In an announcement ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix the team made it clear: Lance Stroll was not going anywhere. While there was every expectation that Stroll would be back for 2025, and the driver himself hinted at a new deal recently, the announcement came Thursday that Stroll would be back for 2025 “and beyond” on a new multi-year extension.
The news means Aston Martin’s lineup for 2025 will be unchanged, given the previous announcement of an extension for Fernando Alonso.
“I’m super happy to have committed to staying with the team for 2025 and beyond,” said Stroll in the announcement. “It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come in the last five years; we’ve grown so much as a team and there’s still so much more to look forward to.”
“We are delighted to confirm Lance’s future with Aston Martin Aramco. He has played a key role in building this team. His technical feedback, alongside his committed simulator work, has helped contribute to the continuous development of the car each season,” added Team Principal Mike Krack.
“The consistency and stability of both Lance and Fernando remaining with our team is a great platform to continue to realise our ambitions. We look forward to creating some more incredible memories and achieving further success together.”
The news comes as Aston Martin is looking to improve their form following a slow start to the 2024 Formula 1 season. While they were the darlings of the paddock as the year began in 2023, providing an early threat to Red Bull, Aston Martin is currently fifth in the Constructors’ Championship standings, 93 points adrift of fourth-place Mercedes.
Fifth is where they finished last season, after their promising start.
The 2024 NBA Draft is hardly the most anticipated in league history, but it’s important to remember that even weak drafts have plenty of good players. Take 2013, for instance: Anthony Bennett was an all-time bust at No. 1 overall, but there was a future two-time league MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo and four-time Defensive Player of the Year in Rudy Gobert taken outside of the lottery.
What makes this draft a fun and challenging evaluation is that there’s no consensus top player available. I’ve seen more than 10 players be listed as No. 1 overall on various boards. We won’t really know how this draft shakes out for at least five years, but that won’t stop us from assigning instant grades for 2024 draft picks as they happen.
These grades will mostly be based on my final top-60 big board for this draft class, but will also consider team fit and value based on consensus mocks. The fireworks have already started in the NBA with the Knicks’ bold trade for Mikal Bridges, the Trail Blazers’ deal for Deni Avdija, and the fascinating pick swap between the Rockets and Nets.
Let’s grade every first round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
1. Atlanta Hawks – Zaccharie Risacher, F, France
Grade: B-
Risacher looks nothing like a typical No. 1 overall pick. He doesn’t create much with the ball in his hands, doesn’t have takeover scoring ability, and isn’t an elite athlete. The main appeal of Risacher is his combination of size and shooting. At 6’9, he knocked down 39 percent of his threes while playing a big role at a young age in the top French pro league. His defense looked good, particularly when smothering smaller guards with his length, but he’ll have to bulk up to be a true wing stopper. Risacher is a high floor pick who can fit into team structure, and there’s value in that in a weak draft. I didn’t view him as one of the top talents available because of his lack of creation ability, but he’s still the type of player ever team wants as the wing complementing their stars.
On Feb. 1, 2024, the two-time Masters champion ruptured his Achilles while playing pickleball and miraculously returned to the PGA Tour Champions three months later. This injury typically takes 12 months to recover, but the 66-year-old German has insisted on returning to competition.
Since his three-month hiatus, Langer has played in five events, recording a pair of top 10s at the Regions Tradition and the Principal Charity Classic, where he finished third. He most recently tied for 21st at the Dick’s Open, but if not for a second-round 3-over 75, he would have fared better.
Yet, Langer, who uses a golf cart to get around, still has lingering issues stemming from the injury. He admitted as such ahead of this week’s U.S. Senior Open at Newport Country Club, where he will defend his title.
“My leg and my ankle are swollen. It’s fatigue. I don’t have the range of motion in my foot,” Langer said.
Bernhard Langer during the 2024 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
“There are various things that aren’t there yet. My balance is not where I want it to be, and my strength. My calf muscle is probably one or two inches smaller than the other leg. I can’t get on my tiptoes. Right foot, I can do that. Just my right foot. I tried it on my left and nothing. I’ve got a ways to go, but I’m happy to be playing golf. The good thing is I can get carts in tournaments because right now, I can’t walk four or five days, 18 holes. It’s impossible. I tried to walk nine holes, and that was a stretch. That’s where we are at the moment—hopefully improving every week.”
No doubt that Langer has seen improvement since his Achilles injury, but he can still compete because of his health, which he takes great pride in.
“You have to be reasonably healthy because if not, you can’t do what you want to do and can’t swing the way you want to swing,” Langer added.
“I was born with a competitive nature, so I have a healthy drive and live a disciplined life, which probably helps. And the willingness to put in the work. I’m 66, and many people say, ‘Why don’t you retire?’ I guess I could, but I love the game of golf, and I love to compete. I’m still good enough to compete and be up there where I can win tournaments. When that changes, when I feel like I’m going to finish in the bottom third of the field every week I compete, then it’s probably time to quit. Hopefully, I will know when that is.”
Langer continues to finish in the upper tier of PGA Tour Champions events, despite many of his competitors being 10-to-15 years younger than him. But he has no plans to slow down, which can be attributed to his healthy lifestyle.
He does not drink alcohol. He does not smoke.
Instead, Langer, like Gary Player has done for years, continues to exercise and stretch every day. He has done so for as long as he can remember.
“The body functions better when we move the body,” Langer explained.
Bernhard Langer hits a chip-shot during the Dick’s Open.Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images
“If we become too sedentary, you’ll pay the price for it sooner or later. I talked to my physical therapist, and he said, ‘If you lay two weeks in the hospital, just two weeks, don’t do anything, guess how much strength you lose? 50 percent.’ I was shocked. That only encourages me to do more, do something every day instead of just lying around for a few days in a row.”
Despite his impressive health regimens, did Langer have concerns about how his body would function after his injury?
Of course, he did.
But two months after his operation, Langer’s surgeon and physical therapist approached him and said, “I think you can try and putt a little bit and chip.”
He then progressed to hitting 50-yard and 100-yard shots. A week or two later, his medical team gave him the green light to try full swings with his driver and irons.
“I hit some wedges, no problem. If I can hit a full wedge, I can hit a full 7-iron. Hit a full 7-iron, no problem. Grabbed the 3-iron, no problem. The next day I grabbed the driver and had no problem swinging the club,” Langer said.
Bernhard Langer at the Principal Charity Classic.Photo by David Berding/Getty Images
“But I was very concerned at the beginning that I would change my swing because of my injury, and I didn’t want to do that. I didn’t want to come back sooner and create a new swing that probably wouldn’t be as good, and then I’d have to spend weeks and months redoing later when I’m better at what I taught myself.”
Langer then brought in his swing coach and went to the driving range.
“I don’t want to change my swing,” Langer said to his coach.
“I want to swing the way I did before, and if my body doesn’t allow me, I’m not going to play.”
Well, Langer and his coach looked at his swing, and it looked perfectly fine.
“That was very encouraging because that meant now I can practice and compete if I can get a golf cart because I couldn’t walk,” Langer added.
“As long as they give me a golf cart, I can actually play in tournaments.”
Not only can he play, but Langer continues to compete with some of the best senior players on the planet—almost as if he did not sustain this injury in the first place.
Yet, he believes he can win the U.S. Senior Open, which would mark an incredible feat given the circumstances. It would likely go down as the most improbable win in U.S. Senior Open history should Langer go on to win.
But would you be surprised?
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThroughfor more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
Sean Stellato the larger-than-life agent for Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito was at The Vatican today to meet with Pope Francis. Why did he get an audience with the pope? Honestly, nobody really knows — but there’s photographic evidence to prove these two met.
What these two men have to discuss is beyond comprehension, but we did our best to come up with some ideas.
Let’s caption this …
“You represent DeVito? I love him in the Always Sunny in Philadelphia”
“I loved you in Jury Duty, Mr. Pauly Shore”
“They say ‘Your Holiness, someone from the NFL is here to see you,’ and I think ‘Ooh, it’s Travis Kelce. I love that guy,’ or ‘maybe it’s Tom Brady?’ But no, Tommy DeVito’s agent is much better. This is good. This is fine.”
“So if I’m hearing right Tommy got beat out by a gawky doofus who went to a methodist university?”
“No. No. Is not ‘cutlets,’ it’s ‘pollo alla parmigiana’ you peasant.”
“It’s nice of you to see me, my son. But Jamie Taco: You shouldn’t steal people’s lines.”
“I remember you! You sold me used Fiat in Buenos Aires in 1977. Good to see you again!”
“Tommy needs to get a better job of working to his third read. And there are times his footwork does not synch up with the route concepts so it throws the timing off.” — Yes there is a world in my head where Pope Francis is a huge Xs and Os guru and has taken note of where Tommy DeVito needs to improve his game.
“No I cannot do anything about a Daniel Jones trade.”
“Explain to me, my son. If you call it ‘football’ then why no kicking?”
“I’m actually a Saints fan. HAHAHAHA just kidding. I would never support those losers”
“Sorry, but we’ll need a little more than 1,101 passing yards and eight touchdowns to consider Tommy for sainthood.”
“I watched Tommy making cutlets and I was disappointed to see that he does not double bread his cutlets. You need to tell him to double bread the cutlets. He’s a nice young man but I need to see some double breading.”
The Nets have regained control of their future heading into the 2024 NBA Draft by making two massive deals on the eve of the big day.
In the first, Brooklyn will send Mikal Bridges to reunite with his Villanova buddies across the city with the New York Knicks in exchange for FIVE first-round picks, a pick swap and a second-rounder, and in another, they will get their own 2026 first-rounder back from the Houston Rockets for a hefty price.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN was all over the news:
The Knicks pay a steep price to land one of the league’s most coveted trade assets and the Nets get a massive haul to replenish assets and embark on a rebuild with mass cap space and future draft picks.
More in deal: Houston acquires 2029 more favorable of Dallas and Phoenix first-round pick and acquires right to swap Houston first-round pick for less favorable Dallas first and Phoenix first, per sources. https://t.co/jUR0f5lSjM
Our own Anthony Puccio of Nets Daily noted that the Bridges trade is historic not just for the treasure trove Brooklyn got back, but as the first trade since the two franchises started sharing a city:
This is the first time the Nets and Knicks have made a trade since 1983.
Knicks traded a 2nd round draft pick to the Nets for Len Elmore.
As Woj noted, the biggest takeaway from all these musical chairs is that Brooklyn has now retaken control of its future to a greater degree. With their 2026 pick back from the Rockets — it was originally sent out in their deal for James Harden, who has since (in)famously been traded two more times — the Nets can freely tank and not have to worry about sending a potentially valuable future pick to the Rockets.
For examples of the possible ramifications of this, one only needs to look at the draft tomorrow: Houston has the No. 3 pick in this draft because the Nets weren’t good enough around Bridges to avoid giving up lottery picks as part of the ongoing Harden deal fallout, so they sold one of the NBA’s most valuable role players for more picks while reclaiming their ability to get the benefits of being bad.
The price they paid to the Rockets for that right was steep — more complicated multi-team pick swaps, and a Suns first-rounder that could be gold if that team continues its expensive implosion, but ultimately likely… nets… out as a win for Brooklyn because it allowed them to get a haul for Bridges from the Knicks without having to worry they would just send a valuable pick to Houston as part of a lengthy rebuild.
For the Knicks, this a steep price that massively cuts into their war chest of assets, but it may be worth it to add Bridges to their core of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo as the final Villanova infinity stone. With Julius Randle’s contract still available to use in deals and OG Anunoby’s future increasingly uncertain — even with Woj noting New York still wants to keep him — it remains to be seen how strong this Knicks foundation can be.
Still, it’s hard not to imagine a devastatingly dangerous team if Bridges — a notorious NBA ironman — can hold up under Thibs’ infamous minutes loads after watching how well they did without that perfect type of 3-and-D wing in the 2024 NBA playoffs while dealing with so many injuries. This could be an NBA Finals team with a bit of luck and some more smart moves.
Or, as Posting and Toasting put it…
“On paper, this team has a very strong claim to being the Boston Celtics’ biggest threat next season in the Eastern Conference.”@ptknicksblog, on New York, getting the final Nova Knicks infinity stonehttps://t.co/9yEX9MxI9n
For Houston? It seems like the goal is still in flux, and as usual for the Rockets, perpetually chaotic: Trying to get Kevin Durant. Yes, seriously.
The ramifications of this huge, complex deal will surely continue to trickle out, but for now, beyond Brooklyn taking back control of its own destiny, only one thing is clear: If these are the fireworks teams are setting off on the eve of the draft, the next week of draft and free agency madness promises to be explosive.
This breaking news story may be updated as it continues to develop. Follow Nets Daily, The Dream Shake and Posting and Toasting for the latest on the Nets, Rockets and Knicks angles of all this, respectively.
The Houston Rockets want Kevin Durant or Devin Booker. In an effort to get one of them, Houston made a fascinating trade with the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night to acquire future draft picks originally belonging to the Phoenix Suns. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke a convoluted trade that returns the Nets their own 2026 pick (originally sent to Houston in the James Harden trade) and extinguishes swap rights Houston had on Brooklyn’s 2025 pick in exchange for a package headlined by the Suns’ 2027 pick, which was originally acquired by the Nets in the Kevin Durant trade.
This trade comes on the heels of the Nets trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks in a package headlined by five first round draft picks. It’s all happening the night before the 2024 NBA Draft.
Does all of that make sense? Probably not. Here’s how Woj explained it:
Another massive deal: Brooklyn has a deal with Houston to return the Nets’ 2026 first-round pick for a 2027 Phoenix Suns first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Rockets also acquire 2025 right to swap Houston/OKC first for 2025 Suns first-round pick. More details coming on picks… pic.twitter.com/qkTh3KwV63
More in deal: Houston acquires 2029 more favorable of Dallas and Phoenix first-round pick and acquires right to swap Houston first-round pick for less favorable Dallas first and Phoenix first, per sources. https://t.co/jUR0f5lSjM
Most importantly in the deal, per sources: Houston relinquishes the right to swap a Houston/OKC first-round pick for Brooklyn’s 2025 first-round pick. The Nets control their own pick as they go into a full rebuild — especially important in talented 2025 draft. https://t.co/jUR0f5lSjM
Nets get: Brooklyn 2026 first round pick, extinguished swap rights on 2025 Brooklyn first round pick
Rockets get: 2027 Suns first round pick, 2025 Suns first round swap rights, 2029 first round pick from Dallas or Phoenix (more favorable), swap rights on 2029 first round pick with Dallas or Phoenix (less favorable)
The Nets’ motivation for doing this deal is obvious: Brooklyn is going all-in on rebuilding, and now has control of its own picks. The Nets are going to tank hard ahead of a loaded 2025 NBA Draft class, and then they’re going to tank again in 2026. Brooklyn is loaded with draft picks.
What’s the Rockets’ motivation for doing this deal? They want Durant or Booker, according to Woj, and believe they can get Phoenix to bite by returning their own draft picks. The Suns are determined to keep Durant and Booker for now and try to win next season, according to Woj. The Rockets are betting they will move off that position eventually. Here are tweets from Woj:
The implications of the Rockets landing the Suns’ picks? Houston wants to trade for Kevin Durant and that becomes far easier if they can return the Suns’ picks that they gave up in the Durant deal to the Nets. Suns have said they’re keeping Durant for now, but that could change…
Rockets possess a pick swap with Suns in 2025, Suns’ pick in 2027 and could end up with the Suns’ pick in 2029 based on contingencies. If the Suns are ever faced with breaking up team, Houston’s also in prime position to pursue a younger Devin Booker. For now, Phoenix is trying… https://t.co/p29C3XSpe2
As intrigued as the Rockets have been about Durant, they’re determined to use the Suns picks to be aggressive on deals elsewhere now, sources tell ESPN. Phoenix has made it clear that they want to run it back with this group, and Houston is seeking a major upgrade now.
The Rockets also hold the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Is Durant getting traded during the draft on Wednesday night? It seems like a distinct possibility.
This scans as an incredibly bold, borderline reckless trade by Houston. The swap rights for the Nets’ 2025 pick and unprotected ownership of their 2026 pick were incredibly valuable assets. Houston gave those up to fade the Suns. The Rockets are going to be aggressive in trying to trade for an established veteran talent — whether it’s Durant or Booker or someone else.
The NBA is on fire, and the Nets are at the center of it all. Brooklyn’s big swing for Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden blew up into an epic disaster, but the team recovered so well by dealing them all (and the returning assets like Bridges) for future draft picks. The Nets are flushed with draft capital in stronger classes the next few years.
Durant, by the way, turns 36 years old before next season. What a way to start the 24 hours before the draft.
If you’re surveying the baseball landscape for games to watch, I have a pretty good idea of how the process should go for tonight. If your favorite team is playing well, you’re probably going to watch them first. Other than that, if you’re going to pay attention to any baseball game that doesn’t involve your favorite team for the next couple of days then your eyes should be locked in for what’s going on in Cincinnati this week.
At first glance, a matchup between two 37-41 teams in what is collectively the most mediocre division in baseball doesn’t seem like much to write home about. It’s especially the case when you consider that the Cincinnati Reds have only been to the Postseason four times since 2010 and won a grand total of two games in those appearances while the Pittsburgh Pirates only made it three years in a row from 2013 through 2015 and also won a grand total of two playoff games during that span. There hasn’t been much of a reason to pay attention to these two clubs and they haven’t really given anybody a real reason to pay attention to them outside of the occasional insane-looking brawl.
That changes this week, as we’ve now got two very good reasons to tune in to this series: Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz. One of my favorite things about baseball is that despite the everyday nature of the sport, there’s always a chance that if you tune in or go to the ballpark then you’re going to see something that you’ve never seen before. It’s true for any game, it’s especially true when any one of De La Cruz or Cruz is playing in the game and it only doubles when both of them are going to be sharing the same field for at least two-and-a-half hours for the next couple of nights.
While Elly’s exploits on the diamond have been widely documented right here on SB Nation, it’s somewhat understandable that Oneil Cruz’s action has kind of gotten lost in the shuffle when it comes to the Pirates. After all, Bryan Reynolds is still the face of the franchise over there, Andrew McCutchen has returned to wear the only uniform that he’s looked completely right in (outside of maybe these throwback Phillies uniforms) and Paul Skenes has exploded onto the MLB scene and has quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with on the mound. While this hasn’t translated to the Pirates winning ballgames on a regular basis, it’s not completely boring to keep up with the Pirates nowadays.
However, Oneil Cruz is absolutely worth paying attention to because his highlight reel consists of stuff that is scarcely believable at times. This is the guy who currently holds the record for the hardest-hit ball in the Statcast Era of MLB at 122.4 mph and used to hold the record for the hardest throw from an infielder during the Statcast Era with a 97.8 mph laser that he uncorked as a rookie back in 2022. His arm strength is in the 99th percentile. His bat speed is in the 100th percentile, which naturally means that his Average Exit Velocity is also comically high, his Barrel percentage is just as lofty and his Hard-Hit percentage is in the same neighborhood. While he’s not up there with the real burners in terms of foot speed, his 87th-percentile Sprint Speed seems to indicate that he still blaze across the basepaths if needed.
Cruz is still in the process of putting all of these facets together in order to become a truly great baseball player but his potential is right there for everybody to see. It’s very difficult to figure out who has a higher ceiling than than Cruz and it’s one of many reasons why he doesn’t just have Pirates fans excited about any progress that he can make. If Oneil Cruz can realize his full potential at some point, it’ll be essentially as if a fully maxed-out create-a-player from the video games has come to life.
Millions of baseball fans have always dreamed of somehow becoming a physical force of nature who could run like the wind, throw harder than some pitchers and hit dingers nearly 500 feet while basically leaving a mark on everything else he hits. The difference between aspirational video gamers and Oneil Cruz is that he has the real and tangible chance to actually become what was always figured to be a digital wild dream for most fans.
Speaking of players who have ceilings that are higher than the Empire State Building, that’s where Elly De La Cruz came in. While there’s debate as to whether or not Oneil Cruz is the top star for the Pittsburgh Pirates, there’s no debate when it comes to the situation in Cincinnati. Elly De La Cruz is the man around there — whether we’re talking name recognition, highlights or production, Elly has got it all in spades.
As I alluded to in the aforementioned links to other articles about Elly De La Cruz, the guy just appears to be a sentient highlight reel. You want tape-measure home runs? He’s got em. You want Web Gems that would’ve made him a staple on Baseball Tonight? He’s got those, too. You want to see him tear up the basepaths? He’s got you on that as well. You want to see him do it all in the process of terrorizing the Dodgers? It’s funny you should ask because there’s video evidence of that as well.
What makes it so gratifying to watch Elly De La Cruz do the things that he does on a nightly basis is that it was plainly obvious from the moment that he showed up in Major League Baseball that he was capable of becoming this type of player. However, just like Oneil Cruz right now, it was also evident that he still needed to put it all together. After all, you can do plenty of amazing things on the field but it won’t particularly matter all that much if you’re hitting .235/.300/.410 with a .305 wOBA and only 89 wRC+, which is what he finished with in 2023 after playing 98 games. Heading into action on June 25, De La Cruz is now hitting .249/.342/.464 with a .352 wOBA and a wRC+ of 123. It’s clicking for him even when he’s not doing anything spectacular and his team leading fWAR of 3.3 is also proof that he hasn’t sacrificed any other portion of his game in order to improve in another facet.
He’s still stealing bases at an absurd clip — he’s already surpassed his stolen base total of 35 last season, he’s currently sitting on 37 stolen bags and the sky is the limit when it comes to how high that number can get. His defense has also improved as he’s no longer simply leaning on his prodigious arm strength. He’s currently in 95th percentile of fielders with an OAA of 6. He’s steadily turning into a complete baseball player, which should be exciting for both Reds fans when it comes to potentially turning the ship around in Cincinnati and it’s also exciting for us neutral fans since that just means he’s capable of doing something truly absurd no matter if he’s hitting, fielding or running the bases. Stuff that was figured to be impossible in the past is just part of another day at the ballpark for Elly De La Cruz.
Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz may not be miracle workers who can drag their respective teams to the promised land but they’re both doing more than their fair share of the work in making their respective teams fun to watch. While Oneil Cruz is still in the process of showing quick glimpses of his potential, we’re starting to see Elly De La Cruz fully blossom into a real-deal superstar in baseball. Both of them will be on the same field this week when the Pirates and Reds face off with each other in Cincinnati. While these two teams may not command your attention, these two players certainly should.
J.J. Redick had no previous head coaching experience outside of leading his 9-year-old son’s team, but that didn’t stop the Los Angeles Lakers from giving them their head coaching job. The Lakers formally introduced Redick during a press conference on Monday afternoon after a drawn out coaching search that included a brief infatuation with UConn’s Danny Hurley.
In the end, Redick seemed like he was always the man for the job, mostly because of his existing relationship with LeBron James. Redick and James started the podcast “Mind the Game” earlier this year when they would break down X’s and O’s for fans. The podcast earned widespread acclaim for providing an inside look at the brain of one of the best players of all-time. It did not, according to Redick, give him a leg up for the Lakers job.
Redick was asked what advice James gave him during the Lakers coaching search. His answer? “He didn’t provide any advice,” Redick said. “LeBron and I did not talk about the Lakers job until Thursday afternoon, about 30 minutes after I was offered the job.”
That seems incredibly difficult to believe. One person even the room even loudly groaned as Redick said it.
It’s surprising that someone as media savvy as Redick would make that comment. It’s the type of statement Redick would make fun of if he was still in media, and another former player closer to James had said it. In fairness, Redick did get other coaching interviews during this cycle, but it sure feels like his existing relationship with James gave him the edge in the Lakers’ search.
That wasn’t the only cringeworthy moment from Redick’s press conference. At one point, top Lakers executive Rob Pelinka mentioned talking to Redick about “gameifying” player development. “We’ve talked about how we translate Redick’s offensive system to an app-based or phone-based deliverable,” Pelinka said. Someone really should have groaned during that part, too.
Some fans have been wondering if Redick and James would continue their podcast while leading the Lakers. Obviously, that was never going to happen.
“I am excommunicated from the content space,” Redick said. Somehow this was the most normal thing said during this press conference.
“For the time being, and hopefully it’s a very, very long time, I am excommunicated from the content space. There will be no podcasts” -JJ Redick pic.twitter.com/OoFz3dWQrb
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod (@big_business_) June 24, 2024
The Lakers job is enormously difficult. The Western Conference is loaded, James turns 40 years old this season, and the fanbase demands excellence every year. Making a shocking run to the Western Conference Finals as a No. 7 seed didn’t save Darvin Ham, and Redick has his work cut out for him just to get that far.
Good luck to Redick. If James didn’t help him land this summer, he sure needs to help him keep it by continuing to stay healthy and play like one of the best in the world.
It’s been well-chronicled that the 2023 NCAA women’s championship game was a turning point for the popularity of women’s basketball — millions tuned in nationwide as LSU defeated Iowa to win the championship, and a media-driven rivalry between LSU’s Angel Reese and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark was born.
Two years later, both Reese and Clark players are pros, and are tearing up the WNBA. Their games could not be more different; Clark is a playmaking sharpshooter, while Reese is known for her tenacious rebounding and defense, but both players have managed to effectively transition to the professional level with relative ease.
Meanwhile, Cameron Brink — who was ranked No. 1 in the previous edition of the Rookie Power Rankings after a dominant defensive start to the season — is out for the year with a torn ACL. It’s a big loss for the Sparks, who relied on her defensive presence, and for Brink herself, who was due to compete on the 3v3 Olympic basketball team in Paris next month.
But those aren’t the only rookies who have made their impact felt, so let’s get to the June edition of SB Nation’s WNBA rookie power rankings.
Kate Martin has been a reliable bench piece for the two-time defending champions, averaging 17.2 minutes per night when most expected her to go undrafted or be cut from the team’s final roster. Martin has been in and out of the rotation, but has been an effective connective piece when given the minutes.
“I couldn’t ask for a better experience,” Martin said. “I’ve been welcomed with open arms. I have great vets surrounding me. I have great coaches surrounding me. I love Las Vegas, we have great fan support. It’s been tremendous so far.”
Martin maintains her 8th spot on the list despite limited minutes, as she’s been a strong defender and serves as a reliable option on what is likely the most star-studded roster in the WNBA.
Sevgi Uzun helped lead the Turkish Fenerbahçe to back-to-back Euroleague championships, and has adjusted well in her first season in the WNBA.
At age 26, Uzun has far more basketball experience than most rookies, and it’s shown in her decision-making. She’s struggled with her shot, however, shooting just 23.6% from three. Uzun’s ranking spot hasn’t taken a hit since last month, but her three-point percentage has dipped — she shot 41.7% from three this time last month, and that number has fallen by 18%.
6. Julie Vanloo, Washington Mystics
Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images
Stats:7.9 points (36.1% FG, 33% from three), 5.4 assists, 3 turnovers Previous ranking: #5 Team Record: 4-13
Julie Vanloo, who is 31 years old but in her first year in the WNBA, has been one of the premier playmakers in the league. Her 5.4 assists per game are good for 8th overall, and second among rookies.
It’s all led to an effective transition into the league for the 5’8 Belgian guard, whose energy has helped the Mystics.
“Vanloo’s just got a different kind of motor,” Sun head coach Stephanie White said after the two teams faced off. “She gets after it and you can’t relax.”
Vanloo’s efficiency has decreased in recent weeks, however; her field goal percentage has waned, and she hasn’t shot 50% or better on any given night since May 21st. Still, she’s been an effective playmaker, and the Mystics — after a brutal start to the year — have won four of their last five games.
5. Rickea Jackson, Los Angeles Sparks
Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images
Stats:9.8 points (46.3% FG, 29% from three), 3.3 rebounds, Previous ranking: #4 Team Record: 4-13
Rickea Jackson, picked fourth overall, has been another solid rookie for the Sparks. Already one of the most efficient rookies in this class, Jackson could see increased minutes with Brink out for the season.
She’s averaged 23.4 minutes per game this season, but that’s trended downwards in the last few. But when given increased minutes, Jackson has had several big offensive outings this year, including three games in which she’s scored at least 16 points.
But, the Sparks have lost six straight and Jackson’s production — and offensive touches — have fallen a bit. She’s scored 6 and 7 points, respectively, in her last two games, while grabbing a total of only two rebounds.
The Mystics had a very slow start to the season — losers of their first 12 games — but Aaliyah Edwards has been one of the big bright spots for a franchise in a difficult spot. Her two best games of the season have been against the Sky; on June 6, she put up 23 points (10-12 FG) and 14 rebounds, and on June 14 she had 16 points (6-7 FG) and 9 rebounds in a win.
“Aaliyah is one of the hardest-working people I’ve ever been around,” teammate Ariel Atkins said earlier this month. “Just her ability to learn so quickly, which is so important at this level.
The Mystics have won two of their last three games, and all of their June losses except for one were in the single digits, so they’re trending in the right direction.
Kamilla Cardoso missed the first couple weeks of the season with a shoulder injury. But, the third overall pick has looked increasingly comfortable in her minutes with the Sky, grabbing double-digit rebounds in each of her last three games. She put together her best game of the season on Sunday – 16 points on 7-9 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds and 3 assists – and is averaging an efficient 9.3 points in nine games played so far this year.
Cardoso and Angel Reese have formed a formidable frontcourt, particularly on the glass, and Cardoso is the only rookie shooting better than 50% from the field. Her well-rounded performance, combined with Brink’s season-ending injury, has catapulted her to third in the rookie rankings.
Angel Reese, drafted seventh by the Sky, was one of the WNBA-ready players in the class from the jump, and has already established herself as one of the most tenacious rebounders in the league. Most recently, she set a WNBA rookie record for most consecutive double-doubles after a 16-point, 18-rebound performance in a Thursday win against the Wings.
“I just want to win. I came to Chicago to win,” Reese said. “Luckily, I was drafted No. 7 and came to Chicago and was able to come here and thrive. Being able to have great teammates, great coaches, and just a great atmosphere and culture here that really, really loves me, that’s what’s important to me.”
She followed that up with her best game as a pro — a 25-point, 16-rebound outing in a win over the Fever.
“I’m a dog,” she told ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the game. “You can’t teach that.”
Reese is already the second-leading rebounder in the league — averaging 11.1 a night — and is the leading offensive rebounder (4.7). Her field goal percentage has room to improve (she’s shooting just 40.6% from the field) but she’s otherwise impacting the game at a very high level, especially for a first-year player.
After a tough start to the WNBA season, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever have managed to turn things around. Clark had a big week last week — she followed a 23-point, 8-rebound, 9-assist outing in a win over the Sky with another near triple-double of 18 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals. Then, on Sunday, she broke a Fever franchise record of most assists in a singular game (13) in a loss to the Sky, while also putting up 17 points.
The turnover numbers are still not ideal — she’s leading the league with 5.6 a night — but Clark has become increasingly efficient and connected to her teammates. That’s evidenced in the Fever winning 4 of their last 5 games. As teammates get comfortable with her passing, that number will go down as well. Her turnovers are indicative of a desire to playmake; Alyssa Thomas, who leads the league in assists, has the second-most turnovers per game with 3.9 a night.
“I’m trying to get to know my teammates and the coaching staff, but I feel like I have gotten more comfortable over the course of these games,” Clark said last week. “There’s still more than half a season left, and I really feel like we’ve grown so much.”
If she — and the Fever — keep growing at this speed, she may hang on atop these rankings for quite a while.
Sunday in Omaha a two-run home run from Dylan Dreiling kept Tennessee’s title dreams alive.
Monday night in Omaha a two-run blast from Dreiling helped solidify them.
The Tennessee Volunteers captured the NCAA Men’s College World Series for the first time in school history, taking the best-of-three series against Texas A&M in Game 3 by a final score of 6-5.
And as was the case Sunday, Dreiling played a starring role.
A sacrifice fly from Dreiling in the third inning staked the Volunteers to a 2-1 lead, but the score was 3-1 in Tennessee’s favor when Dreiling came to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Billy Amick, having singled to left center ahead of Dreiling, took his lead off first.
But he would jog from there:
Dreiling got his hand around on a 78-mph breaking ball from Texas A&M pitcher Evan Aschenbeck, lofting a high fly ball to right field. Aggies right fielder Caden Sorrell gave it everything he had on the leap, but he came up just inches short.
That made it three home runs in three Men’s College World Series Finals games for Dreiling, and the outfielder’s two-run shot gave the Volunteers a 5-1 lead.
Tennessee was not done in the seventh and tacked on another run on one of the greatest slides you may ever see. After Dreiling’s home run Hunter Ensley got on with a seeing-eye single, which brought Kavares Tears to the plate. Tears promptly launched a deep fly off the wall in center field, and Ensley tried to come all the way around from first on the play, but a great relay from the Aggies saw the ball beat Ensley to home plate.
But somehow, some way, Ensley avoided the tag from catcher Jackson Appel:
Ensley reads this play perfectly. He sees the throw come to the glove side of Appel and then cuts to the inside, sweeping across the plate with his left hand to touch home. Texas A&M challenged the play, but video replays confirmed the safe call on the field.
That slide would end up being huge.
The Aggies put two runs on the board in the eighth to make it 6-3, but left-hander Kirby Connell came into the game and stopped the bleeding with a pair of strikeouts to end the inning. Aidan Combs, who also played a huge role in Sunday’s win for Tennessee coming out of the bullpen, came on to face the top of the Texas A&M lineup in the ninth.
The Aggies did not make it easy.
Gavin Grahovac led off the inning with a double, bringing the dangerous Jace LaViolette to the plate. Combs was able to strike out LaViolette, but an Appel single into left field plated Grahovac, making the Tennessee lead 6-4 and bringing the tying run to the plate in the form of Hayden Schott, who was 3-for-4 on the night with a trio of singles.
Combs got the swinging strikeout of Schott with a high fastball, and the Aggies were down to their final out as Ted Burton strode to the plate. But a wild pitch brought Appel home, making it 6-5 with Burton representing the tying run, and the go-ahead run in the on-deck circle.
Combs punched Burton out on a 79-mph breaking ball, getting Burton to go down swinging and touching off the celebration. For the first time in school history, the baseball National Championship trophy is headed to Rocky Top.
For his effort throughout the series, Dreiling was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
With the title the Volunteers became the first No. 1 overall seed to win the Men’s College World Series since Miami did it back in 1999. That was the first year the tournament expanded to the current 64-team format.
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