Victor Wembanyama, Tyler Herro Named Players Of Week
Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama and Heat guard Tyler Herro have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the league (Twitter links). The weekly award covers games played from March 2-8.
Wembanyama averaged 26.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.8 blocks per game as San Antonio went 4-0 last week. It’s the second weekly award this season for the former No. 1 overall pick and the third of his career.
The Player of the Week honor continues an impressive run of award recognition for Wembanyama, who last week was named the Western Conference’s Player of the Month and Defensive Player of the Month for February.
Herro averaged 26.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 51.7 percent from three-point range as Miami also went 4-0 last week. This marks Herro’s second career Player of the Week award and his first of the season. He has been limited to just 20 appearances so far due to injuries but has been highly productive when available, averaging 22.1 PPG on .500/.402/.917 shooting.
Devin Booker (Suns), Luka Dončić (Lakers), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Jrue Holiday (Trail Blazers) and Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) were the other nominees from the Western Conference. Bam Adebayo (Heat), Paolo Banchero (Magic), Jalen Johnson (Hawks) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks) were also nominated in the East.
Former Hornet Amari Bailey Seeking NCAA Return
Amari Bailey, who was selected 41st overall in the 2023 draft and appeared in 10 games on a two-way contract with the Hornets in 2023/24, is trying to become the first player to return to college after playing in NBA games, reports Dan Murphy of ESPN.com.
Still just 21 years old, Bailey played one season at UCLA prior to being drafted. The 6’3″ guard has hired an agent and a lawyer in an attempt to be granted one more season of college eligibility, Murphy writes.
“Right now I’d be a senior in college,” Bailey told ESPN. “I’m not trying to be 27 years old playing college athletics. No shade to the guys that do; that’s their journey. But I went to go play professionally and learned a lot, went through a lot. So like, why not me?”
Big man Charles Bediako, who spent a couple months with the Spurs on a two-way deal but didn’t appear in any NBA games, has sued the NCAA for an additional year of college eligibility. He was recently granted a temporary restraining order, allowing him to participate in activities and games for Alabama while he awaits a hearing on a preliminary injunction regarding his eligibility.
That injunction hearing was delayed earlier this week due to weather, and Bediako’s temporary restraining order was extended for 10 more days, per Jeff Borzelo of ESPN. The judge, an Alabama booster, has recused himself from the case after the NCAA filed a motion asking him to do so, according to Matt Stahl of AL.com.
“The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any players who have signed an NBA contract,” NCAA senior vice president of external affairs Tim Buckley said when asked about Bailey’s plan to return. “Congress can strengthen NCAA rules so professional athletes cannot sue their way back to competing against college students.”
Bailey spent last season in the G League with the Long Island Nets and the Iowa Wolves, averaging 13.1 points, 4.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 steal on .434/.325/.714 shooting in 25 games (26.2 MPG). He tells Murphy he has been training at his home in California and hopes to land with a school that gives him a chance to make the Final Four in 2026/27.
“It’s not a stunt,” Bailey said. “I’m really serious about going back. I just want to improve my game, change the perception of me and just show that I can win.”
Patrick Beverley Arrested Friday On Assault Charges
Patrick Beverley was arrested on Friday in Texas and charged with assault of a family/household member, per TMZ Sports.
According to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s office, a “family violence incident” between relatives resulted in deputies being sent to the home. Beverley was booked and had a bond set at $40K, which he posted.
“Please don’t believe everything you see on the internet. Hope all is well,” Beverley tweeted on Friday night.
“Patrick Beverley has no criminal record. He cares deeply about his little sister — a young lady, a minor,” Beverley’s lawyer said in a statement sent to TMZ. “Given that, when he unexpectedly found her alone in the home with an 18-year-old man in the middle of the night, he was understandably concerned, as any brother would be about his sister. However, we don’t believe what followed happened the way it’s been described, and we look forward to the opportunity to address that in court.”
Jenna West of The Athletic writes that the investigation remains ongoing and that the police have not released additional details.
Beverley spent 12 seasons in the NBA and appeared in 666 regular season games, but has been out of the league since 2023/24. He spent part of last season with Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel.
Latest On Malik Beasley
An ESPN report last week stating that Malik Beasley is no longer a target of a federal gambling investigation into unusual prop betting activity has fueled speculation about the possibility of the free agent sharpshooter joining an NBA team for the start of the 2025/26 season. The Knicks and Cavaliers are among the clubs said to have interest.
However, as we detailed over the weekend, the term “target” has a specific legal definition to federal prosecutors, and while it may not apply to Beasley, that doesn’t mean he’s entirely in the clear.
The former Pistons wing is still a “subject” of the investigation being conducted by the Eastern District of New York, a source has confirmed to Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports.
As Schiffer explains, a subject of an investigation is defined by the Department of Justice as “a person whose conduct is within the scope of the grand jury’s investigation,” whereas a target is someone who “has substantial evidence linking him or her to the commission of a crime and who, in the judgment of the prosecutor, is a putative defendant.”
In practical terms, that means that while federal investigators aren’t zeroing in on Beasley specifically, he also could still theoretically face criminal charges, something his lawyer Steve Haney acknowledged to Robert Snell and Coty M. Davis of The Detroit News.
“I have no idea,” Haney said when asked if Beasley will be charged. “That is the frustrating thing. You live in a state of purgatory with a cloud hanging over your head for what? Forever? And you’re out of the league and can never play basketball again?”
It makes sense that NBA teams would be reluctant to finalize a deal with the 28-year-old before getting clarity on whether or not he’ll face charges (or discipline from the league) related to the unusual activity on Beasley-related prop bets during the 2023/24 season. Still, it’s worth noting that there’s technically nothing stopping an NBA club from signing him.
For example, Heat guard Terry Rozier, who has also been investigated as part of the federal probe into illegal betting, continued to play during the second half of last season while that investigation was ongoing and is still on Miami’s roster. Based on somewhat conflicting reports about his status, it sounds as if Rozier in the same boat as Beasley — not a “target,” but not fully cleared yet either as the probe continues.
Besides being a subject in a federal investigation, Beasley has also had his share of financial issues in recent years, as outlined in multiple reports this summer. He allegedly failed to pay off debts to a celebrity barber, a money lender, a marketing firm, and a dentist, and was evicted from his apartment earlier this month after being accused of not paying rent.
Haney, who has been working with Beasley in an effort to clear up his debts, said his client could reclaim his apartment as soon as this week and suggested that his financial woes have been overstated.
“A lot of his problems came from, I think, a lack of management and not having somebody diligently coordinating a lot of his financial matters,” Haney told The Detroit News. “And though I’m not his business manager, I am trying to help coordinate whatever I can to get him back in better standing.
“… It is not fair to characterize him as being broke. Athletes are very busy. They have had a life of privilege. They are not used to handling business affairs. Most of these NBA players get people around them that they trust to handle business affairs. Malik obviously did not have people in his management circle that were diligent. We are working with him to go through and solve some of the problems.”
If not for Beasley’s off-court complications, he’d almost certainly be the most coveted unrestricted free agent left on the market. The former Florida State standout is coming off a very strong season in Detroit in which he was the Sixth Man of the Year runner-up after averaging 16.3 points per game and ranking second in the NBA in three-pointers made (319). He has knocked down 41.5% of 8.1 three-point attempts per contest over the past two seasons for the Bucks and Pistons.
Shawn Kemp Avoids Jail Time In Shooting Incident
Former SuperSonics forward and six-time NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp was sentenced to 30 days of electronic home monitoring for shooting at two men inside a vehicle in a Washington state mall parking lot in 2023. He must also serve one year of state Department of Corrections supervision and complete 240 hours of community service, according to The Associated Press.
Kemp entered a guilty plea to a second-degree assault charge in May. At the time, prosecutors recommended a nine-month jail sentence, a year of supervision and pay restitution. However, Judge Michael Schwartz of Pierce County Superior Court found the circumstances surrounding the case warranted a lesser sentence, allowing Kemp to avoid jail time.
Kemp claimed he acted in self-defense and returned fire after one of the men shot at him from inside their Toyota 4Runner vehicle. The defense also claimed that the two men Kemp shot at provoked the shooting by stealing Kemp’s truck, his cellphone and memorabilia in Seattle.
The Toyota 4Runner the men were inside and another vehicle were damaged in the March 2023 shooting, but the men were not hurt.
Kemp’s attorney, W. Scott Boatman, issued a statement from his client to ESPN’s Marc J. Spears (Twitter link) that expressed gratitude regarding the sentence.
“Shawn is extremely grateful that the Court exercised its discretion to not impose any jail time and further based that decision on the fact that Shawn’s actions occurred as a result of a failed attempt of self defense. Shawn is genuinely regretful of certain decisions he made that day and is committed to working with kids to help them understand the potential consequences of not thinking twice or acting impulsively.”
Kemp played in the NBA from 1989-2003.
Jacque Vaughn Forgoes NBA, Joins Kansas Staff
Former NBA head coach Jacque Vaughn has joined the University of Kansas to serve as an assistant coach under longtime Jayhawks head coach Bill Self, per a Kansas press release.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports (Twitter link) that Vaughn rejected overtures to return to the NBA in favor of a return to his alma mater, where he was an All-American as a player.
A former 12-year journeyman NBA point guard, Vaughn worked as an assistant before spending five years in the league as a head coach. He first served in that capacity for the Magic, from 2012-15, and later did so with the Nets, first in an interim capacity at the end of 2019/20 and then again from 2022-24.
Vaughn has a cumulative 129-226 regular season record as an NBA head coach, though he was over .500 (71-68) and made a pair of playoff appearances during his stints with Brooklyn.
“I’ve known Jacque from a distance for several years now and have always admired how he has conducted himself professionally and how he has treated people,” Self said in a statement. “I think he will be an excellent addition to our program, while also serving as a great mentor, coach and representative of Kansas basketball. We lost an awesome coach in Norm (Roberts) when he retired but feel very fortunate to have replaced him with a tremendous Jayhawk that has a unique and impressive resume.”
And-Ones: Top FAs, Under-The-Radar Players, Extensions, Carter-Williams
Kyrie Irving ranks as the potential top free agent next summer, according to Frank Urbina and Raul Barrigon of HoopsHype, though there’s no indication he wants to leave Dallas. Irving holds a player option for the 2025/26 season.
Rockets big man Alperen Sengun ranks as the No. 2 free agent, though he’ll be restricted if he doesn’t sign a rookie scale extension this month. At No. 3, Lakers forward LeBron James also has a ’25/26 player option, like Irving.
Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram comes in at No. 4 overall on HoopsHype’s top-25 list and is the top-ranked player who will be fully unrestricted, without the fallback of a player option — unless, of course, he signs a contract with New Orleans prior to free agency.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- Which under-the-radar players might make a significant impact this season? The Athletic’s John Hollinger explores a dozen such candidates, including Gradey Dick, Precious Achiuwa and Xavier Tillman.
- A number of big-name players could be in line for huge extensions prior to the Oct. 21 deadline for rookie-scale players and veterans with more than one year remaining on their contracts. Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus identifies Kevin Durant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jalen Suggs as a few of the players who could potentially agree to new deals this month.
- Retired NBA guard Michael Carter-Williams has become a mental health advocate. The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn details Carter-Williams’ personal struggles and his determination to help others get through their mental health issues.
Former NBA Forward Joe Bryant Dies At Age 69
Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, the father of longtime Lakers star and Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, has passed away at age 69, according to Mike Sielski of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who says the former NBA forward recently suffered a massive stroke.
Bryant was the No. 14 overall pick in the 1975 draft and spent the next eight seasons in the league, appearing in 606 total regular season games for the Sixers, Clippers, and Rockets.
He averaged 8.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 21.2 minutes per contest over the course of his NBA career before spending another eight seasons in Italy.
A former star at La Salle University, Bryant spent several years as an assistant coach at his alma mater after he retired as a player. He also served as the head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA and coached in a variety of non-NBA men’s leagues around the world from 2003-15.
Joe’s son Kobe died in a helicopter crash in January 2020.
Our condolences go out to Joe’s family and friends.
Follow The NHL Trade Deadline At Pro Hockey Rumors
The NHL trade deadline is here, and our Trade Rumors sister site, Pro Hockey Rumors, has coverage for all 32 teams! You can keep up with the moves with Twitter/X (@ProHockeyRumors) before the 2:00 p.m. CT cutoff.
PHR’s Josh Erickson will host a live chat early in the morning to discuss some big-name moves earlier in the week and what other news may come down the pike today.
Trade action began heating up in earnest on Wednesday, with big names like 2019 Stanley Cup winner Vladimir Tarasenko heading south to the Panthers and top defense target Noah Hanifin joining the Golden Knights in their quest for a repeat championship. The best rental forward on the market, longtime Penguins fixture Jake Guentzel, headed to the Hurricanes late last night as Pittsburgh retools their roster in the final years of Sidney Crosby’s tenure.
We’ve seen 19 completed trades this month, including two three-way deals. There were 19 total swaps on deadline day alone last year, a figure 2024 is expected to surpass.
There are still a handful of top-tier names that could be on the move today, including Devils leading goal-scorer Tyler Toffoli, a pair of big-name goaltenders in Jacob Markström and reigning Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark, and Blues star forward Pavel Buchnevich.
Check in with Pro Hockey Rumors throughout the day to keep track of all the action! You can also follow us on Twitter/X (@ProHockeyRumors).
Sixers Notes: Harden, Embiid, Petrusev, Siakam
There have been no signs of forward momentum in the Sixers‘ James Harden trade talks, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on the latest episode of his Lowe Post podcast.
“As far as I know, the Harden situation remains a total stalemate,” Lowe said (hat tip to HoopsHype). “There’s only really one team that he wants to go to. That team is the Clippers. Their level of engagement here to me is unclear slash not super enthusiastic.
“I don’t know what to make of the possibility that Harden would ever go back to Philly. I continue to hear from people who would know that the bridge is burned. But that’s what people who would know would say on July 17, with two months or whatever before training camp. I don’t know how this is going to resolve itself.”
Confirming that Harden “absolutely wants a trade to the Clippers,” Shams Charania of The Athletic says rival teams view Los Angeles as the only legitimate suitor for the former MVP at this point, so it may come down to the two sides seeing if they can meet in the middle. Chris Mannix of SI.com argues that the Sixers would be best off hanging onto Harden if the Clippers remain seemingly unwilling to put Terance Mann and what’s left of their first-round draft capital on the table.
Here’s more on the Sixers:
- Although Joel Embiid‘s comments about wanting to win a championship “whether it’s in Philly or anywhere else” raised some eyebrows, there’s no significant concern within the organization that the reigning MVP is looking for an exit ramp, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. In fact, a source tells Amick that the Sixers believe Embiid would like to be one of the rare stars who remains with the same team for his entire NBA career.
- Filip Petrusev‘s contract with the Sixers is a two-year deal that is partially guaranteed in 2023/24 and non-guaranteed for 2024/25, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
- Responding to a rumor that Philadelphia could be a potential landing spot for trade candidate Pascal Siakam, Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com considers the fit, weighing whether it would make sense for the 76ers to pursue the star Raptors forward while acknowledging that such a deal is probably unlikely to come to fruition.