
NCAA Softball Committee Chair Kurt McGuffin explains why Texas A&M is No. 1 over Oklahoma
NCAA Softball Committee Chair Kurt McGuffin explains why Texas A&M is No. 1 over Oklahoma
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Legally blind pitcher Jenica Matos to play D1 softball
The Cheshire High School star in Connecticut can't see home plate but threw three no-hitters last year and will play Division I for the Red Storm.
Texas A&M softball is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA softball tournament for the first time ever.
The Aggies finished third in the SEC standings during the regular season but reached the SEC Softball Tournament championship game against Oklahoma. However, with the game being washed out due to inclement weather, Texas A&M could not prove it could defeat the defending champions just yet.
REQUIRED READING: NCAA softball tournament format: How bracket works in 2025
Texas A&M finished the season ranked No. 1 in RPI and hoped that it would be enough to get them the No. 1 overall seed over the Sooners, who won the SEC regular season championship.
NCAA Softball Committee Chair Kurt McGuffin talked to ESPN's Holly Rowe during the Selection Show to discuss why the Aggies earned the No. 1 seed.
"I think what sets apart Texas A&M was 19 top 25 wins, which is No. 1 in the country," McGuffin said. "They also had two quality nonconference wins vs. Florida State and Texas Tech. I think those were the two pieces that set them for the No. 1 seed."
Texas A&M will open the Bryan-College Station Regional by hosting Saint Francis (PA) at 3:30 p.m. ET on May 16. The Aggies will also host Marist and Liberty. If they advance, they are poised to play the winner of the Eugene Regional and No. 16 Oregon.
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San Francisco Chronicle
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- San Francisco Chronicle
Breaking down the teams playing for national championship at the College World Series
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A look at the eight teams competing in the College World Series, which starts Friday at Charles Schwab Field. (Capsules in order of CWS opening games. Coaches' records through super regionals): Coach: Kevin Schnall (53-11 in 1 year at Coastal Carolina and overall). Road to Omaha: Won Conway Regional: beat Fairfield 10-2, beat East Carolina 18-7, beat East Carolina 1-0. Won Auburn Super Regional: beat Auburn 7-6 in 10 innings, beat Auburn 4-1. 2025 record vs. CWS teams: 0-0. Last CWS appearance: 2016. All-time record in CWS: 6-2 in one appearance (won national title in 2016). Meet the Chanticleers: C Caden Bodine (.329, 5 HRs, 41 RBIs), 1B Colby Thorndyke (.301, 4, 40), 2B Blake Barthol (.274, 12, 50), SS Ty Dooley (.292, 6, 36), 3B Walker Mitchell (.292, 4, 45), LF Sebastian Alexander (.328, 10, 53), CF Wells Sykes (.293, 3, 36), RF Blagen Pado (.273, 8, 30), DH Ty Barrango (.247, 2, 19). Starting pitchers: RHP Cameron Flukey (7-1, 3.35 ERA), RHP Jacob Morrison (11-0, 2.11), RHP Riley Eikhoff (6-2, 2.90). Relievers: LHP Hayden Johnson (4-0, 3.43), RHP Ryan Lynch (2-1, 0.59, 8 saves), RHP Matthew Potok (4-1, 2.55), LHP Dominick Carbone (6-0, 2.61), RHP Darin Horn (5-1, 2.96), RHP Luke Jones (4-2, 3.51), RHP Scott Doran (1-0, 4.15). MLB alumni: Mickey Brantley, Tommy La Stella, Kirt Manwaring, Taylor Motter, Dave Sappelt, Zach Remillard, Luis Lopez. Short hops: Chanticleers have the nation's longest active winning streak, at 23 games. Since the NCAA Tournament went to its current format in 1999, no team has entered the CWS with so many consecutive wins. ... Schnall was an assistant on Gary Gilmore's national championship-winning team in 2016. He succeeded Gilmore, who retired after last season, and is in his 22nd season on the staff over two stints. ... Chants' 53 wins are most in nation. ... Sun Belt Conference regular-season and tournament champion. ... Chants batters have been hit by 170 pitches, most in the nation. Quotable: 'This is not a Cinderella story. We're one of the premier, most successful college baseball programs in the entire country.' — Schnall. ___ Arizona (44-19) Coach: Chip Hale (152-93 in 4 years at Arizona and overall). Road to Omaha: Won Eugene Regional: beat Cal Poly 3-2, beat Utah Valley 14-4, beat Cal Poly 14-0. Won Chapel Hill Super Regional: lost to North Carolina 11-2, beat North Carolina 10-8, beat North Carolina 4-3. 2025 record vs. CWS teams: 0-1. Last CWS appearance: 2021. All-time record in CWS: 43-32 in 18 appearances (won national titles in 1976, 1980, 1986, 2012). Meet the Wildcats: C Adonys Guzman (.318, 8 HRs, 42 RBIs), 1B Tommy Splaine (.290, 5, 25), 2B Garen Caulfield (.262, 8, 43), SS Mason White (.332, 19, 72), 3B Maddox Mihalakis (.278, 5, 35), LF Easton Breyfogle (.248, 5, 31) or TJ Adams (.167, 0, 7), CF Aaron Walton (.320, 14, 49), RF Brendan Summerhill (.358, 4, 34), DH Andrew Cain (.245, 6, 22). RHP Owen Kramkowski (9-6, 5.48 ERA), RHP Raul Garayzar (2-0, 2.81), RHP Smith Bailey (3-3, 4.01). Relievers: RHP Tony Pluta (3-0, 1.26, 14 saves), RHP Garrett Hicks (5-0, 5.61), RHP Julian Tonghini (4-2, 4.26), RHP Casey Hintz (7-4, 5.53), RHP Michael Hilker Jr. (2-1, 6.45), RHP Hunter Alberini (1-0, 3.48), RHP Matthew Martinez (3-0, 4.42), RHP Collin McKinney (0-2, 3.98), LHP Eric Orloff (1-0, 5.14). MLB alumni: Kenny Lofton, J.T. Snow, Tony Clark, Ron Hassey, Scott Erickson, Dan Meyer, Trevor Hoffman, Nick Hundley, Jack Howell, Casey Candaele, Terry Francona, Gil Heredia, Hank Leiber, Craig Lefferts, Joe Magrane, Mark Melancon. Short hops: Wildcats are back in Omaha for first time since going 0-2 in the 2021 CWS under current LSU coach Jay Johnson. Dawson Netz, who made relief appearances in both games, is a graduate manager. ... Hale played on Arizona's 1986 championship team. ... White's 48 career homers rank second in program history. The Tucson native has hit 35 of them at road or neutral sites. ... Wildcats' 36 triples lead nation. ... Pluta's 14 saves are a school record. Quotable: 'We're going to go there, put our best foot forward and try to win our fifth national championship.' — Hale. ___ Louisville (40-22) Coach: Dan McDonnell (791-357-1 in 19 years at Louisville and overall). Road to Omaha: Won Nashville Regional: beat East Tennessee State 8-3, beat Vanderbilt 3-2, beat Wright State 6-0. Won Louisville Super Regional: beat Miami 8-1, lost 9-6 to Miami, beat Miami 3-2. 2025 record vs. CWS teams: 1-0. Last CWS appearance: 2019. All-time record in CWS: 4-10 in 5 appearances. Meet the Cardinals: C Matt Klein (.327, 5 HRs, 30 RBIs), 1B Tague Davis (.286, 18, 50), 2B Kamau Neighbors (.250, 0, 16), SS Alex Alicea (.310, 1, 24), 3B Jake Munroe (.345, 12, 58), LF Zion Rose (.315, 12, 63) or Eddie King Jr. (.362, 17, 60), CF Lucas Moore (.353, 5, 48), RF Garret Pike (.294, 4, 39) or King, DH Rose or Pike. Starting pitchers: RHP Patrick Forbes (4-2, 4.36 ERA), RHP Tucker Biven (3-0, 4.19), LHP Ethan Eberle (6-2, 4.34). Relievers: RHP Brennyn Cutts (3-1, 4.89), LHP Justin West (2-2, 6.12), LHP Wyatt Danilowicz (0-1, 2.25), RHP Jack Brown (5-5, 6.69), LHP Ty Starke (1-0, 8.50), RHP Jake Schweitzer (4-2, 2.15). MLB alumni: Adam Duvall, Will Smith, Adam Engel, Nick Solak, Chad Green, Sean Green, Reid Detmers, Tyler Fitzgerald, Kyle Funkhouser, Matt Koch. Short hops: Cardinals are 5-1 in the NCAA Tournament after entering regionals coming off losses in six of seven games. ... King is on a tear, having gone 12 for 22 (.545) with two homers, three doubles and eight RBIs in six tournament games. ...Moore leads the nation with 51 stolen bases and has been caught stealing just once. ... A thumb injury has forced Alicea, a switch hitter, to bat left-handed exclusively since the start of May. ... Biven moved from the closer's role to weekend starter in May. He has received a no-decision in all four starts but allowed just five earned runs over 17 1/3 innings. Quotable: 'We're going to Omaha to win it all. We're not just going there just to play.' — King. ___ Oregon State (47-14-1) Coach: Mitch Canham (223-101-1 in 6 years at Oregon State and overall). Road to Omaha: Won Corvallis Regional: lost to Saint Mary's 6-4, beat TCU 7-2, beat Saint Mary's 20-3, beat Southern California 14-1, beat Southern California 9-0. Won Corvallis Super Regional: beat Florida State 5-4 in 10 innings, lost to Florida State 3-1, beat Florida State 14-10. 2025 record vs. CWS teams: 1-0. Last CWS appearance: 2018. All-time record in CWS: 21-12 in 7 appearances (won national titles in 2006, 2007, 2018). Meet the Beavers: C Wilson Weber (.333, 12 HRs, 57 RBIs), 1B Jacob Krieg (.251, 13, 35), 2B AJ Singer (.309, 3, 39), SS Aiva Arquette (.354, 18, 65), 3B Trent Caraway (.270, 12, 47), LF Gavin Turley (.346, 19, 66), CF Canon Reeder (.303, 8, 35), RF Easton Talt (.265, 7, 35) or Carson McEntire (.263, 4, 10), DH Tyce Peterson (.282, 5, 19). Starting pitchers: RHP Dax Whitney (6-3, 3.66 ERA), LHP Ethan Kleinschmit (8-4, 3.54), RHP James DeCremer (3-0, 5.34). Relievers: LHP Nelson Keljo (3-2, 3.74), RHP AJ Hutcheson (3-0, 4.00), RHP Kellan Oakes (4-0, 3.60), RHP Laif Palmer (2-0, 2.12), RHP Wyatt Queen (3-1, 3.35), RHP Eric Segura (8-2, 4.76), RHP Zach Kmatz (2-0, 4.21). MLB alumni: Jacoby Ellsbury, Michael Conforto, Darwin Barney, Bob Forsch, Steven Kwan, Adley Rutschman, Ken Forsch, Trevor Larnach, Matthew Boyd, Drew Rasmussen. Short hops: The Beavers surpassed 100 home runs for the second consecutive season. The 103 are the second-most in program history, trailing the 2024 club's 118. ... Five home runs in Game 3 of the super regional were a postseason program record. ... Beavers are 5-1 in elimination games this postseason. ... Talt has walked 62 times, fifth-most in the country. Quotable: 'When we're all hitting, it's dangerous. No one can really compete with us.' — Caraway. ___ Murray State (44-15) Coach: Dan Skirka (209-150 in 7 seasons at Murray State and overall). Road to Omaha: Won Oxford Regional: beat Mississippi 9-6, beat Georgia Tech 13-11, lost to Mississippi 19-8, beat Mississippi 12-11. Won Durham Super Regional: lost to Duke 7-4, beat Duke 19-9, beat Duke 5-4. 2025 record against CWS teams: 0-0. Last CWS appearance: None. All-time record in CWS: 0-0. Meet the Racers: C Will Vierling (.316, 10 HRs, 52 RBIs), 1B Luke Mistone (.340, 4, 53), 2B Dom Decker (.361, 0, 48), SS Conner Cunningham (.257, 7, 38), 3B Carson Garner (.281, 17, 59), LF Dan Tauken (.257, 11, 76), CF Jonathan Hogart (.339, 22, 65), RF Dustin Mercer (.356, 0, 39), DH Nico Bermeo (.305, 1, 7). Starting pitchers: RHP Nic Schutte (8-4, 4.85 ERA), RHP Isaac Silva (9-2, 5.09), RHP Kane Elmy (6-2, 4.45). Relievers: RHP Reese Oakley (3-0, 5.64), LHP Dylan Zentko (4-1, 4.38), RHP Graham Kelham (4-1, 4.40, 9 saves), RHP Jacob Hustedde (2-0, 5.09), LHP Ethan Lyke (2-1, 4.64), RHP Jack Wajda (2-3, 5.56). MLB alumni: Jack Perconte, Kirk Rueter, Pat Jarvis. Short hops: Only the fourth No. 4 regional seed to reach the CWS, joining Fresno State (2008 national champion), Stony Brook (2012) and Oral Roberts (2023). ... This is Racers' fourth NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2003. ... 44 wins are program record. ... 10.8 runs per game in NCAA Tournament ranks second. ... Hogart has hit a nation-leading eight of his 22 homers to lead off a game. ... Kelham has recorded four saves and one win over his last five appearances, and his nine saves are a program record. Quotable: 'Hopefully, it motivates everybody. This team could do it with 28 newcomers and three new coaches. Came together and hit their stride at the right time.' — Skirka. ___ UCLA (47-16) Coach: John Savage (723-479-2 in 21 seasons at UCLA; 811-563-3 in 24 seasons overall). Road to Omaha: Won Los Angeles Regional: beat Fresno State 19-4, beat Arizona State 11-5, beat UC Irvine 8-5. Won Los Angeles Super Regional: beat UTSA 5-2, beat UTSA 7-0. 2025 record vs. CWS teams: 0-1. Last CWS appearance: 2013. All-time record in CWS: 9-9 in 5 appearances (won 2013 national title). Meet the Bruins: C Cashel Dugger (.276, 3 HRs, 25 RBIs), 1B Mulivai Levu (.319, 12, 85), 2B Phoenix Call (.258, 3, 31), SS Roch Cholowsky (.367, 23, 73), 3B Roman Martin (.320, 9, 58), LF Dean West (.315, 4, 40), CF Payton Brennan (.304, 6, 39), RF AJ Salgado (.313, 12, 52), DH Blake Balsz (.246, 1, 24). Starting pitchers: RHP Michael Barnett (12-1, 4.09), RHP Landon Stump (6-1, 4.54), RHP Wylan Moss (2-1, 2.47). Relievers: RHP Jack O'Connor (3-0, 1.80), RHP August Souza (0-0, 5.40), RHP Easton Hawk (1-1, 4.84), LHP Chris Grothues (4-1, 4.94), RHP Cal Randall (2-1, 3.09), LHP Ian May (7-3, 5.00). MLB alumni: Chris Chambliss, Todd Zeile, Jeff Conine, Bobby Grich, Chase Utley, Eric Karros, Brandon Crawford, Troy Glaus, Jackie Robinson, Don Slaught, Eric Byrnes, Shane Mack, Mike Magnante, Matt Young, Gerrit Cole, Trevor Bauer. Short hops: Bruins were Big Ten regular-season co-champions in their first season in the league. ... Their .372 batting average in the NCAA Tournament ranks first. ... UCLA more than doubled its win total from 2024, when it went 19-33. ... Cholowsky is Big Ten player of the year and defensive player of the year. ... Cholowsky's 23 home runs are the most by a Bruins player since Forrest Johnson in 2000. ... Bruins lead the nation with 63 double plays. Quotable: 'We're the only team that has gotten to play there. We have played in front of a big crowd there, too, which is useful. Just using that is going to help us.' — Cholowsky, on playing in the Big Ten Tournament at Charles Schwab Field last month. LSU (48-15) Coach: Jay Johnson (185-77 in 4 seasons at LSU; 502-249 in 13 seasons overall). Road to Omaha: Won Baton Rouge Regional: beat Little Rock 7-0, beat Dallas Baptist 12-0, lost to Little Rock 10-4, beat Little Rock 10-6. Won Baton Rouge Super Regional: beat West Virginia 16-9, beat West Virginia 12-5. 2025 record vs. CWS teams: 2-1. Last CWS appearance: 2023. All-time record in CWS: 46-29 in 19 appearances (won national titles in 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2009, 2023). Meet the Tigers: C Luis Hernandez (.272, 9 HRs, 30 RBIs), 1B Jared Jones (.328, 20, 70), 2B Daniel Dickinson (.312, 12, 48), SS Steven Milam (.290, 11, 55), 3B Michael Braswell III (.201, 2, 17) or Tanner Reaves (.266, 3, 12), LF Derek Curiel (.347, 7, 52), CF Chris Stanfield (.309, 1, 28), RF Josh Pearson (.297, 7, 32) or Jake Brown (.315, 8, 44), DH Ethan Frey (.340, 13, 49). Starting pitchers: LHP Kade Anderson (10-1, 3.58 ERA), RHP Anthony Eyanson (11-2, 2.74), RHP Jaden Noot (2-1, 4.26). Relievers: LHP DJ Primeaux (0-0, 3.86), RHP William Schmidt (7-0, 4.73), RHP Maverick Ritzy (0-0, 4.74), LHP Cooper Williams (0-1, 1.83), RHP Chase Shores (5-3, 5.24), RHP Casan Evans (4-1, 1.90), RHP Zac Cowan (3-3, 3.09), LHP Conner Ware (4-1, 5.48). MLB alumni: Joe Adcock, DJ LeMahieu, Aaron Hill, Albert Belle, Todd Walker, Ben McDonald, Alex Bregman, Brad Hawpe, Ryan Theriot, Russ Springer, Kevin Gausman, Jason Vargas, Warren Morris, Austin Nola, Paul Byrd, Aaron Nola, Mark Guthrie. Short hops: Tigers went 2-1 this season against Arkansas, their opening opponent. ... Tigers have second-highest all-time NCAA Tournament winning percentage (.708, 182-75). ... Anderson's 163 strikeouts are most among CWS pitchers and rank second nationally. Eyanson's 135 Ks rank third. ... Pitching staff is in top 10 nationally in ERA (3.80), hits allowed per nine innings (7.34) and strikeouts per nine innings (11.9). Quotable: 'Everyone just plays for each other. We know we're a team and if we don't get the job done, the guys behind us or the guy in front of us is going to protect us and get it done for us. Everyone genuinely cares about each other." — Eyanson. ___ Arkansas (48-13) Coach: Dave Van Horn (931-470 in 23 seasons at Arkansas; 1,516-710 in 38 seasons overall). Road to Omaha: Won Fayetteville Regional: beat North Dakota State 62, beat Creighton 12-1, beat Creighton 8-3. Won Fayetteville Super Regional: beat Tennessee 4-3, beat Tennessee 11-4. 2025 record vs. CWS teams: 1-2. Last CWS appearance: 2022. All-time record in CWS: 18-22 in 11 appearances. Meet the Razorbacks: C Ryder Helfrick (.320, 14 HRs, 36 RBIs), 1B Reese Robinett (.276, 2, 12), 2B Cam Kozeal (.346, 15, 62), SS Wehiwa Aloy (.348, 20, 64), 3B Brent Iredale (.289, 14, 56), LF Charles Davalan (.355, 14, 59), CF Justin Thomas Jr. (.278, 9, 35), RF Logan Maxwell (.360, 13, 35), DH Kuhio Aloy (.330, 13, 70). Starting pitchers: LHP Zach Root (8-5, 3.59 ERA), RHP Aiden Jimenez (4-1, 3.66), RHP Gage Wood (3-1, 5.02). Relievers: RHP Ben Bybee (3-0, 4.38), RHP Steele Eaves (1-0, 1.86), LHP Colin Fisher (3-0, 4.62), RHP Gabe Gaeckle (4-2, 4.76), LHP Parker Coil (3-0, 1.27), LHP Landon Beidelschies (4-0, 4.92), RHP Will McEntire (1-0, 2.59), RHP Dylan Carter (6-0, 2.18). MLB alumni: Kevin McReynolds, Eric Hinske, Jeff King, Andrew Benintendi, Les Lancaster, Tom Pagnozzi, Ryne Stanek, Blake Parker, Drew Smyly, Cliff Lee, Dallas Keuchel, Colin Poche, Jalen Beeks, Robert Person, Tim Lollar. Short hops: No. 3 Razorbacks are the highest remaining national seed. ... Wehiwa Aloy is the SEC player of the year. His first name means 'prized one' in Hawaiian. He leads the team with 20 homers and is among seven Arkansas players with double-digit homers. ... Hogs' 123 homers are program record and fifth in the country. ... Arkansas has had at least one player selected in each of the past 50 MLB drafts dating back to 1975.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
NBA Finals 2025: The Thunder's GOAT? Alex Caruso is more than just a basketball version of the Tasmanian Devil
The pinky finger on Alex Caruso's right hand doesn't look like a typical pinky. Around the middle knuckle, it bulges as if a small marble was implanted under the skin. It will come as no surprise to anyone who's watched Caruso play basketball that this slight disfiguration is the result of him throwing his body around the court. 'Somebody stepped on it while I was on the ground during a game,' Caruso said during a phone interview before the 2025 NBA Finals. What might be surprising, though, is how old he was when the injury occurred. Advertisement 'I think it was in, like, the first or second grade,' he said. So, yes, the player we've seen throughout the playoffs, and in his first season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and really over the past five seasons, is who Caruso has always been. The running, the diving, the swiping, that blur of activity that looks like a tornado with arms — it all comes naturally to him. On the court, it's Caruso's version of breathing. (James Pawelczyk/Yahoo Sports Illustration) 'I remember when he first started playing with us,' recalled Jason Bullard, a medical equipment salesman who was part of a group of 30- and 40-year-olds from the College Station, Texas area, with whom Caruso played pick-up with while in middle school. 'He'd run around, guard everybody, take the ball and go, and just create all sorts of chaos,' Bullard added. 'Some guys would even get annoyed. It'd be like, 'Who's this little kid running around trying to steal the ball from us every time?' Advertisement Caruso had joined the game — consisting of local businessmen, blue collar workers, a professor at Texas A&M — after stumbling upon it one night at the park down the road from his house. He'd skip dinner, show up with his own ball 30 minutes before they'd begin and pretend he was there to shoot around, all in the hope that they'd need one more. Within about a year, he was a regular. That capacity for wreaking havoc on the court is what propelled Caruso, now 31, from an undrafted guard in 2016, one close to accepting a contract to play overseas, into the NBA. But what's transformed him into into one of the great role players of this decade, someone who, following the Thunder's 123-107 series-tying Game 2 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Sunday night's Finals matchup, is now just three wins away from a second ring, has been his ability to both build on those skills and refine them. These days, Caruso is more than just a basketball version of the Tasmanian Devil. In fact, ask him about his style propensity for creating chaos and he'll balk at that description. 'I think when you use the word 'chaos,' it's for the other team,' he said. 'Creating chaos for them and making them have to think and second-guess things. Advertisement 'For us, I'm trying to be settling and create a rhythm and flow.' More than that, Caruso added, he's trying to 'have an understanding of what we're gonna do and then putting guys in positions where they can just play and don't have to think.' It took time for Caruso to reach this point. 'He needed to refine that risk/reward balance that he has down so well now,' said Coby Karl, who coached Caruso in the Lakers' G League program. Karl remembers speaking to current Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault during the 2017-18 season, when Daigneault was leading the Thunder's G League team. The conversation turned to Caruso, who had spent the previous season with Daigneault before being let go by the Thunder. 'He described him as Brett Favre,' Karl recalled. 'It was like, whether he was trying to thread a needle on a pass or jump a passing lane for a steal, he was always going to go for it.' When Caruso reunited with Daigneault on the Thunder last summer following a trade from the Chicago Bulls, he had become the 2.0 version of himself, a player whose ability to process the game has become as essential to his ability to impact it. Thunder coaches and players have marveled all year at how well Caruso is both able to absorb game plans and identify the strengths and weaknesses of opposing players. It's why so many credit him for the Thunder's leap from fourth in defensive rating last season to first this season — despite Caruso averaging just 19.2 minutes per game in the regular season. [Mark Daignault] described him as Brett Favre. Whether he was trying to thread a needle on a pass or jump a passing lane for a steal, he was always going to go for it. Coby Karl, former G League coach 'One of the most important things that he's come in here and taught us is the importance of executing the details,' Thunder big man Chet Holmgren said before the Finals. 'You'll see so many times he makes a huge play out there, and it really comes down to inches. Was he in the right spot by a few inches? Was he able to reach the ball and poke it away by a few inches? That comes down to knowing where you need to be and when you need to be there, what you need to do and how to execute it. He's really come in and preached the importance of that, kind of shown us firsthand what that looks like.' Advertisement It's been a role-reversal for Caruso. Last time he was playing for a contender was with the Lakers during the 2019-20 season, when he was the newbie trying to soak up as much as possible from veteran teammates. There, Caruso was able to earn the equivalent of an NBA master's degree. The key, he said, was having the confidence to speak up and share his thoughts, despite being a 25-year-old out of the G League. 'I wasn't afraid to be wrong,' he said, 'and that helped me grow. A lot of times you get corrected through mistakes.' In LA, playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Caruso perfected the role of wingman to the stars. Lakers coaches marveled at how on defense he'd often predict on which plays LeBron preferred to stay home and then make his rotation for him, or on offense how he seemed to know precisely when to make an off-ball cut not to receive the ball himself but to trigger a shift that would benefit a teammate. And of course there were the more obvious plays, the 3s and fast breaks and steals and deflections. Caruso became one of the most feared defenders in the league, a key cog in the Lakers' 2020 title run. Alex Caruso played a critical role for the Lakers during their 2020 title run. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) By the time he left as a free agent for the Bulls in 2021, Caruso was ready to lead an NBA team on his own. Like in LA, his basketball IQ awed Chicago's coaching staff, as did the way he'd just step onto the court with, in the words of former Bulls assistant Josh Longstaff, 'an infectious energy.' Advertisement But what impressed the group the most was his understanding of how to communicate with teammates. Say a player was having difficulty absorbing a scheme or concept during a walkthrough the morning of a game. 'If it's somebody who could be coached hard, he'd give them, like, a stern 'Come on!' clap and say, 'We need to get this right!'' Longstaff said. 'And if it's someone who needed to be approached more gently, he'd take his time, pull him aside and say something along the lines of, 'We need you for this game, if you get in the game, we need you to do this and this,' and he'd do all this while putting his arm on their shoulder.' The Bulls gave Caruso a bigger role, and he responded with his best statistical seasons, along with a pair of All-Defensive team honors. Chicago, however, wasn't ready to compete for a title. The Thunder were — and they were looking for one more piece to help snap their championship puzzle into place. General manager Sam Presti, who had let Caruso walk eight years earlier, believed Caruso was it. Because of the skills he'd always possessed but also the new ones he'd added along the way. 'I think it helps elevate the whole group if you can have those types of brains, and we really wanted the heart and the head in the building,' Presti said during a preseason press conference after acquiring Caruso in a trade for 21-year-old point guard Josh Giddey. Presti's evaluation and instincts turned out to be right. On the court, Caruso's impact is evident. The Thunder's already historic point-differential improves when he's playing. He's spent the playoffs shadowing, and locking down, players of all skills and sizes, from explosive guards like Ja Morant, to bruising giants like Nikola Jokic. No NBA player has deflected more passes per possession this postseason. He's drilled more than 40% of his triples. In December, the Thunder signed him to a four-year, $81 million extension. Advertisement But ask Caruso to name some of the moments he's most proud of, and he'll point to a game where he scored just two points in less than 10 minutes of action. It was Game 2 of the second round. The Thunder were facing the Nuggets, and coming off a crushing 121-119 home loss, one in which the Thunder had blown a double-digit lead. In the locker room afterward, Caruso could sense 'some angst and frustration from the guys,' he said. It reminded him of his 2020 title run, when the Lakers had dropped the first game in each of the first two rounds. 'I remember very specifically having those conversations with LeBron, [Rajon] Rondo and the other older guys during that run,' Caruso said. 'And their basic message was, 'We're going to go back and watch film and we'll see that we messed up game plan stuff, and that's all easy to fix.' And so here he was, sitting in a cold tub following a Game 1 playoff loss five years later, ready to impart the same lesson. 'I said to the group, 'It was our mistakes. We gave it to them, we're gonna correct it, and it will be fine,'' he recalled. The Thunder came out the next game and ran the Nuggets off the floor in a 43-point win. Following their Game 1 loss in the Finals, the Thunder were back in a similar situation. And once again, Caruso was a calming influence for the group. When speaking to reporters the day after the loss, he singled out a few areas where he believed the Thunder could improve — 'being a little more efficient in transition and maybe not forcing it at the rim and playing off two feet early in the game and spraying the ball a little' — but he made clear that he wasn't alarmed. Advertisement Two days later, the Thunder were back on the floor, and this time Caruso decided he was going to take matters into his own hands. He was everywhere, swarming ball-handlers and blowing up screens and flying up and down the court and draining 3s. He finished with 20 points — a mark he never hit during the regular season — in 27 minutes of action off the bench, including four 3s, propelling Oklahoma City to victory. After the game, a reporter asked Holmgren about Caruso's 'energy levels for a 30-year-old man.' Holmgren smiled as he contemplated how to respond. 'Don't disrespect our GOAT like that,' he said.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Texas A&M 2026 4-star WR commit has shut down his recruitment
This weekend was critical for Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko and his staff, who hosted 18 prospects from the 2026 recruiting class, including six commitments, led by four-star running back Jonathan Hatton and four-star wide receiver Aaron Gregory, who are both borderline five-star prospects with productive college careers ahead of them. Keeping track of commits has been more challenging in today's NIL-based college football landscape. Still, after the House v. NCAA settlement was officially approved on Friday evening, schools will work with an average of $20.5 million of their revenue to share with their collegiate athletes. For Texas A&M, football, basketball, and baseball will take the majority of the funds. Advertisement For football prospects looking to play at the Power 4 level, NIL has created a relatively fair playing field. Once a recruit is set on their future destination, shutting down future visits is a definite sign of what we in the industry call a "hard" commitment. On Saturday, just hours after Jonathan Hatton confirmed his commitment, Aaron Gregory followed suit. Amid the smoke regarding the Texas Longhorns attempting to flip Gregory, the elite pass catcher has reportedly shut down his commitment, taking to X with an official post detailing his reasoning for sticking with the Aggies moving forward: "Why Texas A&M? Why not?" "I chose the right program that I see fits me and my playing style the best! Everyone thinks it's about money. I have a REAL RELATIONSHIP with all thte coaches. Coach (Mike) Elko, Trooper (Taylor), (Holmon) Wiggins, and the rest of the staff had a relationship with me for some time now!" "I AM COMMITTED TO TEXAS A&M. The community, fans and the team have welcomed me and my family with open arms. It's time to help build this 2026 class and become a LEGEND at Texas A&M." Posting a video on X to confirm his further commitment, Gregory's dedication to helping build the remainder of Texas A&M's 2026 recruiting class aligns with Mike Elko's recent comments regarding the strong foundation the program has established over the last year. According to 247Sports Composite, Gregory is the 66th-ranked prospect in the 2026 class, the 8th-ranked wide receiver, and the 7th-ranked prospect in Georgia. Advertisement Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty. This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M commit, 2026 WR Aaron Gregory has shut down his recruitment