Latest news with #ClutchPoints
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Mercury without Diana Taurasi gets ‘weird' Cheryl Reeve take
The post Mercury without Diana Taurasi gets 'weird' Cheryl Reeve take appeared first on ClutchPoints. When Diana Taurasi retired from the Phoenix Mercury, she left behind an illustrious legacy. It was one that Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve played a smart part in. Advertisement For starters, the duo were a part of the 2024 USA Women's National Team in Paris. That team convincingly won a gold medal, despite Taurasi not playing much. However, it felt much deserved, as she became the only Olympic USA basketball athlete with six gold medals. Before Friday's game, Reeve addressed how it feels being in Phoenix and not coaching against her former player. 'I was in the league longer than her… it is weird,' Reeve said. 'Being here in Phoenix, it'd be weird to walk out there and see some of the teams that they've had. This is obviously brand new. Maybe not weird, but different. That'd be different for sure.' Advertisement The Mercury had a massive roster overhaul during the offseason. Only two players were returners from the 2024 team (Kahleah Copper and Natasha Mack). Even Brittney Griner went to the Atlanta Dream, signaling a new change in The Valley of the Sun. The Mercury are vastly different without Diana Taurasi As mentioned earlier, Phoenix is an entriely different team, and for good reason. The Mercury traded for Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally in the offseason. That alone signaled a new Big 3, and a new culture in Phoenix. The team still wants to win now, but they have completely different pieces. For Reeve and the Lynx, this will be their first time competing against the new-look Mercury squad this season. Friday's game will be without Thomas or Napheesa Collier, as both players are out with injury. However, the next time these teams square off is on Tuesday in Minnesota. Perhaps then both teams will be near full-strength, as Reeve will have another opportunity to face the Mercury in the post-Taurasi era.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander goes sentimental on son watching him win WCF MVP
The post Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander goes sentimental on son watching him win WCF MVP appeared first on ClutchPoints. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has got to be one of the happiest people on the planet. His and the Oklahoma City Thunder's job may not be finished, as they are still locked in on their ultimate goal of winning an NBA championship, which they are ever so close to after a 124-94 beatdown of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the closeout Game 5, but he has a lot of reasons to be joyful. Advertisement Not only was he named the MVP of the league this past season and the MVP of the recently-concluded Western Conference Finals, he also has a loving family — with his lovely wife and son being in attendance for Game 5. Being a father has changed Gilgeous-Alexander's life for the better, and he now knows what matters the most to him in life, which then puts basketball and every goal of his and the Thunder's in the right perspective. 'I think the best thing about that moment is that he has no clue what's going on and that he's just happy to see me. In life in general, you get caught up in so many things that don't actually matter. That's the biggest thing with having my son in the past year. He's put on the forefront. He's shown me everything that actually matters in life,' Gilgeous-Alexander said in his postgame presser, via the official NBA account on X (formerly Twitter). Gilgeous-Alexander has become a lightning rod for criticism in recent years for being a 'free-throw merchant'. Regardless, the Thunder star is unfazed because every day of his life, he recognizes what actually matters to him — his family. Advertisement '[My son] reminds me of that every day I wake up, every day he wakes me up. Every day he cries and wakes me in the middle of my sleep. He's amazing. He'll see this one day, I guess. He puts everything into perspective for sure,' Gilgeous-Alexander added. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder benefit from the 'dad buff' © Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has gotten better with age, and over the past year or so, he's been playing his best basketball. Seeing his son, Ares, be born may have something to do with that. Gilgeous-Alexander's son was born on April 25, 2024, and since that time, he's averaging 32.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in 100 games on 51/37/88 shooting splits. Having a child and loving someone in a way that's so pure and genuine has brought out the best in the Thunder star, and now, he is on the cusp of another life milestone, as they need to win just four more games to be crowned as the NBA champion.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Angel Reese, Reebok unveil ‘Pretty Gritty' Engine A PE
The post Angel Reese, Reebok unveil 'Pretty Gritty' Engine A PE appeared first on ClutchPoints. Chicago Sky star forward Angel Reese is intent on making a name for herself and amplifying the platform of the WNBA as they continue their growth. She's one of the more marketable players in the league and her reach spans much further than just basketball. The team over at Reebok is putting together her own signature line as Reese officially unveiled her own Engine A PE sneakers. Advertisement Check our Sneakers news for more upcoming releases and breaking content! Angel Reese signed her endorsement contract with Reebok back in 2023 towards the end of her final year with the LSU Tigers. Prior to her WNBA arrival, she was already heralded as one of the better additions to the league thanks to her popularity outside of it. Since then, she's even unveiled her own signature logo with the brand, hinting at an upcoming sneaker. Throughout most of the season, Angel Reese has been rocking the Reebok Engine A basketball sneakers. During the Sky's most recent 97-92 win over the Dallas Wings, Reese debuted a 'Pretty Gritty' PE (player exclusive) colorway of the Engine A. Angel Reese's Reebok Engine A 'Pretty Gritty' PE As the name suggests, Reese's newest 'Pretty Gritty' colorway will come complete with soft pink hues throughout contrasted by a dark burgundy throughout the upper half of the shoes. We see hits of vibrant red throughout to add more contrast as the shoes are accompanied by small Reebok logos throughout. Advertisement Most importantly, we see the debut of Angel Reese's new personal logo in silver along the tongue. This serves as the opening chapter to her personal brand and the first indication of a potential signature sneaker in the works. While the shoes aren't available just yet in Angel's PE colorways, fans can cop the Reebok Engine A via Reebok platforms and select retailers for $120. What do you think of this newest PE from Angel Reese?
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Red Sox's Liam Hendriks dealt unfortunate injury update
The post Red Sox's Liam Hendriks dealt unfortunate injury update appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Boston Red Sox are reportedly placing veteran reliever Liam Hendriks on the injured list, Chris Cotillo of reports. Advertisement 'Liam Hendriks is headed to the IL, I'm told. Not sure what the issue is. Nick Burdi takes his place,' Cotillo wrote on X, formerly Twitter. As Cotillo reported, Hendriks' injury has yet to be revealed. Nevertheless, he will miss time as he is headed to the injured list. Hendriks has endured ups and downs in the 2025 season. The 36-year-old right-handed hurler has pitched to a 6.59 ERA across 14 outings. In his 13.2 innings of work, Hendriks has recorded 12 strikeouts. The Red Sox will miss Hendriks in the bullpen. Boston needs all of the relief help it can get, so a Hendriks injury is far from ideal to say the least. Advertisement The team will provide further updates on Hendriks' injury and a potential timeline soon. As of this story's writing, there is uncertainty surrounding the situation. The Red Sox have failed to meet their lofty preseason expectations so far. Boston's 27-31 record has the ball club sitting in fourth place in the American League East. The Red Sox have been unable to take advantage of an AL East division that has struggled for the most part — with the New York Yankees being the only exception. Boston is hoping to find a groove sooner rather than later. It is still early enough in the season where the Red Sox have time to turn things around. With that being said, the calendar will flip to June soon, so Boston needs to start winning on a consistent basis. On Friday, the Red Sox will play another team that has not lived up to their preseason expectations in the Atlanta Braves. First pitch for the Red Sox-Braves clash is scheduled for 7:15 PM EST on Friday Night Baseball.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nets' dark-horse No. 8 pick candidate rising up draft boards
The post Nets' dark-horse No. 8 pick candidate rising up draft boards appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Brooklyn Nets can go several directions with their first selection in next month's draft. Their fall to the No. 8 pick put several household college names, such as Jeremiah Fears, Tre Johnson, Kon Kneuppel and Khaman Maluach, within their range. However, French phenom Noa Essengue is creeping into the conversation as he continues to flash his raw potential overseas. Advertisement Bleacher Report and Yahoo Sports have the Nets selecting the 6-foot-9 forward in their latest projections. 'In the past two drafts, we've rebuilding teams swing for upside overseas with the Wizards taking Bilal Coulibaly and the Hornets grabbing Tijane Salaun. The Nets have no high-upside prospects on the roster and could be enticed by the draft's second-youngest prospects who can make threes, attack, finish and defend all over,' said Jonathan Wasserman. '[Essengue's] improving on-ball skill and rising offensive production are becoming notable draft storylines, considering he's the draft's second-youngest prospect who also offers exciting defensive tools and movement.' Essengue is putting together one of his best runs of the season while playing for Ratiopharm Ulm in the BBL, Germany's top professional league. The 18-year-old has averaged 12.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists on 53.3 percent shooting in 22.0 minutes per game over his last eight appearances. ESPN has moved the Frenchman up to No. 9 in its latest Top 100 big board. Will Sean Marks, Nets take a chance on Noa Essengue with No. 8 pick? Brad Penner-Imagn Images In the early stages of a rebuild, there is no question that the Nets should prioritize the best player available at No. 8 rather than drafting for positional need. However, there has been much deliberation about what that entails: do they opt for a safe prospect with a high floor or take a swing on upside? Advertisement Noa Essengue would fall into the latter category. The 18-year-old's fluid athleticism, transition ball handling, finishing ability, playmaking flashes and defensive tools inspire hope that he can develop into a dominant two-way force. His ability to reach that ceiling will depend on several swing skills. First, his jumpshot must reach a respectable level. While he's shown flashes in that area, he's shot just 25.5 percent from distance across 52 appearances this season. His half-court ball-handling is just ok at this point, limiting his ability as a self-creator. And while he possesses the tools of an elite defender, his body positioning and awareness still have room for improvement. None of this should be surprising given Essengue's youth. He's the second-youngest player in this year's class, only three days older than Cooper Flagg. His production at the professional level at such a young age should be a green flag for front offices. Essengue has been a foul-drawing machine this season, attempting 7.5 free throws per 36 minutes and converting 72.0 percent. The young forward has displayed a soft touch on his drives, shooting 64.2 percent on twos. He's produced at this level offensively despite his raw handle and inconsistent jump shot. Overall, Essengue has the tools to develop into a home-run pick if he's able to round out the less-polished aspects of his game. However, he doesn't currently possess an elite skill outside of his impressive measurables and athleticism. If the Nets are confident in his player archetype and development trajectory, he could be their guy at No. 8. If not, they could opt for a safer pick with an established college star.
