Latest news with #Naismith
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Cooper Flagg claims ESPY for Best College Athlete after electrifying season with Duke Blue Devils
Cooper Flagg. Image via: Getty Images Cooper Flagg's remarkable rise in the basketball world continued on Tuesday night as the former Duke Blue Devils phenom and current Dallas Mavericks rookie was named Best College Athlete at the 2025 ESPY Awards. The 18-year-old's dominance in his freshman year has been hard to ignore. He is breaking records, winning major awards, and proving himself as one of the most electrifying young players in the sport. His ESPY win is yet another acknowledgment of a season that left college basketball in awe. Cooper Flagg secured ESPY for Best College Athlete Cooper Flagg was named the Best College Athlete at the 2025 ESPYs, edging past Oklahoma State wrestler Wyatt Hendrickson, Cornell lacrosse standout CJ Kirst, and Colorado football and Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter. The win made Flagg one of the youngest players ever to claim the award. — Mavs_FFL (@Mavs_FFL) The 6-foot-9 forward had already set the bar high before arriving at Duke, and somehow exceeded expectations. His ESPY win came on the heels of being selected No. 1 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks— the youngest top pick since LeBron James in 2003. Flagg was also nominated for Best Breakthrough Athlete at the same event, placing him in elite company alongside lacrosse star Chloe Humphrey, rugby's Ilona Maher, and MLB pitcher Paul Skenes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Other notable awards won by Cooper Flagg The ESPY adds to what's been a historic haul of accolades for Flagg. In April, he was named the Naismith Men's College Player of the Year, becoming just the fourth freshman ever to win the award. Flagg also earned AP National Player of the Year, winning 41 of 61 first-place votes and besting Broome once again in what became a two-man race for the honor. He later secured the John R. Wooden Award, making him Duke's eighth winner. In addition, Flagg collected the Julius Erving Award for the nation's top small forward and was named a First-Team All-American, solidifying his status as college basketball's most complete player. Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg's Summer League status Flagg's leap to the NBA hasn't come without a few early lessons. His NBA Summer League debut was rocky, shooting just 5-of-21 against Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers. But he bounced back in emphatic fashion with a 31-point performance against San Antonio Spurs rookie Dylan Harper on July 12, drawing widespread praise. Now, it appears that Flagg's time in the Summer League is done. He did not suit up for the Mavericks' July 14 game against the Charlotte Hornets and is unlikely to return before preseason begins this fall. Also Read: Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark wins ESPY for Best WNBA Player Through two Summer League outings, Flagg averaged 20.5 points, 5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and shot 35.7% from the field and 21.4% from three. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WNBA power rankings: 'Tenacity' on defense key for Indiana Fever squad looking to rise with Caitlin Clark back in the fold
The first professional clash of Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers lived up to the hype. But it was more of an enticing lead-in to what the future head-to-head competitions hold for these two Naismith winners, rather than a close contest of counterpunches. For as much fun as it is to watch them individually, their teams aren't at the same level to make this an equal matchup. The main differentiator between the two was as clear after the Indiana Fever's runaway 19-point victory as it was before the point guards took the court. Advertisement Clark is aided by a front office that invested heavily following back-to-back No. 1 draft picks in 2023 and 2024. Bueckers is the foundational piece in a field of building blocks the Dallas Wings organization hasn't pieced together yet. Closing in on the All-Star break, the Wings (6-16) are five games back of a playoff spot. The Fever (11-10), while inconsistent, are still capable of breaking into the top four. If they're to do that, they need more of what they saw from Clark on Sunday, which was more than just the points, 3s and even assists with which she dazzles fans. The data: Five steals, matching a career-high. (Most came off Bueckers, who tied a career high with four turnovers.) One block, tying 6-foot-5 center Aliyah Boston's game total. Seven deflections, according to head coach Stephanie White. After the 102-83 win on Sunday that closed a 2-0 homestand, White praised Clark's defensive vision and ability to stay disciplined with hands in the passing lane to tip and steal, rather than bite on a defender and need help. Advertisement 'That's what it's going to take from her consistently,' White said. 'She's got to be able to bring the offense and the defense on the other end of the floor. And she's continued to grow in that area throughout the course of the season. And for us to accomplish the things that we want to accomplish, she's got to take more pride in that.' White came from coaching an elite Connecticut Sun defense ranked first in scoring and top-three in steals. Defense was how they won games. In Indiana, it's more than limiting the opponent's output. It has to be an offensive strategy, and a winning one that led to a Fever feast on the Wings. 'For us to play in transition, we've got to lock in on the defensive end,' White said. That fast-paced offense in which Clark thrives needs a starting point. It's typically defensive rebounds, tipped passes and steals. Because, for as much as Clark is known for her logo 3s, she's exquisite at 50-foot-plus passes on a dime: And this: One more look (seriously, this touchdown pass over the outstretched hand of Myisha Hines-Allen is absurd): Clark hasn't quite broken out of a shooting slump that's hampered her second WNBA season, a potential result of injuries (hamstring, quad) that also limited her availability. She hasn't cracked two 3s in a game since June 17 against Connecticut, and only eclipsed 30% shooting from range once in that span. Advertisement 'I feel like I'm a couple shots away from having a really good game,' Clark said. The beauty of her talent, and that of those around her, is that she doesn't always need them to fall. The Fever scored the most points in a first half (64) of any team this season for a 22-point halftime lead. As Clark looked down the box score after the game, she noted the balance in shot attempts by the entire team. Kelsey Mitchell had 12 (made eight), Boston 11 (made seven). Natasha Howard and Makayla Timpson had nine each. Six players scored by the end of the first quarter. They had seven assists on 11 baskets, leading to 30 total assists on 40 made baskets. Clark dished a season-high 13 assists in her fifth double-double. It was her 17th career 10-assist outing. The 17 point-assist double-doubles are tied for fifth all-time. Courtney Vandersloot (62), Sue Bird (28), Alyssa Thomas (28), Ticha Penicheiro (18) and Natasha Cloud (17) have all played at least 300 games. Advertisement In Indiana's best performances, Clark's defense shone. She had four blocks and two steals in the season-opening crushing of Chicago. In a June win over New York, she had one steal and two blocks. Weeks prior, she had zeros (as well as 10 turnovers, which is another matter entirely. Clark tied her season-low two against Dallas on Sunday.) The win over Seattle featured a previous-high three steals. 'I can be a really good defender when I choose to and when I work really hard on it, and not conserve energy,' Clark said. '[I'm] proud of myself in that regard. I think that probably motivates our offense. When I bring a tenacity on the defensive end, I think it really helps our offense go.' Indiana isn't going to, nor should it, be a defensive juggernaut in line with White's Sun squads. It merely needs to do enough to jump-start the type of offensive plays that can demoralize opponents. Yahoo Sports performer of the week: Alyssa Thomas, Mercury No Kah or Satou, no problem for Alyssa Thomas. Advertisement The point-forward scored 29 points with 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals to lead Phoenix over the league-best Minnesota Lynx despite being without Kahleah Copper and Satou Sabally. The Mercury have quietly made their claim as one of the WNBA's best while dealing with various injuries and absences. Thomas, known as 'The Engine,' has kept them going as one of the league's best facilitators and reliable scorers. She averaged 23 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists this week, including a one-point win over Golden State. Game Night of the week Wednesday, the final day of play before All-Star weekend, is a doozy. Advertisement Mercury at Lynx (1 p.m. ET, League Pass): The surging Mercury face the formerly dominant Lynx again in another camp day game between the two powerhouses. Phoenix is coming off an eight-point victory despite playing without two of its three stars (or maybe it's now four?) It's the final of four matchups and could be needed for a tiebreaker at season's end. The Lynx lead, 2-1. Fever at Liberty (7:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network): The Fever make their first of two visits in seven days to New York's Barclays Center in what should be a raucous, sold-out environment. They split the first two in Indiana, and these games could also play into tiebreakers. Also on Wednesday: Dream at Sky (12 p.m.), Valkyries at Storm (3 p.m.), Aces at Wings (8 p.m.) WNBA power rankings (Hassan Ahmad/Yahoo Sports illustration) Yahoo Sports power poll 1. Phoenix Mercury (15-6) 2. New York Liberty (14-6) 3. Minnesota Lynx (19-4) 4. Golden State Valkyries (10-11) 5. Indiana Fever (11-10) 6. Atlanta Dream (12-9) 7. Seattle Storm (13-9) 8. Washington Mystics (11-10) 9. Las Vegas Aces (10-11) 10. Chicago Sky (7-14) 11. Dallas Wings (6-16) 12. Los Angeles Sparks (7-14) 13. Connecticut Sun (3-18)
The Herald Scotland
09-07-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Steven Naismith makes investment in sports science
Naismith has invested a six-figure sum in ScribePro, a medical app currently used by 11 national associations across football, rugby, and cricket, including the Scottish Football Association and Scottish Rugby Union. It was founded by Jonny Gordon, a consultant in emergency medicine and Scotland Men's A team doctor, and David Lowe, an academic consultant in emergency medicine and co-director of EmQuire Research. Read More: The duo teamed up with healthcare specialists to establish the company after identifying the need to modernise the paper-based systems used for team-managed sports. Naismith will also be an ambassador for the platform, introducing it to clubs and national associations as well as consulting on its future development. Naismith said: 'I've had a good relationship with Jonny for a long time, working with him right through youth and senior levels with the Scotland team and then into management and coaching. The demand on players has never been greater and the margins of winning are finer than they have ever been, which only makes products like ScribePro more important. 'Technology like this can make things better for everyone involved in sport. From my experience as a player – when I had some injury problems myself – I know the process of sharing or even accessing fitness and injury data could be clunky, to say the least. And I'm looking forward to helping develop the platform further, supporting the decisions managers make with players and working with clinicians on recovery programmes and availability. 'More players are beginning to understand they have a short career and, while they might make good money, they retire and still have half their lives ahead of them. In the age of social media there are so many opportunities for players to get involved with, but it's important they get involved with something they believe in.
Time of India
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'Cooper Flagg is a white guy' — Peter Rosenberg's ESPN remark sparks debate over race and rising NBA stars
Cooper Flagg made headlines the moment he was selected first overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 NBA Draft. Standing at 6'8" and coming off a dominant season at Duke, his talent is undeniable. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But it wasn't just his skills that caught attention. An ESPN commentator's remark 'Cooper Flagg is a white guy' quickly turned the spotlight toward something bigger than basketball: a renewed discussion around race in sports. Cooper Flagg becomes the first American born white No 1 NBA pick since Kent Benson in 1977 Cooper Flagg was picked first overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 NBA Draft. This made him the first American-born white player to be drafted No. 1 since Kent Benson back in 1977. During his 37 games at Duke, Flagg put up impressive stats with an average of 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals and blocks per game, shooting 48% overall and 38.5% from beyond the arc. He also racked up several prestigious awards, including the Wooden Award, Naismith, Oscar Robertson, and ACC Player of the Year. On ESPN's First Take June 27, syndicated host Peter Rosenberg declared — 'Cooper Flagg is a white guy, maybe the best white American prospect since Larry Bird. Let's not act as if we don't live in America and we're not seeing what's happening with Caitlin Clark in the WNBA... if he's nearly as good as people expect... no one's going to be more intriguing or get more eyeballs than what Cooper Flagg's doing in Dallas..'. He tied this observation to Caitlin Clark's swift rise, suggesting that race is a major factor in media intrigue. According to Rosenberg, if Flagg meets the expectations, the racial narrative could elevate him to a "cultural phenomenon" and pull in a huge audience. Still, some critics have taken issue with this viewpoint, calling it simplistic—or perhaps even racially charged. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Many contend that Flagg's acclaim is due to his exceptional play on the court, not just his ethnicity. One comment on The Shadow League put it very straightforwardly — 'Caitlin Clark is popular because she's a historically great player, not because she's white, and the same is true for Cooper Flagg'. Also Read: This conversation mirrors the situation with Clark. Last year, Rosenberg sparked debate by dubbing her the "face of white fragility," accusing the media of having a bias in racial storytelling. Additionally, Flagg's entry comes as the Mavericks part ways with Luka Doncic and seek to redefine their identity nationally—and racially—as a new American star emerges.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
HBCU basketball pioneers honored during 2025 NBA Draft
The post HBCU basketball pioneers honored during 2025 NBA Draft appeared first on ClutchPoints. While no HBCU players were drafted this year, the NBA paid tribute to three basketball pioneers on Wednesday evening. Chuck Cooper, Earl Lloyd, and Nat 'Sweetwater' Clifton, the first Black players drafted into and to play in the NBA, were posthumously celebrated for their courage and unwavering contributions to the integration and advancement of basketball. Advertisement NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was joined onstage by the sons of Cooper, Lloyd, and Clifton, as well as Naismith Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson and four-time NBA champion Andre Iguodala. 'Chuck Cooper, Earl Lloyd, Nat 'Sweetwater' Clifton, three NBA pioneers, the league's first black players who 75 years ago made history,' said Silver during his remarks honoring the historic trio. 'As we continue to welcome the next generation of players into the league tonight, we also celebrate the accomplishments of the legends who came before them.' Silver continued, 'Your fathers hold a special place in the creation of the modern NBA. They were courageous, they showed resolve, and they represent a thread that continues today: the power of sports to bring people together. We are honored to recognize their lasting contributions to the game.' Chuck Cooper holds the distinction of being first Black player to be drafted into the NBA. He made history in 1950 when selected 13th overall by the Boston Celtics. A standout player at West Virginia State before transferring to Duquesne, Cooper served in World War II before embarking on his professional basketball career. Over six seasons, he played for the Celtics, Hawks, and Pistons, finishing with averages of 6.7 points and 5.9 rebounds while paving the way for diverse generations of athletes. Advertisement Earl Lloyd, an alumnus of West Virginia State, achieved another milestone by becoming the first Black player to play in an NBA game for the Washington Capitols in 1950. Known for his formidable presence on the court, Lloyd also led his college team to consecutive CIAA championships in 1948 and 1949. Over his nine-year NBA career, Lloyd posted averages of 8.4 points and 6.4 rebounds and later became a coach and scout. Nat Clifton was the second Black player to sign an NBA contract, joining the New York Knicks. An alumnus of Xavier University of Louisiana, Clifton brought both skill and showmanship to the court after stints with the Harlem Globetrotters and New York Renaissance. Over eight NBA seasons, Clifton averaged 10.0 points and 8.2 rebounds and remains an enduring figure in basketball history. Related: 'Love Island' Recap: Why my HBCU sister Olandria has me confused Related: Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Thomas Sorber has HBCU ties
