Latest news with #Givony
New York Post
7 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
NBA draft guru Jonathan Givony leaving ESPN, rebuffs offer to stay in stunner
ESPN is losing more talent. NBA Draft guru Jonathan Givony announced Thursday on social media he was leaving the Worldwide Leader in sports after eight years with the company. Givony explained that he and the company did not see eye-to-eye on his value within ESPN. Advertisement 'My time at ESPN has come to an end. Thanks to everyone, past and present, who helped me grow professionally the past 8 years,' Givony posted to X. Jonathan Givony is leaving ESPN after eight years. NBAE via Getty Images 'Although ESPN offered an extension, we were unable to find alignment on my value to the company. I will continue to analyze the NBA Draft, college, high school, and international basketball, as I have the past 20+ years, at the company I founded, DraftExpress, alongside a fantastic team. See you at the U18 European Championship in Belgrade this weekend!' Advertisement Givony founded Draft Express in 2003 and joined ESPN in 2017. He previously contributed to Grantland, and Sports Illustrated, in addition to his ESPN work. Givony recently reported on Ace Bailey's bizarre NBA Draft slide, where he refused to work out for the 76ers, who were selecting No. 3 overall in this year's draft. Advertisement Bailey ultimately fell to the Utah Jazz with the fifth pick. Givony is an NBA Draft and scouting guru who started scouting service 'Draft Express' in 2003. NBAE via Getty Images The plugged-in draft expert will now ramp up his NBA draft scouting service, and his exit comes while ESPN has undergone a broader shift away from true reporting and analysis and instead focusing on brash personalities with hot takes. Stephen A. Smith recived a $100 million contract with ESPN, Pat McAfee is a major voice for the network and the company even used comedian Shane Gillis for the recent ESPYs.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
76ers rumors: ESPN labels ‘leader in the clubhouse' for No. 3 pick in new mock draft
The post 76ers rumors: ESPN labels 'leader in the clubhouse' for No. 3 pick in new mock draft appeared first on ClutchPoints. With the Philadelphia 76ers having the third overall pick in the NBA Draft, there have been many discussions wondering who will eventually be the selection come June 25. While there seems to be options as the prime candidate for the 76ers, the latest ESPN Mock Draft gives its pick and speaks on the ongoing debate between the two players. Advertisement After Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper, who seem likely to be the first two picks to the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs, though anything can change, it's usually been Ace Bailey getting the nod at three. The narrative has changed with Baylor's VJ Edgecomb, who has reportedly made a 'strong impression in a private workout,' did well in meetings, and is considered to be 'the leader in the clubhouse' as the third pick, per ESPN's Jonathan Givony. 'Edgecombe takes over this spot from Ace Bailey in ESPN's mock draft after a positive visit to Philadelphia, where sources say he made a strong impression in a private workout as well as in meetings with the front office and ownership,' Givony wrote. 'He appears to be 'the leader in the clubhouse' currently, with Bailey losing momentum after refusing to visit, initially unsatisfied with his search for a proven pathway to development. However, Bailey is scheduled to work out in Philadelphia at the end of this week, and we'll see if he's able to sway the tides in his favor.' 76ers looking at VJ Edgecombe out of Baylor Chris Jones-Imagn Images Though there have been some rumblings with the 76ers moving up to the No. 2 pick, the options at No. 3 are no doubt a difficult one, since both are highly talented players. However, Givony reports that the feedback about Bailey was 'not all that positive' coming out of the NBA Combine, leading to the debate with Edgecombe, as has also been reported by ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel and Jake Fischer. Advertisement 'Surrounding the hyper-explosive Edgecombe with prolific 3-point shooters such as Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, Quentin Grimes, and Paul George could add another dimension to the Sixers' offense,' Givony wrote. 'Especially if the team buys into the development of his passing ability long-term.' 'Should Edgecombe not be selected here, most teams expect him to be drafted one pick later by Charlotte at No. 4,' Givony continued. 'But he has also worked out in front of Washington in the predraft process, an indication there might be some trade scenarios in play with the Wizards moving up, potentially as high as No. 3.' It remains to be seen what Philadelphia decides to do at No. 3 on June 25 when the NBA Draft begins, but all in all, the team is looking to improve after finishing with a 24-58 record, which put them 13th in the Eastern Conference. Related: Jared McCain responds to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being called 'free throw merchant' Related: Jared McCain's honest reaction to Thunder-Pacers NBA Finals
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Report: BYU's Egor Demin invited to green room at NBA draft
Former BYU guard Egor Demin was one of 13 NBA draft hopefuls who received a green-room invite for this year's event, ESPN's Jonathan Givony reported Tuesday afternoon. Along with Demin, the other 12 invitees include Duke's Cooper Flagg, the projected top overall draft pick, as well as Rutgers' Ace Bailey, Arizona's Carter Bryant, Baylor's VJ Edgecombe, Oklahoma's Jeremiah Fears, Rutgers' Dylan Harper, Illinois' Kasparas Jakucionis, Texas' Tre Johnson, Duke's Kon Knueppel, Duke's Khaman Maluach, Georgia's Asa Newell and Maryland's Derik Queen. Another 11 green-room invites will also be extended, according to Givony, before the draft. This year's NBA draft is taking place June 25 and 26 at the Barclays Center in New York City. The first round will begin at 6 p.m. MDT on June 25 and be televised on ESPN. The green room at the NBA draft is an area in front of the podium where players, their families and agents follow the draft's proceedings. Typically, an invite to the green room is viewed as a positive sign that a prospect is likely to be taken in the first round. It's not a guarantee, though. Last year, Johnny Furphy and Kyle Filipowski were included among the first 20 invites, but they both fell to the second round. Filipowski was drafted by the Utah Jazz with the 32nd overall pick. 'The process of deciding whom to invite to the NBA draft involves communication with the presidents or general managers of teams that pick throughout the first round,' Givony wrote. 'Teams are asked to vote on the top 25 players they expect to hear their names called first. This is to ensure players aren't sitting for very long before a national television audience.' Demin, a native of Russia, played one season at BYU before declaring for the NBA draft. The 19-year-old point guard, who is viewed as a potential draft lottery pick, averaged 10.6 points, 5.5 assists and 3.9 rebounds during his lone season playing for the Cougars. He helped BYU reach the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2011. One of his primary weaknesses heading into draft preparations was Demin's shooting — he shot 41.6% from the floor at BYU, as well as 27.3% from 3-point range. Demin showed improvement in that area at the NBA combine. The last time BYU had a player selected in the NBA draft was in 2011, when guard Jimmer Fredette was taken by Milwaukee Bucks with the 10th overall pick in the first round and shipped to the Sacramento Kings in a draft-day trade.
USA Today
30-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jase Richardson listed as top 20 prospect in ESPN's latest NBA Draft 'Big Board'
Jase Richardson listed as top 20 prospect in ESPN's latest NBA Draft 'Big Board' Jase Richardson is officially off to the NBA with the draft withdraw date passing earlier this week -- so how does he stack up compared to the rest of the NBA Draft class? ESPN NBA Draft expert Jonathan Givony has an answer for that with the draft only a few weeks away. Givony released an updated NBA Draft "Big Board" of the top 100 prospects, with Richardson landing near the top of the list. Givony ranks Richardson as the No. 20 overall prospect in the NBA Draft, which aligns with where he's been typically landing in mock drafts. Here's what Givony had to say about Richardson: "Size and outlier physical tools typically rise in the predraft process, which might push Richardson down the board after measuring under 6-2 in shoes, 178 pounds with a 6-6 wingspan at the NBA predraft camp. Richardson would be somewhat undersized for an NBA point guard, but played more of a combo guard role for Michigan State, even if his performance the past two months of the season showed his potential when thrust into a more significant shot-creation role. His pace, skill level, feel for the game and shot-making prowess give him an outstanding framework to build on, especially with the defensive intensity and selfless style he brings. With several guards expected to come off the board in the second half of the first round, and perhaps a limited appetite among teams to absorb all of them, there will be considerable jockeying in this part of the draft as prospects look to position themselves through private team workouts." Richardson starred for the Spartans in his lone season in college, averaging 12.1 points per game and shooting better than 40% from 3-point range. The first half of the season he primarily came off the bench as a key reserve, but he was inserted into the starting lineup for the final two months and quickly became the Spartans' top player en route to a Big Ten championship and Elite Eight run in the NCAA Tournament. The NBA Draft will be held on June 25-26, with the first round on the first day and the second round on the second day. The NBA Draft will be televised on ABC and ESPN. Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Is Ace Bailey 'most likely to bust' among the top-5 picks in the NBA Draft?
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.) The Philadelphia 76ers own the No. 3 pick in the NBA Draft after lottery luck, but what to do with it has already sparked a heated debate among the fan base. The name at the center of it? Ace Bailey, the 6-foot-9 athletic marvel with tantalizing upside but uneven production at Rutgers. Kevin O'Connor didn't mince words on the latest episode of "The Kevin O'Connor Show" with ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony, suggesting Bailey is 'most likely to bust of the top five guys.' But Givony shot down the skepticism. 'Absolutely not. I love Ace Bailey,' Givony said, even after acknowledging valid questions about Bailey's track record. Givony stressed Bailey's maturity, competitiveness and game-changing potential: 'He's 18 years old, doesn't turn 19 until August. … I firmly believe Ace Bailey is going to be a star in the NBA.' Bailey's case feels eerily similar to past draft debates — upside versus college-winner credentials. Detractors say, 'He couldn't help Rutgers win, how is he going to help win games in the NBA?' But Givony has spent time at Rutgers, at Team USA camps and describes a player and person who checks all the right boxes for long-term success. The Sixers' current options at No. 3 aren't jaw-dropping, as both host and guest agree. 'VJ Edgecombe? How does that make sense with [Tyrese] Maxey and [Jared] McCain?' asks Givony. For a team that's always looking for the next Joel Embiid running mate, Givony urges Bailey: 'I'm 100% drafting him third.' To hear the full discussion, tune into "The Kevin O'Connor Show" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
