A level.
As for Lombard, the Yankees' 2023 first-round pick was tearing it up for High-A Hudson Valley this season, slashing .329/.495/.488 in 24 games before his promotion to Double-A Somerset.
It's been a bit of an adjustment for Lombard at the next level, with him posting a .660 OPS in 48 games with the Patriots. But the 20-year-old remains one of the most exciting prospects in the Yankees' system, and is the potential shortstop of the future.
Here are the full rosters for the 2025 All-Star Futures Game, which will take place in Atlanta on July 12:
Angels starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, throwing against the Boston Red Sox last week, has anchored a starting rotation that has only used five pitchers so far this season. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)
Kyle Hendricks knows what it takes to make it in Major League Baseball.
The 162-game trek of the regular season is familiar to the 35-year-old Southern California native across his 12-year career. With Joe Maddon as his manager for the first half of his career, Hendricks was provided room to screw up — messing around with his mechanics and pitch arsenal — to become a top-end starting pitcher that helped the Chicago Cubs claim the 2016 World Series.
“It established a lot of confidence in me,” said Hendricks, who started more than 30 games four times in five seasons from 2015-19. “The organization handing you the ball every fifth day, having that confidence in you to give the team a chance to win. That's how you learn.”
Learning has arrived in spades for the Angels pitching staff. The starting rotation owns a 4.22 earned-run average, fostering a crop of middle-of-the-pack pitchers that doesn’t feature a traditional ace, nor former Cy Young Award winners. (The Angels' overall staff ERA of 4.58 ranks 24th in MLB entering Monday.)
But there's something that makes this group stand out from the rest of the league: pitching every fifth day.
The Halos feature the only pitching staff in baseball to have their season-opening rotation — of Yusei Kikuchi, Jack Kochanowicz, José Soriano, Tyler Anderson and Hendricks — make every start of the season as the All-Star break approaches. The Angels (41-42) set a team record over the weekend for most games to begin a season using no more than five starters, surpassing the mark of 80 games set in 1999.
The only other team close to the Angels? The Tampa Bay Rays, who have used just six pitchers to start — a singular spot start mixed in for the AL East contenders.
As the ulnar collateral ligament epidemic has grown over the last decade — forcing players with elbow injuries under the knife for Tommy John surgery — and as openers and bullpen games have become more normalized in MLB, having the same five pitchers throw every fifth day has become a rarity.
For instance, up the highway at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers have used 13 traditional starting pitchers in 2025.
“That's huge,” catcher Travid d’Arnaud said, adding that it's helpful for him and Logan O’Hoppe to work with the same crop of starting pitchers week-by-week, building camaraderie and chemistry. “Games started is one of the most valuable things you could do over a year, especially when you're getting 30 to 35 starts. For everyone to not miss one and just keep going every fifth day, especially when things aren't going well, I think that's when you learn the most, regardless of good or bad.”
Kochanowicz, for example, has a 6.44 earned-run average over his last eight starts and has only struck out 61 batters in 86 innings while opponents have hit .289 against him this season.
But for interim Angels manager Ray Montgomery, the ability for the 6-foot-7 sinkerballer to learn from failure and learn to adjust in the big league environment has caused Kochanowicz to show extra mettle on the mound.
Against the Red Sox on June 22, Kochanowicz faltered in the first inning, giving up three runs. But the second-year Angels starter pitched into the fifth, gave up just one more run, and worked longer than big-league veteran Walker Buehler did for Boston.
Kochanowicz, 24, didn’t have his best stuff, striking out one, but battled early adversity to keep the Angels in the ballgame — a game they’d eventually win, 9-5.
“I think this is the time of year to your point where they're going to see the difference,” Montgomery said, adding that every pitcher in the league is dealing with wear or tear in the middle months. “I think mentally is where you have to see it. And that's where I credit Jack … for getting even through five [innings]. Just that was a mental grind from him.”
It’s not just Kochanowicz. Soriano has produced a sneaky-good campaign in his third MLB season — and second in the starting rotation. The 26-year-old Dominican-born righty holds a 3.99 earned-run average across 17 starts. In four of his last six starts, he’s allowed one or fewer runs.
Going out every five days, no matter the results, has begun to show its dividends. Against the Athletics on June 10, Soriano struck out 12 in a seven-inning, one-run outing. Pitching versus the Astros on June 21, he struck out 10 across 6 ⅔ innings. However, there have been bumpy moments — like when he gave up eight runs in four innings on Friday against the Nationals.
“I just keep my head up,” Soriano said in Spanish through team interpreter Manny Del Campo when asked after the game about how knowing he’ll be back starting in five days helps him prepare after less-than-ideal appearances. “Don't get frustrated with those kind of outings and be good, and keep working hard and be ready for those big outings.”
The velocity is there for Soriano — averaging 97 mph on his fastball and sinker — but the pitchability is a skill that comes with time, Hendricks said.
The first-year Angel and long-time big leaguer added that routine building takes time and for Soriano and Kohcanowicz, they’ve been provided a runaway for experimentation — which can lead to success.
“It really helps their confidence,” Hendricks said. “‘You can see this year with Jack and José, they're just learning how to go about their routine. What they need in between starts — it changes depending on how you feel and what you're working on from the last start. So just to see all those adjustments that they're making is truly how you learn yourself.”
He continued: “I think they're doing so well right now, but it's going to be even better for them the longer they go in their careers.”
Growing up as a basketball-mad kid in Belfast, CJ Fulton never could have imagined the position he would now be in.
The 22-year-old had already been a trailblazer in college basketball with Lafayette and the Charleston Cougars, but now he has moved a step closer to the biggest goal of them all - the NBA.
In his senior year last season, the guard averaged 7.8 points and 6.5 assists per game for the Cougars.
After missing out in the initial NBA draft, Fulton will play for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA's Summer League.
"I never thought I'd be in this position, it was about what contracts or leagues I could get in Europe," Fulton said of his post-college career prospects.
"The opportunity came up to work a few NBA workouts and I obviously couldn't turn those down.
"It's a crazy position to be in but I'm just embracing the opportunity."
The NBA Summer League is a pre-season tournament that allows teams to assess their drafted players, squad players who lacked minutes in the regular season or, in Fulton's case, undrafted players.
Fulton was on holiday in Los Angeles with some friends when his agent sent a text to say the Timberwolves wanted him to join them for a workout.
Two days later he was in Minnesota, and another workout followed with the Denver Nuggets.
But it was once he was back home in Belfast, seeing family and friends, that his agent called with the news he was hoping for.
Although Fulton missed out on selection in the draft, Minnesota liked what they saw and he was going to be part of their Summer League roster.
"I had a workout there and it must have been alright," said a modest Fulton, whose father Adrian represented Ireland.
"I was buzzing. I kind of had an idea I would be getting an update from my agent after the draft as the Timberwolves had been in touch, but I was over the moon and I'm really excited."
'The NBA would be unreal'
Like his father, Adrian, CJ Fulton is an Ireland international [Getty Images]
The Summer League, which takes place over the space of 11 days in Las Vegas in July, is an opportunity for Fulton to impress in front of the biggest names in the sport.
Fulton is aiming to become the third Irish-born player to earn the chance to compete at the highest level in the United States after Pat Burke and Susan Moran.
"It gives teams a chance to evaluate their group and make a decision on their roster going into the year," added the Ireland international.
"It's crazy to think about and I never thought I'd be in this position.
"We've a training camp in Minnesota for a few days and then we head out to Vegas as a team. I'll try and learn as much as I can and embrace the opportunity.
"Hopefully I can give a good account of myself, but it will be really cool to see all the talent. There will be 30 teams there and celebrities - the whole deal, so I'm really excited."
Fulton says "you never know what can happen" but feels he has options outside the NBA if the Timberwolves look elsewhere.
He says the G-League, the NBA's team-affiliated development league, could be on the cards or he could return to Europe to forge a professional career - as was his initial plan before his NBA dreams sparked into life.
"The NBA would be unreal but we'll see what happens.
"I never really thought it was in the picture for me. My goal coming out of college was to try and get to the highest levels of Europe.
"I didn't think I would get this opportunity but now that I'm here I'll try and make the most of it.
Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow is calling out the team after their abysmal stretch against the Miami Marlins and Chicago White Sox.
“When you become soloists because you’re trying to turn around the storm by yourself, it lingers. But it affects the other part of your game,” Krukow told KNBR’s Brian Murphy and F.P. Santangelo on Monday’s “Murph and Markus” show (h/t SF Gate’s Alex Simon). “This team is losing because it’s got its head so far up its rear end right now. The basepaths are ridiculous, the mistakes they’re making. We’re seeing pitchers balk in the middle of the motion. What is that all about?”
Krukow rightfully is upset, considering San Francisco went 1-5 against two of the 2025 MLB season’s worst teams while riddled with timely errors, questionable decision-making and poor production overall.
Giants reliever Ryan Walker committed two balks against the White Sox, and San Francisco utility player Brett Wisely was picked off twice — simply unaffordable errors that put bows on frustrating, winnable losses.
“It is just [an] epidemic. Their minds are not on the game,” Krukow added. “They’re thinking about their at-bats when they’re in the field. When they come out of the bullpen, they’re putting so much pressure on themselves to try and get this thing done. They’re trying to be perfect. They’re throwing their strikeout pitches first in the at-bat. They’re falling behind in the count. It’s just all crumbling. It’s all crumbling down.”
Ouch.
Krukow, though, offered harsh advice.
“They have to pull their brain and they’ve got to divide it properly among the things that happen in this game,” Krukow said. “They have to concentrate on hitting, and when you’re not at bat, you have to be able to concentrate on defense. And when you’re on the bases, you have to concentrate on the bases.
“Right now, it’s just bad. But it can get a whole lot better, that’s the good news.”
Losses loom larger in the crowded NL West; it was roughly two weeks ago when San Francisco and the Los Angeles Dodgers were tied for the division lead during their first series meeting of the 2025 season.
Now, at 7.5 games behind the Dodgers, it’s time for the Giants to “pull their brain,” as Krukow said.
It's impossible to imagine things getting worse than they were over the weekend in Pittsburgh, when New York was swept in shocking fashion while being outscored 30-4 by a bad Pirates team that entered the series having scored the second-fewest runs in the majors.
Here's some more good news:
Despite a 3-13 tailspin that has turned a season of dominance into one that's currently off the rails, the Mets are still in a really good spot.
They are right there in the NL East, just 1.5 games behind the Phillies.
And they are holding the top Wild Card spot in the National League.
That's where the good news ends.
At present, the Mets are a team whose starting rotation -- down four key members and still waiting on returns from Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga -- is on fumes. And the rotation failing to provide length is putting tons of stress on an overworked bullpen.
In two of the games against the Pirates, things were basically over after the early innings, with David Peterson and Frankie Montas getting hit so hard that Friday and Sunday's tilts quickly became non-competitive.
Jun 29, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Frankie Montas (47) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Mets were in it until the end on Saturday, when the bullpen stumbled late and turned a tight game into a blowout.
The offense has been maddeningly inconsistent during this stretch, and seemed to be turning things around a bit after taking the final two games against the Braves during a four-game series last week at Citi Field. But the bats slumbered again in Pittsburgh, with a returning Mark Vientos still quite rusty.
So, what do the Mets need to do to turn around season that still has so much promise?
The first thing is to stop being almost robotically measured when it comes to the starting pitchers who are getting chances as the Mets await to returns of Manaea and Senga.
That starts with Paul Blackburn, who allowed three runs on six hits in 1.0 inning against the Pirates on Saturday. In his start before that, Blackburn surrendered three runs on six hits in 4.2 innings against the Braves. In the start that preceded that one, he lasted just 3.2 innings while giving up four runs (three earned) against Atlanta.
Blackburn is not offering length or effectiveness, with a 7.71 ERA and 1.98 WHIP in six games (four starts) this season.
Still, he's lined up to face the Yankees on Friday at Citi Field in the Subway Series opener. That Yankees team has scored 422 runs, good for second in the American League behind the Tigers (424).
There aren't any perfect options to replace Blackburn in the rotation. But there are two intriguing ones who just happen to be tremendous prospects with immense upside.
Nolan McLean, who last pitched on June 27, could be called up for Friday's game and not have to alter his schedule much. He has been terrific this season for Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse, with a 2.25 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 76.0 innings (12 starts, two relief appearances).
Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean participates in the Spring Breakout game against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park. / Jim Rassol - Imagn Images
Then there's Brandon Sproat, whose season in Syracuse has been up and down but who has been much better lately.
Sproat, intentionally pitching much more to contact this year instead of trying to blow everyone away, fired 6.0 scoreless innings on June 28 while allowing two hits, walking three, and striking out six. He has allowed two runs or fewer in six of his last seven starts.
The Mets should choose one of them to come up on Friday and start in place of Blackburn -- big stage be damned. A 40-man roster move would be needed, but New York has about a half dozen fungible spots that could be tweaked to make room.
Apropos of nothing, Jonah Tongshould also be in Triple-A. He's been toying with hitters in Double-A, to the tune of a 1.73 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 115 strikeouts in 73.0 innings.
Another thing the Mets should do is start using Jeff McNeilin center field every day.
They've had him out there much more often lately, but Tyrone Taylor got the start there on Saturday and went 0-for-4. Taylor's OPS for the season is down to .606. And while he provides incredible defense, the Mets need all the punch they can get in the lineup right now.
That should mean McNeil in center and Ronny Mauricio or Brett Baty at second base.
The bigger moves, which will be executed by David Stearns and Co. ahead of the trade deadline, will almost certainly have to wait. The market has been moving slower than usual over the last few seasons with more teams in contention than ever due to the added Wild Card spots.
As the July 31 trade deadline gets closer, the Mets should be in the market for help in the rotation and bullpen, a center fielder, and perhaps a third baseman.
