Latest news with #McDonald'sAll-AmericanGame
Axios
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Axios
Meet the Indiana Fever: Brianna Turner
The Indiana Fever's regular season starts Saturday, so let's catch up with an offseason pickup who already understands the passion of Hoosier hoops fans. 🏀 #11 Brianna Turner: Forward-Center Turner is a University of Notre Dame grad who was part of the 2018 NCAA National Championship team. She also played for a national title as a freshman in 2015. She holds Notre Dame records for most blocks (372) and rebounds (1,048). She was drafted 11th overall by the Atlanta Dream in 2019 and traded to the Phoenix Mercury before the start of her rookie season. She was named to the WNBA's All-Defensive Team in 2020 and 2021. Fun fact: The Pearland, Texas native was named MVP of the 2014 McDonald's All-American Game as a high school senior. What she's saying: "I feel like every single element for me … Indy checked off the boxes," Turner said on her decision to join the Fever.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
USC commit Alijah Arenas, son of former NBA All-Star Gilbert, out of medically-induced coma and recovering after car crash
Alijah Arenas, a five-star USC commit and son of former Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas, is out of a medically-induced coma and recovering after a car crash early Thursday, according to a family statement, per ESPN's Shams Charania. "In a remarkable and hopeful development, Alijah Arenas has come out of his coma and has shown significant signs of progress within the last 24 hours, the statement read. "In a powerful and emotional moment, Alijah opened his eyes and was able to write on a piece of paper that he remembered the smoke and asked, 'Did anyone get hurt?' "Although he remains intubated, this progress marks a critical step forward in his recovery. His mother, Laura Govan, father Gilbert Arenas, siblings and family have been by his side every step of the way, holding onto faith and drawing strength from the prayers and love pouring in from around the world." Update: Alijah Arenas is now out of his induced coma and making progress in recovery while being intubated following a car crash Thursday. Statement from the family: — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 25, 2025 According to multiple reports, Alijah Arenas was in a Tesla Cybertruck early Thursday morning when the vehicle hit a fire hydrant before slamming into a tree, per the Los Angeles Times. The accident was caused by loss of control of the vehicle, according to the Times. Drugs and alcohol are not suspected, a police source told the Times. Alijah Arenas, a 6-foot-6 guard from Chatsworth High School in suburban Los Angeles, is considered one of the best prospects of the class of 2025. He considered offers from a number of schools, including Kansas and Kentucky, before committing to USC in January. His excellent high school performance earned Arenas a spot in the McDonald's All-American Game in April. Arenas scored 11 points for the West, helping lead the team to a 105-92 victory over the East. Gilbert Arenas was in the stands for the contest, watching Alijah show off his skills. Gilbert Arenas spent 11 seasons in the NBA, most of which came with the Wizards. After being drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft, Arenas turned in a modest rookie season before winning the NBA's Most Improved Player award during his second year in the league. He joined the Wizards as a free agent and saw his career take off. Arenas averaged 25 points and 5.7 assists in eight years in Washington. He was a three-time All-Star and finished eighth in the MVP voting after the 2006-07 season. Following his NBA career, Gilbert Arenas has hosted YouTube shows and podcasts. He started the "Gil's Arena" podcast with Underdog Fantasy Sports in 2023. Thursday's taping of the show was canceled. No reason was given for the decision.
Boston Globe
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Thanks to Rick Brunson and Tom Thibodeau, Salem's perspective on Celtics-Knicks isn't so clear
The coach didn't know if he could get Brunson to join him. Advertisement Tom Thibodeau just wanted to beat him. 'His story is he used to kill me,' Brunson Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up According to comments made by both, those ferocious fights on the blacktop started a partnership that now threatens the playoff life of the Celtics. Brunson, the former NBA journeyman and 'I don't think anyone remembers me as a former player,' mused Brunson, who played for eight NBA teams in nine seasons, including a seven-game stint with the Celtics in 2000 where he wore the same No. 40 that Thibodeau wore at Salem State. 'They remember me as Jalen's Dad.' Advertisement It's different in the Witch City. Glory days Salem High School's Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse looks mostly the same as it did in Brunson's day. It's big, bright, and airy. The court is rubber, not hardwood, and laid double-thick over a cement floor, which is to say there's no give. Players have to work hard for their bounces. 'I'd be there every chance I got,' said Nate Bryant, who refereed some of Brunson's games and retired last April as Salem State's vice president. 'He was an attraction. He was a star in every sense of the word.' In the team lounge last week, Salem High boys' basketball coach Tom Doyle tapped and swiped a video board, taking a visitor 35 years back in time. In grainy footage, edited in sync with WESX-AM local radio broadcasts, Brunson, Doyle, and their teammates are stomping teams. Salem High boys' basketball coach Tom Doyle played high school basketball at Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse with New York Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson when both were students at Salem High. Matt Porter Salem High went 89-8 with Brunson leading the show, with four Northeastern Conference titles. The 1990 team, which beat Gardner for the Division 2 state title at the Worcester Centrum, captured Salem's first crown since 1926. A few years back, Brunson, who then went by Eric, put up 34 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and 8 steals in that junior-year postseason. As a senior, he averaged 33.4 points, 12 boards, 10.2 assists, and 6 steals. He was East MVP of the McDonald's All-American Game, held that year in Springfield. Advertisement He won Globe All-Scholastic Player of the Year both seasons. He finished with a school-record 1,780 points despite missing some 20 games due to injuries. Scoonie Penn – later of Boston College and Ohio State – passed him a few years after. 'He ate, drank, and slept basketball,' Bryant said. 'Nobody outworked him.' Rick Brunson, who went by Eric in high school, made the Globe's All-Scholastic team twice. Boston Globe Archives Doyle tried to. Playing for rival middle schools, they became fast friends after Brunson moved in from Syracuse in the seventh grade. Doyle's father, Peter, was principal at Bates Elementary, in North Salem near the Brunsons' home, and would unlock the door often. 'Morning, noon, or night,' Doyle said. 'He'd spent a lot of the summer there. He would go down three times a day. He certainly had the drive.' In his NBA stints, Brunson lasted a maximum of 97 games with one team (Portland, where he scored a career-high 19 points in 16 minutes) and spent as little as three (Toronto). In that, Doyle said, 'he saw what it took. He came up with a great blueprint for Jalen to succeed, if he wanted to.' The younger, smaller Brunson has his father's fire and a far more lethal skillset. 'I don't even think he's 6-feet tall, but he's so smart. He's two or three steps ahead,' Bryant said. 'Think about it: other than Steph Curry, who can shoot, there's not a lot of players that size who score 20-plus. Just a smart, heady player, and there's no doubt where it comes from.' All-in on basketball Thibodeau scored 26 points per game as a junior in 1979-80, when Salem State made the NCAA Division 3 tournament for the first time. He coached there four seasons after graduating, and was the Vikings' rookie head coach in 1984-85. Advertisement When he arrived from New Britain, Conn., he moved in across the street from the Doyles in South Salem, near campus. He would come over and shoot. When the young coach invited Doyle to his Salem State basketball camp, Doyle's future came into focus. Thibodeau's reputation as a basketball junkie with few other interests has been stated, and possibly exaggerated. 'One of our friends used to say to him: 'Thibs, there are only so many ways you can defend a screen and roll. Come out and have a beer,'' Don Doucette, his college coach, Tom Thibodeau has been the Knicks' coach since 2020. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Bryant, who played for Thibodeau at Salem State, recalled some busy Thursday nights lacking Thibodeau's presence. But as some of his college friends have chuckled over the years, the guy who hardly stopped anyone on 'D' has become a defensive mastermind. 'When guys were out at the watering holes, Thibs was at home with his VHS tapes,' Bryant said. 'Some coaches know someone who knows someone, and they get a break. He didn't know anyone. He wrote letters to coaches and teams. He studied film. He sent them things. 'Nothing was handed to him. I will always appreciate that.' Related : Still connected Walking the Salem High halls the day after 'Not even a thought,' he said, smiling, when asked if the Celtics' pair of blown 20-point leads gave him pause when putting it on. 'It made it better to walk in here today.' Advertisement Doyle keeps an eye on the Knicks' schedule when he charts the Witches' yearly course. Brunson makes at least one seven-hour round trip from New York every year to watch them play, and has guided heaps of players over the years. Salem High boys' basketball coach Tom Doyle was a member of the school's 1990 state championship team that also included New York Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson. Matt Porter He has also contributed, the coach said, when the athletics budget is running dry. 'His give-back,' Doyle said, 'is much more than money.' But like a Salem hardcourt, he doesn't give in. After sophomore The reply came fast: 'Forty-six through three quarters.' Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson (second from right) and his high school teammate Tom Doyle (second from left) were joined by Mike Giardi (left) and Pedro Jimenez at a recent Celtics-Knicks game. Tom Doyle Matt Porter can be reached at
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
No. 1 College Basketball Recruit is Turning Heads With New Post
The top player in the college basketball class of 2025 is getting an early start with the Brigham Young Cougars. After wrapping up a standout high school career at Utah Prep, five-star forward AJ Dybantsa committed to BYU, turning down offers from some of the biggest programs in the nation. Schools like Duke, North Carolina, and Kentucky had expressed serious interest, but Dybantsa chose to take his talents to Provo. Advertisement Dybantsa recently appeared in the McDonald's All-American Game, where his athleticism and court presence further validated his elite status. Standing at 6-foot-9, the versatile forward is already generating buzz ahead of his arrival. His recent visit to BYU's campus was highlighted by a social media post that quickly made the rounds in college basketball circles, sending some major intrigue about what's to come. He'll play under Kevin Young, who has openly stated his vision of transforming BYU into a program that regularly develops NBA talent. Dybantsa could be the first major piece of that puzzle. Utah Prep Academy forward AJ Dybantsa (3).Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images In his first season at the helm, Young led the Cougars to a 26-10 record and a tie for third place in the Big 12 Conference. The season ended in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, where BYU fell to Alabama in a high-scoring affair, 113-88. Advertisement Dybantsa won't be the only new face joining the Cougars next season. Kennard Davis, Rob Wright, and Dominique Diomande have also committed to the program for the 2025–26 campaign. Davis, a 6-foot-6 guard from Saint Louis, Missouri, previously played at Southern Illinois in the Missouri Valley Conference and brings a strong two-way skillset to the roster. Wright transferred from Baylor, where he spent his freshman season under head coach Scott Drew. The 6-foot-1 guard originally came from Montverde Academy. Diomande, a 6-foot-8 forward, spent one season in the Big Ten with the Washington Huskies. He committed to BYU just two days after entering the transfer portal, giving the Cougars another experienced frontcourt option. Advertisement With momentum from a strong tournament run and a promising recruiting class led by Dybantsa, BYU looks poised to take another leap in the 2025–26 season. Related: UNC Commit Sends Clear Message After Joining Hubert Davis Related: Kentucky's Mark Pope Makes Move on Five-Star Recruit
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
AJ Dybantsa admits BYU wasn't top school, blown away by NBA ready program
AJ Dybantsa recently opened up in a recent interview about the unexpected journey that led him to commit to BYU, admitting that the Cougars were not originally on his top list. The star from Utah Prep revealed that it was actually his parents' idea to bring him home, a decision that eventually steered him away from elite programs and towards the unique opportunity presented by BYU. Advertisement Dybantsa shared that after considering his options, he found that the vision laid out by Kevin Young and the BYU coaching staff resonated with him, making the Cougars the only option he could embrace fully. Arriving in Provo just last week, the 6-foot-9 prospect has already made waves in the basketball world. His stunning performances in premier events—the McDonald's All-American Game, Nike Hoop Summit, and the Jordan Brand Classic—has set the tone as the nation's top-rated recruit in this year's class. Despite being courted by traditional powerhouses like North Carolina and Duke, Dybantsa found a deeper connection with BYU's program, recognizing its potential to provide him not only with competitive NBA-style program but also with a supportive environment to grow both on and off the court. Related: BYU Basketball players are turning heads for unexpected choice Dybantsa joins a group of talented teammates, including Robert Wright, Richie Saunders, Keba Keita, and Kennard Davis Jr., and becomes part of what many are calling one of the best starting five in BYU's storied history. His commitment marks a major chapter for the program as it continues to attract top-tier talent. Beyond the hardwood, Dybantsa is eager to establish his personal brand. He recently launched a YouTube channel and is planning to produce content throughout the season. This initiative reflects his desire to connect with fans and provide a behind-the-scenes look at his one-and-done collegiate journey. This also demonstrates that his ambitions extend well beyond his achievements on the court
