NBA mock draft: Duke's Cooper Flagg closing in on completing journey to becoming No. 1 overall pick
There's little to no drama when it comes to predicting the No. 1 overall pick for this month's NBA draft. Cooper Flagg was earmarked for that spot before ever stepping foot on Duke's campus last fall.
He did nothing to disappoint as a one-and-done college standout, guiding the Blue Devils to the Final Four while becoming only the fourth freshman to be named The Associated Press men's college basketball national player of the year.
The other three? Texas' Kevin Durant in 2007, Kentucky's Anthony Davis in 2012 and Duke's Zion Williamson in 2019. Of that group, Davis and Williamson were No. 1 picks, while Durant was picked No. 2.
Flagg, headlining the AP's NBA mock draft, will fit right in when the first round begins June 25.
1. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, forward, Duke
Fresh off trading away Luka Doncic, the Mavericks luck into a versatile 6-foot-8, 221-pound forward who can thrive as a scorer ( Atlantic Coast Conference freshman-record 42 points against Notre Dame) or playmaker (team-best 4.2 assists). His length and competitive edge can impact games defensively (team highs of 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks). And he has an all-around game more advanced than his age with room to develop as he turns 19 in December.
2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper, guard, Rutgers
The son of former NBA guard Ron Harper offers size at the point (6-5, 213 pounds) and averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists as a freshman. He could join NBA rookie of the year Stephon Castle in the backcourt for star Victor Wembanyama. Still, there's an awkward question of how a team with Harper and fellow one-and-done prospect Ace Bailey went just 15-17.
3. Philadelphia 76ers: VJ Edgecombe, guard, Baylor
The only benefit to injury-riddled seasons for stars Joel Embiid and Paul George was landing a high pick for a team that still has designs on contending in the Eastern Conference. The 6-4, 193-pound Edgecombe, who turns 20 in July, could help with two-way potential, rim-attacking athleticism and 3-point shooting.
4. Charlotte Hornets: Ace Bailey, forward, Rutgers
The 6-8 forward is a versatile athlete capable of stretching defenses (five January games with at least four made 3s) and tools to develop defensively. He averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds, though for a losing team despite featuring Bailey and Harper as the NBA-bound headliners. The Hornets already have 2023 No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller as a wing forward, so this would bet on talent over position need.
5. Utah Jazz: Tre Johnson, guard, Texas
It's a simple selling point for the league's worst team: the 6-5, 190-pound freshman can score. He averaged 19.9 points to lead the Southeastern Conference while shooting 39.7% on 3s. He broke Durant's freshman Longhorns record when he scored 39 points against Arkansas in February.
6. Washington Wizards: Kasparas Jakucionis, guard/forward, Illinois
The Wizards need help in multiple areas after winning 18 games, and the 6-5 guard has shown an all-around floor game. He averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists as a freshman, including one run of six straight 20-point games including against then-No. 1 Tennessee.
7. New Orleans Pelicans: Jeremiah Fears, guard, Oklahoma
The 6-3, 180-pound combo guard averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists in his lone college season. Highlights included a four-point play to beat a ranked Michigan team, along with scoring 57 points in two SEC Tournament games. But he'll need to improve his outside shot (28.4% on 3s) and add bulk.
8. Brooklyn Nets: Kon Knueppel, forward, Duke
With four first-rounders, the Nets could start retooling with the 6-7, 217-pound Knueppel as an efficient scorer who was named ACC Tournament MVP. Knueppel shot 40.6% on 3-pointers and ranked sixth in Division I by shooting 91.4% at the foul line. The freshman also had 10 games with at least four assists to show potential as a secondary playmaker for a Final Four team.
9. Toronto Raptors: Khaman Maluach, center, Duke
The 7-1, 253-pound South Sudanese big man projects as a rim-protecting lob threat. Maluach had the combine's biggest wingspan (7-6 3/4) and showed stretches of capably defending guards on switches in his lone college season. He shot 71.2% largely on dunks and putbacks, so he'll need time to refine a raw offensive game.
10. Houston Rockets: Jase Richardson, guard, Michigan State
The son of former NBA guard Jason Richardson would offer longer-term benefits for a team that finished second in the Western Conference. Richardson is small (6-1, 178) for a combo guard, and he mentioned after a recent workout with Portland that he's working to prove he can play the point. Shooting 41.2% on 3s is enticing regardless.
11. Portland Trail Blazers: Collin Murray-Boyles, forward, South Carolina
The sophomore has a strong frame (6-7, 240) that could allow him to work some on the wing and bang inside with a nearly 7-1 wingspan. He contributed as a capable scorer (16.8), rebounder (8.3) and defender (1.3 blocks, 1.5 steals).
12. Chicago Bulls: Derik Queen, center, Maryland
The 6-9, 248-pounder earned a spot in March Madness lore by banking in a buzzer-beating runner to beat Colorado State and reach the NCAA Sweet 16. The nimble move illustrated the still-developing upside for a skilled freshman who nearly averaged a double-double (16.5 points, 9.0 rebounds).
13. Atlanta Hawks: Asa Newell, forward/center, Georgia
The 6-9, 224-pound freshman who helped the Bulldogs return to the NCAAs for the first time in a decade offers versatile upside, though the 19-year-old will need time to get stronger and improve his shooting (29.2% on 3s).
14. San Antonio Spurs: Noa Essengue, forward, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
The lanky 6-9, 194-pound forward from France has been honing versatile skills in Germany and turns 19 in December. He has the ability to run the court and attack off the dribble, averaging 12.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in Germany this season.
15. Oklahoma City Thunder: Carter Bryant, forward, Arizona
The 6-7, 215-pound freshman reserve shot 37.1% on 3s and showed defensive potential by averaging a block per game despite playing just 19 minutes a night. He had one of the top max vertical leaps at the combine (39.5 inches).
16. Orlando Magic: Thomas Sorber, center, Georgetown
The 6-9, 263-pound freshman offers a strudy interior presence with a 7-6 wingspan, proving capable of operating in the post or in traffic while also flashing face-up skills. The 19-year-old could help himself by developing his 3-point shot (6 of 37, 16.2%).
17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Rasheer Fleming, forward/center, Saint Joseph's
The 6-8, 232-pound Fleming increased his output in three college seasons and brings a sturdy frame to the NBA. He averaged 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, and has improved his 3-pointing from 31.3% through his first two college seasons to 39% last year. He also had one of the combine's biggest wingspans at better than 7-5.
18. Washington Wizards: Egor Demin, guard/forward, BYU
A top international prospect from Russia, the 19-year-old Demin spent a season at BYU as a playmaker with size (6-9, 199). That could allow teams to run offense through him as a strong passer who had 15 assists against two turnovers in 54 minutes of work during his last two NCAA Tournament games for a Sweet 16 team.
19. Brooklyn Nets: Ben Saraf, guard, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
After grabbing Knueppel at eighth, the Nets could further bolster their perimeter with the 6-6, 201-pound lefty from Israel. Saraf has proven adept as a scoring playmaker, averaging 12.8 points and 4.6 assists this season in Germany.
20. Miami Heat: Liam McNeeley, forward, UConn
The 6-7, 215-pound McNeeley jumped right in as a freshman starter for the two-time reigning NCAA champion Huskies and projects as a floor-stretching wing, including with 22 points in the NCAAs against eventual champion Florida and a 38-point showing against then-No. 24 Creighton.
21. Utah Jazz: Danny Wolf, forward/center, Michigan
The 6-11, 252-pound junior thrived in moving from the Ivy League (Yale) to the Big Ten as a low-post presence, averaging 13.2 points and 9.7 rebounds while ranking among Division I leaders with 15 double-doubles. He also showed the ability to step outside (38 made 3s in 37 games).
22. Atlanta Hawks: Nolan Traore, guard, Saint-Quentin BB (France)
The 6-5, 175-pound guard from France is a scoring playmaker and has been regarded as a possible lottery prospect. The 19-year-old had previously drawn recruiting interest from programs like Duke, Alabama and Gonzaga before opting to remain in his home country last year.
23. Indiana Pacers: Will Riley, guard/forward, Illinois
The freshman from Canada worked as a top reserve averaging 12.6 points. The 19-year-old Riley has potential as a scorer and passer with size (6-8) as he refines his game and develops physically (186 pounds).
24. Oklahoma City Thunder: Nique Clifford, guard, Colorado State
The 6-5, 202-pound Clifford took his time developing as a five-year player, though the 23-year-old is coming off a huge year (18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists). He also improved his outside shot, going from making 33.8% over three seasons at Colorado to 37.7% on higher volume in two years with the Rams.
25. Orlando Magic: Walter Clayton Jr., guard, Florida
The 6-2, 199-pound combo guard was an AP first-team All-American and Final Four's most outstanding player in the Gators' national title run. That included monster tournament performances — notably the frantic comeback against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight and a career-best scoring effort against Auburn in the Final Four — that bode well for a gamer who repeatedly rose to the challenge.
26. Brooklyn Nets: Hansen Yang, center, Qingdao (China)
The 7-1, 253-pound center from China turns 20 the night of the draft's second round. He has intriguing size (9-3 standing reach, nearly 7-3 wingspan) to go with shooting touch and solid passing in a developing game.
27. Brooklyn Nets: Kam Jones, guard, Marquette
The 6-3, 202-pound senior was an every-game starter while missing just one game during the past three college seasons. His scoring and playmaking ability (19.2 points, 5.9 assists) made him a finalist for last year's Cousy Award presented to college's top point guard.
28. Boston Celtics: Cedric Coward, guard, Washington State
The 6-5, 213-pound Coward has taken an interesting path. He started his career at Division III Willamette and spent two seasons at Eastern Washington, then played six games at Washington State due to injury and planned to transfer to Duke. But he stayed in the draft after testing well at the combine, including the best wingspan (7-2+) and standing reach (8-10) among guards, a 38.5-inch max vertical leap, and solid shooting-drill showings.
29. Phoenix Suns: Joan Beringer, center, Cedevita Olimpija (Slovenia)
Beringer, who turns 19 in November, projects as a mobile threat who can work in the pick-and-roll and as a lob threat. The French big man needs time to strengthen a lean 6-11, 230-pound frame.
30. Los Angeles Clippers: Hugo Gonzalez, guard/forward, Real Madrid (Spain)
The 19-year-old with a 6-6, 205-pound frame has flashed shooting range and the ability to attack off the dribble. He earned MVP honors after helping the Under-18 Real Madrid team win last year's Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT) in Berlin.
___
Also considered (in alphabetical order): Ryan Kalkbrenner, center, Creighton; Noah Penda, forward, Le Mans Sarthe Basket (France); Drake Powell, guard/forward, North Carolina; Maxime Raynaud, center, Stanford.
___
___
___
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Readers sound off on the Knicks' season, attacks on Jews and the mayoral debate
Stamford, Conn.: As the New York Knicks head into the offseason, it's only fitting to congratulate them on an outstanding season that brought pride and excitement to their exceptional fan base. In a time marked by division, uncertainty and political turmoil, professional sports take on greater significance. They offer a welcome reprieve from the noise of a fractured society and serve as a powerful reminder that competition doesn't have to breed tribalism. Watching displays of sportsmanship, dignity and professionalism reminds us that people can disagree while maintaining mutual respect. The NBA Eastern Conference Championship series filled me with pride and admiration for our hometown team. I was moved not just by the Knicks' performance, but by the sheer beauty of elite athleticism. We witnessed an inspiring display of teamwork with talented individuals uniting in pursuit of a shared goal. Win or lose, the Knicks can hold their heads high for a season that showcased heart and skill. They brought together fans from across the political and social spectrum and, for a brief moment, reminded us that mutual respect and kindness are still possible, even in disagreement. For those uninterested in sports, understand that it's not just about the three-point shot, the elegant pass or the final score. It's about the community coming together to blow off steam, cheer for something bigger than ourselves and shake hands when the game is over. This series brought out the best in us and should serve as a model for how we approach challenges both on and off the hardwood. Peter Janoff Woodland Park, N.J.: President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill will leave millions of people uninsured and will add trillions to our already hefty national debt. It looks like Trump will soon add the United States to the list of his other six bankruptcies. John Dent Manhattan: Once this bill passes and the debt goes up, it's on House Republicans, the Senate GOP and the president. I always believed that Republicans thought of themselves as the debt-conscious party. This proves that House Republicans and the Senate GOP are financially inept. Edward Drossman Smithfield, Pa.: Haven't we all wondered what we would have done in Germany under the Nazis? Well, here we are. Families ripped apart, people consigned to prisons where life itself is uncertain without hope of release, all without due process of law, much of this against people who are documented or even citizens. Now I see why the Germans closed their eyes as the Holocaust picked up speed. Do we close ours and pursue our normal daily lives, hoping that something will happen to fix things and that we are not the next to go? This administration hates women and people of color and despises anyone not wealthy. This madman and his posse are the true foreigners — foreign to any sense of decency, any sense of what we are as a nation. Take action, speak out and don't be silent, as silence is the death of us. Mary Terry Huntington, L.I.: Elon Musk is like the farmer who closes the barn door after all the animals have escaped. Leonard Stevenson Yonkers: I look forward to reading your articles and at times your editorials regarding Chuck 'The Liar' Schumer. Each and every time I do, I laugh harder and harder — not so much at his erroneous 'facts,' but more so his daily endeavors to derail Trump. This man should be voted so far out of office that it would take NASA to bring him back. He's done nothing since his law school graduation but incite malice via erroneous information that best suits him and his trove of gullible supporters. Give us a break, Chuckie. Retire and become an author of fairy tales and fiction. Ralph A. Manente Philadelphia: It's always great to hear from regular Voice of the People contributors like right-wing MAGA Voicer Bob Cavaliere griping about Dems and free stuff for taxpayers. How about letting everyone know how you feel about spending several million taxpayer dollars every weekend for Trump and his billionaire pals to play golf at the nearest Trump golf properties? An aside to everyone else: Have you ever heard as much whining and crying about anything and everything as you do now from the white male MAGA crowd? Talk about snowflakes. Duane Doberman Manhattan: To Voicer Lauren Shapiro: Are you any relation to the fellow, also with the last name Shapiro, mentioned in Mary Trump's book about her uncle, who took Donald's SATs to allow him to get into an Ivy League school? W.T. Bredin San Francisco: Since Oct. 7, 2023, antisemitism in America has escalated exponentially. It began with Palestinian supporters coldly tearing down posters of Israelis — including children — kidnapped by Hamas during its murderous terrorist attack. It progressed as activists on college campuses intimidated Jewish and pro-Israel students. Finally, it turned violent: In April, Pennsylvania's Jewish Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were targeted in an arson attack during Passover. In May, Israeli embassy staff members Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were murdered at a Jewish cultural event in Washington by a man who shouted 'Free, free Palestine!' And in June, a man who reportedly wanted to 'kill all Zionists' firebombed people in Boulder, Colo., marching peacefully to raise awareness of the 58 Israelis still held hostage in Gaza by Hamas. What if worse is still to come? Never again is now! Stephen A. Silver Yonkers: Re 'Shootings and killings in May haven't been so low in 30 yrs.' (June 4): In New York City, shootings and crime may be down, but look who's lurking in the shadows ready to pounce: none other than God's gift to New York, Andrew Cuomo, who thrashed cash bail, blessed New York with the Raise the Age law, and even gave Gov. Hochul to all of New York. The other problem is the New York voter who continues to get robbed, raped and murdered and keeps coming back for more. Nicholas Maffei Bayside: I watched the mayoral debate. Waste of time. The moderators were very inexperienced. Why did Cuomo get most of the airtime? All of the candidates want to provide the impossible — more housing, police, counseling for mental health, and the greatest promise: guaranteed income. As a senior citizen who worked his whole life, please be advised that the only guarantees are death and taxes. No ideas for who is going to pay for all these promises? My conclusion: All the candidates hate Trump, which doesn't do me any good as a citizen of New York City. Timothy Collins Whitestone: New York City is most certainly in trouble. Look at this panel of Democratic mayoral candidates. One is more pathetic than the next. I hope come Election Day in November, New Yorkers use common sense and vote for the right candidate. Please don't vote for the party line, but for the right person. That's the only way we're gonna get New York City back. Gene O'Brien North Babylon, L.I.: There are key environmental bills stuck in the Assembly that Speaker Carl Heastie must act on. The Senate has already seen the light. We need the NY HEAT Act to lower our gas bills and clean our air and to stop spreading toxic sludge on farmlands that poisons our food supply and waterways. It's critical that we limit plastic packaging that contains toxic chemicals, doesn't break down and can't be recycled. Instead, tiny particles of plastics are building up in our bodies and brains. These bills all sound like no-brainers, but industry is against them. Why should large companies be in charge of our budgets and health? One specious argument of the food industry is that the cost of new packaging will make food more expensive for Black and Brown communities. Yet, these communities bear the brunt of plastics pollution and are least able to manage its ill effects. Alexa Marinos
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Pacers vs. Thunder: Indiana is way past resilient in these NBA Finals. It is a stone-cold gamer
OKLAHOMA CITY — One and six-tenths of a second — that's all it takes to win a game. Not 48 minutes, or even 47 minutes and 58 seconds. One and six-tenths of a second is all the time it took between Tyrese Haliburton releasing a picture perfect jump shot destined for the rim and the ball knowing exactly where to go, cleanly swishing to stun yet another road crowd. Advertisement This time it happened to be the NBA Finals, as the Indiana Pacers and Haliburton conducted true thievery in the din of an Oklahoma City night, overcoming the odds and their own mishaps Thursday night to strike first and take Game 1, 111-110, in this best-of-seven series against the Thunder. For once, Haliburton didn't have Thunder resident linebacker Lu Dort steering him into an off-road ditch. He instead saw Cason Wallace. And Haliburton saw daylight and opportunity. He saw history. 'The ball ended in Obi's [Toppin] hands, and he passed it to me,' Haliburton said. 'I'm obviously confident in in my ability. And feel like, if I can get to that spot, I feel very comfortable in there. Advertisement 'It's a shot I've worked on a million times, and I'll work on a million times more.' The Pacers almost had to plan ahead for a spontaneous moment, gathering during an officials review with 22.5 seconds left. The Pacers could very well have been awarded possession after Pascal Siakam landed out of bounds after contact while chasing a rebound — but they had to prepare for multiple outcomes. Of all the different permutations, it felt like every one of them was destined to land with the ball in Halliburton's hands, and he would decide the game. Some players just have a magnetism, this innate ability to sit still when everything is swirling and to rally teammates to believe even during the impossible. It didn't matter the officials ruled Siakam wasn't fouled and the ball would stay with the Thunder. Advertisement It didn't matter Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would have his turn at closing before the Pacers' star, the MVP coming up short against tough defense from fellow Canadian Andrew Nembhard, who bottled him up and forced a back-iron miss. Tyrese Haliburton rises up for the game-winner in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night. (Photo by) (Matthew Stockman via Getty Images) 'But I think, as a group, like, we never think the game is over, ever, honestly speaking, never, like ... that never creeps in,' Haliburton said. 'How can we walk this team down?' Rather easy, if this postseason is any indication. One must have the confidence of a seasoned coach who won't call timeouts, who'll allow the game to be called on the terms of his players and not sideline wizardly. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has done enough and seen enough to not be overwhelmed. Advertisement Haliburton wasn't having a historic game, the comeback being engineered by Toppin and Myles Turner and Siakam and Nembhard — the group that refused to believe the game was out of reach. Haliburton finished with 14 points, but it felt like 30. 'Let's get this stop, and if we get the stop and rebound, and we're gonna go,' Carlisle said. 'Hopefully get the ball in Tyrese's hands and make a play.' It feels ridiculous, the way Haliburton and the Pacers seem to tempt fate right in the face of common sense, since there's no way this can continue to happen. Doing it against the Cleveland Cavaliers is one thing, and sending the New York Knicks spiraling into an offseason of questions and speculation is another. But the Oklahoma City Thunder are a serious outfit, nothing to trifle around with. The Thunder hounded the Pacers all night, yet it was the Pacers who shockingly ran off the floor at Paycom Center as victors. It keeps happening because the Pacers stay close enough, long enough to put themselves in winning position, and they feel they have an ultimate winner in Haliburton. Advertisement 'Brother,' Turner said with a sigh in the winning locker room. 'If you've seen us the last two months, nothing is surprising.' For 24 minutes, it felt like the Pacers didn't belong in the same gymnasium as the Thunder — like a bad scrimmage between high school sophomores who've never played together against seniors who've been together for years. For 12 minutes, it looked like the Pacers would at least be competitive, that they weren't drawing dead for the entire series. But for the last five, at some point they realized the Thunder weren't this inevitable unit, that constant pressure would at the very least produce an opportunity — and, maybe, the Thunder would crack under the expectations of being heavy favorites. Advertisement The Thunder didn't choke this away, not necessarily. Perhaps Thunder coach Mark Daigneault overthought matters by inserting guard Cason Wallace in the starting lineup in place of center Isaiah Hartenstein to go smaller and quicker. Who knows whether it mattered or not? The Pacers' calamity of errors was the first-half storyline as their 19 turnovers outnumbered their made field goals (15). Dort, Jalen Williams and Alex Caruso were everywhere and were better than advertised, better than their amazing 36-1 mark against the Eastern Conference this year. And yet, the Pacers were down only 12 after two quarters. Advertisement 'When I got off the bus, when I put on my shoes,' Haliburton said when asked at what point did he start to believe the Pacers could win this game, this night. 'I mean, there was never a disbelief in this group, honestly. We like controlled chaos, but that was just chaos.' But within that the Pacers quietly stacked wins. They forced Gilgeous-Alexander into an evening where he took an overwhelming share of the offense — just like Knicks guard Jalen Brunson did last round. They stopped treating the ball like it was doused in Crisco and began chopping away in the second half, committing just five turnovers the rest of the way. 'I think that on this stage, you don't have time to be stunned, you know, you don't have time to be disappointed again,' Turner said. 'But we weathered the storm. We were resilient.' Advertisement The Pacers resiliently pulled themselves by their bootstraps all season, digging out from of a 10-15 record in the opening weeks of the season. 'After you have a run like last year,' Haliburton said. 'And you get swept in Eastern Conference finals, and all the conversation is about is how you don't belong there, and how you lucked out to get there, and that it was a fluke, guys are going to be pissed off.' The Pacers hear a little more than the average group does, outside conversations seeping into the locker room and bus rides. You bet they've heard how these two teams are in different weight classes. 'And I think as a group, we take everything personal,' Haliburton said. 'It's not just me, it's everybody, you know, I feel like that's the DNA of this group, and that's not just me. We do a great job of taking things personal, and that gives this group more confidence.' Advertisement So much unnecessary conversation has clouded the basketball in this series. Whether the NBA likes small markets at the big stage, whether Haliburton or Gilgeous-Alexander is a superstar or not, or if they're the face of the league. Maybe Haliburton's not. Maybe he's just a cold-blooded gamer. But while he's got the ball in his hands with 6.4 seconds left, tell him he's not one of those special dudes. Then close your eyes and pray.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
T.J. and Megan McConnell swap jerseys before Game 1 of NBA Finals
T.J. and Megan McConnell are known to have strong sibling love and on Thursday night, they supported each other's basketball journeys from afar. The brother-sister duo showed up to their respective games wearing each others jerseys as T.J. was making his first appearance in the NBA Finals in Oklahoma City. Megan was sidelined with injury from the Phoenix Mercury's game against the Golden State Valkyries. Both T.J. and Megan were star players at Chartiers Valley before going on to play college basketball at Duquesne University and entering the NBA and WNBA, respectively. When T.J. showed up to the Paycom Center for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he did so wearing Megan's Mercury jersey. Your brother wearing your rookie pro jersey to his first @NBA Finals game is such a flex 😎 — Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) June 5, 2025 Earlier this week, Megan signed a contract with the Mercury, becoming just one of three active duos in the NBA and WNBA of brother-sister combinations. Megan made her WNBA debut earlier this week, scoring three points during 13 minutes of playing time before she suffered a knee injury and is now expected to be sidelined for several weeks. Even though she was sidelined for Thursday night's Phoenix game, she showed up wearing T.J.'s Pacers jersey. For T.J. and the Pacers, it was a good night as Indiana stunned Oklahoma City with a 111-110 comeback win to take a 1-0 series lead in the Finals. T.J. McConnell is just the ninth player from the WPIAL or Pittsburgh's City League to play in the nearly 80 years of the NBA Finals.
