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Kings rookie Nique Clifford hilariously reveals fitting first word as baby

Kings rookie Nique Clifford hilariously reveals fitting first word as baby originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Mama? Dada? Baba?

The list of common first words goes on. But how about “ball” as a baby’s first word?

During an interview with NBC Sports California’s Morgan Ragan on “Kings Central,” Nique Clifford, the No. 24 overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, hilariously revealed what his first words were.

And, yes, there couldn’t have been a more fitting first word for the 23-year-old rookie guard/forward.

“I started playing when I was three years old,” Clifford shared with Ragan. “My parents put the ball in my hands when I was a baby. My first word was ball, so I was kind of meant to do this, I feel like.” 

Sacramento traded up into the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft for the No. 24 pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder, acquiring the rights to Colorado State’s Clifford in exchange for a protected 2027 first-round pick. 

The 6-foot-5, 202-pound Clifford, a fifth-year senior, led the Rams to a first-round upset of Memphis in the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.6 steals in 35.4 minutes per game last season at Colorado State.

As with many other players in the league, Clifford was obsessed with the sport for as long as he can remember.

“I was just a happy-go-lucky kid that would play outside all day, play at the park with my friends,” Clifford added. 

“I was always playing basketball or some type of sport. I played a lot of sports growing up, but basketball was always my favorite.”

There’s no doubt that Clifford always was meant to play professional basketball.

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NBA Summer League Day 1: Ryan Nembhard steals spotlight from Bronny James, Cooper Flagg

LAS VEGAS —With two courts and eight games of action every day, there is a lot to see at the 2025 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Here are some of the highlights we saw on Day 1.

Star of Bronny/Flagg showdown: Ryan Nembhard

The Thomas & Mack was overflowing with fans there to see Bronny James and Cooper Flagg — and that duo had their moments.

A lot of fans left the Thomas & Mack Center, saying, "Who is Ryan Nembhard? Is he related to that guy from the Pacers?"
Yes, Ryan is the younger brother of Indiana's Andrew Nembhard. Ryan played two years at Creighton, then had an impressive two seasons at Gonzaga, but went undrafted in June. There were a couple of reasons for that. One, he's listed at 5'11", and standing next to him, that might be generous. Second, he was seen as a reluctant scorer and not a great shooter.

Not so sure about that last part — Nembhard scored a game-high 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting in the Mavericks' win over the Lakers on Thursday night.

"That's what he does. He can do both [pass and score]," Mavericks coach Josh Broghamer said. "I think, especially in college, he was a facilitator, he ran that whole offense, but he can go get it, too. So that was really good for him."

The Mavericks saw the potential in Nembhard and snapped him up with a two-way contract just after the draft. It's just one Summer League game, but that seems like a smart bet right now. —Kurt Helin

Stacked Nets/Timberwolves highlights

Day one of Summer League in Las Vegas started out with a matchup between the Pelicans and the Timberwolves, which was a matchup of two stacked teams by Summer League standards.

New Orleans had recent first-round picks like Jeremiah Fears (Pick 7, 2025), Derik Queen (Pick 13, 2025) and Yves Missi (Pick 21, 2024), while Minnesota had Rob Dillingham (Pick 8, 2024), Terrence Shannon Jr. (Pick 27, 2024) and Joan Beringer (Pick 17, 2025).

There were plenty of bright spots for both teams, but nobody shone brighter than Beringer, who finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, two steals and six blocks. Minnesota has Rudy Gobert under contract for two more seasons, with a player option on a third year. It's only one Summer League, so we shouldn't overreact, but the idea is that Beringer will develop into an effective player in the same mold as Gobert. An athletic, rim-running center that has the potential to be a special defensive player.

Dillingham had a ton of flashy moves and got wherever he wanted on the court. The shots just didn't always go in. The same can be said for Fears. Both guards had fun plays, poor field goal percentages and exactly seven turnovers. Missi had his shot blocked by Beringer a couple of times but otherwise looked really strong and certainly may not need to play many more games in Summer League.

The only somewhat concerning aspect of the game for the Pelicans was Queen, and it wasn't that it was all bad. He had some excellent passes and a few nice buckets. He even hit a pull-up three late in the game. His ability to space the floor could allow him to thrive next to Zion Williamson on the offensive end. However, he really struggled to defend down low, and he turned the ball over seven times. The turnovers shouldn't continue to be an issue, but his inability to defend effectively is something that will need to be improved if a frontcourt pairing of Queen and Zion is ever going to work. Otherwise, they just traded their unprotected 2026 first-round pick to add a backup. —Noah Rubin

In other news:

• Lakers' Dalton Knecht's leg cramp leads to spectacular miss. This seemed like the most Summer League of plays from the Lakers' Dalton Knecht.

However, after that fall, Knecht stayed on the ground for a minute, rubbing his calf, with what he later said was a cramp that hit at just the wrong time.

"Yeah, both my legs cramped, and, you know, f****** airballed the layup," Knecht said, "So, it's whatever."

After a rough first half (and before the cramps), Knecht had a strong second half with a couple of pull-up jumpers that helped the Lakers lead by as many as 10 at one point.

"Just found my rhythm," Knecht said. "You know, it's been a while since I've played, you know, just finding my rhythm on the court, and, you know, just finding my spots. All my shots were right there, and just, you know, just started falling."

Knecht finished with 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting. —Helin

• Game winner of the day goes to Jamaree Bouyea. The Bucks and Nuggets played the game of the day. It came down to the end when Denver's E.J. Liddell had a tip-dunk to put Denver up one with five seconds left, but that was just enough time for Bucks two-way player Jamaree Bouyea to do this:

• Ajay Mitchell looks too good for Summer League. Ajay Mitchell played one game in Las Vegas. That may be all we see of him in Sin City.

Mitchell came out in his first game in Las Vegas and looked like one of those players who is just a cut above this level as a floor general and player, dropping 20 points, with a couple of 3-pointers in the mix.

He similarly impressed in three games at the Salt Lake City Summer League, where he averaged 19.7 points, 6.3 assists and 3.7 rebounds a game. After missing a chunk of time last season, he's just happy to get back on the court.

"Obviously, I have that experience from last year, so I knew kind of what Summer League was," Mitchell said. "And I think it's always great to be able to compare year to year, the areas I improved, the areas I can still work on. It's a great experience for me."
There certainly are areas he can work on, Mitchell got a little loose with the ball and had six turnovers.

Still, the Thunder know what they have, which is why they locked up Mitchell this summer with a three-year, $8.7 million contract, rewarding the UC Santa Barbara Gaucho for a promising rookie season and the role he could step into with this team. —Helin

• Classic Summer League: The Thunder's Erik Reynolds controls the rock off the jump ball... then scores in the Nets basket. Summer League Baby!!!

(Officially, this did not count, it's a violation of what is unofficially nicknamed the "Ricky Davis Rule.") —Helin

• Good debut for Nets' Nolan Traore. Four of Brooklyn's rookies took to the court for their first Summer League action on Thursday, and it was a mixed bag. Egor Demin showed flashes, while this was not Danny Wolf's night.

The best of them was French point guard Nolan Traore, who looked like a guy who has played against men before (he played professionally in France last year) and was comfortable, finishing with 13 points on 3-of-5 shooting and getting to the line six times. It was a promising start.

"I think his speed translates very well," Nets coach Steve Hetzel said. "We definitely put him in some actions where he could throw it and get it back and try to attack the rim. I thought he handled himself well with the physicality." —Helin

• Heaves. One interesting statistical note for Summer League — end-of-quarter desperation half-court (or longer) heaves are not going to count as a shot.

This is overdue (and some statistical models already account for this). Watch any NBA game and you'll see players hold on to the ball just an extra half-second so their heave is after the buzzer doesn't count against their 3-point shooting stats. Now, let it fly, it's not going to matter.

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Cal Raleigh says Yankees picked up on Andres Muñoz tipping pitches in critical ninth inning of comeback win

The Yankees made an improbable comeback on Thursday night against the Mariners.

After Mariners starter Bryan Woo took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, the Yankees erased a five-run deficit in the final two innings before walking off Seattle, 6-5, in the 10th.

The turning point came in the ninth with the Yankees down 5-3 and going up against All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz. Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger singled to pass the baton to Ben Rice with two outs. With Grisham on second base, it was clear from the broadcast that the Yankees outfielder had a tip on Muñoz's pitches, specifically the slider.

Grisham could be seen making a circular wave motion before Muñoz threw a slider, and didn't wave when a fastball was coming. And a Yankees source told The Athletic's Chris Kirschner and Brendan Kuty that they had indeed picked up on Muñoz's slider.

Rice fell behind 0-2 but took four straight balls -- two from sliders -- to load the bases. With Bellinger on second base, the former NL MVP did the same motion to give Austin Wells a heads-up on Muñoz. What eventually followed was Wells hitting a 3-2 fastball for a two-run single to tie the game.

With the score tied in the bottom of the 10th, the Yankees loaded the bases with one out and Aaron Judge delivered a walk-off sac fly -- with the assist of Anthony Volpe's slide -- to complete the comeback and sweep the three-game series from the Mariners.

“He was tipping it every time at second base,” Raleigh said via The Athletic after the game. “Obviously, they weren’t making it very discreet, I guess is the word. It’s part of the game. It’s our job. We should have known about that going into the series. That made it really hard there at the end.”

As Raleigh said, there's nothing illegal about the practice, but he put the onus on himself and the team for not figuring out Muñoz's tip sooner.

The 2025 MLB home run leader said he figured out Muñoz was tipping his pitches when he saw Grisham and Bellinger motioning to the batter, and tried to let his closer know, but admitted he didn't want to distract him. He said that the team will need to figure out how to combat that moving forward.

Entering Thursday's game, although Muñoz had five blown saves, his ERA was a minuscule 1.06, which included 8.1 consecutive scoreless innings over nine appearances. That's why he was named to his second career All-Star game this year.

The Yankees and Mariners won't meet again in the regular season, so if New York sees Muñoz again, it'll be in the postseason. Perhaps then, the Mariners would have figured out a way to hide Muñoz's slider...or the Yankees would be more discreet than they were on Thursday.

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Bronny James and Lakers come up short against Cooper Flagg and Mavericks

The Thomas & Mack Center public address announcer called it the “main event" at the NBA Summer League, with Lakers' second-year guard Bronny James and Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg at the center of it all.

The fans didn't have to wait long for the moment they all came to see when Flagg, the first overall pick in the draft out of Duke, defended against James from the start of the game.

The atmosphere was electric until the end, with Flagg’s Mavericks pulling out an 87-85 win after James missed a three-pointer seconds before the final buzzer.

Read more:Dodgers unveil Kobe Bryant bobblehead to be given away Aug. 8 at Chavez Ravine

“It’s Summer League and everyone is going to come out for the first game,” James said. “Like, it’s going to be a crazy atmosphere, no matter what. So I just try to embrace it.”

Neither put on a shooting exhibition, but the fans didn’t seem to care.

James had eight points, missing six of eight shots. He also had two rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes and 51 seconds.

Flagg had 10 points on five-of-21 shooting, missing all five of his three-point attempts. He had six rebounds, four assists and one block.

Still, James was impressed.

“He’s great,” James said. “I watched him all in college. He’s an amazing player. So I have a lot of respect for him. He’s going to be special.”

Early in the game, James came off a screen with Cooper trailing and arriving too late, giving James just enough time to launch a jumper that settled into the net.

Lakers guard Bronny James, left, controls the ball in front of Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg.
Lakers guard Bronny James, left, controls the ball in front of Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg during the Lakers' Summer League loss Thursday. (Ryan Stetz / NBAE via Getty Images)

James struck again, drilling a three-pointer over Cooper, drawing cheers from the fans.

James switched and took on the challenge of defending Cooper in the post, drawing more cheers.

Flagg missed his first two shots, and it was clear the fans wanted him to keep shooting. His first basket was off a breakaway dunk, leaving the fans shaking their heads and cheering.

James and Cooper continued their duel in the second quarter, with a couple of plays showcasing the intensity of their battle.

James, who is 6 feet 3, took on the 6-9 Flagg in the post, Flagg waving his teammates away as he tried to face the challenge alone. James stole the ball but was called for a foul — his look at the referees incredulous as the fans booed.

On the very next possession, Flagg scored on a fadeaway over James, drawing more cheers as Flagg slapped hands with his teammates on the bench.

“I’m a pretty small guard,” James said. “So if I get switched down there I have to stand my ground somehow. That’s why I weigh like 215 [pounds] and I got to stand my ground down there and make sure I’m not getting bullied anywhere.”

Late in the game, the Lakers got a scare when Dalton Knecht buckled his knees while trying to score on a layup.

“Both of my legs cramped,” said Knecht, who had 15 points, “and I airballed the layup.”

Flagg shot a late airball, but he blocked a shot by DJ Stewart with 1:09 left.

Read more:Darius Bazley, Dalton Knecht help Lakers rally for California Classic win over Spurs

The game came down to James to win it for the Lakers, but his missed three with 3.7 seconds left sealed the Lakers' fate.

“Yes, I want him to fill that responsibility at the end of the game,” said Lindsay Harding, Lakers assistant coach and Summer League coach. “I want him to have the ball in his hands and I’m going to live and die with whatever shot he takes. It was the decision he made. It was a good shot. I’ve seen him make it before.”

James made another positive step in his efforts to improve his conditioning.

“I felt good,” James said. “I felt I could have knocked some more shots down, but it is what it is. You’re not going to make them all. I felt my effort on the defensive end was good and that’s what I’m focusing on this year.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Cooper Flagg struggles in debut, Mavs edge Lakers 87-85

In the primetime matchup of the first night of Summer League in Las Vegas, it was a matchup of two high-profile players: Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick last month, and Bronny James, son of global superstar LeBron James.

Typically, marquee matchups in Summer League end up falling flat. Whether it’s nerves or defensive gameplans, young players tend to not rise to the occasion like the premier players in the NBA. That’s to be expected.

However, Thursday night’s game, which ended in an 87-85 win for the Mavericks, was an exciting game that featured highlight reel moments from both Flagg and James.

James started out hot by scoring the first five points of the game for either team, with Flagg defending him on both shots.

However, he wasn’t able to get much going after that. He finished the game with eight points, two rebounds and two assists. James had the ball in his hands with an opportunity to win it in the closing seconds, but his stepback three-pointer bounced out.

Still, there was a lot to like from what James did. Though his shot didn’t fall, he made plenty of smart passes and seemed to read the defense well, especially out of pick-and-roll scenarios. After only playing 6.7 minutes per game across 27 appearances as a rookie, James could be ready to take on a larger role in the rotation. Though he may not take a big leap this year, he should be ready to contribute.

As far as shooting the ball, it was a night to forget for Flagg. He made just five of his 21 shot attempts, and he missed his only shot from the free throw line, which led to him scoring just 10 points. However, he wasn’t fazed by the subpar shooting night.

"The coaches had a lot of confidence in me,” Flagg said after the game. “They told me they wanted me to experiment, try some new things. I just tried to be aggressive and like they wanted me to. Honestly, that might be one of the worst games of my life. But we got the win. That's what really matters to me."

However, he found other ways to impact the game. Flagg added six rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block, and he had multiple other savvy passes that set up good shot attempts for his teammates.

Coach Jason Kidd talked before Summer League began about wanting to put the ball in Flagg’s hands for him to make plays. That happened early and often, as the ball immediately went to Flagg after Dallas won the opening tip. However, the Lakers made it clear immediately that they wanted to ramp up the pressure. Right after Flagg got the ball following the tip, they trapped him before he crossed half court.

"You get that ball in your hands, the conditioning aspect comes into play," Mavericks Summer League coach Josh Broghamer said. "They were picking them on full court, they were trapping him, they were being super physical with him every time he drove it. That's something, obviously for him, he's at a high level conditioning-wise, but continue to grow. Like I said, he just had a draft and three workouts and all that stuff, and now he's coming in to playing fives again, so that will get better."

Flagg also acknowledged the pressure and his conditioning by saying he's "not in game shape."

"I mean, that's what a lot of people are going to do," Flagg said. "You know, definitely I feel like I can handle that type of pressure. I'll be able to take it without a doubt. Tonight the shots weren't falling. That's going to happen."

His playmaking stood out and is a skill that the Mavericks will hope translate to the regular season, especially with Kyrie Irving (knee) sidelined to start the year.

However, Flagg wasn’t the only Maverick that shined as a playmaker. Ryan Nembhard, who Dallas added on a two-way after he went undrafted last month, finished with 21 points and five assists in the win. The younger brother of Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard, Ryan was able to get to his spot in the mid-range for six of his eight made field goals, and he was able to set up his teammates for plenty of easy shots.

Dalton Knecht, who the Lakers selected with the No. 17 pick in 2024, only had six points in the first half, and the team seemed to make a concerted effort to get him going after halftime. He scored seven points and had an assist in the first four minutes of the second half to help the Lakers go up 60-50.

However, it was all Dallas for the rest of the period. They closed the third on an 18-2 run to take a 68-62 lead into the fourth quarter.

With 1:21 left in the game, Knecht came up grimacing and holding his leg. He confirmed after the game that his leg cramped up, which explains the botched layup attempt that would’ve put the Lakers up three points.

The Mavs play again on Saturday against San Antonio, which should hopefully be the first game that Dylan Harper suits up for to make it a matchup of the first two picks from last month’s draft. Harper missed the Spurs’ games in the California Classic earlier this week and their matchup with the 76ers on Friday with a groin issue, but the expectation is that he will play against Dallas.

Los Angeles will play the Pelicans on Saturday. New Orleans has a strong lineup, highlighted by Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen and Yves Missi.

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Anthony Volpe's 'sick' slide caps Yankees' comeback win vs. Mariners

The stage was set for Aaron Judge to be the hero in the 10th inning of Thursday's matchup between the Yankees and Mariners.

After being no-hit for seven innings, the Yankees came back from five runs down to force extra innings and they were 90 feet away from taking the game and sweeping Seattle.

With the bases loaded and one out, Judge drove a hanging slider into shallow center field. Julio Rodriguez caught it and launched the ball to catcher Cal Raleigh at home. Anthony Volpe, who was on third, scampered home, but the throw beat him home. However, the Yankee shortstop dove headfirst and did a swim move to avoid the tag and get his hand onto home plate to seal the 6-5 win.

"That was sick. Totally went around him, got his hand in there," Austin Wells, whose two-run single tied the game in the ninth, said after the game. "That was a great slide."

"Rodriguez made a great throw but what a great slide by Volpe," manager Aaron Boone said of the play. "I had the best seat in the house for it. I saw his hand go right in there. I saw the throw was on target, I’m like, ‘oh no,’ but I saw his hand in there and Volpe jumped up safe. It was a good call by [homeplate umpire Nic Lentz]." 

With how shallow Judge's fly ball was, Boone was asked if Volpe's speed and ability to make slides like that are in the thought process to send him. Boone pointed to the situation as the deciding factor for the send of Volpe.

"With that being the second out there, you gotta force them to make the perfect throw," Boone explained. "Rodriguez, as good as he is, still has to make a perfect throw, which he actually did. But it’s absolutely have to go there."

Volpe's slide not only extended the Yankees' winning streak to four, but it gave Judge his first career walk-off sac fly. It also capped the Yankees' biggest comeback win since May 2023, when they trailed by six runs. It was especially impressive considering they were down by five runs after being no-hit by Mariners starter Bryan Woo for seven innings.

More impressive is that the Yankees are only the second team in the Expansion Era (since 1961) to win a game after going hitless and trailing by at least five runs through seven innings, according to Elias. The other team, the 1977 Pirates.

“I knew who was at third. My whole thought going into [that at-bat] was get the ball somewhere in the air and let 11 take care of the rest," Judge said. "Impressive. What a great slide. Nobody else I want at third in a situation like that besides Volpe."

Volpe finished 0-for-4 in Thursday's game, including flying out with an opportunity to walk-off the Mariners in the ninth inning. He's now only slashing .215/.290/.387 on the season. But the Yankees are happy to see their shortstop still find ways to impact and win them games.

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Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt to undergo a 2nd Tommy John surgery on Friday

NEW YORK — New York Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt will undergo a second Tommy John surgery that will sideline him for the rest of this season and much of next season, manager Aaron Boone said Thursday.

Schmidt will have the surgery Friday, and the procedure will be performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas. The 29-year-old right-hander will join Gerrit Cole as the second Yankee to undergo the surgery. Cole, the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner, was operated on in March.

Boone said before Saturday’s loss to the Mets that Schmidt was likely going to undergo the surgery after acknowledging he had an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Schmidt had an MRI last Friday was placed on the 15-day injured list because of right forearm soreness, one day after his start in Toronto was cut short following three innings.

Schmidt was 4-4 with a 3.32 ERA in 14 starts this season before getting hurt. He missed New York’s first 17 games recovering from right rotator cuff tendinitis.

“He’s become a really, really good starting pitcher in this league,” Boone said last week. “So it’s a tough blow. Every team has their share of these things that happen, and we’ve got to be able to absorb it and hopefully get some guys back in the mix soon and create another opportunity for somebody else to hopefully step in and pick up the slack.”

Schmidt had Tommy John surgery in May 2017, a month before the Yankees selected him with the 16th overall pick in the amateur draft out of South Carolina.

Now in his sixth major league season, Schmidt said he was dealing with soreness in his arm since a June 4 outing against Cleveland.

Schmidt left a June 21 start versus Baltimore after a career-high 103 pitches in seven hitless innings, part of a streak of 28 1/3 scoreless innings.

Cam Schlitter started for Schmidt on Wednesday, struck out major league home run leader Cal Raleigh twice on fastballs and will get another start after the All-Star break. Schlitter’ has pitched 5 1/3 innings with an average fastball velocity of 97.9 mph, and he threw New York’s seven fastest pitches this season.

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Opinion: Why the NHL Draft Should Stay Centralized – Just Ask Devils Fans

This year marked the first of the NHL’s new ‘decentralized draft’ format. While draftees were gathered in Los Angeles, NHL teams remained in their home cities and joined remotely. 

Fans immediately called for the draft to be centralized in 2026. The lack of personal interaction and technical issues were the main reasons cited for why fans wished to return to the traditional in-person format. 

However, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported on X today that the decentralized draft may be here to stay.

He said, “Apparently, there are reports about the future of the NHL draft. There is a vote right now, not yet completed. But from what I'm canvassing - unless there is a wild swing in the few remaining to be submitted - the vote will be to stay with the decentralized format.” 

Fans quickly responded with outrage, claiming the league doesn’t listen to the fanbase. 

As talk of the draft circulates, fans and teams continue to debate whether it should remain decentralized going forward.

Reflecting specifically on the Devils organization, many special moments and players have emerged from the centralized draft. Here is a list of some of the best NJ Devils draft moments that arguably would not have happened or would not have been the same if the drafts had always been in the decentralized format. 

Best NJ Devils Draft Moments 

1. NY Rangers fans cheer as Jack Hughes is selected first in the 2019 Draft. 

The New York Rangers fans erupted in celebration when the NJ Devils selected Jack Hughes. The fans believed at the time that Kaapo Kakko was the better choice and were relieved he hadn’t been selected first, giving the Rangers the opportunity to draft him. 

The Rangers did end up drafting him, only for him to be traded in 2024 to Seattle. The NJ Devils didn’t let the Rangers forget about that moment when they cheered on Hughes. They played it back on the Jumbotron when the Rangers played at the Prudential Center. 

2. David Poile’s final trade

In 2023, the NJ Devils traded their 7th-round pick to the Nashville Predators. While this was less of a strategic move, it was for sure a sentimental one. The Nashville General Manager, David Poile, announced following the 2023 NHL Draft that he would be retiring. 

Devils’ General Manager Tom Fitzgerald was Poile’s teammate and first NHL Captain while the two played with the Predators from 1998-2002. 

In a final sendoff, Fitzgerald wanted to be a part of the last trade of Poile’s career. Poile had a record-breaking career, being the GM in NHL history with the most wins and the third most wins in single-team history. 

The move was full of class, as Fitzgerald and Poile were joined by Barry Trotz, their former coach, to finalize the last trade of Poile’s career. They then gathered together for a photo following the trade on the draft floor, a memory that was only possible with all three of them in the building. 

3. Bobby Carpenter gets drafted right out of high school

Though not drafted by the Devils, Bobby Carpenter’s full-circle journey is one of the many stories that feel more real when shared live at a centralized draft.

In 1981, with the 3rd overall pick in the draft, the Washington Capitals selected Bobby Carpenter. The 18-year-old was fresh out of high school, making history as the first high school player to jump directly to the NHL in his draft year. Just one year after graduating from St. John’s Prep High School in Massachusetts, Carpenter made his way to the NHL. In his first season, he scored 32 goals and 67 points as an 18-year-old.

Many years later, Carpenter would join the NJ Devils for the final years of his career. He helped the Devils win their first Stanley Cup in 1995. He played six years with the Devils before retiring. 

Best NJ Devils Draft Picks Of All Time

Not only were there sentimental moments over the years at the centralized draft, but there were also franchise-altering selections. Here is a list of a few draft picks that changed the New Jersey Devils organization. 

  • John MacLean - 6th Overall 1983
  • Kirk Muller - 2nd Overall 1984
  • Brendan Shanahan – 2nd Overall 1987
  • Scott Niedermayer – 3rd Overall 1991
  • Martin Brodeur – 20th Overall 1990
  • Patrik Elias - 51st Overall 1994
  • Scott Gomez - 27th Overall 1998
  • Jesper Bratt - 162nd Overall 2016
  • Nico Hischier - 1st Overall 2017
  • Jack Hughes - 1st Overall 2019



Photo Credit: © Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

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Knicks Mailbag: Who will Mike Brown bring in to fill out his staff?

It's another edition of Knicks' Mailbag with SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley ready to answer your questions surrounding the Knicks. Let's get started.

What are the plans at backup point guard when Brunson sits? Will it be by committee with McBride, Hart, and Clarkson handling the ball? Do you think Kolek is ready for a consistent role off the bench, or is he going to ride the pine again this year? - @ctorres04

Based on the moves they’ve made so far, it looks like Tyler Kolek will be outside of the Knicks’ rotation to start the season. 

New York already has a nine-man rotation: Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson, Josh Hart, Jordan Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele, Miles McBride. 

Unless head coach Mike Brown wants to play 10 every night, there doesn’t seem to be a rotation spot for Kolek at the moment. 

Also, the Knicks have enough money for one veteran minimum contract and one rookie contract before they reach the second apron. They have been in touch with players who can fill a backup guard role in free agency. So if they add a backup guard with that final roster spot, it would potentially clog a pathway for Kolek. 

Who might the Knicks sign with that veteran’s minimum deal? They have continued to touch base with Ben Simmons during the free agency period. I’m sure they have touched base with other vets as well. Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook are among the lead guards still on the market. Teams are wondering if Washington will agree to a buyout with veteran guard Marcus Smart. For what it’s worth, the Knicks don’t seem to be exclusively focused on ball-handling guards with that last spot. New York still sees Landry Shamet as a possibility and Shamet remains open to returning to New York.  

What’s Brown’s plan to have Brunson do less without sacrificing offensive efficiency? - @ShemiRock

A great question. Brown didn’t delve into specifics during his introductory press conference this week. But we know that Brown viewed James Borrego as a target for the top assistant spot on his staff. Borrego isn’t available (he will remain in New Orleans), but Brown’s interest in Borrego suggests he is open to an offense that’s well-spaced and features a high level of ball and player movement. 

If the Knicks go this way on offense, it’s logical to think that Brunson will have the ball in isolation a little less often. It’s worth noting that Hart, Bridges and others handled the ball at times last season when Brunson was on the floor. Maybe you see Brunson off the ball more regularly under Brown. Or maybe the ball/player movement organically leads to less of a workload for Brunson. Either way, it’s an interesting topic to monitor early in Brown’s Knick tenure. 

Presumably, Mike Brown has his "guys". Assistants he coached with when he was an assistant and his assistants when he was a HC. I know 2 of his Sac assistants are now HCs but, whether it's the lead assistant or otherwise, isn't it very common to have your guys on your staff? - @CAPTAINPEARLNYK

It is common to have your ‘guys’ on your coaching staff. Brown will make at least one significant addition to his staff when he adds an associate head coach. I still expect that there will be holdovers from last year on Brown’s staff (Rick Brunson, Mark Bryant, Maurice Cheeks and Darren Erman). But Brown was told during the interview process that he’d have full autonomy to hire his own staff. Of course, it’s naïve to think that he would include all four coaches if he had a blank slate to work with.

But if the coaches mentioned above are on his staff, it will be because he ultimately chose to keep them.

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Why The Maple Leafs Traded Ryan Reaves To The Sharks For Defenseman Henry Thrun

The Ryan Reaves-era of the Toronto Maple Leafs has come to an end.

The Maple Leafs announced on Thursday evening that they've traded the veteran forward to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Henry Thrun. The 24-year-old defenseman played 60 games for the Sharks last season, averaging 17:31 of ice time and scoring two goals and 10 assists.

The trade frees the Maple Leafs of Reaves' $1.35 million salary while adding Thrun, who's in the final year of his contract, which has a $1 million annual average value. Toronto is saving $350,000 by acquiring Thrun for Reaves, and avoiding having to bury $200,000 in the minors had Reaves started the season in the AHL.

According to PuckPedia, the Maple Leafs now has $5.33 million in cap space available.

Questions rose about Reaves' future with Toronto after the forward joined the Cam & Strick Podcast with Andy Strickland and Cam Janssen and said he had wanted to hit the 1,000 game mark before he retires. The 38-year-old—only playing in 35 games with the Maple Leafs last season—is 88 games from the milestone.

'No Firm Offer' From Maple Leafs to Andrew Mangiapane Despite Interest'No Firm Offer' From Maple Leafs to Andrew Mangiapane Despite InterestAndrew Mangiapane, a player of interest for the Toronto Maple Leafs during their search for another forward, ultimately signed with the Edmonton Oilers when free agency opened earlier this month, rather than his hometown team. Instead, Mangiapane signed a two-year, $7.2 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers.

With the Maple Leafs' Stanley Cup aspirations and Reaves' enforcer play style, it just didn't appear there was a fit anymore. Reaves' tenure with Toronto comes to an end after playing 84 games with the club and scoring four goals and four assists in that span.

Toronto, in return, gets a younger defender who is still trying to find his way at the NHL level.

Thrun, a fourth-round (101 overall) pick by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2019 NHL Draft, has appeared in 119 NHL games, all with the Sharks. In his final two seasons at Harvard University, Thrun scored at nearly a point-per-game pace (63 points in 68 games), but hasn't found that level in pro yet.

'I Know I'm A Better Player Than I Was In Utah': Matias Maccelli Believes He's Ready For Top-Six Role With Maple Leafs'I Know I'm A Better Player Than I Was In Utah': Matias Maccelli Believes He's Ready For Top-Six Role With Maple LeafsMatias Maccelli was attempting to make a putt when his friend began yelling about a trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He's registered five goals and 20 assists while averaging 18:44 of ice time over three seasons with the Sharks.

Believe it or not, the defenseman's first NHL goal came against the Maple Leafs on Jan. 9, 2024. It was San Jose's only goal in a 7-1 loss to Toronto. Given he's still young, Toronto could look to have him work with the organization's development staff, which could help his game progress at the pro level.

Thrun will be a restricted free agent after this season.

(Top photo of Thrun: Robert Edwards / Imagn Images)

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Golden Knights Development Camp Spotlight: Matyas Sapovaliv and Abram Wiebe

We’re wrapping up our Vegas Golden Knights Development Camp coverage with a spotlight on two standout 21-year-olds, Matyas Sapovaliv and Abram Wiebe.

Both Sapovaliv and Wiebe were drafted by the Knights back in 2022. Sapovaliv in the second round (48th overall) and Wiebe in the seventh round (209th overall).

Sapovaliv is a Czech center known for his poise and precision in the offensive zone. A natural facilitator, he thrives by slowing the game to his tempo, using his vision and puck control to let plays develop before threading pinpoint passes through tight lanes.

His technical playmaking ability has been on full display throughout his development, from his standout seasons with the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL. He posted 62 points (19 goals, 43 assists) in just 54 games in the 2023–24 season. Following that came his transition into the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights. He played 71 games in the 2024–25 season, posting 19 points (11 goals, 8 assists). Sapovaliv’s knack for navigating traffic and delivering the puck under sticks and through bodies makes him a constant threat and a valuable asset in any offensive scheme.

“It’s pro hockey. It's been hard, especially the start,” Sapovaliv said in regard to his first pro season. “I had good teammates and good coaching staff. I got better through the season and finished hard.”

Now for Wiebe—he’s been on a slightly different, yet still impressive path, playing at the D1 collegiate level for the University of North Dakota.

In his 2023–24 freshman season, the defenseman appeared in all 40 games, putting up 10 points (1 goal, 9 assists) and finishing second on the team with a +14 rating. At the end of that season, he was named to the NCHC All-Academic Team and also earned NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete honors. Going into his 2024–25 season, he improved his numbers, putting up 24 points (4 goals, 20 assists) in 38 games.

“I’m so thankful for the opportunity to play at North Dakota,” Wiebe said. “It’s such an amazing university, amazing hockey team with great coaches, so I’m so thankful that I got the opportunity to play there. I thought last year, going from my freshman to sophomore year, I just gained a lot of confidence heading into my sophomore year, which gave me the opportunity to join the rush and be more involved on the offensive side of the game this year. So, I’m kind of just using that this summer to get bigger, stronger, and faster.” 

Both of these young men have exciting seasons ahead, and their performances over the past few days at development camp gave fans a clear glimpse of the potential they bring to the future of this organization. 

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Ex-Penguins Ryan Reaves Traded To New Team

Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ryan Reaves is on the move.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that they have traded Reaves to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Henry Thrun.

Seeing Reaves get traded is not necessarily surprising, as he fell down the Maple Leafs' depth chart this season and even spent time in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies. Now, with this trade to the Sharks, he should provide more toughness in San Jose's bottom six as they continue their rebuild.

Reaves appeared in 35 games last season with the Maple Leafs, posting two assists, 28 penalty minutes, 103 hits, and a minus-2 rating. He also scored a goal in three games with the Marlies. 

Reaves spent the first part of the 2017-18 season with the Penguins before being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights at the deadline. In 58 games as a Penguin, he recorded four goals, eight points, 84 penalty minutes, and 161 hits. 

In 912 career NHL games split between the St. Louis Blues, Penguins, Golden Knights, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, and Maple Leafs, Reaves has recorded 63 goals, 137 points, 1,100 penalty minutes, and 3,065 hits. 

Penguins Trade for Stars Defenseman Matt DumbaPenguins Trade for Stars Defenseman Matt DumbaThe Pittsburgh Penguins added another defenseman to their roster on Thursday when they traded for Matt Dumba of the Dallas Stars. They also got a 2028 second-round pick for taking Dumba, while sending fellow defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok to the Stars. 

Photo Credit: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Enforcer Ryan Reaves To San Jose Sharks

The Toronto Maple Leafs traded veteran Ryan Reaves to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Henry Thrun on Thursday night.

Reaves, 38, has one season remaining on a three-year contract worth $1.35 million annually. He recorded two assists, 28 penalty minutes and 103 hits in 35 games for the Maple Leafs this past season.

He's one of the NHL's heavyweight fighters, taking 93 major penalties in his career and logging a total of 1,100 penalty minutes, the sixth-most by an active player. This past year, he fought once in the regular season against the Columbus Blue Jackets' Mathieu Olivier and once in the pre-season against the Ottawa Senators' Donovan Sebrango.

Reaves cleared waivers in March and played three games for the AHL's Toronto Marlies.

On the Cam & Strick Podcastthis week, Reaves discussed his time after being assigned to the AHL and more. He said he was skating with a skills coach for a couple of weeks instead of practising with the Marlies before he called to join the team and play some home games.

Reaves also defended Mitch Marner for not re-signing in Toronto and joining the Vegas Golden Knights.

" 'Mitchy' earned the right to go wherever he wants, and he's dedicated his whole career to Toronto, a hometown guy, and he's poured everything he had into it, and sometimes it's just time to move on," Reaves said, adding that Leafs fans can be a little ruthless to Marner.

As for Reaves' time with the Leafs, he said he likes Toronto but didn't go downtown often, except for games. But he praised Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies and William Nylander.

Although Reaves' contract expires after next season, he said he'd like to hang on for another two years in the NHL so that he can reach 1,000 games and go for the Stanley Cup. He's currently 88 games away from 1,000.

Ryan Reaves (John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)

Thrun, 24, enters the second campaign of a two-year contract with a $1-million cap hit. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound blueliner played 60 games for the Sharks this past season, putting up two goals and 10 assists for 12 points. He averaged 17:31 in ice time and blocked 66 shots.

In 119 career NHL games, Thrun has five goals and 20 assists for 25 points with a minus-48 rating. Before his pro career began, he played at Harvard, captaining the squad in 2022-23. He had 31 points in 33 games that year and was named to the NCAA's first all-American team in the East, the first all-star team in the ECAC, the NCAA's all-Ivy league first team and more.

This past January, Thrun said he felt stronger on pucks and better defensively, and he had a good relationship with coach Ryan Warsofsky as he tried to improve.

Toronto gains $350,000 in cap space, now having about $5.33 million overall, according to PuckPedia. The Sharks have about $23.5 million in cap space, about $1.3 million over the cap floor.  

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