Latest news with #2025NBADraftCombine
New York Post
12-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Auburn star Tahaad Pettiford arrested on DUI charge
Auburn basketball star Tahaad Pettiford was arrested on Saturday morning with a DUI charge in Lee County, Alabama, per jail logs obtained by ESPN. The anticipated SEC Player of the Year contender for the upcoming season was released from jail midday and is no longer on the list as an inmate in the jail's log, the outlet reported. The incident comes just weeks after Pettiford withdrew from the NBA draft to rejoin the Tigers for his sophomore season, looking to prove he is ready for the next level. Tahaad Pettiford drives to the basket during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine on May 13, 2025 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. NBAE via Getty Images 'We are aware of the situation, and we will handle it internally with Tahaad and his family,' Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said in a statement to ESPN on Saturday. 'We take these matters seriously and will learn and grow from it moving forward.' In his freshman year, Pettiford averaged 11.6 points per game while shooting 42.1 percent from the field across an average 22.9 minutes. He was a key member of an Auburn team that went on to reach the Final Four last season, averaging 15.2 points in the five tournament games. The Jersey City native will be a big highlight of the team's next chapter after star Johni Broome was selected by the 76ers at 35th overall. 'I was happy to go through the process, getting feedback from NBA teams,' Pettiford told ESPN at the time of leaving the draft. 'Going back to Auburn is a better situation for me. I see myself being a higher pick next year. It wasn't 100 percent this year, so I didn't want to take that chance.' Tahaad Pettiford dunks the ball during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine. NBAE via Getty Images Pettiford wasn't a part of the big freshman conversation throughout last season, but for the upcoming year, he is on a short list of players as a possible preseason All-American. In the past, Pearl has applauded Pettiford's team-player mentality when it came to accepting his place and playing time among a team of veterans. 'I suppose some would just sort of expect that to be a problem,' Pearl said about Pettiford's situation in April. 'Not a word. Not a body language, shoulder shrug, roll eye ever from Tahaad.'
Newsweek
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
NBA Draft's Cooper Flagg Reveals Hidden Talent, Handicap on Course
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. At 18 years old, Cooper Flagg was just drafted first overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 NBA Draft. He's coming off a season in which he was named ACC Player of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year, and led Duke to the ACC title and the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament. Before that, he was the No. 1 high school prospect in the 2024 class. And yet he's still found time to achieve a 14 golf handicap. Impressive. During a recent interview, Flagg revealed his passion for golf, as well as that he considers his golfing skills his "hidden talent": Hopefully there's still some time for golf in the offseason 😉 Congrats to @Cooper_Flagg for being the No. 1 pick in the @NBA Draft! — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 26, 2025 In another interview ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, he revealed his dream foursome of NBA legends: "Michael Jordan. I know he's a good golfer. I think Steph Curry is a really good golfer, and then I know Tatum plays a little bit, so maybe Jason Tatum." Golf is an ultra-popular sport among professional basketball stars. Jordan, Curry, and Tatum are three notable examples due to the high level they have reached in their golfing skills. Another well-known example is WNBA star Caitlin Clark, who has demonstrated her love for golf, although her skills are still a work in progress. Cooper Flagg answers questions from reporters during media availability at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena on May 14, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Cooper Flagg answers questions from reporters during media availability at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena on May 14, 2025 in Chicago, Flagg was the breakout star of NCAA basketball last year. He needed just one season with the Duke Blue Devils to make his mark on college sports. The 6'9'' guard averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, leading his team to a 35-4 record and a Final Four appearance. He became the first ACC player in 25 years to record 500+ points, 100+ assists, and 30+ blocks in a regular season. Flagg earned most of the major national honors, including Naismith College Player of the Year, ACC Player and Rookie of the Year, and consensus First-Team All-American. Predicted as the No. 1 overall pick virtually since the start of his college career, Flagg actually received the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Dallas Mavericks will count on him next season to round out a roster that also includes stars like Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson. More Golf: Tony Finau Latest Victim to Withdraw from PGA Tour's Rocket Classic
New York Post
26-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
NBA world completely stunned by Yang Hansen pick at No. 16: ‘What on earth is Portland doing?'
The 2025 NBA Draft had its first real stunner just past the midway point of Wednesday's proceedings. As part of a trade with the Grizzlies, the Trail Blazers landed Yang Hansen from China with the No. 16 pick, completely shocking most of the basketball world. Hansen was not seen by most draft experts as a first-round pick, so Portland using its spot to take the 7-foot-1 center surprised many. CBS analyst Matt Norlander said he was stunned by the 19-year-old getting picked so high. 4 Yang Hansen handles the ball during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine on May 14, 2025 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. NBAE via Getty Images 4 Yang Hansen greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 16th pick by the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect 'If Egor Demin going to Brooklyn was 6.8 on the shocking scale out of 10, this registers around a 9.5 overall,' Norlander said. 'I can guarantee you people around the league are shaking their heads and texting each other right now going: 'What on earth is Portland doing?'' Follow The Post's coverage of the 2025 NBA Draft One NBA exec told ClutchPoints succinctly: 'That is the wildest pick I've ever seen. Those jobs up there are on the line.' ESPN's Shams Charania called the pick a 'surprise.' Hansen was not listed in The Post's final first-round mock draft. 4 Yang Hansen looks on after being selected as the 16th pick by the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect He's the first player from China to be taken in the NBA draft since Zhou Qi (Rockets) and Wang Zhelin (Grizzlies) were picked in 2016. The 19-year-old has spent the last two seasons in the CBA, averaging 15.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.4 blocks per game over 96 contests. draft profile says Hansen does have star potential at center, but that he'll need to add muscle to make good on reaching those lofty heights. 4 Yang Hansen speaks to the media after being drafted 16th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies then traded to the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 25, 2025. Getty Images While it remains to be seen how Hansen acclimates to the NBA, the Trail Blazers, at least for one night, left people scratching their heads.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NBA mock draft 2.0: Rounding up the final consensus expert predictions
The 2025 NBA Draft is finally here! While we know evaluators have Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper as their top prospects, who is coming off next on the board? To get a sense of where prospects stand as of right now, For The Win has surveyed all of the leading mock drafts to provide a general consensus. Advertisement Since our last update, the following players have improved their rankings the most: Noa Essengue, Joan Beringer, Walter Clayton Jr., Kon Knueppel, V.J. Edgecombe, Carter Bryant, and Noah Penda. Meanwhile, the following players have dropped the most: Derik Queen, Ace Bailey, Jase Richardson, Nolan Traoré,Tre Johnson, Liam McNeeley, and Egor Demin. For this exercise, we're using my latest mock along with other mainstream mocks from the following publications (sorted alphabetically): Our scoring methodology was based on a trade value chart from ESPN's Kevin Pelton. All heights are listed without shoes unless noted otherwise for international prospects who have not yet participated in the NBA Draft Combine. Advertisement Meanwhile, for more prospect coverage, here is our latest NBA mock draft at For The Win. Note: These rankings do not reflect our personal opinions or team fit but rather where experts currently have each prospect slated. The best takes and the sharpest bets on all the hoops storylines you need to know. Sign up for our Layup Lines newsletter, hitting your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 1. Cooper Flagg Cooper Flagg talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. TEAM: Duke POSITION: Wing HEIGHT: 6' 7.75'' DRAFT AGE: 18.5 PREVIOUS RANK: 1 More: Cooper Flagg had the toughest quote about quick rise to No. 1 NBA pick 2. Dylan Harper Dylan Harper (29) participates in the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. TEAM: Rutgers Advertisement POSITION: Guard HEIGHT: 6' 4.50'' DRAFT AGE: 19.3 PREVIOUS RANK: 2 More: Q&A: Meet Dylan Harper, the best NBA Draft prospect who did not make March Madness tourney 3. V.J. Edgecombe VJ Edgecombe Jr. #1 takes part in a shooting drill during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena on May 13, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. TEAM: Baylor POSITION: Wing HEIGHT: 6' 4.00'' DRAFT AGE: 19.9 PREVIOUS RANK: 4 More: ESPN's NBA mock draft had 1 intriguing V.J. Edgecombe, 76ers workout detail 4. Kon Knueppel Kon Knueppel talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. TEAM: Duke POSITION: Wing HEIGHT: 6' 5.00'' DRAFT AGE: 19.9 PREVIOUS RANK: 6 More: Meet NBA draft prospect Kon Knueppel, the other Duke star you're not talking enough about 5. Ace Bailey Ace Bailey #21 looks on during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena on May 13, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. TEAM: Rutgers POSITION: Forward HEIGHT: 6' 7.50'' DRAFT AGE: 18.9 PREVIOUS RANK: 3 Advertisement More: The alarming reasons why Ace Bailey's NBA draft stock is plummeting 6. Jeremiah Fears Jeremiah Fears answers questions from reporters during media availability at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena on May 14, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. TEAM: Oklahoma POSITION: Guard HEIGHT: 6' 2.50'' DRAFT AGE: 18.7 PREVIOUS RANK: 6 More: Meet Jeremiah Fears, the NBA Draft prospect who wants to 'destroy' opponents 7. Tre Johnson Tre Johnson (56) participates in the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. TEAM: Texas POSITION: Wing HEIGHT: 6' 4.75'' DRAFT AGE: 19.3 PREVIOUS RANK: 5 8. Khaman Maluach Khaman Maluach answers questions from reporters during media availability at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena on May 14, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. TEAM: Duke POSITION: Big HEIGHT: 7' 0.75'' DRAFT AGE: 18.8 PREVIOUS RANK: 8 9. Noa Essengue TEAM: ratiopharm ulm (Germany) POSITION: Wing HEIGHT: 6' 10.00'' DRAFT AGE: 18.5 PREVIOUS RANK: 14 10. Carter Bryant Carter Bryant answers questions from reporters during media availability at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena on May 14, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. TEAM: Arizona POSITION: Forward HEIGHT: 6' 6.50'' DRAFT AGE: 19.6 Advertisement PREVIOUS RANK: 12 11. Kasparas Jakučionis Kasparas Jakucionis talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. TEAM: Illinois POSITION: Guard HEIGHT: 6' 4.75'' DRAFT AGE: 19.1 PREVIOUS RANK: 10 More: Why Derik Queen may slide in the 2025 NBA Draft 12. Collin Murray-Boyles Collin Murray-Boyles talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. TEAM: South Carolina POSITION: Big HEIGHT: 6' 6.50'' DRAFT AGE: 20.1 PREVIOUS RANK: 13 13. Egor Demin Egor Demin talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. TEAM: BYU POSITION: Guard HEIGHT: 6' 8.25'' DRAFT AGE: 19.3 PREVIOUS RANK: 11 14. Derik Queen Derik Queen talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. TEAM: Maryland POSITION: Big HEIGHT: 6' 9.25'' DRAFT AGE: 20.5 PREVIOUS RANK: 9 More: Why Derik Queen may slide in the 2025 NBA Draft 15. Joan Beringer TEAM: KK Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia) POSITION: Big HEIGHT: 6' 11.00'' Advertisement DRAFT AGE: 18.6 PREVIOUS RANK: 15 16. Cedric Coward Cedric Coward talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. TEAM: Washington St. POSITION: Forward HEIGHT: 6' 5.25'' DRAFT AGE: 21.8 PREVIOUS RANK: 15 More: Q&A: How Cedric Coward went from D-III to the most captivating NBA draft prospect 17. Thomas Sorber Thomas Sorber answers questions from reporters during media availability at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena on May 14, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. TEAM: Georgetown POSITION: Big HEIGHT: 6' 9.25'' DRAFT AGE: 19.5 PREVIOUS RANK: 19 More: Q&A: Thomas Sorber knows there is so much he hasn't even shown before NBA Draft 18. Asa Newell Asa Newell talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. TEAM: Georgia POSITION: Forward HEIGHT: 6' 9.00'' DRAFT AGE: 19.7 PREVIOUS RANK: 21 More: Q&A: Asa Newell pitches his 'contagious' energy as NBA draft prospect 19. Nique Clifford Nique Clifford talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. TEAM: Colorado St. Advertisement POSITION: Forward HEIGHT: 6' 5.25'' DRAFT AGE: 23.4 PREVIOUS RANK: 17 20. Walter Clayton Jr. Walter Clayton Jr. answers questions from reporters during media availability at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena on May 14, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. TEAM: Florida POSITION: Guard HEIGHT: 6' 2.00'' DRAFT AGE: 22.3 PREVIOUS RANK: 27 More: Is Walter Clayton Jr. an NBA Draft first-round pick after his incredible March Madness? 21. Nolan Traoré TEAM: Saint-Quentin (France) POSITION: Guard HEIGHT: 6' 3.00'' DRAFT AGE: 19.1 PREVIOUS RANK: 16 22. Danny Wolf Danny Wolf talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. TEAM: Michigan POSITION: Big HEIGHT: 6' 10.50'' DRAFT AGE: 21.2 PREVIOUS RANK: 22 23. Jase Richardson Jase Richardson talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. TEAM: Michigan St. POSITION: Guard HEIGHT: 6' 0.50'' DRAFT AGE: 19.7 PREVIOUS RANK: 18 More: 5 things to know about Michigan State star Jase Richardson 24. Liam McNeeley Liam McNeeley talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. TEAM: Connecticut Advertisement POSITION: Wing HEIGHT: 6' 6.75'' DRAFT AGE: 19.7 PREVIOUS RANK: 20 25. Will Riley Will Riley talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. TEAM: Illinois POSITION: Wing HEIGHT: 6' 8.25'' DRAFT AGE: 19.3 PREVIOUS RANK: 24 26. Rasheer Fleming Rasheer Fleming talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. TEAM: Saint Joseph's POSITION: Forward HEIGHT: 6' 8.25'' DRAFT AGE: 21.0 PREVIOUS RANK: 25 27. Drake Powell Drake Powell #82 takes part in a shooting drill during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena on May 13, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. TEAM: North Carolina POSITION: Wing HEIGHT: 6' 5.25'' DRAFT AGE: 19.8 PREVIOUS RANK: 27 28. Noah Penda TEAM: Le Mans (France) POSITION: Forward HEIGHT: 6' 7.25'' DRAFT AGE: 20.5 PREVIOUS RANK: 32 29. Maxime Raynaud TEAM: Stanford POSITION: Big HEIGHT: 7' 0.25'' DRAFT AGE: 22.2 PREVIOUS RANK: 26 More: 2025 NBA Draft Combine: 5 biggest winners, including Maxime Raynaud and Miles Byrd 30. Ryan Kalkbrenner Ryan Kalkbrenner answers questions from reporters during media availability at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena on May 14, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. TEAM: Creighton Advertisement POSITION: Big HEIGHT: 7' 1.00'' DRAFT AGE: 23.5 PREVIOUS RANK: 29 BEST OF THE REST 31. Hugo González 32. Ben Saraf 33. Yanic Konan Niederhäuser 34. Chaz Lanier 35. Adou Thiero 36. Hansen Yang 37. Kam Jones 38. Tyrese Proctor 39. Bogoljub Marković 40. Johni Broome 41. Jamir Watkins 42. Sion James 43. Alex Toohey 44. Koby Brea 45. Rocco Zikarsky 46. Micah Peavy 47. Javon Small 48. Alijah Martin 49. John Tonje 50. Eric Dixon 51. Ryan Nembhard 52. Hunter Sallis 53. Kobe Sanders 54. Lachlan Olbrich 55. Vlad Goldin 56. Tamar Bates 57. Amari Williams 58. Brice Williams 59. Mark Sears 60. RJ Luis Jr. 61. Brooks Barnhizer 62. Dink Pate 63. Mohamed Diawara Advertisement 64. Saliou Niang 65. Chucky Hepburn 66. Viktor Lakhin 67. Max Shulga 68. Grant Nelson 69. Will Richard 70. Khalif Battle This article originally appeared on For The Win: 2025 NBA mock draft 2.0: Rounding up the final consensus expert predictions
New York Post
25-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Ex-St. John's star RJ Luis on cusp of NBA draft possibilities he once couldn't have imagined
Four years ago, RJ Luis Jr. couldn't have imagined this. Forget playing in the NBA. Even big-time college basketball was far from a given. Advertisement Luis held just two Division I scholarship offers, from Northeastern and Lamar University. He didn't want to settle, so the Miami native opted to do a prep year at Mount Zion Prep in Maryland. That's when everything changed. 'Once I went to prep school, I kind of made that jump and started to figure out myself and my work ethic,' he recalled in a phone interview with The Post. 'Everything just clicked. Since then, it's been a gradual [climb], improving and getting better as a player. Advertisement 'I wouldn't change it. The stuff that we go through in life is what makes us. It's just super cool to see all my hard work paying off.' The former St. John's star is on the cusp of a professional career, a projected second-round pick in this week's NBA Draft. He worked out for 18 teams and took part in the scouting combine in Chicago. The past few months have been a whirlwind for the 6-foot-7 wing. Advertisement 3 RJ Luis Jr. handles the ball during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine on May 15, 2025 NBAE via Getty Images In March, he became the first Johnnie to be named the Big East Player of the Year since Walter Berry in 1986. He led St. John's to its first Big East Tournament title since 2000 as the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. Afterward, he called it the best week of his life. But the following weekend, second-seeded St. John's was upset by Arkansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and Luis struggled through a nightmarish 3-for-17 shooting performance. Advertisement He was benched over the final 4:56 by coach Rick Pitino. 3 RJ Luis Jr. shoots a three point basket during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine on May 14, 2025 at Wintrust Arena. NBAE via Getty Images Luis declared for the NBA Draft and entered the transfer portal a week after that disappointment. There was some thought he could return to school — top transfers were getting upward of $3 million — but Luis opted to stick with his initial plan of going pro. 'The money in the NBA is night and day compared to college. It wasn't a hard decision,' Luis said. 'My goal was to do the same thing at St. John's my sophomore year, but injuries held me back. I think I had an amazing year this year. [This was] ultimately the end goal, to play in the NBA and stick there.' Luis has been a much-debated prospect in this draft. Teams like his athleticism, versatility and scoring ability. But his 3-point shot and decision-making need work. He will have the ball in his hands less frequently on the next level. 3 St. John's Red Storm guard RJ Luis Jr. reacts after hitting a 3-point shot during the team's opening NCAA Tournament game. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post 'It's a tough thing, but he's gotta go from a star on his team to a role player,' an NBA scout familiar with Luis said. 'Tough transition, so he's probably going to have to get some G-League reps, and go from there. Be a consistent shooter. Advertisement 'Is he one of the best 75 draft prospects in this draft and is he one of the best 500 players in the world, where he should be on some kind of NBA contract?' Said a second scout: 'He's going to have to make some modifications to his game. He's a two-way guy for sure, because he can score the ball. But he has to learn to score the ball on my terms, as opposed to his.' Luis has been somewhat of a target since that Arkansas loss. He was criticized for that performance and later questioned for not cashing in on his last year of college eligibility. He's heard the doubters. Advertisement 'One hundred percent, but that's how life is. You're always going to have people rooting against you,' Luis said. 'I'm fully positive. I know the amount of work I put in.' Luis has come a long way from those two Division I scholarship offers. His first season at St. John's was marred by injuries, a fractured left hand and nagging shin splints. He wasn't able to do much basketball-wise last summer following surgery on each shin, but still had a sensational junior season, leading the Johnnies to their best season in 25 years. If he is selected, he would become St. John's first player to hear his name called since Sir'Dominic Pointer (53rd overall by the Cavaliers) in 2015. 'It would be the same thing as winning the regular-season championship and Big East Tournament and getting a bid to the [NCAA] Tournament,' he said. 'To be able to leave my little bit of a legacy at St. John's, just make that fan base proud.'
