logo
Breakers part ways with tallest player in NBL history

Breakers part ways with tallest player in NBL history

Yahooa day ago
The tallest player in NBL history Tacko Fall will not return to the New Zealand Breakers to see out the final year of his contract.
The Senegalese former NBA centre, who stands 229cm tall, was released by mutual agreement after largely struggling to deliver on his potential after joining midway through the 2024-25 campaign.
Fall started with the Breakers on their US tour in September and averaged 11.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks across 18 appearances once he joined for the season proper.
Prior to his NBL stint, he played 40 NBA games at the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers from 2019 to 2022.
His exit leaves the Breakers on the hunt for two imports for the new season that tips off in September, with a starting centre and shooting guard looming as priorities.
Thank you, Tacko 🙏Here's to the NBL's biggest big-man! Your presence, passion, and larger-than-life spirit have left a lasting impression on everyone, inspiring fans and teammates alike. Wishing you nothing but success for your next chapter. 🖤 pic.twitter.com/U7AsrIGgUq
— BNZ Breakers (@NZBreakers) July 21, 2025
Back for a third season, American guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright will be key to the Breakers' hopes of recovering from a disappointing ninth-placed finish in the last campaign.
It's also expected to be a big season for Mexican teen star Karim Lopez, who is back for a second year in the NBL's Next Star program and is tipped as a first-round NBA draft pick in 2026.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Bueckers reaches double figures for 19th straight game as Wings beat short-handed Storm 87-63
Bueckers reaches double figures for 19th straight game as Wings beat short-handed Storm 87-63

Yahoo

time8 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Bueckers reaches double figures for 19th straight game as Wings beat short-handed Storm 87-63

SEATTLE (AP) — Arike Ogunbowale scored 20 points including four 3-pointers, Paige Bueckers had 14 points for her 19th straight double-digit game to begin her career, and the Dallas Wings beat the short-handed Seattle Storm 87-63 on Tuesday night. Bueckers also had six assists to tie Caitlin Clark's WNBA record for the fastest player to reach 300 points and 100 assists. Skylar Diggins, Seattle's leader with 17.5 points and 5.8 assists per game, did not play due to personal reasons. Dallas trailed 36-26 with 1:33 left in the second quarter before scoring the final eight points of the half, capped by Ogunbowale's 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds left. The Wings also started the third on a 9-0 run for a 43-36 lead following the 17-0 run around the halftime break. Li Yueru, the former Seattle center, made a 3-pointer from the corner to extend Dallas' lead to 77-58 with 4:46 left. The Wings outscored the Storm 53-27 in the second half. Luisa Geiselsoder added 13 points and Yueru had eight points and 10 rebounds for Dallas (7-17), which snapped a four-game losing streak. Ogunbowale made her first four 3-point attempts. Seattle (14-10) was led by Nneka Ogwumike's 22 points. Gabby Williams had 14 points, six rebounds, eight assists and four steals. Ezi Magbegor had 12 points and nine rebounds. Seattle's reserves were outscored for the 10th straight game. ___ AP WNBA:

Wilson's double-double, Evans' spark off the bench lead Aces past Dream 87-72
Wilson's double-double, Evans' spark off the bench lead Aces past Dream 87-72

Associated Press

time8 minutes ago

  • Associated Press

Wilson's double-double, Evans' spark off the bench lead Aces past Dream 87-72

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A'ja Wilson had 24 points and 12 rebounds, Dana Evans provided a spark off the bench and the Las Vegas Aces won three straight games for the first time this season with an 87-72 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday night. Evans scored the first nine points of the second quarter to give the Aces the lead for good and finished with 14 points. Jackie Young added 14 points for Las Vegas (12-11), which plays its next four on the road. NaLyssa Smith had 11 points. Allisha Gray led the Dream (13-10) with 24 points and eight rebounds. Jordan Canada added 12 points. Atlanta is without All-Star and leading scorer Rhyne Howard due to a knee injury. She missed the last two games before the All-Star break and will miss at least four more. A 3-pointer by Te-Hina Paopao had the Dream within 68-62 with 7:48 to play, but the Aces had a seven-point run to get the lead back to 13 points and Atlanta never threatened again. The Dream led 27-20 after one quarter behind Gray's 12 points and a closing 15-3 run. Atlanta was 7 of 15 overall, but 5 of 8 behind the arc and were plus-8 from the foul line. The Dream were 4 of 19 from distance over the last three quarters and shot 38.5% overall. Evans put the Aces up 29-27 with her second quarter run and had 11 in the quarter when Vegas had a 25-12 advantage to lead 45-39 at the half. The Aces got the lead to 14 in the middle of the third quarter before the Dream cut the deficit to 67-59 entering the fourth. ___ AP WNBA:

Late-night basketball program brings brotherhood and personal growth to young men in Chicago
Late-night basketball program brings brotherhood and personal growth to young men in Chicago

CBS News

time11 minutes ago

  • CBS News

Late-night basketball program brings brotherhood and personal growth to young men in Chicago

In Chicago's West Pullman neighborhood, a late-night basketball league is bringing much more than friendly competition to the Salvation Army's Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center. The after-hours action on the hardwood at the facility, at 1250 W. 119th St., comes with life lessons. On a Saturday night, the parking lot clears as moonlight shines outside the Kroc Center. Inside, floors get buffed, as it is way after business hours. Yet there is still some serious business going on. When CBS News Chicago visited, Elijah Etiene Newsome was waiting for his chance to hit the court at midnight. "It's helping people get off the streets, because it's giving them something positive to do," Newsome said. Newsome is one of 60 young men who go to the Kroc Center for late-night basketball. "This is basketball," he said. "I love the sport, I love the grind, I love the hustle." While Newsome gets a chance to showcase his skills, the participants are doing more than just going hard on the court. "The draw is basketball, but also real brotherhood — real men," said program director P.J. Jones. This is something that Newsome appreciates too. "They're teaching us about life," he said. "You know, we're all young men here — young adults." The young men come to the Kroc Center overnight weekly to pass the time. "It's significant because it keeps people safe," said Jones. Three years ago, late-night basketball started periodically at the Far South Side center. But in December 2024, they shifted into overtime — and the word quickly spread. "We were doing clinics, and then when they found out that they were actually going to play some games, then that's when more and more people — they just started inviting their friends, their neighbors, and more and more people just came," Jones said, "to the point to where we're almost at 60 brothers every Saturday night." Now, six teams play three games — late into the night. "We are intentional about being a safe haven here," said Salvation Army Capt. Shanell Debela. Debela oversees the entire Kroc Center. She said late-night basketball is a huge success — not for teenagers, but for young adults. The center decided to focus on the 18- to 21-year-old. "Oftentimes, we feel like that population is forgotten about," said Debela. "We definitely wanted to be a resource." Now, every Saturday night, 60 men leave the week's trouble behind. They come together for brotherhood and beyond. "We can groom them to become leaders," said Jones, "and a lot of times, they hear about leadership, but we present it in a way to where it's real, and we can identify with them." Before the first jersey is thrown on, the men are required to gather for fellowship, as Jones leads a prayer. "Teaching us life skills, mentorship, how to maneuver in the real world, and how to set an example for the younger and the youth," said Newsome. The Saturday night that CBS News Chicago visited, the group gathered to jot down ideas for additional skills they want to develop collectively. They included boxing classes, cooking classes, courses in money and business finance management, planning an outdoor basketball tournament, free mentorships, and opportunities to feed the homeless. The men get just as pumped about brainstorming as they do later in the night on the basketball court. Debela said the workshops where the young men have those discussions were essential in order to have late-night basketball. "It's part of our grant from the State of Illinois," she said. The grant is part of the Violence Prevention Initiative. Youngsters of course enjoy being on the basketball court, but when it gets dark, a lot of bad things can happen — even right on public basketball courts outside. "When there's not anything productive going on, we lose lives in that age group," Debela said. In fact, Capt. Debela recalls one young man who became a regular on Saturday nights — only to skip one evening. "He ended up losing his life on that night," Debela said. "So we know that it's important, and we want to keep it going. We want to have our doors open." Eric Chatman and his nonprofit, the Big Homies Club, comes out weekly to help mentor the young men. "It makes me feel good to help the youth, keep them out of trouble, steer them away from danger, keep them alive," said Chatman. "They could be anywhere right now or doing anything right now. They choose to be in here with us." Organizers admit many who show up to late-night basketball just want to play good ball. The games are intense and competitive, and there is a growing list to get in on the late-night action. The grant now allows each player to receive $75 weekly. "And so then when the incentives came in in April, that was the icing on the cake," said Jones. And the program is a slam dunk for keeping young adults safe. "I have no doubt that we are transforming lives," Jones said. Newsome said the only thing he's missing out on is sleep. And it's worth it.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store