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Nets Notes: Demin, Summer League, Irving, Porter

July 25th, 2025 at 2:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

There are mixed reviews about Nets lottery pick Egor Demin after he shot the ball better than expected during Summer League, but didn’t get to show off his play-making skills in a mostly off-the-ball role, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Following his first taste of competition against NBA-level players, the 19-year-old rookie’s takeaway is that he needs to get stronger.

“For me there was a lot of physicality these past couple of weeks, probably even more in the practices with my own teammates where the level of competitiveness is super high — probably even higher than in the games, because everybody wants to make each other better on the practices,” Demin said.

There were questions about Demin’s outside shot following his lone season at BYU, but he connected at 43.5% in Las Vegas on 7.7 attempts per game. However, he was barely used in the pick-and-roll and collected just four assists in Summer League along with nine turnovers. Lewis cites concerns about his lack of athleticism to separate from defenders and weaknesses with his dribble that allow smaller opponents to bother him.

Summer League coach Steve Hetzel also mentioned Demin’s issues with “physicality,” but expressed confidence that he’ll eventually overcome them.

“As a 19-year-old, there’s still a lot of room for his body to just fill out and grow,” Hetzel said. “And you’re going to see a massive change from Year 1 to Year 2 in his strength and how he plays. He has such a good frame, he’s 6-foot-9. So there’s no worry. It’s just everybody has a level of patience for allowing him to grow.”

There’s more from Brooklyn:

The Nets’ other first-round picks had flashes of success in Las Vegas, Lewis adds in a separate story. Nolan Traore displayed a strong first step and an ability to get by defenders, but he didn’t finish well at the rim. Ben Saraf showed a good understanding of the game and has the size to fit in at the wing, but he didn’t ease any of the concerns about his jumper. Danny Wolf got off to a rough start, but eventually showed off his passing skills and his ability to stretch defenses. Drake Powell, the team’s other first-round pick, didn’t participate in Summer League due to a knee injury.
Kyrie Irving shared his thoughts on the failed experiment in Brooklyn during a recent appearance on the Mind the Game podcast (Twitter link), Lewis relays in another piece. Irving said he regrets not doing more research on the Nets before signing with them in 2019. “I wish I would’ve handled the business better and got a chance to know them first, ask them questions, ‘Hey, what’s the future like?’ Instead of just committing blindly,” he said. “I didn’t have much power going in there. I couldn’t say who we could get and who we could not get. I couldn’t hire the coach. You guys knew my opinion on the head coach at the time.”
After being acquired in a trade with Denver, Michael Porter Jr. compiled a video blog of his first experiences with the Nets. It includes his impressions of the practice facility and a workout with team trainers.

Nets Notes: MPJ, Demin, Wolf, Summer League

July 13th, 2025 at 9:56am CST by Arthur Hill

In addition to his on-court talents, the Nets are hoping Michael Porter Jr. can provide an example of how to win at the highest level, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Porter, who was recently acquired in a trade with the Nuggets, is the only player on Brooklyn’s roster with a championship ring, winning it with Denver in 2023.

“He’s excited to be here. I’m excited to reunite with him,” said head coach Jori Fernandez, who previously worked with Porter as a Nuggets assistant. “We have history together. I loved my time with Michael. And I know he’s going to bring a lot. His work ethic is very good. He’s a pro, works really hard, so that’s going to be good for the young guys to see a guy like him that won a championship, and why.”

As a 6’10” jump shooter, Porter can handle either forward position, but the question of where he’ll play most often hasn’t been decided yet. Fernández envisions a “positionless” approach outside of his center and said it’s really not important who Porter is on the court with. He also addressed the need for Porter to establish his own identity now that he’s no longer playing alongside Nikola Jokic.

“I don’t want him to be out of character. I just want him to be himself,” Fernández added. “And that’s why I’m very comfortable, because I’ve seen him get where he got, his career year and how he scores the ball and the work he puts in every day. The only thing we need to do is get him adjusted to his new teammates … but I know who he is and how good he is going to be. And I want him to lead being Michael Porter. He doesn’t need to be anybody else.”

There’s more on the Nets:

Egor Demin views himself as more of a “play-maker” than a point guard, Lewis states in a separate story. During the Summer League opener, the No. 8 pick in this year’s draft shared the backcourt with fellow first-rounder Nolan Traore, who fits the traditional point guard mold better than the 6’9″ Demin. “It’s one ball, and we can’t both be on it,” Demin said. “We can alternate, we can switch. And for me, obviously I can make this role look like a point guard, too, if I get the rebound and I just push it. It’s just about the game plan and looking for something we can accomplish with this combination. … How can I be playing different roles, doing whatever it takes to be efficient, being able to adjust myself and my game?”
Rookie center Danny Wolf blamed first-game nerves for his bad stat line Thursday against Oklahoma City, Lewis adds in another piece. Wolf finished with four points while missing all five of his shots from the field, and despite his proven passing skills he wound up with two assists and four turnovers. “It’s my first experience in the NBA, and obviously it’s Summer League, but it’s different,” Wolf said. “Definitely some jitters and again, just got to put this in the rear-view and learn from it. Just get better from this.”
Ben Saraf also made his Summer League debut on Thursday as the Nets followed through with their draft strategy of having several ball-handlers on the court at the same time, observes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News. “This is the way our roster is constructed,” Summer League head coach Steve Hetzel said. “The league is now multiple ball-handlers, multiple attackers. If you look at the team that just won the championship, they’ve got Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who can both put the ball in the paint. We feel like the more people that we can have attacking and making plays, the better we are.” Drake Powell, Brooklyn’s other first-round pick, is sitting out Summer League as a precaution after hurting his knee during the pre-draft process.

Nets Sign Drake Powell To Rookie Scale Contract

July 8th, 2025 at 6:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have signed No. 22 overall pick Drake Powell to his rookie scale contract, the team announced today in a press release.

Powell officially became a Net on Monday when the three-team trade involving the Hawks and Celtics that was agreed to prior to the draft was finally finalized, sending his draft rights to Brooklyn.

A day later, he has become the last of 2025’s first-round picks to sign his rookie scale contract — all 30 of those players, including each of Brooklyn’s five first-rounders, are now under contract with their respective teams.

[RELATED: 2025 NBA Draft Pick Signings]

Powell averaged 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game for UNC last season on .483/.379/.648 shooting. At 6’6″ with a 7’0″ wingspan and elite athleticism, he brings a versatility and hard-nosed defensive mindset that the Nets could use in their rotation.

However, he won’t be available when Summer League gets underway for Brooklyn later this week. As Brian Lewis of The New York Post details, Powell is being held out as a precaution due to tendinopathy in his left knee, an injury he sustained during the pre-draft process.

Assuming he signs for 120% of his rookie scale amount, which is the standard, Powell will earn $3.37MM as a rookie and $3.54MM in year two, with third- and fourth-year team options that could bring the total value of his rookie contract to $16.72MM.

Eastern Notes: Giannis, Nets, Hawks, Pistons

July 2nd, 2025 at 10:42pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

In the wake of Tuesday reports stating that Giannis Antetokounmpo is looking forward to teaming up with Myles Turner while not being “pleased” about how Damian Lillard‘s release was handled, Shams Charnaia of ESPN (YouTube link) stressed that the Bucks star won’t be making any decisions on his future simply based on what happened on July 1.

“I’m told Giannis Antetokounmpo will continue to evaluate everything. The entire offseason,” Charania said. “He took notice of this move, no doubt, but sources tell me he will evaluate more than just one day. And at the end of the offseason, my understanding is Giannis Antetokounmpo will ask himself, he’ll look in the mirror, he’ll look around him, and ask the question, ‘Can I win a championship – a second championship – with this team as currently constructed?'”

While Antetokounmpo may take some time to make a final decision on what his future holds – ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne (Twitter video link) speculates that it might not happen until August or September – Tuesday’s activity will significantly limit the Bucks’ ability to continue being active in free agency.

As John Hollinger and Eric Nehm of The Athletic detail, Milwaukee had to make a series of moves beyond waiving and stretching Lillard’s contract just to create the cap space necessary to land Turner and is subsequently expected to use its room exception to re-sign Kevin Porter and Gary Trent. That would leave the Bucks only able to make minimum-salary signings, though the team does still have one movable first-round pick (either 2031 or 2032) that could be dangled in trade talks.

There’s more out of the Eastern Conference:

The Nets made NBA history when they selected five players in the first round of the 2025 draft. Now, Brooklyn faces a unique challenge when it comes to finding a way to develop everyone in the short term alongside the club’s already-youthful roster, observes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “They’re going to have to earn it,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “That’s how it should be. They’ll put the work in. They’ve already shown who they are. That’s why we drafted them… Then it’s going to be my decision to go and put five guys on the court, to have a 10-man rotation and go through the process.”
Nets general manager Sean Marks registered his excitement about the additions of rookies Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf to the fold. “To be able to draft all of them in a draft class we just saw, that was unique,” Marks said, per Lewis. “That was something we want to take advantage of, especially in our build, where we see these young men fitting into our group and into our roster. So, it was about us capitalizing on the hand we were dealt.”
Looking to vault up the East standings, the Hawks made a flurry of tactical offseason moves to lift up its current core of All-Star guard Trae Young, rising forward Jalen Johnson, All-Defensive guard Dyson Daniels and 2024 No. 1 draft pick Zaccharie Risacher. Jared Weiss of The Athletic wonders if the additions of center Kristaps Porzingis, wing Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and sharpshooting guard Luke Kennard can help maximize Young as an offensive focal point — or if they’ve also been brought in place to elevate the younger group, led by the 23-year-old Johnson, 22-year-old Daniels, and 20-year-old Risacher. Young, who holds a player option for 2026/27, will become eligible this weekend for an extension worth up to $222MM over four years.
The Pistons made a pair of key moves along the wing in free agency, agreeing to deals with former Miami sharpshooter Duncan Robinson and ex-Atlanta reserve Caris LeVert. Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscriber link) takes a look at the fits of both new additions to a growing young Detroit club. LeVert is an above-average play-maker at his position and can theoretically help spell All-Star Cade Cunningham off the bench, while Robinson elevates the team’s long range shooting.

Luke Adams contributed to this story.

Nets Draft Drake Powell With No. 22 Overall Pick

June 25th, 2025 at 9:46pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Nets have used the No. 22 overall pick to select North Carolina wing Drake Powell.

While the Hawks officially made the pick, the selection is being sent to Brooklyn as part of the three-team Kristaps Porzingis deal.

Powell averaged 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists for UNC last season on .483/.379/.648 shooting. At 6’6″ with a 7’0″ wingspan and elite athleticism, Powell brings a hard-nosed defensive mindset that the Nets could use in their rotation. He averaged 0.7 steals and 0.7 blocks for the Tar Heels and should be able to defend multiple positions at the next level.

Despite the solid shooting numbers, Powell’s offense is expected to be a bit of a project, but after taking Egor Demin and Nolan Traore with earlier picks, he should be able to find ways to contribute as a cutter and open-court athlete early on.

The Nets are remaking their roster on the fly during the 2025 draft, and with Keon Johnson, Jalen Wilson, Maxwell Lewis, and Tyrese Martin all on non-guaranteed deals or team options, Powell has a chance to carve out a rotation spot for himself, depending on what the Brooklyn decides to do with its other players.

Celtics Trade Porzingis To Hawks In Three-Team Deal

June 24th, 2025 at 6:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

July 7: The trade is official, according to the Hawks. The final terms are as follows:

Hawks acquire Kristaps Porzingis and a 2026 second-round pick (from Celtics).
Celtics acquire Georges Niang, the Cavaliers’ 2031 second-round pick (from Hawks), and cash (from Nets).
Nets acquire Terance Mann and the draft rights to Drake Powell (No. 22 pick).

“Kristaps is a unique and versatile talent with championship pedigree,” Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh said in a statement. “His ability to stretch the floor, protect the rim, and make plays on both ends adds another dimension to our team. We are fortunate to add a player of his caliber to our group. We’d also like to thank Terence and Georges for their contributions last season and wish them the best.”

June 24: One day after agreeing to trade Jrue Holiday, the Celtics are moving another starter. Kristaps Porzingis is headed to the Hawks in a three-team trade, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (Twitter link).

Atlanta will acquire Porzingis and a second-round pick in the deal; Terance Mann and Atlanta’s No. 22 pick in Wednesday’s draft are headed to the Nets; and the Celtics are acquiring Georges Niang and a second-round pick.

That second-round pick headed to Boston is coming from Atlanta and is the Cavaliers’ 2031 second-rounder, per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). In exchange, the Celtics are sending a 2026 second-rounder with “least favorable” language to the Hawks, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The trade, coupled with the agreed-upon Holiday deal with Portland, will allow the Celtics to drop below the second tax apron by $4.5MM, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith tweets. The two deals will reduce their projected luxury tax penalty by nearly $210MM, estimates cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link).

Porzingis has an expiring $30.7MM contract, while Niang’s expiring deal totals just $8.5MM. Shedding salary has been a goal this offseason for the Celtics, who were facing second-apron restrictions and substantial repeater taxpayer penalties with Jayson Tatum expected to miss most or all of next season while he recovers from a torn Achilles.

A 6’7″ marksman with a career average of 39.9% from beyond the arc, Niang will fit right in as the newest member of the NBA’s leading three-point shooting team in his hometown of Boston. The 32-year-old forward played some of the best basketball of his career after being traded from Cleveland to Atlanta in February, averaging 12.1 points and posting a 41.3% mark on 6.6 threes per game in 28 games for the Hawks.

While the deal gives the Celtics another shooter and creates substantial tax savings, it depletes their depth in the frontcourt, where Al Horford and Luke Kornet are eligible for free agency. Re-signing one or both of those players while potentially adding another big man figures to be a top priority for Boston this summer.

Meanwhile, with Clint Capela headed to free agency, it appears Porzingis will slot in as the Hawks’ starting center ahead of Onyeka Okongwu. He’ll give Atlanta a quality pick-and-pop partner to team up with franchise player Trae Young and will become extension-eligible in July, though it’s unclear whether his new team will look to extend him right away.

Porzingis has an extensive injury history and was hampered this past season by a lingering illness that affected him during the second half and into the postseason, but the expectation is that he’ll be fully recovered by the fall. The veteran big man continues to produce at a high level when he’s available, having averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 28.8 minutes per game across 42 starts for the Celtics in 2024/25, with a shooting line of .483/.412/.809.

The Hawks were rumored to have interest in free agent big man Myles Turner, another rim-protecting, floor-stretching center. Their acquisition of Porzingis will presumably take them out of the mix for Turner, but they’re still well below the projected tax line and continue to explore opportunities to use a trade exception worth $25MM+, either on the trade market or in free agency (via sign-and-trade), tweets Fischer.

Atlanta made “a lot of calls” about Mann this week, according to Fischer (Twitter link), before eventually finding a taker for the 6’5″ swingman.

Mann, a Brooklyn native, has three years and $47MM remaining on his contract. Acquired from the Clippers at this year’s trade deadline, he had a solid finish to the season on Atlanta’s second unit alongside Niang, averaging 9.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 22.7 minutes per game across 30 outings. He posted a shooting line of .541/.386/.667 as a Hawk.

Accounting for Mann’s $15.5MM salary and the $3.4MM cap hold for the No. 22 overall pick, the Nets will use up roughly $19MM in cap space to make the deal, which can’t be completed until July 6, after the new league year begins and the July moratorium lifts.

Brooklyn still projects to have substantial cap room and now controls an amazing five first-rounders in this week’s draft — Nos. 8, 19, 22, 26, 27 — which figures to lead to more deals.

Luke Adams contributed to this story.

Heat Draft Notes: Workouts, Positional Fits

June 20th, 2025 at 5:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

With the Heat still very much in the mix as a Kevin Durant trade partner with the Suns, there’s no guarantee they’ll be selecting at their allotted spot of the 20th pick in the 2025 draft. However, that hasn’t deterred them from approaching their first-round draft preparation as usual, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Winderman adds that there’s a lot of potential volatility in the Heat’s draft range. The 16th pick has already moved from Orlando to Memphis, while Minnesota, at 17, is also firmly in the Durant mix, and the 18th and 19th picks, belonging to Washington and Brooklyn, respectively, will likely be involved in trade discussions too, since both teams have multiple first-rounders and are rumored to be exploring trade-up scenarios.

The Heat have declined to make their pre-draft workouts public, unlike many teams, which has led to speculation that they’re focusing more on Durant. But Winderman writes that just because the sessions aren’t being announced doesn’t mean there isn’t due diligence happening behind the scenes.

We have more on the Heat’s draft outlook:

As for who the Heat could select should they stay at No. 20, Miami Herald writer Anthony Chiang has published a trio of articles detailing potential targets. When it comes to guard options, Chiang writes that some, if not all, of Walter Clayton Jr. (Flordia), Egor Demin (BYU), Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois), Jase Richardson (Michigan State), and Nolan Traore (Saint-Quentin) could be available, though he views Demin and Jakucionis as most likely to be off the board by the time Miami picks.
If Miami decides to prioritize a wing, Chiang says that the most likely field of candidates include Nique Clifford (CSU), Cedric Coward (Washington State), Liam McNeeley (UConn), Drake Powell (UNC), Will Riley (Illinois), Adou Thiero (Arkansas), Hugo Gonzalez (Real Madrid), and Noah Penda (Le Mans). Coward is considered one of the draft’s major risers and is a real threat to go in the lottery. Clifford’s combination of size, age, and a well-rounded skill set could make him a prospect of interest to teams looking to find a more ready-made contributor.
Finally, Chiang looks at the draft’s big men prospects. Names that could be on the board at No. 20 include Rasheer Fleming (Saint Joseph), Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton), Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina), Asa Newell (Georgia), Maxime Raynaud (Stanford), Thomas Sorber (Georgetown), Danny Wolf (Michigan), Joan Beringer (Cedevita Olimpija), and Noa Essengue (Ulm). Of that group, Murray-Boyles and Essengue are the ones viewed as the best bets to be lottery picks, while Beringer has become an increasingly popular name for teams in the middle of the first round after measuring in at an impressive 6’11” barefoot with a 7’5″ wingspan.

Celtics Notes: Centers, Horford, Kornet, Tatum, Draft

June 14th, 2025 at 7:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics should be in the market for center help this summer, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. Kristaps Porzingis is a prime candidate to be traded because of his $30.7MM salary for next season, while Al Horford and Luke Kornet are both headed to free agency. There’s no guarantee that Horford, who turned 39 earlier this month, will continue playing as Boston may take a step back from title contention in the wake of Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles tear.

Robb notes that the Celtics will miss Tatum’s rebounding prowess next season, as none of the team’s current options in the middle are particularly strong on the boards. Tatum averaged 8.7 rebounds this year, and Boston was dominated off the glass without him in its Game 6 loss to New York.

Robb adds that the Celtics will have to take back some salary in the expected deals involving Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and possibly others, so that may be an avenue to find help in the middle. Boston would be limited to veteran’s minimum offers in free agency, and Robb suggests that would involve players in the class of Mason Plumlee, Jaxson Hayes or Paul Reed.

There’s more on the Celtics:

Steven Adams‘ new contract in Houston takes a prominent center off the free agent market and could increase the value of Horford and Kornet, Robb adds in a separate piece. Once the top names such as Myles Turner and Naz Reid are off the board, Robb suggests that Horford and Kornet could get offers at the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.7MM) or higher. The Celtics hold Bird rights on both players.
Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins could serve as an inspiration for Tatum as he works his way back from the Achilles injury, per Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Wilkins ruptured his Achilles in January of 1992 when it was considered a potential career-ending injury, but he was able to return for opening night of the 1992/93 season and averaged 29.9 PPG while finishing fifth in the MVP voting. “That injury is a serious injury,” Wilkins told Washburn. “And Jayson had the same type of injury I had, meaning he had a complete tear because there is no way you could walk off the floor. That’s a devastating injury, but the thing is the work he puts in is going to determine what he gets out of it. I worked twice a day every day for nine months and came back quicker than anybody. But it was my level of commitment and Jayson is a kid that loves the game and I have a lot of respect and am a fan of his. I have no doubt that he’s going to put in the work to get back to the same level he was.”
Justin Quinn of Celtics Wire takes a look at all the players the team has hosted for pre-draft workouts, including prominent names such as Cedric Coward and Drake Powell. Boston has the 28th and 32nd picks in this year’s draft.

Draft Workouts: Jazz, Wolves, Kings, Broome

June 12th, 2025 at 5:56pm CST by Rory Maher

The Jazz are hosting a pre-draft workout on Friday featuring Colorado State wing Nique Clifford, North Carolina wing Drake Powell, Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner and Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier, multiple league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Clifford is the top-ranked prospect of the group, according to ESPN’s big board, coming in at No. 22. Powell (No. 31), Kalkbrenner (No. 33) and Lanier (No. 37) are also viewed as strong bets to be drafted, either late in the first round or early in the second.

Utah currently controls four picks — Nos. 5, 21, 43 and 53 — in June’s draft.

Here are a few more notes regarding pre-draft workouts:

The Timberwolves, who control the 17th and 31st picks, are holding a workout Thursday that includes Asa Newell (Georgia), Jamir Watkins (Florida State), Keshon Gilbert (Iowa State) and Steven Crowl (Wisconsin), reports Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and SKOR North (via Twitter). Newell, who was invited to the green room, is ranked No. 21 on ESPN’s board, while Watkins is No. 39. The other two players are unranked.
The Kings will be hosting six players for a workout on Friday, the team announced (Twitter link via Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee). The six are Ryan Nembhard of Gonzaga, Curtis Jones of Iowa State, Koby Brea of Kentucky, Kadary Richmond of, Norchad Omier of Baylor, and Vladislav Goldin of Michigan. All six prospects appear on ESPN’s board, ranging from No. 47 (Brea) to No. 95 (Omier). Sacramento currently only controls the 42nd pick, but is rumored to be interested in moving into the first round.
Big man Johni Broome, the 40th-ranked prospect on ESPN’s list, had a workout with the Warriors today, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The former Auburn star said he has previously worked out for the Clippers, Pistons, Hawks, Nets, Raptors and Celtics, and has upcoming workouts scheduled with the Thunder, Timberwolves and Suns, according to Rankin. Golden State controls the 41st pick.

And-Ones: All-Star Game, Rubio, Draft Sleepers, Broadcasters

June 5th, 2025 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

Asked during an appearance on FS1’s Breakfast Ball (Twitter video link) whether a U.S. vs. the World format for the All-Star Game is something the NBA could implement as soon as 2026, league commissioner Adam Silver replied, “Yes.”

Silver cautioned that nothing has been set in stone yet, but that plan has been set in motion, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, and the NBA believes the timing makes sense. There was significant interest in the men’s basketball event at the 2024 Paris Olympics that featured a star-studded Team USA taking on NBA stars from other countries, and the 2026 All-Star Game will air on NBC while the network is also broadcasting the Winter Olympics.

“What better time to feature some form of USA against the world?” Silver said on FS1. “I’m not exactly sure what the format will be yet. I obviously paid a lot of attention to what the NHL did (with its ‘4 Nations Face Off’ All-Star event earlier this year), which was a huge success. … But also, going back, last summer, our Olympic competition was a huge success.”

As Reynolds writes, the biggest sticking point for the NBA is that approximately 70% of the NBA’s players are American, with just 30% from other countries. So even though some of the game’s biggest stars – including Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Doncic – could represent the “world” team, a format that requires 12 non-U.S. players to be named All-Stars would likely result in some glaring snubs among U.S. players.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Veteran point guard Ricky Rubio, who announced his retirement from the NBA in January 2024, played for Barcelona at the end of the 2023/24 season before taking ’24/25 off. The 34-year-old Spaniard published a message on social media on Thursday that could be interpreted as either a hint at his retirement as a player or a signal that he isn’t done yet. “I took this year to reflect on my career and my life, and I’ve realized that if I’ve gotten to where I am today, it’s not because of the assists I’ve given, but because of the assists I’ve received,” Rubio wrote (via Twitter). “This isn’t a goodbye, it’s a thank you to all the people who have helped me along the way.”
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports identifies seven of his favorite “sleepers” in this year’s draft, naming UNC’s Drake Powell, Gonzaga’s Ryan Nembhard, Kentucky’s Koby Brea, and four others as prospects capable of outperforming their probable draft slots.
Richard Deitsch and Andrew Marchand of The Athletic dig into the NBA’s media landscape, with Marchand noting that the league’s new partners, Amazon and NBC, will be keeping an eye on players nearing the end of their respective careers who might be interested in transitioning to broadcasting. That group includes Draymond Green, Stephen Curry, and LeBron James, according to Marchand, who adds that Steve Kerr would qualify too if he moves on from coaching in the coming years.