Last Night in Baseball: Jo Adell blasts two homers in one inning
There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to handle themselves.
That's why we're here to help, though, by sifting through the previous days' games, and figuring out what you missed, but shouldn't have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball:
The Los Angeles Angels battered the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday while also batting around, taking the series finale 11-1. The Angels had three different players hit two homers a piece – leadoff hitter Taylor Ward, DH Mike Trout, and, for the most impressive part, center fielder Jo Adell. Why were Adell's two blasts more noteworthy than those of his teammates? Well, Adell hit both of his in the same inning.
Adell kicked off the scoring in the fifth inning with a solo shot, which would eventually be followed by a dinger from Ward to plate two more runs. Trout would add one of his two shots to put another two on the board in the inning, and then Adell would smash a three-run homer. Not the Rays' best fifth frame in history, no.
The Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays had themselves a pretty good pitchers' duel going for a while there, with Sox' starter Walker Buehler going 6.1 innings while allowing a single run, and the Jays' Chris Bassit going 5.2 with one run allowed. The game went to extras, tied 2-2, before Toronto scored a run in the top half of the frame. The Red Sox were given a chance to respond in the bottom half of the 10th, and respond they did.
Jarren Duran got things going with a run-scoring single to tie it up at three apiece, then shortstop Trevor Story wrapped things up with one of the meeker walk-offs you'll see, but hey, it counts just the same: a soft groundball out, at a time when that kind of contact was all that was needed to get the dub.
You had to wait for the Red Sox to walk it off due to the game going to extras. The Atlanta Braves went to extra innings, too, but were also held up for a different reason: the weather. A rain delay interrupted the proceedings for a bit, but eventually, the Braves and Philadelphia Phillies resumed play. Atlanta was seeking to avoid losing their 10th game of the early season, and against a key division rival no less. Thanks to Marcell Ozuna going yard in the 11th, that's just what they did:
The Braves snapped their own 2-2 tie, and in a way the Phillies couldn't come back from. Atlanta moves to 3-9 on the season, which isn't ideal, but it beats 2-10.
Unlike the Braves, the Chicago White Sox could not escape dropping their 10th game of the 2025 season. They lost 6-1 to the Cleveland Guardians, in a game dominated by Steven Kwan, who had four hits – one fewer than Chicago managed – and four RBIs on his own. The afternoon hit barrage pushed Kwan's line for the season to .356/.420/.511.
It's early yet for the White Sox, of course, but considering how many injuries they've already suffered – both in-season and before it even began – and that they have the same record on the morning of April 11 that they did a year ago, in a season in which they set the modern loss record? "Early" only means so much in this scenario.
The Kansas City Royals traded for Jonathan India this offseason and made him their leadoff hitter, and he's already making an impact. In a game where the Royals were down 2-1 against the Minnesota Twins in the bottom of the seventh inning, India battled through a 10-pitch at-bat before finally knocking in a run with a single.
Bobby Witt Jr. would end up sending another run across, and the Royals would win 3-2. Now, India's moment lacks the drama that comes from a singular moment like Ozuna's walk-off shot, but it makes up for that with the kind of tension that makes baseball so exhilarating. It's the wait in between the events sometimes that gets the sport's hooks into you, and watching India fight off consecutive fastballs, waiting and waiting for the pitch he wants so that he can drill it and knock in a run just like he did? That's baseball.
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2025 NBA mock draft: After Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper, the intrigue begins
The 2025 NBA Draft is about two weeks away, which means teams are starting to gear up for the event by bringing in groups of players for workouts and individual sessions. More than anything right now, though, the event is marked by a strange feeling of calm waters, given how close we are to the draft itself. Advertisement Over half a dozen NBA team sources who spoke to The Athletic over the last week have noted how bizarrely quiet things feel right now from an intel perspective when it comes to the draft. There is certainly information out there, but it's not quite as ubiquitous as it typically is this close to the event. It feels like teams got a slightly later start this year bringing in prospects for workouts. Additionally, many of the team builders across the league are focused on trying to determine the overall landscape of player movement this summer as opposed to honing in on the draft. Given that the trade market is expected to be active, there is a lot of energy being paid to sorting through those options and trying to figure out strategy based on those outcomes and the potential cascading effect they could bring. Many teams, from the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic to the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, are also assessing options in terms of whether or not they even keep their picks as presently slated. The middle of the first round right now is seen as wide open, with a significant number of potential outcomes on the table. A few quick notes on the structure and format of this mock draft: • Team needs ARE taken into account. • Player ages are as of draft day (June 25). • First-round heights listed are from measurements without shoes at the NBA Draft Combine. Flagg is going No. 1 to the Dallas Mavericks. He was the national player of the year in college basketball this season at just 18 after reclassifying into the 2024 recruiting class. He posted ridiculous numbers, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game, but it got even better after January. In his final 25 games, including the Georgia Tech game in which he rolled an ankle after 15 minutes in the ACC tournament, Flagg posted 20.5 points, seven rebounds and 4.6 assists on 51.1 percent shooting from the field, 45.1 percent from 3 and 88 percent from the line. Duke went 23-2 in that run before falling in the Final Four to Houston in staggering fashion (despite Flagg's 27, seven and four with two steals and three blocks in that game). Advertisement Flagg isn't quite at the Victor Wembanyama level of prospect over the last 20 years, but he belongs in the Anthony Davis tier. And now, he'll get to play with Davis. Barring injury, Flagg is about as can't-miss as it gets because of his skill level, athleticism, shot-creation ability and mentality. He is about as competitive as you'll find on the court and will bring a serious work ethic into whatever situation he arrives. He wants to be great. There's no red flag in terms of entitlement here. Harper remains the most likely option at No. 2 for the Spurs as they continue to build their core around Wembanyama. Talent is talent, and Harper is the best player on the board here. Still, the fit isn't wildly clean in San Antonio. The Spurs acquired De'Aaron Fox at the trade deadline, and Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle plays a similar role to Harper as a combo guard. I think Harper is a better prospect than Castle, and thus, Castle's presence shouldn't stop you from selecting him. But the team will have some work to do to make all these players work. Harper's 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and four assists per game while shooting 48 percent from the field as a freshman guard put him in rarefied air, as few players have gotten that close to such marks in their first year. He also creates rim pressure at an elite level, with the ability to get into the paint and finish at the basket with his impressive array of gathers and touch finishes as a 6-6 lead guard. It feels like the only way that this selection would be on the table in a trade is if Giannis Antetokounmpo became available in a deal. No deal is close, and I'm sure the Sixers will continue to field offers until they get exactly what they want. But the most logical move is to trade down. At No. 3, the Sixers are atop a talent tier led by Edgecombe, Tre Johnson, Kon Knueppel and Ace Bailey. Some evaluators around the league would also throw Khaman Maluach and Jeremiah Fears into this group, and others would place prospects like Edgecombe and Bailey ahead and into their own mini-tier. For the Sixers, none of these prospects makes perfect sense. Advertisement With a couple of early second-round picks and salary flexibility to help the Sixers, the Hornets have the assets to jump one spot. Edgecombe makes the most sense with Charlotte's team build in between LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller in the backcourt. He's tough and competitive, cares about winning and has been highly impressive in the pre-draft process. The Hornets need a better defensive infrastructure surrounding their franchise centerpieces, and Edgecombe is a terrific defensive player with elite athleticism. He'd be a running mate in transition for Ball early in his career while taking on the toughest perimeter defensive assignments. He also has a lot of potential offensively because of his special athleticism, mixed with his ability to hit catch-and-shoot jumpers. But he needs to continue working on his ball skills, particularly with his left hand and the tightness of his handle. Still, he averaged 15 points, nearly six rebounds and three assists as a freshman and has a long track record of knocking down shots off the catch. If the Hornets think he's the guy, paying one of your two second-round selections while taking on Drummond's $5 million this year is worth trading up. The Sixers get financial flexibility by taking the Drummond deal off their books and would have an additional asset at the top of the second round. Maybe they could move into the latter portion of the first round? Sell it for future picks? They'd have options. Again, I project the Sixers trade down. Why would the Wizards jump the Utah Jazz for No. 6? It's hard to figure out what the Jazz will do at No. 5. With a new key decision-maker in Austin Ainge, league sources want to see how he operates after nearly 15 years in the Boston Celtics' front office. So if Washington wants a certain player, it will probably need to jump Utah (and any other team that would be talking trade with Philadelphia in this instance). The price point here is No. 18 and taking the Gordon deal into the trade exception that the Wizards created in the Johnny Davis deal at the deadline. It's not small, but it's a worthwhile move if they love someone, and the Wizards have several young players on rookie-scale deals on the roster already in Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, AJ Johnson and Kyshawn George. Evaluations from scouts on Bailey remain wide, but no one doubts his athleticism and tools as a shot-maker. The ceiling for Bailey is that he can be the second-best player in the class if all breaks right. His pull-up game is highly impressive for a player his age, and he's a good catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter already, even if it's not his natural inclination. I like several of those Wizards players listed above, but only Carrington and potentially Johnson project as shot creators. Bailey would give them something on the wing that they don't have, as much as I love Coulibaly's game. Bailey will be a project. He averaged 17.6 points and seven rebounds while shooting 46 percent from the field and 34 percent from 3. But his style of play did not seem conducive to winning basketball. He settles for a lot of long jumpers because he struggles to get to the rim (he has a high handle and high center of gravity that gets knocked off its line too easily). Defensively, he wasn't always engaged in help situations unless he saw an opportunity to go get the basketball. But Rutgers was a catastrophe when Bailey wasn't on the court. Even in Big Ten play, the Scarlet Knights lost Bailey's minutes by only three points per 100 possessions. When he was off the court, they lost those minutes by 23 points per 100, per CBB Analytics. Bailey is enormous, he's long, he is a real shooter, and he showed some defensive moments that were very positive in switch situations. If I were running the Jazz, I'd probably sit back and take the guy I liked most out of Bailey, Johnson and Kon Knueppel who falls to them. Here, Johnson makes a ton of sense. He's a 6-5 wing who can really shoot the ball off movement, and he'd be a perfect fit within Will Hardy's scheme. Johnson averaged 19.9 points and looked like a serious potential scoring threat in the NBA at Texas. Advertisement Realistically, the Jazz just need to take an upside swing. Beyond Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler, they don't have another building block that they can feel completely confident in. Keyonte George looks like a backup long-term because of his inefficiency and defense, and while Isaiah Collier had an excellent season passing the ball, he still doesn't have a great way to score effectively. Recent lottery picks Cody Williams and Taylor Hendricks haven't worked out yet (Hendricks due to injury, Williams due to his frame not being ready for the NBA). Kyle Filipowski is my favorite of their draft picks last year, but he might end up profiling best as a third big instead of a starter. If I were Ainge, I'd find the best swing I could take and go for it. The Sixers wheel and deal with two trades here. Philly is both bringing in top prospects for workouts and seeing what's available on the market. The Sixers are looking to contend now, but league sources say they wish to bridge the gap between eras of players on their roster and potentially provide cheaper production. If someone comes in and blows their doors off, maybe they keep the pick. If not, they have options. With these two trades, they end up with No. 6, No. 18, No. 33 and get off the Drummond and Gordon deals as they look to re-sign Quentin Grimes and Guerschon Yabusele. It's not a massive haul, but it's extremely helpful. And at No. 6, they get the guy I'd have at the top of their board at No. 3 in Knueppel, a bigger shooter who is competitive and tough. He has a case as the best shooter in the class along with Johnson, and his overall game was more impactful this season. He also has more ball skills than you think, especially in ball screens, and was better defensively than he got credit for being. He gives them more roster flexibility and versatility off the bench, as I think he can play the two and three fairly easily. The difference between No. 3 and No. 6 financially next season is about $3 million, meaning the Sixers would save about $11.5 million between this and shedding the Drummond and Gordon deals. The No. 18 pick has about a $3 million salary for next year, but that would also be another cheap roster spot for the next four years or another asset in their cache. This feels like a win for everyone, with two rebuilding teams getting prospects that they want and the Sixers getting more assets and flexibility as they look to retool a potential contender on the fly. The Pelicans have already made substantive changes to their organization, firing David Griffin and hiring Joe Dumars to run basketball operations. Several teams are tracking what the Pelicans are doing closely, wondering how open they are for business as they look to retool around Zion Williamson. With Williamson, Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones on the roster, the team is set on the wing. They also just drafted an All-Rookie big in Yves Missi a season ago. Where they could use an upside swing is in the backcourt, as CJ McCollum only has one year left on his deal, and Dejounte Murray is recovering from a torn Achilles. Fears, at the very least, represents that swing. He's a polarizing player for evaluators around the league, because you either believe in the upside of him as a primary ballhandler and think he can be a true top-tier option, or you think he profiles more as a backup. Some scouts and executives I've talked to think he's a top-five upside bet in this draft because of his handle and creativity. Others see him more as a bet to take in the late teens or even the 20s. He creates advantages in ball screens and is dynamic in how he gets to his spots. But I question his finishing ability, his shooting (after hitting 27 percent from 3 this year), and his total lack of defensive game. Still, if you believe in your developmental staff in those areas, there is undeniably a lot to work with. Jakučionis is big and can play both on and off the ball, coming off a terrific freshman season in which he averaged 15 points, six rebounds and five assists. His vision is sublime, and he fits the current ecosystem of the NBA well with his dribble, pass and shoot traits. Still, he doesn't have a ton of athletic explosiveness, and his defensive game was not always on point this year. His range is seen as somewhere from the middle to the end of the lottery. Advertisement What I like about Jakučionis for the Nets is the flexibility he provides. They certainly need a lead guard and a playmaker of the future. If they choose to keep Cam Thomas, I like Jakučionis' ability to play off him with his size and passing ability mixed with Thomas' scoring firepower. However, since the Nets have four first-round picks, his versatility matters. Jakučionis playing on the ball means that they don't have to prioritize getting a point guard. However, his ability to also shift off the ball means they would then have the flexibility later to take a lead guard if one were the best player available. With Jakob Poeltl potentially hitting free agency next year, the Raptors could use a long-term answer at center. Many people around the league have connected Maluach here because of his time at the NBA Academy in Africa and Masai Ujiri's efforts to promote basketball within the region. Maluach isn't a monster shot-blocker, but he understands how big he is and is excellent at using his size to cut off angles and contest on the interior. Offensively, there are more questions, largely about his hands and overall feel for the game. He started playing basketball late and is still working on how to see the floor around him. He also doesn't always come down with contested rebounds, as was starkly seen in Duke's Final Four game against Houston, when he played 20 minutes and had zero rebounds. Still, someone will take the bet on a player who's 7-1 with long arms and movement skills. The Rockets are loaded across each position. They have a team option on veteran point guard Fred VanVleet and drafted their point guard of the future in Reed Sheppard at No. 3 last year; the organization is still extremely high on Sheppard despite his lack of playing time this year. They have their center of the future in Alperen Şengün. I think they will just take the best player available, and at this spot, that's Murray-Boyles. He's a tremendous defender and would fit in perfectly with how Ime Udoka wants to play. He also passes well and has serious toughness to play with many of their players. He processes the game at an elite level and is the kind of prospect the Rockets have valued in the past. Other teams across the league are under the impression that this pick could be moved in the right circumstances, especially in a deal for a star in which Houston consolidates talent. Bryant didn't start many games this year at Arizona, but he was a monster defensive player when he was on the court, showcasing serious playmaking chops as well as great on-ball play. He also knocks down a solid percentage of his 3s. Bryant is one of the guys in this class who has a ton of juice when you talk to front offices, and it wouldn't surprise me to see him land in the top 10. I'd park his range in the No. 7 to No. 16 area. The Blazers want flexible, versatile players under this front office led by Joe Cronin. Think about Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara and others. They've also built a potential style of play on the defensive end led by Camara, an All-Defense selection this season, Avdija and last year's first-round selection on the interior in Donovan Clingan. Bryant would give them even more optionality across the perimeter as they work to figure out what they have in Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe as creators. Advertisement Bulls president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas was in Denver when the team drafted Nikola Jokić, and one of his first moves as the lead decision-maker in Chicago was to trade a significant package of assets for Nikola Vučević. He is near the end of his career and only has one year left on his contract. Queen would be a sharp replacement for Vučević. The read coming from sources on the Bulls is that they want to continue to build off the style of play they put forth this season. Chicago wants to play uptempo with a high-energy style under Billy Donovan that involves all five players on the court being able to dribble, pass and shoot. The Maryland big man would fit that quite well, as he's at his best in transition in grab-and-go situations off the glass. He'd have no issues playing at the kind of speed that the Bulls want and would thrive in such an offense. Defensively, there would be concerns, and the Bulls should not be immune to that. But if he falls, it's hard to find a better offensive fit for them. The Hawks have brought in a strong front office under Onsi Saleh, including recent hires Peter Dinwiddie from the Sixers and Bryson Graham from the Pelicans. It remains to be seen if they veer from their recent course of picking long, athletic players to play next to Trae Young — the team has an important decision to make on Young this summer regarding a potential extension — but Saleh is regarded as sharp from a strategic perspective, and he'll likely continue the team's current strategy. Beringer possesses the kind of skill set as a rim-runner and shot-blocker that would work with Young. He's still a project, to be clear. He's new to basketball — having just started playing within the last four years — but it's very hard to find players like this with real size and length in addition to fluid athletic movement and explosive leaping ability. NBA teams are quite high on him, and his range would seem to be the back half of the lottery until about No. 23. I've been saying that Coward would be the clear riser in this draft class since early April, and that seems to have borne itself out throughout the process. Though he committed to Duke this spring after entering the transfer portal, it felt exceedingly unlikely he was going to pull out of the draft given his tools and shot-making ability. His balance and fluidity are special for a player who is nearly 6-6 with a 7-2 wingspan. Everything in the kinetic chain with Coward is perfect. Everything is in one motion and clean with the jumper, with easy, repeatable mechanics to pair with touch. He seems to have added some explosiveness, too. The Spurs could use more wings to pair with their cache of guards and Wembanyama, particularly ones who can really shoot it. The one thing that has been noted to me by league sources throughout the league is that San Antonio could move this pick if its preferred targets aren't on the board. The Spurs could take a similar approach as last year, when they traded the No. 8 pick for draft capital down the road. One of my favorite ideas is for the Spurs to trade this pick to New Orleans for some of the Milwaukee Bucks' draft capital over the next two years in case Antetokounmpo becomes available in a deal in the next 12 months. The second apron in this collective bargaining agreement comes for every contender with no exceptions. The Thunder are as well-positioned to deal with that as any team in the future, but it will still likely result in some attrition from this current roster as Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams start to become expensive in the 2026-27 season. Isaiah Hartenstein's massive deal has a team option after next season, and it's hard to see how that will be workable for them financially once those deals, along with an extension for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, hit the books. Advertisement Sorber is a massive player and would tick some boxes for Sam Presti and company. He's fluid and coordinated at 6-9, but moreover, he possesses a 7-6 wingspan that allows him to play well above his size. He's also sharp as a passer and processor in the way that the Thunder like. He'd be a perfect developmental big for them over the next year to learn behind Hartenstein before potentially taking over that role in his second or third year. Do I think this pick makes a ton of sense? I don't. But the Magic under president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman tend to have a type, and they tend to value players with elite positional size and skill. It worked out immensely well when drafting Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, and it also applies to guys like Anthony Black, Jett Howard and Tristan da Silva. Demin can play the point and is the best passer in the class. His vision is sublime. But he struggled to score this year. He struggled to get paint touches because his handle is not particularly developed, and he doesn't have the threat of the jumper to fall back on, having made under 30 percent from distance. Still, many teams think they can fix the jumper, and if so, it would open up the rest of his game as a passer and playmaker. I'm a bit lower on Demin than this, but evaluators who love him tend to love him. He had a strong workout in Chicago in front of NBA executives, but that steam seems to have died down a bit over the last month. He could go anywhere from the back half of the lottery to No. 21. The Timberwolves have questions forthcoming in the frontcourt over the next couple of years. Julius Randle has a player option this summer. Naz Reid is a free agent. Rudy Gobert turns 33 this month. Essengue is starting to turn things on in Germany for Ulm, with strong outings throughout the team's playoff run. The 6-9 forward is a terrific athlete who moves exceedingly well. He's the second-youngest player in this draft class behind Flagg and is averaging 12 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 0.8 blocks per game since Jan. 22. The German league is not the strongest competition in Europe by any stretch, but it's impressive that he's been this good in big moments for a strong team. The questions here are largely around his polish. The jumper is starting to fall, but there are mechanical issues regarding his base and balance that teams think will take a lot of time to work through, despite his solid touch. And while his defensive playmaking numbers are strong and he's shown improvement throughout the year, his overall impact on that end isn't that high. He gets beaten more often off the bounce than you'd expect for his level of athleticism, and his help instincts waver. Still, he's a young player coming along well. Don't expect Essengue to be a valuable player next year in the NBA, but he could develop into one of the better players in this draft class if he lands with the right organization. The Sixers got this pick in the projected trade I made to get the Wizards up to No. 4. Wolf is something that Philadelphia doesn't have beyond Joel Embiid, a creative big man who can legitimately play with the ball in his hands. He's a creator at nearly 7-feet tall and can play in ball screens as a ballhandler or pass and make plays. He averaged 13 points, 10 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, though he had a turnover problem owing to a high handle and wild decision-making. Defensively, there are also some questions, although I think that his overall movement skill has been underrated. Advertisement The Sixers need another option as a backup big man, and Wolf could be a particularly fun bench option with Yabusele if they're able to retain him in free agency. Wolf also should be able to play power forward in some lineups, which would give the team even more potential flexibility as it looks to mix and match lineup-wise against the Eastern Conference's best teams. McNeeley had an impactful freshman season for the Huskies, but his role wasn't all that actualized for what he's capable of doing. McNeeley averaged 14.5 points but shot just 38 percent from the field and 32 percent from 3 this year despite a reputation that would make you believe he is a serious shooter. He often played on the ball when his best role — as seen by when he played with Flagg, Queen and a star-studded team at Montverde (Fla.) Academy in high school — is off the ball. McNeeley drilled 43 percent of his unguarded catch-and-shoot 3s for UConn. However, only about 40 percent of his attempts off the catch were open looks. He also only hit 13 percent of his pull-up 3s because he struggles to separate with his handle. NBA teams love McNeeley's competitiveness and his character. There's a real belief that once a team gets him into the right role, you'll see the jumper get back to the elite level it was in high school. He'd work for the Nets as a shooter and floor-spacer, something every rebuilding team needs on the wing. Richardson is a good bet from a talent perspective. Over his final 15 games, he averaged 16.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists versus only 0.7 turnovers. The reason those games are important is that's the moment when Richardson entered the starting lineup after a terrific first half of the season. Richardson has great touch as a shooter and scorer but is still developing his lead guard skills. He's not that great of a passer, and he's not good with his right hand. Most of Michigan State's actions involved getting the ball into his left hand and putting him in advantageous actions. But Miami is about as good as anyone at devising sharp actions to take advantage of players' specific skills. Riley also fits the profile of prospects the Jazz have drafted recently, although Ainge's presence could change things. Still, a large portion of the front office was in place for the last few drafts, and Riley's potential score at a high level should be intriguing. I loved his growth throughout the season offensively. He's a fearless driver despite his lack of size, which is ultimately the biggest question about his game. He needs to add weight and strength and continue working on his defense. But the skill set is real, and he has enough touch that you can project him as a shooter even if it takes him some time. Clifford had about as strong a close to the season as any player, leading Colorado State from the middle of the Mountain West in January to the cusp of the Sweet 16 if not for a Derik Queen game-winner as time expired in the Round of 32. From Feb. 8 onward, Clifford averaged 21.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, five assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 51 percent from the field, 47 percent from 3 and 80 percent from the line. The Hawks have strategized to build their team around skilled, two-way wings to pair with Young, and Clifford would represent another option there, as well as someone who at least has potential to handle the ball. Given that Caris LeVert is a free agent, Clifford would be a strong selection at this point. Teams are also tracking the Hawks trading up or down from their two selections in the first round. The Pacers are in the NBA Finals but could use another backup center option to replace Thomas Bryant and Tony Bradley. Kalkbrenner is massive at 7-1 and is an expert in drop coverage with his angles and length. He'd allow the team to essentially play the same scheme with both Myles Turner (assuming he sticks around in free agency) and his backup. Advertisement Kalkbrenner averaged 19 points and nine rebounds this year and has consistently been one of the best defensive players in the country over the last four years, winning the Big East's Defensive Player of the Year award in each season. The Thunder have a significant roster crunch, and it will be difficult to bring in two rookies next season unless they move off some of their recent draft picks. I would expect them to look to either stash or trade one of these picks. González is a tremendous athlete and has started to get some playing time for the Real Madrid senior team as a teenager. He plays incredibly hard all of the time. He's one of those dudes who always gives second and third efforts across the board, both on offense and defense, to get loose balls. González shows some on-ball ability, but it's going to take time for him to get to the NBA level with it. He's good enough to be an impactful defender and off-ball player. However, he's going to have to make 3s. So far this year, he's only made 29 percent, and it's never been consistent. Clayton was the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 18 points and four assists this year while shooting 45 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3 and 88 percent from the line. His shot-making is truly special. He can get to his shot from any footwork or any angle on the court, especially from distance. He's comfortable using a change-of-pace dribble to get to a stepback and can also attack and drive off that to score around the rim. The questions are twofold. First, his ball-screen reads weren't always on point. He was terrific against Houston in the championship game, but the picture often looked cloudy with his decision-making. Then, on defense, is he too far in-between positions? He got better as a senior but wasn't always reliable throughout his college career. That's concerning for an older, undersized player. Still, teams love Clayton's toughness, and I would expect to hear his name called in the first round. With this pick, the Magic get their shooter and floor-spacer, but league sources have also noted that Orlando could look to the trade market for some offensive help, using one of their two picks. Traoré rebounded well from a tough start to his pro season in France. From Jan. 15 to April 6, Traoré averaged 13 points and four assists while shooting 50 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3 and 79 percent from the line. His overall numbers on the year aren't that strong, but it's worth remembering that he's a teenager playing professional basketball for a full season for the first time. Advertisement I think it's very possible he'll be on the board for the Nets when they pick at No. 19. Here, they get lucky and get him all the way down at No. 26 as a real value pick with potential to be very valuable down the road. This is a perfect fit for Newell. He's an all-energy big who was extremely productive at Georgia this year, averaging 15.4 points and seven rebounds as a freshman. However, his skills aren't exactly tailor-made for the NBA. He's a bit stuck positionally between the four and the five, and he doesn't possess a ton of length. He's also not that skilled as a shooter or ballhandler. The Nets could develop him slowly while also giving him playing time to let his energy wreak havoc on opposing teams. Raynaud would be a strong fit for Boston as a big who can dribble, pass and shoot. The Celtics' scheme values players like this, as they prefer to play five-out offensively. Raynaud was among the most productive players in the country this year, averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, and he's gotten better every season in college. The key will be on defense, where Raynaud does not move particularly well and could be a liability in space. He had a terrific combine game in front of several NBA scouts, but some NBA executives in attendance pointed out that he played against the least-developed player in attendance in Croatian teenager Michael Ruzic. Fleming very much looks the part at 6-8 with a 7-5 wingspan. He's also got great leaping ability and a chiseled frame that allows him to play with force and strength on both ends. He averaged 15 points, eight rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks per game, and drilled 39 percent from 3. The idea here is a 3-and-D forward who can potentially be switchable across the positional spectrum while also drilling 3s. But he doesn't yet process things happening around him on the court quickly. But any team that values the frame and shooting potential will be interested in Fleming. Powell has some momentum to end up somewhere in the back half of the first round because of his defense. Nobody guarded Flagg as well as Powell did this season. He's just a long way away on offense, as he's not that comfortable as a shooter or that capable as a ballhandler. It's going to take him some time to play at the NBA level, even with his defensive skill. Still, he's 6-5 with a 7-foot wingspan and is the kind of player the Clippers value as a tough-minded defender. 31. Minnesota Timberwolves (via UTA): Noah Penda | 6-7 forward | 20 years old | Le Mans 32. Boston Celtics (via Washington): Kam Jones | 6-3 wing | 22 years old | Marquette Advertisement 33. PROJECTED TRADE: Philadelphia 76ers (via CHA): Adou Thiero | 6-6 wing | 21 years old | Arkansas 34. Charlotte Hornets (via NOP): Ben Saraf | 6-5 guard | 19 years old | Ratiopharm Ulm 35. Philadelphia 76ers: Yanic Konan Niederhauser | 6-11 big | 22 years old | Penn State 36. Brooklyn Nets: Tyrese Proctor | 6-4 guard | 21 years old | Duke 37. Detroit Pistons (via Toronto): John Tonje | 6-5 wing | 23 years old | Wisconsin 38. San Antonio Spurs: Alex Toohey | 6-7 wing/forward | 21 years old | Sydney Kings 39. Toronto Raptors (via Portland): Rocco Zikarsky | 7-3 big | 19 years old | Brisbane Bullets 40. Washington Wizards (via Phoenix): Sion James | 6-4 guard | 23 years old | Duke 41. Golden State Warriors (via Miami): Johni Broome | 6-9 big | 22 years old| Auburn 42. Sacramento Kings (via Chicago): Bogoljub Markovic | 6-10 forward | 19 years old | Mega 43. Utah Jazz (via Dallas): Alijah Martin | 6-1 guard | 23 years old | Florida 44. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Atlanta): Hansen Yang | 7-1 center | 20 years old | Qingdao 45. Chicago Bulls (via Sacramento): Micah Peavy | 6-6 wing | 23 years old | Georgetown 46. Orlando Magic: Max Shulga | 6-4 guard | 23 years old | VCU 47. Milwaukee Bucks (via Detroit): Chaz Lanier | 6-4 wing | 24 years old | Tennessee 48. Memphis Grizzlies (via Golden State): Vladislav Goldin | 7-0 center | 22 years old | Michigan 49. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Milwaukee): Koby Brea | 6-6 wing | 22 years old | Kentucky 50. New York Knicks (via Memphis): Jamir Watkins | 6-5 wing | 23 years old | Florida State 51. LA Clippers (via Minnesota): Kobe Sanders | 6-7 wing | 23 years old | Nevada 52. Phoenix Suns (via Denver): Chucky Hepburn | 6-0 guard | 22 years old | Louisville 53. Utah Jazz (via LA Clippers): Lachlan Olbrich | 6-9 big | 21 years old | Illawarra Hawks Advertisement 54. Indiana Pacers: Brooks Barnhizer | 6-5 wing | 23 years old | Northwestern 55. Los Angeles Lakers: Hunter Sallis | 6-4 guard | 22 years old | Wake Forest 56. Memphis Grizzlies (via Houston): RJ Luis | 6-6 wing | 22 years old | St. John's 57. Orlando Magic (via Boston): Ryan Nembhard | 5-11 guard | 22 years old | Gonzaga 58. Cleveland Cavaliers: Dink Pate | 6-6 guard | 19 years old | Mexico City Capitanes 59. Houston Rockets (via Oklahoma City): Amari Williams | 6-10 big | 23 years old | Kentucky (Note: The New York Knicks have forfeited their 2025 second-round pick because of free-agency shenanigans.) (Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; photos of, from left, VJ Edgecombe, Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey: Melissa Tamez and Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
UFC Atlanta Fight Card: Date, Time, Location, How To Watch Or Stream
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - OCTOBER 21: Kamaru Usman of Nigeria reacts after the conclusion of ... More a middleweight fight against Khamzat Chimaev of the United Arab Emirates during the UFC 294 event at Etihad Arena on October 21, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) The next fight card on the UFC schedule, UFC Atlanta, is nearly upon us. The UFC Fight Night event takes place on Saturday, June 14, from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The main event of UFC Atlanta is a welterweight matchup between former UFC 170-pound champion Kamaru Usman and rising contender Joaquin Buckley. Meanwhile, in the co-headliner, former UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas faces the surging Miranda Maverick at 125 pounds. Saturday, June 14, 2025 State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia Main Card: ESPN Preliminary Card: ESPN+ Prelims: 7:00 p.m. ET Main Card: 10:00 p.m. ET Kamaru Usman vs. Joaquin Buckley - Welterweight Rose Namajunas vs. Miranda Maverick - Women's Flyweight Cody Garbrandt vs. Raoni Barcelos - Bantamweight Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Cody Brundage - Middleweight Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Andre Petroski - Middleweight Alonzo Menifield vs. Oumar Sy - Light Heavyweight Paul Craig vs. Rodolfo Bellato - Light Heavyweight Michael Chiesa vs. Court McGee - Welterweight Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Kris Moutinho - Bantamweight Cody Durden vs. Jose Ochoa - Flyweight Ricky Simón vs. Cameron Smotherman - Bantamweight Phil Rowe vs. Ange Loosa - Welterweight Jamey-Lyn Horth vs. Vanessa Demopoulos - Women's Flyweight ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - OCTOBER 21: Kamaru Usman of Nigeria reacts after a decision loss ... More against Khamzat Chimaev of the United Arab Emirates in a middleweight fight during the UFC 294 event at Etihad Arena on October 21, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Kamaru Usman (20-4) , the former UFC welterweight champion, enters UFC Atlanta on a three-fight losing skid. The 38-year-old last fought in October 2023, when he dropped a split decision to Khamzat Chimaev in a middleweight matchup. Usman lost his 170-pound crown to Edwards via a head-kick knockout at UFC 278 in August 2022. He dropped the rematch at UFC 286 in March of 2023 via a majority decision. Before his loss, Usman had defended the title five times. Usman is the No. 5 ranked fighter in the UFC's welterweight weight class. He has a career record of 20-3. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 05: Joaquin Buckley reacts after his knockout victory against Stephen ... More Thompson in a welterweight fight during the UFC 307 event at Delta Center on October 05, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Joaquin Buckley (21-6) is the No. 7 fighter in the UFC's 170-pound weight class. The 31-year-old Buckley is one quite a run since dropping to welterweight in 2023. Buckley is 6-0 during his current welterweight run with four knockouts and two decision wins. He fought four times in 2024, picking up a knockout win over Vicente Luque, a decision victory over Nursulton Ruziboev, a knockout over two-time UFC title challenger Stephen Thompson. Buckley finished the year with a doctor stoppage TKO win over former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington in December. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 23: Rose Namajunas prepares to face Amanda Ribas of Brazil in a flyweight ... More fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on March 23, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Rose Namajunas (13-7) was 2-1 and had under two years of professional MMA experience when she fought Carla Esparza for the UFC women's strawweight title on the season finale of The Ultimate Fighter Season 20. Esparza won that December 2014 bout by submission, claiming the inaugural 115-pound title. Over the next few years, Namajunas was essentially learning on the job, and she learned well, running up a record of 4-1 between October 2015 and April 2017. In November 2017, Namajunas stepped into the Octagon to face then-UFC strawweight titleholder Joanna Jedrzejczyk. The champ was a -700 favorite on fight night, while the challenger checked in at +500. Namajunas stunned the MMA world that night, scoring an upset first-round knockout win to become the champ. Proving her victory was not a fluke, Namajunas defeated Jedrzejczyk by decision in their rematch in April 2018. Namajunas lost the title in her second attempted defense when Jessica Andrade scored a slam knockout win at UFC 237. A non-title fight victory over Andrade, who dropped the belt in August 2019 to Zhang Weili, followed. That win earned Namajunas another shot at the title. In April 2021, Namajunas regained the belt with a perfectly timed head kick to stop Weili in the first round. She defeated the former champ by decision in their rematch in November 2021. Namajunas surrendered the title to Esparza in May 2022 in a tepid performance. Since losing the title, Namajunas is 2-2 at 125 pounds, losing a decision to Manon Fiorot in September 2023, defeating Amanda Ribas by decision in March 2024 and beating Tracy Cortez by decision in July 2024. In her most recent outing, Namajunas dropped a decision to Erin Blanchfield in November. Namajunas is the No. 7 ranked UFC women's flyweight fighter. TAMPA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 14: Miranda Maverick reacts after her victory against Jamey-Lyn Horth of ... More Canada in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Amalie Arena on December 14, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Miranda Maverick (15-5) joined the UFC in 2020 after spending most of her time with Invicta FC. At the time, she was 7-2 and coming off a 'Performance of the Night' bonus-winning decision win over Pearl Gonzalez. Maverick opened her UFC career with two wins. The promotion then matched her against another young fighter, Maycee Barber. Barber was on a two-fight losing skid at the time. She ended that run of defeats with a split-decision win over Maverick. Things did not get any easier for Maverick in her next matchup, as the UFC booked her opposite Erin Blanchfield, who was 1-0 in the UFC, but riding a four-fight winning streak. Blanchfield kept that winning streak intact with a unanimous decision win over Maverick. Since those back-to-back setbacks, Maverick has gone 6-1 with her only loss being a June 2023 decision to Jasmine Jasudavicius. She is 4-0 in her most recent bouts, and coming off a unanimous decision win over Jamey-Lyn Horth in December. Maverick is ranked 11th in the UFC's 125-pound division. We will have more on the UFC Atlanta fight card as fight night nears, and fight night results and reactions on Saturday.
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Seven takeaways as Atlanta Falcons head into summer, starting at quarterback
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — After two days of mandatory minicamp practices, the Atlanta Falcons have a final day of spring meetings on Thursday before breaking for the summer. The team won't reconvene until late July when training camp begins. The Falcons were on the field Tuesday and Wednesday, but head coach Raheem Morris referred to those workouts as 'big-time walk-throughs,' and the only 11-on-11 drills came at the end of each practice featuring the team's rookies and developmental players. A full 10 minutes of Wednesday's practice included offensive skill players competing in a quarterback drill, trying to throw a football into a trash can in the corner of the end zone 30 yards away. Advertisement The Falcons' focus for the week was 'above the neck,' Morris said. Still, there were things to learn about this team heading into the summer break. Here are seven offseason Atlanta takeaways: It's noteworthy how little doubt exists in Atlanta that second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. can carry an offense that will be expected to put up big numbers this year. Penix started the final three games of the 2024 season and impressed his teammates and coaches, but his numbers didn't scream a sure thing. He was 27th in the league in passer rating (78.6) and 29th in completion percentage (58 percent), with three touchdown passes and three interceptions from Week 16 through Week 18. However, what the Falcons have seen from Penix behind the scenes, combined with his poise on the field, has coaches and teammates convinced he's bound for a big year. 'He gives us a huge confidence boost, and that arm is crazy,' wide receiver Drake London said. 'Can't wait to see what he can do with it this year.' Atlanta made clear in Penix's three starts that it will lean on his arm talent to power its offense. The University of Washington product was eighth in the NFL in passing yards (737) in the final three weeks of the season. 'He was at a very high level last year,' Morris said. 'Shocked us all last year at where he was. So, I'm really fired up and really pleased where he can go to the next step and take the next step.' MP9 👁️@themikepenix — Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) June 11, 2025 Fifth-year tight end Kyle Pitts attended minicamp but was never spotted on the field as the team is being 'extremely cautious' about a foot injury he is dealing with, Morris said. 'Everybody is in different spots when you're talking about injuries,' Morris said. 'Hopefully, he's going to be fine, and we look forward to him being back for training camp.' Advertisement Falcons coaches continue to be publicly supportive of Pitts, but Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz reported multiple teams have reached out to Atlanta to inquire if Pitts might be available via trade. For now, that answer is no. 'I have a lot of belief in him,' Morris said. 'He's super talented. That's always going to be the thing that gives you hope on Kyle.' Pitts had 68 catches for 1,028 yards as a rookie but has only had 128 catches for 1,625 yards in the last three seasons. He'll play this season on his fifth-year option. 'He's done such a great job of all the things we have asked him,' Morris said. 'He's been absolutely outstanding to be around.' It sounds like Atlanta's defensive playbook will shrink this year while the unit's energy and volume increase. The Falcons remade their defensive coaching staff in the winter, hiring Jeff Ulbrich as defensive coordinator, Mike Rutenberg as defensive pass game coordinator and Nate Ollie as defensive line coach. Rutenberg and Ollie, in particular, are notably active on the field and, according to their players, in the offices. 'Ruty's got a lot of energy,' cornerback A.J. Terrell said. 'He's somebody every football team needs. I know every building has got somebody like Ruty. First time I met him, I had gone upstairs to the offices. I was just up there to see all the new faces. He's like, 'Don't call me coach, I'm Ruty.' We went right into his office and talked about life, didn't even talk about football. He wants to be our best friend, can't wait to continue to work with him.' Ollie is so loud in defensive line meetings that other coaches close the door to their meeting rooms, defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro said. 'There has not been one day he is not yelling at the top of his lungs,' Orhorhoro said. In return for asking their players to go extra fast on every snap, the Falcons defensive coaches will be scaling back what they ask those players to do. 'Brick and Ruty have had a lot of success in their system by putting high-end athletic guys on repeat,' Atlanta linebackers coach Barret Ruud said. Advertisement Free-agent linebacker Divine Deablo noticed that quickly upon his arrival. 'We're just going to play fast and not think,' Deablo said. 'They just want everybody to have simple jobs and going full speed.' The increasing complexity of NFL's offenses necessitates a scaling back on defense, said Ulbrich, who is intent on giving his players a set of rules they can apply even to offensive looks Atlanta hasn't practiced against. 'I could say, 'I'm just going to throw chaos back at (the offense).' That works for some people, but I don't feel good about that,' Ulbrich said. 'When a player comes to the sideline and we got beat, I need to give him an explanation of exactly what happened and how we fix it. If I can't do that, that's a fireable offense as far as I'm concerned. So, as they get more complex, and in my opinion, we get simpler.' So far, Morris believes the risk the team took by trading back into the first round to draft edge rusher James Pearce Jr. is paying off. Pearce didn't have a first-round grade from some teams due to concerns about off-field issues, two league sources told The Athletic, but Atlanta did extra background work on him before the draft, and Morris has been happy with Pearce's 'willingness to collaborate with the people that we hooked him up with,' the coach said. 'He was one of the guys that we dug into a bunch and really fell in love with the guy and who he is, the honesty,' Morris said. 'Being around him, it's been a lot of what I thought and what I expected.' Morris gave Pearce a locker next to Terrell, the veteran cornerback, hoping Terrell's work ethic would be a good example for the rookie. 'Cool dude, man, mature,' Terrell said. The quietest development of minicamp that could end up having the largest impact on the team is the return of safety DeMarcco Hellams to the practice field. Hellams played 15 games as a rookie in 2023, starting four times, but missed all of 2024 due to an ankle injury. He looked smooth and healthy this week in less-than-full-speed practice work, and veteran safety Jessie Bates believes Hellams can be a key contributor even with the addition of free agent Jordan Fuller and rookies Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman to the secondary. Advertisement 'He's the enforcer in our room,' Bates said. 'When we put on the pads, you'll know Hellams is back out there. He's pissed off right now. We call him Bamm-Bamm. He wants to hit people.' Morris is more than happy to have running back Bijan Robinson emerge as the face of his team. The head coach has spoken glowingly about the third-year running back throughout the offseason, and in March, the pair flew to New York to attend a boxing match between Tank Davis and Lamont Roach along with some of Morris' longtime friends. 'Me and him got to bond, and he got to know who I was more as a person,' Robinson said. 'I have a cool friend group, I think, but them dudes are wild. They are super funny, super sweet people. It's endless jokes. You can tell they all grew up together, and that love is always there. It's just cool to see where he came from and who he is, too. Me and him are just real similar people in that we try to be great people to everybody. If you can build chemistry with your coach, that is huge.' The 48-year-old Morris called the 23-year-old Robinson 'an old soul.' 'He is the hardest person on the team to talk about,' Morris said. 'He's such a great player, such a great human. I love being around him.' It's possible but unlikely the Falcons will move veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins before the return to training camp. Cousins, who told team owner Arthur Blank in March that he would prefer to be traded or released after being benched in favor of Penix, attended mandatory minicamp this week and committed to doing everything he can to help the team as long as he's around. It still would benefit the Falcons in many ways to trade Cousins, but there will be little incentive to do that during the break. Instead, Atlanta is likely to wait and see if a team gets desperate due to injury or ineffective play at the position once players are back on the field. Advertisement 'I've always believed in what Mike Shanahan told me my rookie year, which is tough times don't last, tough people do,' Cousins said. 'You have to be resilient. Life is going to have some curveballs, and you just have to keep moving. I think the key is that you don't pout or stop, you just keep moving forward and believe if you do that good things will happen.' (Top photo of Michael Penix Jr.: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
