Latest news with #NCAAMen'sBasketballTournament
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Duke, Jon Scheyer Won't Be Thrilled With Latest 2025-26 Ranking
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. The 2024-25 college basketball season was a good one for Jon Scheyer and the Duke Blue Devils. Led by Cooper Flagg, Duke was able to make an impressive run all the way to the Final Four. Unfortunately, in that Final Four appearance, the Blue Devils blew a lead late in the game against the Houston Cougars and were eliminated from national championship contention. It was a disappointing finish to an extremely good year. Looking ahead to the 2025-26 season, Scheyer and company have a lot of work to do. Head coach Jon Scheyer of the Duke Blue Devils reacts to a call against the Tennessee Volunteers in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Amway Center on March 18, 2023 in... Head coach Jon Scheyer of the Duke Blue Devils reacts to a call against the Tennessee Volunteers in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Amway Center on March 18, 2023 in Orlando, Florida. More Photo byAs expected, Flagg decided to leave Duke to enter the 2025 NBA Draft. He is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, which would currently place him as the newest member of the Dallas Mavericks. Read more: Duke, Jon Scheyer Suffer Another Major Setback Due to NBA Draft Flagg was not the only key player to enter the draft. Kon Knueppel, who was also a five-star freshman for the Blue Devils, also left the program for the draft. Other Duke players who are leaving for the NBA are Khaman Maluach, Cedric Coward, Tyrese Proctor, and Sion James are also draft prospects. While Coward did not play for the Blue Devils last season, he was a huge transfer addition this offseason who would have helped replace Flagg and Knueppel. CBS Sports analyst Gary Parrish has released new early rankings for the 2025-26 season. When it came to Duke, the team was ranked just No. 9 in the nation. That isn't a bad ranking by any stretch, but it's not where the Blue Devils would like to be. "This ranking is based on the Blue Devils returning three of the top nine scorers -- specifically Isaiah Evans, Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba -- from a team that finished 35-4 and advanced to the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament," Parrish wrote. "That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by Rice transfer Ifeanyi Ufochukwu, five-star freshman Cameron Boozer, four-star freshmen Nikolas Khamenia, Cayden Boozer and Sebastian Wilkins and international prospect Dame Sarr." Read more: Tom Izzo, Michigan State Receive Head-Turning 2025-26 Prediction Scheyer did an excellent job with what he had to work with this offseason. He has a great freshman class coming in and was able to secure some talent in the transfer portal as well. No one knows what to expect from the new version of Duke basketball, but the talent is there for the Blue Devils to win at a high level once again. For more college basketball news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Duke, Jon Scheyer Suffer Another Major Setback Due to NBA Draft
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. Jon Scheyer and the Duke Blue Devils were one of the four best teams in the nation during the 2024-25 college basketball season. However, there have been major changes to the roster this offseason due to the 2025 NBA Draft. Last season, Duke had a lot of NBA talent. That talent led them to such a successful season, but is also leading to players leaving to play professionally. Of course, Cooper Flagg has entered the draft and is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick. He was the main headline name for the Blue Devils last season. Kon Knueppel, another massive part of the success the team had, has also entered the draft. Head coach Jon Scheyer of the Duke Blue Devils reacts against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half in the East Regional Elite Eight round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Prudential Center... Head coach Jon Scheyer of the Duke Blue Devils reacts against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half in the East Regional Elite Eight round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Prudential Center on March 29, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. More PhotoThose two players are not the only losses that Duke suffered. Read more: Tom Izzo, Michigan State Receive Head-Turning 2025-26 Prediction Along with Flagg and Knueppel, the Blue Devils are also losing Khaman Maluach, Tyrese Proctor, and Sion James are also expected to be drafted. Another players has officially decided to leave the Duke program to stay in the draft. Cedric Coward was a big-time get for Scheyer in the NCAA transfer portal. He was expected to be a big part of helping replace Flagg and Knueppel. Unfortunately, Coward has decided to remain in the draft and will not play with the Blue Devils after all. "This is the best opportunity for me to achieve part of my dream, which is making the NBA," Coward said. "Everything is pointing in the right direction right now to follow that." Last season in six games with Washington State, Coward averaged 17.7 points, seven rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game. There is no doubt that he would have been a major impact player for Duke in the 2025-26 season. Read more: Duke, Jon Scheyer Boasted Head-Turning Player GPA Coward also spoke out and provided more inside information about how he feels about his chance in the upcoming draft. "I see myself as a draft pick," Coward said. "I'm looking for a team that wants to take a chance on me. I've gotten really positive feedback. A lot of teams have been coy, not showing exactly how they feel. It doesn't matter if it's a guarantee or not, there's still work ahead of me. There are only 59 picks. If I am fortunate to be one of those 59, it's all a blessing. If I am 1 or 59, it doesn't really matter. There's always work to be done. It doesn't matter what spot. It's more about what team will give me the opportunity to show what I can do on the court." While this is a very unfortunate loss for the Blue Devils and Scheyer, Coward seems likely to be drafted and to make his dream of playing in the NBA become a reality. For more college basketball news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Fox Sports
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Former Kansas, Michigan star Hunter Dickinson jokes about age in LinkedIn ad
It has finally happened: College basketball star Hunter Dickinson has graduated from school. The Kansas Jayhawks and former Michigan Wolverines big man graduated from Kansas with a master's degree in sports management last weekend. Dickinson, 24, ended up getting seven years of eligibility throughout his career, leading to jokes that he'd play college basketball indefinitely. And the accomplished big man has embraced those jokes, with him poking fun at himself in an ad where he creates a LinkedIn account for his post-playing career. Dickinson, a three-time All-Big Ten honoree and two-time All-Big 12 honoree, was a two-time All-American and one of the best big men in the sport over the past five years. Across his three seasons at Michigan (2020-21 season to 2022-23 season), Dickinson averaged 17.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, while shooting 57.0/36.0/75.3. Then, he transferred to Kansas, which is where Dickinson spent the past two seasons (2023-24 and 2024-25). Across those two seasons, he averaged 17.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, while shooting 53.7/31.7/69.0. Last season, Kansas went 21-13 and claimed a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament before being eliminated by No. 10 seed Arkansas in the first round. If anybody is looking for a 7-foot-2 former college basketball star with a jumper, Dickinson is your guy. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Basketball Hunter Dickinson recommended Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Newsweek
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Cooper Flagg Names Best Player in the NBA Without Hesitation
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. Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg is about to make his jump into the NBA. After over a year of being expected to be the No. 1 overall pick, he now knows where he will likely be headed. In the 2025 NBA draft lottery, the Dallas Mavericks won the top selection despite having a 1.8 percent chance of winning. Nico Harrison and company were given a huge gift after trading away generational superstar Luka Doncic ahead of the trade deadline. Looking ahead to the future, Flagg is expected to have the potential to be a generational star himself. He live up to all the hype during his freshman season with Duke and is ready to make a huge impact on the Mavericks, assuming they do select him at No. 1. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - APRIL 05: Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts during the first half in the Final Four game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Houston Cougars at... SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - APRIL 05: Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts during the first half in the Final Four game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Houston Cougars at the Alamodome on April 05, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. MoreRecently, Flagg was asked his opinion about who the best player in the NBA currently is and he didn't hesitate. He believes that Denver Nuggets superstar big man Nikola Jokic deserves that title. Read more: LeBron James Provides Update on Lakers' Future, Retirement As shared by ClutchPoints on X, Flagg dropped a blunt statement about why he thinks Jokic is the best player in the league. "Best player in the NBA right now, Joker. He just does so much like he impacts winning in so many different ways," Flagg said. "Who's the best player in the NBA right now?" Walter Clayton Jr.: "[Nikola] Jokic." Cooper Flagg: "Joker." Tahaad Pettiford: "James Harden." Ace Bailey: "To be realistic it's Jokic, to me I'm gonna say Kevin Durant." (via @BleacherReport/ TT) — ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 15, 2025 Flagg is not alone with his opinion. Jokic is viewed as the best player in the NBA by many different players, fans, and analysts. His numbers have been astronomical. Jokic has won three NBA MVP awards. He won his first back in the 2020-21 season, his second in the 2021-22 season, and his third in the 2023-24 season. Once again this year, he's one of the two favorites for the coveted award. Read more: Steph Curry Offers Curious Comment After Warriors Playoff Exit Throughout the course of the 2024-25 NBA season with the Nuggets, Jokic played in 70 games. He averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game, while shooting 57.6 percent from the floor and 41.7 percent from three-point range. During his freshman season at Duke, Flagg put up impressive numbers as well. He averaged 19.2 points per game to go along with 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.4 steals in 37 games. Perhaps one day soon Flagg's name will be involved in the debate for best player in the NBA. For now, he's simply focused on earning the honor of being the No. 1 pick and helping get Dallas back to being an NBA Finals contender. For more NBA news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Mavericks Could Shock the NBA, Trade Top Pick in NBA Draft
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. The Dallas Mavericks were awarded the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery in the second-most surprising Mavericks-related storyline this season. Read more: Mavericks Shockingly Win No. 1 Overall Pick in 2025 NBA Draft as GM Nico Harrison Gets Big Break The first, of course, was the Mavericks trading then-25-year-old superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the trade deadline in one of the most surprising deals in NBA history. The Mavericks felt that Doncic didn't give them the best chance to win a title — despite the fact that they made the NBA Finals just a year ago — constantly repeating the phrase "defense wins championships" as the explanation for the deal. Well, the Mavericks officially got their gift, as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft means an opportunity to select Duke star forward Cooper Flagg, who many believe to be a generational talent. But what if they didn't go that route? SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - APRIL 05: Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts during the first half in the Final Four game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Houston Cougars at... SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - APRIL 05: Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts during the first half in the Final Four game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Houston Cougars at the Alamodome on April 05, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. MoreThe Mavericks are clearly in a win-now timeline, with Anthony Davis (32) and Kyrie Irving (33) leading the charge. While Flagg would give them a player to win both now and in the future, the Mavericks could also dangle the top pick in trade talks to land just about any player they want. More news: Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes Reacts to Mavericks Winning Cooper Flagg Sweepstakes Coincidentally enough, news dropped Monday morning out of Milwaukee, as ESPN's Shams Charania reported two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is open to exploring other teams to play for this offseason. "The two-time NBA MVP has not made any firm decisions on his Bucks future after the franchise's third consecutive postseason exit in the first round, but, for the first time in his career, Antetokounmpo is open-minded about exploring whether his best long-term fit is remaining in Milwaukee or playing elsewhere, league sources told ESPN," Charania wrote. While plenty of teams could make a compelling package to Milwaukee, it's hard to imagine anything being more enticing than adding Flagg, the 19-year-old coming off a season in which he won the AP Player of the Year award, the Naismith Award and the Wooden Award at Duke. A package centered around Flagg and contracts to make the money work would almost certainly get Milwaukee's attention. On the flip side, Dallas would yet again be trading a young superstar to get one of the best bigs (and defenders) in the league. Antetokounmpo, a nine-time All-Star, five time All-Defensive Teamer and the 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year certainly fits the type of player Harrison and the Mavericks have said they coveted. Could another shocking trade be in their future after some lottery luck on Monday? More news: LeBron James Noncommittal on Playing Future Following Shocking Lakers Playoff Exit For more NBA news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
