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And-Ones: Officiating, Kabengele, Ignite, Maluach, Topic

December 26th, 2023 at 11:58am CST by Luke Adams

While he didn’t complain specifically about the way that Nikola Jokic was officiated on Monday, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr lodged a more general complaint about the officiating during his postgame media session after the Nuggets center made 18-of-18 free throws in a Denver victory, writes Kendra Andrews of ESPN.

“I have a problem with how we are legislating the defense out of the game,” Kerr said. “We are enabling players to B.S. their way to the foul line. If I were a fan, I wouldn’t have wanted to watch the second half of that game. It was disgusting. It was just baiting refs into calls, but the refs have to make those calls … the players are really smart in this league. For the last decade, they’ve gotten smarter and smarter. We have enabled the players, and they are taking full advantage.

“It’s a parade to the free throw line, and it’s disgusting to watch.”

Prior to Monday’s game, the Nuggets ranked dead last in the NBA in free throw makes per game (14.9). Led by Jokic’s 18 foul shots, Denver converted 26-of-32 attempts from the line in Monday’s win.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Former first-round pick Mfiondu Kabengele is making a midseason move from Greece to Italy. The big man has parted ways with AEK Athens and has formally reached an agreement to join Reyer Venezia, the Italian club announced today in a press release. Kabengele appeared in 55 total NBA games for the Clippers, Cavaliers, and Celtics from 2019-23.
  • Sharing their impressions from last week’s G League Showcase Cup, Jeremy Woo and Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com (Insider link) note that it hasn’t been a good year for the G League Ignite, whose top prospects Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland did little to help their draft stock. Conversely, the NBA Academy Africa made a strong impression in Orlando, according to Givony, who was particularly impressed by 7’2″ prospect Khaman Maluach. Maluach appears to be giving strong consideration to playing college ball next season, Givony adds, with Duke and Kansas aggressively pursuing him.
  • Serbian prospect Nikola Topic, a projected top-10 pick, has spent the 2023/24 season so far on loan to Mega Basket, but he’ll be rejoining Crvena Zvezda and playing in the EuroLeague going forward, tweets Givony. The move will give the 18-year-old Topic an opportunity to compete in Europe’s top league for the rest of the season.
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And-Ones: Collier, Mock Draft, In-Season Tournament, Ferrell

November 30th, 2023 at 10:58am CST by Arthur Hill

USC freshman guard Isaiah Collier has moved into the top spot in the latest mock draft from Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN. Collier has been outstanding for the Trojans in the early part of the season, averaging 18.2 PPG while shooting 56% on two-point shots and 41% from beyond the arc. However, there are some concerns, Givony and Woo point out, including an abysmal turnover to assist rate of 5.3-to-4.

At 6’5″ and 210 pounds, Collier’s size is an asset for a point guard and he boasts a good combination of strength and speed, the authors add. He’s most effective in the open court, where he can attack the basket and finish at the rim in a variety of ways. He also has outstanding court vision and is comfortable passing with either hand.

French center Alexandre Sarr drops to second in the mock draft, as his defense has been more developed than his offense in Australia’s National Basketball League. With a 7’5″ wingspan, Sarr ranks second in the NBL in block percentage, but he’s shooting just 30% from three-point range and 56% from the foul line. French forward Zaccharie Risacher, Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter and G League Ignite forward Ron Holland round out the top five for Givony and Woo.

There’s more from around the basketball world:

  • There have been complaints about how the point-differential tie-breaker affected some of Tuesday’s in-season tournament games, but Suns star Devin Booker doesn’t see it as a problem, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “I’ve seen teams upset about it, I don’t know why. I’ve seen players upset about it, I don’t know why,” Booker said. “I wish every game was like that where you play until the end and it wasn’t viewed as disrespectful. Just high competition.” 
  • Seth Partnow of The Athletic suggests making point differential a lower-level tie-breaker in the tournament and giving teams points for each quarter that they win, similar to the system in the former Continental Basketball Association. He believes winning quarters would provide incentive for players to give maximum effort without the feeling that teams are intentionally running up the score.
  • Former NBA guard Yogi Ferrell has signed with KK Buducnost in Montenegro, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. It marks a return to Europe for the 30-year-old Ferrell after playing for the Shanghai Sharks.
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And-Ones: Sarr, Thompson, Miller, Hawkins, Jacobs, Officiating

November 14th, 2023 at 10:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Perth Wildcats big man Alexandre Sarr sits atop the 2024 draft board compiled by The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, though it’s a lukewarm endorsement. Sarr, who draws comparisons to Brooklyn’s Nic Claxton, occupies the No. 1 spot by default, as he’s looked the best of the prospects who have been in action, Vecenie explains. USC guard Isaiah Collier and G League Ignite wing Ron Holland are next on Vecenie’s list.

We have more from around the basketball world:

  • Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren squared off on Tuesday but they’re not the only rookies who have made a strong impression, Sam Amick of The Athletic notes. The Pistons‘ Ausar Thompson, the Hornets‘ Brandon Miller and the Pelicans‘ Jordan Hawkins have also played their way into the Rookie of the Year discussion early in the season.
  • Malique Jacobs had to come up with $250 for a tryout with the Pistons‘ NBA G League squad, the Motor City Cruise. The former Kent State player not only earned an invite to training camp, but claimed a spot on the roster. The Athletic’s James Edwards profiles Jacobs’ underdog story.
  • There have been some questionable ejections this season and Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill spoke with NBA head of referee development and training Monty McCutchen about that issue, as well as other concerns regarding the officiating.
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And-Ones: Draft Rankings, Holland, Sarr, In-Season Tournament

November 6th, 2023 at 9:06am CST by Arthur Hill

With the college basketball season tipping off today, Jonathan Givony of ESPN has posted his top 25 prospects for the 2024 NBA draft, putting G League Ignite forward Ron Holland at the top of the list. Givony notes that Holland was already being hyped before impressive performances in exhibition games against Perth and in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, where he averaged 20.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 steals.

Scouts like Holland’s competitiveness, his ability to attack in the open court and the improvement he has shown as an outside shooter, Givony adds, but he needs to work on his shot selection and decision making. Givony also cautions that Holland isn’t viewed as a definite No. 1 pick like Victor Wembanyama was this year, and the ratings could change throughout the season.

Second on Givony’s list is Australian big man Alexandre Sarr, who also impressed scouts this summer. He totaled 43 points, 18 rebounds, 12 blocks and four assists in two games against the G League Ignite and provides a combination of mobility, skill and defensive versatility that’s rare in a 7-footer.

Rounding out Givony’s top five are USC point guard Isaiah Collier, Kentucky swingman Justin Edwards and French forward Zaccharie Risacher.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

  • Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has updated his full mock draft, with Holland and Sarr also holding the top two spots. G League Ignite forward Matas Buzelis is third in Wasserman’s rankings, followed by Connecticut shooting guard Stephon Castle and Duke point guard Tyrese Proctor. Another notable prospect, USC freshman Bronny James, is listed at No. 43 because of concerns over his health after he suffered cardiac arrest during a July workout.
  • In a discussion of Australian basketball, Kane Pitman, Olgun Uluc and Peter Hooley of ESPN discuss whether Sarr should consider wrapping up his NBL season by Christmas to start preparing for the draft. Sarr’s Perth Wildcats are off to a slow start, and it doesn’t appear his role on the team is likely to expand.
  • The NBA’s new in-season tournament was inspired by soccer’s FA Cup, which has captivated fans for a century and a half because of its unpredictable nature, notes Richard Sutcliffe of The Athletic. Players and coaches are optimistic about what the tournament can grow into, adds Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “I’ve been a part of (the) conversations since they first happened,” said Warriors guard Chris Paul, the former president of the National Basketball Players Association. “I think the in-season tournament has an opportunity to be something big for the league. … As players, as the league and everything, you (are) always trying to continue to grow the game. I think this is a good way.”
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And-Ones: Holiday, N. Young, J. Parker, 2024 Draft, More

October 2nd, 2023 at 2:55pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat and Clippers are believed to be the other teams that were seriously in the mix for Jrue Holiday before the Trail Blazers accepted the Celtics’ offer for the All-Defensive guard, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during the latest episode of his Hoop Collective podcast.

“I’m not sure exactly where are the offers were at the end for the Blazers before they decided on the Celtics’ offer, but based on my conversations, my feel was there was at least three teams who were making significant bids.” Windhorst said, according to RealGM. “… The teams I really think were there in the end were the Celtics, Heat and the Clippers.

“The reason I think those three teams were there because I think those were the three teams Jrue Holiday was really focused on at some point being able to sign a longer-term contract (with). And that message kind of went out in recent days. Other teams made offers but it was sort of a three-team, aggressive race at the end. Only the Blazers know exactly what the offers were.”

The Clippers came close to acquiring Malcolm Brogdon back in June, so it will be interesting to see if they make any effort to re-engage the Trail Blazers in talks for Brogdon after missing out on Holiday.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Former NBA guard Nick Young is resuming his playing career overseas, having signed with the Macau Black Bears of the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL), according to the team (Instagram link; hat tip to Sportando). A former first-round pick, Young has appeared in 720 regular season NBA games, but has been out of the league since being waived by Denver in 2018.
  • Speaking to Alex Molina of Eurohoops following his move to FC Barcelona, former No. 2 overall pick Jabari Parker said he believes the NBA is getting “watered down” because so many teams are trying to tank for draft picks each season, and expressed dismay that players like Dwight Howard, DeMarcus Cousins, and John Wall can’t find NBA homes.
  • ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Insider link) has updated his mock draft for 2024, moving USC guard Isaiah Collier up to No. 2 and Perth Wildcats big man Alexandre Sarr up to No. 4. While Ron Holland of the G League Ignite is still considered the early favorite to be next year’s No. 1 pick, Givony says Sarr has done enough to join the small group of prospects with a legitimate case for the top spot in the 2024 draft.
  • With a series of holes in its programming schedule this winter due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes, ABC will air NBA games on every Wednesday night in January, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. That slate of games will includes matchups between the Pelicans and Warriors, Mavericks and Lakers, and Suns and Nets, among others.
  • Kurt Helin of NBC Sports believes that Jason Kidd (Mavericks), Steve Clifford (Hornets), and Billy Donovan (Bulls) are three head coaches who will be on the hot seat this season.
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And-Ones: Team USA, Prospects, Load Management, Porter

September 15th, 2023 at 8:32pm CST by Rory Maher

It was reported earlier this week that LeBron James was recruiting stars for the 2024 Olympics, with several players planning on joining the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in Paris.

Kevin Pelton of ESPN (Insider link) recently crafted a 12-man roster for Team USA next summer by following three criteria: An ideal team, not necessarily the best individuals; prior success with USA Basketball; and young players who can continue with the national team in the future.

Pelton’s starting five features Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, James, Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid, with Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Mikal Bridges, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo and Evan Mobley coming off the bench. Donovan Mitchell was “perhaps the single toughest cut” from Pelton’s ideal roster.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

  • John Hollinger of The Athletic attended the G League Fall Invitational between G League Ignite and the Perth Wildcats to scout prospects for the 2024 NBA draft and beyond. While next year’s class isn’t considered particularly strong, Hollinger writes that several players stood out at the event, including Ron Holland, Alexandre Sarr and Izan Almansa. Ignite forward Tyler Smith was another standout who may have moved up draft boards, according to Hollinger, who notes that Perth guard Ben Henshall will be closely monitored going forward as well, perhaps for 2025 or 2026.
  • NBA commissioner Adam Silver has a difficult balancing act when it comes to star players resting, with fans, revenue, and player health among the key factors to consider. But the new player participation policy is a step in the right direction, contends Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. Having more stars on the court should make for a more compelling regular season, and Silver said at his press conference he had been weighing the advice of retired players, Goodwill notes. “You know, a lot of older players — by that I mean now, at this point, retired players — when I first came in the league, used to believe that they were more likely to get injured if they took nights off, that they would get out of rhythm,” he said. “In some cases, maybe (they) played fewer minutes, but they played. That’s something we want to look at as well.”
  • Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested this week on felony charges of assault and strangulation, but he’s far from the first NBA player to be accused of domestic violence. If the horrific allegations are proven true, Porter’s career in the league could be over, considering his history of off-court incidents. Chris Herring of Sports Illustrated believes the NBA should have a zero-tolerance policy for violence against women, though he concedes it would be a challenging rule to implement and would likely take several years. According to Herring, since salaries are rising across the board, players should be held to “extremely high behavioral standards.”
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And-Ones: Holland, 2024 Draft, Cook, Player Participation

September 14th, 2023 at 3:59pm CST by Rory Maher

G League Ignite’s Ron Holland has moved up to No. 1 on Jonathan Givony of ESPN’s latest 2024 mock draft (Twitter video link). In recent exhibition games against Australia’s Perth Wildcats, Holland put up 56 points in 60 minutes, Givony notes, with the young forward displaying a tantalizing mixture of aggression, intensity, confidence, defense and shot-making.

Givony says NBA team’s will be attracted to Holland because “he is a winner” who raises the level of his teammates.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Elsewhere on his NBA Today appearance (Twitter video link), Givony said French big man Alexandre Sarr, who plays for Perth as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program, was another big winner from the exhibition contests. Sarr is up to No. 5 on Givony’s latest mock. The full top 10, in order, features Holland, Isaiah Collier (USC), Matas Buzelis (Ignite), Justin Edwards (Kentucky), Sarr, UConn teammates Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle, Izan Almansa (Ignite), Kyle Filipowski (Duke) and D.J. Wagner (Kentucky).
  • Former NBA forward Tyler Cook has signed with the South East Melbourne Phoenix, the NBL announced in a press release. Cook, who turns 26 next week, has played 65 games with Cleveland, Denver, Brooklyn, Detroit and Chicago over his three seasons in the league, most recently suiting up for the Bulls in 2021/22 while on a two-way deal. Cook spent last season in the G League with Utah’s affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars.
  • The NBA’s Board of Governors recently unanimously approved the new “player participation policy.” However, representatives from multiple teams have some reservations about certain aspects of the rules, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. One key concern is that a team may determine a player is fit to play the second game of a back-to-back, but the player might disagree and say he’s sore and needs rest. As Marks writes, since the rules weren’t part of the CBA, the team would be fined in that scenario, not the player. The participation policy might also contradict a team’s use of sports science, Marks adds.
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And-Ones: Ignite, 2024 Draft, Unsuccessful Pairings, Eddy Curry

September 7th, 2023 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

The G League Ignite’s impressive collection of talent was on display Wednesday night in Nevada, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic. Six players who may be selected in next year’s draft were on the court for the Ignite, and a seventh, Thierry Darlan of France, missed the game against Perth, Australia, with an ankle injury.

The biggest attraction was guard Ron Holland, whom Hollinger considers the “betting favorite” to be the top pick in 2024. Hollinger adds that Holland isn’t a clear-cut No. 1 choice like Victor Wembanyama was this year, but he looked good in his first pro game, using a mix of explosiveness and ferocity to put up 23 points.

“Ron is very, very competitive” Ignite coach Jason Hart said. “So now I’m wanting to channel it to where the opposition doesn’t know if you’re mad or you’re happy. I just told him to relax, calm down … I think he heard me. But that’s going to be a process because he’s so competitive, and I don’t want to take that from him. That’s his thing; he’s just has to learn how to use it.”

Matas Buzelis and Izan Almansa, who are projected to be top-10 picks, also showed off their skills, Hollinger adds, along with Tyler Smith, London Johnson and Perth prospects Alex Sarr and Ben Henshall. The teams will meet again on Friday.

There’s more from around the basketball world:

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Draft Notes: Holland, Buzelis, Ignite, NBL Blitz

September 6th, 2023 at 1:59pm CST by Luke Adams

HoopsHype’s aggregate mock draft – a compilation of mocks from draft experts at ESPN, Yahoo Sports, Bleacher Report, and a handful of other outlets – has G League Ignite forward Ron Holland narrowly edging out teammate Matas Buzelis for the No. 1 spot, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

One executive likened Holland to former NBA forward Marvin Williams, albeit with a better handle. However, there’s a sense that Holland could drastically raise his ceiling by improving his jump shot.

“Holland’s shooting is his biggest weakness right now,” that exec told Scotto. “Once that gets better, not when, he’s going to be unstoppable. He can score in the paint and mid-range. He’s got a face-up game, and he has counters to his offensive game.

“His motor is really high. He’ll score because of hustle and get offensive rebounds and rim runs. He can move without the ball and get easy buckets from backdoor cuts and lobs. He’ll be a guy that gets a double-double, and he won’t have to take a jumper. As he adds the jumper and isolation moves, that’s how he’ll get up to 18 or 20 points a night. The game will come easy to him because of the energy he brings.”

Here’s more on the 2024 NBA draft:

  • While NBA evaluators believe Buzelis needs to get better on defense, there’s excitement about his offensive upside. “Buzelis can be a coast-to-coast guy,” one executive told Scotto. “He can get a defensive rebound, dribble the ball up and get you into your offense. I think you can play him all over the floor offensively. He’s going to be a good shooter. Ignite will be able to run plays for him, and he’ll be able to get them a bucket. He’s going to be a matchup problem.”
  • Kentucky wing Justin Edwards is the consensus No. 3 player in next year’s draft class and received at least one vote as the top prospect, per HoopsHype. He’s followed by French forward Zaccharie Risacher and USC guard Isaiah Collier to round out the top five.
  • In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Jonathan Givony takes a closer look at what should be the deepest and most talented roster in G League Ignite history. Beyond Holland and Buzelis, there are six players on the roster who are legitimate candidates to be drafted in 2024 or 2025. The Ignite have never had more than two players selected in the first round, but could have three in the top 10 in 2024, with Izan Almansa possibly joining Holland and Buzelis.
  • An estimated 40 NBA evaluators representing 25 teams will be in attendance for the 2023 NBL Blitz in Queensland, according to commissioner Jeremy Loeliger, who believes those numbers may continue to grow, per Olgun Uluc of ESPN. The event – an annual preseason tournament for Australia’s National Basketball League – will take place from September 16-22. “This is testament to the quality of the talent on the floor, the credibility of the league as a pathway to the NBA, and that the word is well and truly out that you have to see these guys in person for yourself,” Loeliger said. “… At the Blitz alone, there are at least 16 players who are potential NBA draft prospects.”
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And-Ones: 2024 Draft, Tavares, Parker, Fisher

August 7th, 2023 at 5:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kentucky freshman forward Justin Edwards tops the 2024 draft list of The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie. Edwards is an athletic, bigger wing who has a well-rounded game, consistently plays hard and has excellent feel for the game, according to the draft expert. Vecenie believes Edwards will be the Wildcats’ top player during the upcoming season.

Edwards is followed by a trio G League Ignite players — forwards Ron Holland, Izan Almansa and Matas Buzelis. USC guard Isaiah Collier rounds out the top five. Vecenie provides details on his top 30 prospects, as well as listing his projected second-round picks.

We have more from the basketball world:

  • Edy Tavares isn’t sure if he’ll sign another contract with Real Madrid, Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops.net relays. Tavares is hopeful he’ll return to the NBA. “I don’t know if I’m going to renew with Real Madrid,” Tavares told Relevo. “The truth is that I have a contract for next year, and I don’t know what to tell you. Yes, I hope we will agree, but the dream of the NBA is there too. I’m not going to deny it.” The 31-year-old center will play for Cape Verde at the FIBA World Cup. Tavares received a contract offer from the Trail Blazers this summer, but his Real Madrid contract includes a significant buyout, which precluded a move stateside. Tavares most recently played in the NBA during the 2016/17 season.
  • Jabari Parker‘s one-year contract with Barcelona is worth an estimated $2MM, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). It also includes an NBA opt-out clause. The free agent forward and former lottery pick signed with the European team on Monday.
  • Longtime Lakers player and former Knicks head coach Derek Fisher is now a high school head coach. He has agreed to coach Encino Crespi in northern Los Angeles, according to Tarek Fattal of SBLive Sports. Encino Crespi plays in one of the top leagues in California and has produced NBA players De’Anthony Melton and Brandon Williams.
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