Richard was selected No. 56 overall in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft after helping Florida win its third national championship in program history. Second-round picks often face an uphill battle to make the NBA roster and may find themselves released or sent to the G League. Richard not only made the Golden State roster, but he has also been a Day 1 contributor for the Warriors.

Richard was in the starting lineup for Golden State’s Wednesday night win over San Antonio. It wasn’t a particularly memorable game for Richard, aside from one moment. Richard played 22 minutes in the 125-120 Warrior victory, scoring 3 points. Richard’s 3-pointer got a Gator chomp from Golden State superstar Steph Curry. As an added bonus, the assist came from Florida great Al Horford, a member of UF’s 2006 and ’07 national title teams.

Watch Curry hit the Gator chomp after Will Richard knocks down a three pic.twitter.com/ARiJGxg7OV

— Florida Recruiting (@FLRecruits) November 13, 2025

The Warriors are 7-6 on the season. Richard has played in 11 games, making 2 starts. Richard is averaging 9.4 points per game on 18.1 minutes per outing.

Curry and the Warriors seem to be happy to have multiple Gators on their team.

The post Will Richard draws Gator chomp from Steph Curry after draining 3-pointer appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The 3-time NBA All-Star is in his first season with the Clippers after spending 2 injury-marred years with the Phoenix Suns. Beal’s agent Mark Bartelstein confirmed the news to Charania.

“We met with numerous doctors and specialists around the country in collaboration with the entire Clippers medical staff over the last few days, and came to the decision unanimously that the surgery will allow Brad to have a full and complete recovery,” Bartelstein said.

Beal spent the first 11 seasons of his NBA career with the Washington Wizards. The Wizards drafted Beal with the No. 3 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Injuries have plagued Beal since becoming a pro, as he’s only played at least 75 games during 3 seasons, a stretch from 2016-2019. Beal was selected to the All-NBA Third Team in 2021 when he averaged a career-high 31.3 points in 60 games.

During his lone season at Florida, Beal was a First-team All-SEC selection. Coming out of high school in Missouri, Beal was the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2011.

The post Bradley Beal out for remainder of 2025-26 season, per NBA insider appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Richard made his first NBA start on Wednesday night, and led Golden State with 30 points in the Warriors’ 121-116 loss to the Sacramento Kings. Richard shot 10-of-15 (66.7%) from the field and connected on 5 3-pointers in 34 minutes against the Kings. He added 7 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal.

Golden State was very much a skeleton crew on Wednesday night, as Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green all missed the game. Regardless, Richard got his opportunity and took advantage of it, like he has done all offseason since winning the national championship at Florida.

Richard has not hit fewer than 2 field goals or shot worse than 40% in any game this season. Earlier in the year, Curry applauded him for having no fear and making a critical play in an overtime triumph versus the Denver Nuggets. This showing should only enhance the confidence both Curry and Steve Kerr have in the former Gator moving forward. Golden State’s next game is against the Nuggets on Friday night (10:00 p.m. ET).

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Former Kentucky Wildcat and Oklahoma City Thunder superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been unstoppable through his first 2 games of the 2025-26 season. The Thunder have played 2 games so far, winning both in double overtime.

During Thursday night’s 141-135 win over the Indiana Pacers, Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-best 55 points on 15-of-31 shooting from the field. He connected on 23 of his 26 free throws in the win.

Through his first 2 games, SGA has played 92 total minutes and scored 90 points.

In NBA history, only Wilt Chamberlain (106, 105), Anthony Davis (95), and Michael Jordan (91) have scored more points through the first 2 games of a season. Chamberlain cracked 100 points to open back-to-back seasons in the 1960s.

Gilgeous Alexander also has 13 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 blocks, and 4 steals against just 5 turnovers in his team’s first 2 games. He is 33-for-40 (82.5%) from the free throw line and 27-of-57 (47.4%) from the field.

The Thunder play Atlanta on the road on Saturday.

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The post Former Kentucky star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander off to historic start for Thunder appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Richard’s final stat line — 6 points (2-of-5 FG, 1-of-4 3P), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal — won’t draw intense fanfare. But when Steph Curry speaks on someone, you listen. And Curry, in his postgame press conference, talked Richard up after his strong showing.

“There’s something about winning players at whatever level. He’s a champion for a reason down there in Florida,” Curry said. “[He] just understands basketball, sees the game really well. He’s fearless. The lights aren’t too bright for him. He knows he’s got a lot of growth ahead of him, but for him to make his presence felt like that… it lifts the whole group. It’s pretty special to watch him.”

Curry specifically mentioned a key sequence late in regulation when discussing Richard’s impact. Trailing 109-100 with 6:50 remaining in the fourth quarter, Richard grabbed a jump ball and raced up the right wing. Demonstrating the fearlessness Curry mentioned, he pulled up from behind the arc and nailed a 3-pointer to cut the Nuggets’ lead to 6.

Richard didn’t always get the opportunity to take the most pivotal shots at Florida because Walter Clayton Jr. was there. As long as Curry is healthy, he won’t find the ball in his hands at the end of games with the Warriors, either.

But the more he proves himself, like he did on Thursday night, the better chance he’ll have to see the floor in true crunch time. Golden State is back in action Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers (10:00 p.m. ET).

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The post Steph Curry praises former Florida G Will Richard: ‘Pretty special’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Clayton didn’t start for the Jazz in their 129-108 win against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, but he wasted no time making an impact once he got on the court. He entered the game at the 4:02 mark of the first quarter. Over the next 56 seconds, he scored his first NBA points, snared his first NBA steal and snagged his first NBA assist. His hot start capped a 16-2 run for Utah and forced a Los Angeles timeout.

Clayton finished the game with 10 points (4/8 FG, 1/3 3P), 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals in 18 minutes of action. Both he and Ace Bailey — the No. 5 overall pick — should earn bigger roles for the Jazz as the season goes along. For the time being, they’ll continue plying their trade and developing their game as reserves. Utah’s next game comes at the Sacramento Kings on Friday night (10:00 p.m. E.T.).

The post Walter Clayton Jr. turns in impressive NBA debut for Utah Jazz appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Billups’ arrest in Oregon was reportedly due to his involvement in an illegal poker operation tied to the Mafia. The 49-year-old began his NBA playing career in 1997 after playing for Colorado from 1995-97. Playing until 2014, Billups was an NBA champion in 2004 with the Detriot Pistons and was named the NBA Finals MVP. The 5-time NBA All-Star began his coaching career in 2020 as an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers and became head coach of the Trail Blazers in 2021.

Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups has been arrested by the FBI for alleged illegal gambling, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2025

ESPN’s article on the arrests notes that sportsbooks in multiple states flagged betting interest on Rozier’s statistics. In 2023, there was a noted surge of bets on under for Rozier’s points, rebounds and assists. He played 10 minutes in the game before exiting due to a foot injury.

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested early Thursday morning as part of an FBI sports betting gambling probe, sources tell ESPN. The Eastern District of New York and FBI director Kash Patel will hold a press conference at 10 am ET to announce arrests from investigation.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2025

Rozier, 30, has been playing professionally since 2015. The former Louisville standout was a first-round pick in 2015 by the Boston Celtics. After multiple seasons with the Hornets, Rozier joined the Miami Heat in 2024.

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With Jimmy Butler out with an ankle injury, Kerr gave Richard the starting nod in the Warriors 118-111 preseason win against the Blazers. The rookie from Florida responded in a big way, scoring 13 points to go along with six rebounds and three 3-pointers made.

He played 29 minutes, and the Warriors were a +10 with him on the floor.

Even though it is only the preseason, Kerr would have no issue putting Richard in a regular season game.

“Will’s good,” Kerr told reporters. “Will really knows how to play. He’s in the right spots all the time. He is active defensively and sees the game well. He knocked down his 3-pointers tonight and we are very excited about him. If you’re on the roster, there is always going to be a path. I know I won’t hesitate to put him out there.”

Richard was a key piece on Florida’s national championship team. He averaged 13.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 steals and he started all 40 games.

The Warriors showed early in the preseason they were high on Richard when they signed him to a fully-guaranteed contract. For a guy drafted that late, generally those guys sign a two-way contract.

With guys like Steph Curry and Butler, there are going to be nights when those guys sit a game out. Richard could be someone who benefits from those minutes.

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On Thursday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced that Inside the NBA‘s new network debut will come during the Association’s opening week. Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal will grace ESPN’s airwaves on Oct. 22 and 23, before and after each night’s NBA doubleheader.

Inside the NBA, in its current form, has been around since Shaq joined the cast in 2011. The show has won 14 Sports Emmy Awards since Shaq’s arrival. It was inducted in the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 2026, joining SportsCenter and Monday Night Football as the only sports programs to receive the honor (at the time). Inside the NBA also received the Curt Gowdy Media Award in 2020.

ESPN spent years trying to acquire Inside the NBA, but was unable to make the acquisition until TNT Sports and the NBA declined to continue their partnership. While the show is airing on ESPN, it’s still being produced by TNT Sports from Atlanta. Because of this, there should be no alterations to the show’s typical banter and coverage of the league. However, we won’t know for sure until the show officially kicks off the 2025-26 campaign.

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Many players selected in the second round end up on a non-guaranteed 2-way contract, but Richard has reportedly secured a fully-guaranteed deal with Golden State.

Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Warriors made the decision to give him a 4-year deal that’s fully-guaranteed for the first 2 seasons.

Richard played a huge role on this past year’s Gators team that won the national championship. He averaged 13.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 1.7 SPG during this past season, providing a perfect complement to star guard Walter Clayton Jr.

He began his career at Belmont, where he played one season before transferring to Florida. He started 135 of his 141 career college games, and averaged 11.9 PPG throughout his four college seasons.

The Warriors are a team that has to deal with some financial issues as guys like Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler all have big contracts. Paying guys like that means they have to get quality play from young draft picks. Richard showed in summer league that his 3-point shot is improving, and he has a chance to be a part of the Warriors’ rotation in the near future.

The post Former Florida guard Will Richard lands fully-guaranteed NBA contract, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Horford, who won a championship with the Celtics in 2024, has signed a “multi-year contract” with the Golden State Warriors, Horford’s agent told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Sunday.

The former Florida standout, who won two national championships under Billy Donovan in 2006 and 2007, was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Hawks. An NBA All-Rookie Selection in 2008, he spent nine seasons in Atlanta.

In July 2016, Horford signed a four-year deal with the Celtics. He was in Boston for three seasons before signing with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019. He was then traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Dec. 2020 before being traded back to the Celtics in June 2021.

Horford is a 5-time NBA All-Star selection, including in back-to-back seasons in 2015 and 2016. He was an All-NBA Third Team selection in 2011 and a second-team All-NBA Defensive Team member in 2018.

The Celtics went 61-21 in the 2024-25 season, finishing in second place in the Eastern Conference. They then defeated the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs before falling to the New York Knicks in six games.

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While he may no longer be playing the sport, that doesn’t mean he will be done being involved with the sport. On Wednesday, it was announced that Wall will be an NBA studio analyst for Amazon Prime during the 2025-26 season.

He will reportedly be a part of the studio coverage, joining other former NBA stars such as Blake Griffin and Dirk Nowitzki.

Wall’s athleticism and personality instantly made him a fan favorite as soon as he stepped foot on campus at Kentucky in 2010. In his lone season in Lexington, he averaged 16.6 PPG, 6.5 APG and 4.3 RPG. He helped lead the Wildcats to an impressive 34-3 season, making it to the Elite Eight before losing to West Virginia.

That campaign led him to being the No. 1 player drafted in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards.

During his time in the NBA, he was a 5-time All Star, and he teamed up with Bradley Beal to form one of the most dynamic backcourts in the NBA for years. He finished his career with 18.7 PPG and 8.9 APG.

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The 27-year-old NBA journeyman now has a new lease on life in the NBA with the Heat organization, which is rewarding Smith after his many years spent with the franchise. Smith went undrafted in 2021 after 2 seasons at Missouri that followed 2 seasons at Evansville. He has bounced around the NBA since, mostly with the Heat organization between the NBA club itself and its G League affiliate in South Dakota.

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Smith has spent 2 different stints with the Heat franchise, first from 2021-23 and now from 2023 to the present sandwiched around a brief stopover with the Brooklyn Nets in the first half of 2023. This reported contract is a reward of sorts and a sign of trust in Smith, who has overcome season-ending ACL and Achilles tendon injuries during each of the past 2 seasons.

Smith made his mark at Missouri, earning 2nd-team All-SEC honors in 2021 and an SEC All-Defensive Team selection that same season. During his junior year at Mizzou, he averaged 12.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game. His 64 steals that season led the SEC and ranked 6th in program history.

As a senior, Smith turned up the scoring a notch, averaging 14.3 points, to go with 3.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals per contest.

Now, at long last, it looks like the ex-Mizzou star has a permanent NBA home for the foreseeable future.

The post Former Missouri star Dru Smith signing new deal with Miami Heat, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The former Wildcat agreed to a 4-year, $229 million max extension with the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. That’s per ESPN’s Shams Charania, who notes that this deal will now keep Fox in San Antonio through the 2029-30 season.

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Fox was traded by the Sacramento Kings, the team who originally drafted him out of Kentucky back in 2017, to the Spurs before last year’s trade deadline. The Spurs hoped Fox could help them make a push for a playoff spot, but a medical scare for star center Victor Wembanyama put postseason hopes on hold for another season.

Fox is not the only former Wildcat to sign a max contract this offseason, as Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander inked a max deal following his MVP and Championship-winning campaign. Devin Booker also signed a 2-year max extension to stay with the Phoenix Suns this offseason.

Anthony Davis will be the highest-paid former Kentucky player in the NBA this upcoming season as he’s set to earn more than $54 million in 2025-26. Fox’s new deal won’t begin until the 2026-27 season.

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The news comes via ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania. Donovan, who previously coached the Oklahoma City Thunder, is entering his 6th season with the Bulls.

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has signed a multiyear contract extension with the franchise, sources tell ESPN. Donovan is viewed as a leader within the Bulls organization, and will enter his sixth season in Chicago in 2025-26 with 800 NBA games coached over his career. pic.twitter.com/LVYMiZt2Tv

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 27, 2025

Donovan, 60, has been coaching in the NBA since 2015. He led the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2015-20 before landing with the Bulls in 2020.

At the pro level, Donovan has coached 800 games, going 438-362. The Thunder reached the playoffs in all 5 seasons under Donovan, but lost in the first round the last 4 times after a trip to the conference finals in 2016. The Bulls have been to the playoffs only once in Donovan’s tenure, missing the playoffs the last 3 years.

Earlier this year, Donovan was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame for his legendary UF tenure from 1996-2015, winning the first 2 national championships in Florida basketball history (2006, ’07). Donovan notched 467 wins at Florida, including 6 SEC regular-season championships, 4 SEC Tournament titles and 4 trips to the Final Four.

In June, the Bulls denied the New York Knicks the opportunity to speak with Donovan about their coaching vacancy.

The post Billy Donovan reportedly lands multi-year extension with Chicago Bulls appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Martin had the broadcasters in awe on Friday night when he threw down a highlight slam in the Toronto Raptors’ game against the Chicago Bulls.

ALIJAH MARTIN ON YOUR HEADTOP https://t.co/thI5fgvhTL pic.twitter.com/EpUSWNMFHp

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) July 12, 2025

A transfer addition, Martin was a key piece of Florida’s national championship run. He averaged 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 30.4 minutes in 38 games (36 starts). Martin was a double-figure scorer in 31 games as he shot 45.2% from the field and 35% from 3-point territory.

Friday’s dunk is certainly impressive, but for Florida fans, it will be hard for Martin to ever top the dunk against Auburn in the Final Four.

OH MY GOODNESS ALIJAH MARTIN POSTER#MarchMadness @GatorsMBK pic.twitter.com/JFyVsSaOT1

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 6, 2025

The Raptors selected Martin in the 2nd round of the 2025 NBA Draft with the No. 39 overall pick. He’s signed to a 2-way deal with the team, meaning he’s competing for a spot on the NBA roster.

The post Alijah Martin throws down highlight slam in NBA Summer League game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Fresh off leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a championship, the former Kentucky Wildcat was announced as the new NBA 2K cover athlete for the standard edition of 2K26.

The generational run continues

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is your #NBA2K26 Standard Edition Cover Athlete!

Pre-order NBA 2K26 starting tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/1pQTtWOUh2

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) July 8, 2025

Gilgeous-Alexander had a 2025-26 season to remember, winning the NBA championship, scoring title and league MVP all in the same season. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1971), Michael Jordan (1991, ’92, ’96, ’98) and Shaquille O’Neal (2000) have pulled off the same trifecta.

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On top of that, Gilgeous-Alexander was also named the Finals MVP. Leading OKC to a 4-3 series win over the Indiana Pacers, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 30.3 points, 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game in the Finals while shooting 44.3% from the field. It’s no surprise that the Thunder want to keep SGA, locking him up with a 4-year extension worth $285 million that runs through 2030-31.

A Wildcat in 2017-18, Gilgeous-Alexander was selected No. 11 overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2018 NBA Draft. He was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on draft night, where he played his rookie season in 2018-19. In July 2019, the Thunder acquired Gilgeous-Alexander in a trade.

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Richard’s Golden State Warriors faced the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday in California Classic Summer League action. The Warriors fell 90-88. Richard actually took a last-second 3-point attempt for the win that almost went in.

Even in the loss, though, it’s safe to say that Warriors fans liked what they saw from Richard. He was part of the team’s starting lineup and logged 25 minutes. Richard finished with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assist in the game.

Richard was 3-of-10 from the field, but a perfect 8-of-8 at the line. As he did in his Gator days, Richard showed his knack for converting turnovers into points and shooting the 3-ball.

WILL RICHARD STEAL
WILL RICHARD LAYUP

The Warriors rookie gets his first bucket in his #NBASummer debut on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/pu2YXEjOXY

— NBA (@NBA) July 6, 2025

WILL RICHARD MAKES IT A 1-POINT GAME!

California Classic on NBA TV pic.twitter.com/MnaxVfKA5l

— NBA (@NBA) July 7, 2025

Richard played for UF for 3 seasons. A Belmont transfer, he was the first player to commit to play for Todd Golden. As part of Florida’s championship run, Richard was named to the Final Four All-Tournament Team. He was selected No. 56 overall by the Warriors in the Round 2 of the 2025 NBA Draft.

The post Will Richard impresses in NBA Summer League debut for Warriors appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The former LSU standout has a new NBA team. The Philadelphia 76ers have announced the signing of Watford. Per Sixers beat writer Keith Pompey, it’s a 2-year, $5.3 million deal for Watford, with the 2nd year being a team option.

welcome to Philly, @trendonw!@FultonBank pic.twitter.com/LUqTutXlw3

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) July 3, 2025

Watford heads to Philly for his 5th professional season. He began his career with the Portland Trail Blazers and then joined the Brooklyn Nets ahead of the 2023-24 season.

Last season, Watford played in 44 games for the Nets, making 10 starts. He averaged career-highs of 10.2 points and 2.6 assists over 20.7 minutes per game.

Trendon is a young, dynamic player with a unique skillset who fits nicely with what we’re trying to accomplish on both sides of the ball,” 76ers President of Basketball Operational Daryl Morey said in a released statement. “His size and versatility allow him to guard multiple positions, while his handle and passing showcase his play-making ability. He is a valued addition to our roster and I’m excited to welcome him to Philadelphia.

Watford played at LSU from 2019-21. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2020 and the AP’s All-SEC first team in 2021.

The post Former LSU standout Trendon Watford signs with new NBA team appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Celtics announced Phil Pressey as the head coach of the Maine Celtics for the 2025-26 season.

I’d like to thank Brad Stevens, Joe Mazzulla, and the entire Celtics organization for believing in me and giving me a chance to grow, lead, and develop,” Pressey said in a released statement. “I’m grateful for the opportunity and I will give my all to this team. The community of Portland is amazing, and I remember my time as a player was unforgettable at the Expo. My goal is to instill winning habits into every player who suits up for the Maine Celtics.

Pressey played guard at Mizzou from 2010-13, receiving accolades in 2 conferences. He was an All-Big 12 2011-12 selection after leading the conference in assists and steals. The following year, he made first-team All-SEC and led the conference in assists.

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The Celtics note that Pressey is the first time Maine has had a head coach who played for the team. Pressey was part of the Celtics organization as a player from 2013-15. He had a memorable Maine game on Feb. 5, 2015, recording 34 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists.

We’re excited to welcome Phil to the Maine Celtics as our new head coach,” said Maine Celtics General Manager Jarell Christian. “Phil’s journey – from playing in the NBA and NBA G League to developing talent with the Boston Celtics – makes him the perfect fit to lead our team and connect with the Maine community. We can’t wait for our fans to get to know him and see the energy and passion he brings to the game.

Pressey returned to his alma mater to begin his coaching career, joining the Mizzou staff as an assistant coach in 2022. He then accepted a Player Development position with the Celtics in 2023.

The post Former Mizzou standout named Celtics’ G League head coach appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Robinson, who finished his college basketball career at Kentucky in 2024-25, was not selected in last month’s NBA Draft. The Cleveland Cavaliers are now signing him on Exhibit-10 contract, per Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.com.

Kentucky’s Jaxson Robinson has agreed to an Exhibit-10 contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, I’m told.

The 6’6” wing shot 37.6% on nearly 7 threes per game this season.

Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year and NBA Combine invitee in 2024.

Ranks 65th in the final DX Top 100. pic.twitter.com/Lct6mc05w5

— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) July 2, 2025

A native of Ada, Oklahoma, Robinson was well-traveled in his college career. He made use of the transfer portal, playing for Texas A&M (2020-21), Arkansas (2021-22), BYU (2022-24) and Kentucky (2024-25).

Over 5 seasons, Robinson played in 120 games, making 68 starts. He was the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year for 2023-24, in which he made 33 appearances for BYU, averaging a career-high 14.2 points per game.

Last season, at Kentucky, Robinson made 24 starts for the Wildcats before he was lost for the year due to injury. He averaged 13 points over 28.1 minutes per game, shooting 43.2% from the field.

The post Former Kentucky wing Jaxson Robinson lands contract with NBA team appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Hornets have decided to sign the former Florida standout to a new deal after he entered free agency. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reports that it is a 3-year deal for $24 million.

Free agent guard Tre Mann has agreed to a three-year, $24 million deal with the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell ESPN. Hornets officials and Mann's agent Aaron Turner of Verus Sports negotiated terms of the new contract in free agency. pic.twitter.com/mcputliCTQ

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2025

RELATED: Who makes Florida’s ultimate starting 5? We name Walter Clayton Jr. and the other 4 Gator Greats to make the lineup

Mann, a Gainesville native who prepped at The Villages (Florida) Charter Schools, played for the Gators from 2019-21. He was named first-team All-SEC by the conference coaches in 2021 after averaging 16 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in his sophomore season.

A pro since 2021, Mann began his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who selected him No. 18 overall in the NBA Draft. Mann was with the Thunder organization for 2-plus seasons, getting traded to Charlotte during the 2023-24 campaign.

Mann was off to the best start of his career in 2024-25, averaging 14.1 points per game in 13 appearances off the bench before missing the rest of the season due to injury. Last season, Mann shot 43.5% from the field and 40% from 3-point range.

The post Former Florida standout Tre Mann lands new deal with Charlotte Hornets appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Turner, who spent the first 10 seasons of his pro career with the Indiana Pacers, will now depart for division-rival Milwaukee less than 2 weeks after the Pacers came up short in the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

That’s according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, who reports Turner has agreed to a 4-year, $107 million deal with the Bucks. His deal will also include a player option and a 15% trade kicker.

It’s a stunning move that has ramifications elsewhere on the roster. In order to clear enough cap space to sign Turner, the Bucks are waiving and stretching Damian Lillard’s remaining $113 million in guaranteed money. That means Lillard, who suffered a torn Achilles during the postseason, will now become a free agent.

Turner joins a core in Milwaukee that’s headlined by 2-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks will be looking to make a deep postseason run next year with Turner and Antetokounmpo in their front court.

The Bucks won the NBA title back in 2021 but have not reached the Eastern Conference Finals in any of the last 3 postseasons.

Turner will be entering his 11th NBA season since departing Texas back in 2015.

The post Myles Turner agrees to contract with new NBA team appeared first on Saturday Down South.

ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported that news on Tuesday morning, noting the former Kentucky guard will sign a 4-year deal worth a projected $285 million. Gilgeous-Alexander is already under contract for the next 2 seasons, so this deal begins in 2027-28.

With this deal, Gilgeous-Alexander will now have the richest annual salary in NBA history:

The $285 million figure is subject to change. As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes, SGA’s contract is based on a projected salary cap number for the 2027-28 season. The salary cap is expected increase by up to 10% annually for the foreseeable future, but exact figures are not yet known.

For now, here is the projected annual salary for Gilgeous-Alexander for this 4-year extension:

Gilgeous-Alexander could have waited a year and signed a 5-year extension worth upwards of $380 million in the summer of 2026. Instead, he’s committed to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the next 6 seasons.

OKC co-stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are expected to sign lucrative extensions this summer as well. The Thunder won their first NBA title since moving to Oklahoma City last month.

The post Shai Gilgeous-Alexander agrees to record-breaking extension with OKC Thunder, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Denver Nuggets are sending the former Missouri Tiger to the Brooklyn Nets. Per ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, the Nuggets will also trade an unprotected 2032 first-round pick and receive Cam Johnson in return.

BREAKING: The Denver Nuggets are trading Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/o6rdWhu3Rl

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2025

A former McDonald’s All-American, Porter spent the 2017-18 season at Mizzou. He was 1-and-done and declared for the NBA Draft after a freshman season limited by injury. He was selected by Denver with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

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Porter has spent the entirety of his career with the Nuggets. He missed the 2018 season after having back surgery.

In 2019-20, Porter’s debut season, he was primarily a bench contributor. Since then, however, he has been a starter.

Porter averages 16.2 points per game over his career, posting his best mark of 19 ppg in the 2020-21 season. He played the most in 2023-24, making 81 starts.

During Denver’s championship season, Porter started 62 games in the regular season and 20 in the playoffs. He averaged 17.4 points per game in regular-season and 13.4 ppg during the playoff run.

This past season, Porter made 77 regular-season appearances and 14 in the postseason, all starts. He averaged 18.2 points per game during the season, but posted his first single-digit postseason with 9.1 ppg.

The post Michael Porter Jr. being traded to new NBA team, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The former Auburn standout has reportedly agreed to a 9-figure extension with the Houston Rockets. In a fully guaranteed deal, Smith will make $122 million over the next 5 seasons with the team, per ESPN insider Shams Charania.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. intends to sign a five-year, $122 million rookie contract extension, sources tell ESPN. Rockets officials and Smith's agent, Wallace Prather of LIFT Sports Management, negotiated the fully guaranteed deal through 2030-31 season. pic.twitter.com/S1hb9n0PRh

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2025

A second-team All-American and SEC Freshman of the Year at Auburn, Smith was selected No. 3 overall by Houston in the 2022 NBA Draft. The Rockets wanted to make sure Smith’s bright future did not play out with another club.

Smith played the most in his first season, starting 79 games. He made second-team All-Rookie Team after averaging 12.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists over 31 minutes per game.

In 2023-24, Smith’s playing time and production saw slight increases. His scoring went up to a career-high 13.7 points per game while he also averaged 31.9 minutes per game, the most in 3 seasons.

Smith missed some time this past season with a fractured hand. He played in 57 games (39 starts), averaging 12.2 points, 7 rebounds and 1.1 assists.

The post Jabari Smith Jr. agrees to 9-figure extension with Houston Rockets, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to ESPN insider Shams Charania, the Utah Jazz are trading Sexton and a 2031 second-round draft pick to the Charlotte Hornets for Jusuf Nurkic.

Just in: The Utah Jazz are trading Collin Sexton and a 2030 second-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets for Jusuf Nurkic, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/k5hFMBSlYn

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2025

The 26-year-old Sexton played for Alabama basketball in the 2017-18 season, earning recognition as the SEC Freshman of the Year. He was then a first-round NBA Draft pick in 2018, selected No. 8 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Sexton spent his first 4 professional seasons with the Cavaliers. He saw the most playing time in his rookie season, appearing in all 82 regular-season game with 72 starts. In the 2020-21 season, Sexton averaged a career-high 24.3 points per game.

Utah acquired Sexton via a sign-and-trade deal in September 2022. In his first season with the Jazz, Sexton shot a career-best 50.6% from the field over 48 appearances (15 starts). This past season, Sexton posted his best 3-point shooting percentage, a 40.6% mark from beyond the arc in 63 games (61 starts).

For his career, Sexton has played in 407 regular-season games, making 335 starts. He averaged 18.8 points on 47% field-goal shooting over 29.9 minutes per game.

The post Former Alabama standout Collin Sexton traded to new NBA team, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That’s per ESPN’s Shams Charania, who says the former Arkansas Razorback will sign a 3-year, $24 million deal to remain with the reigning champs. As part of the deal, Oklahoma City declined its $2.1 million team option for the 2025-26 campaign.

Charania reports that OKC will have a team option in the final year of its 3-year agreement with Williams.

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Williams played a key reserve role for Oklahoma City in its march to the NBA Finals. His biggest impact in the playoffs came in the Denver series when he helped guard Nikola Jokic for stretches of play. He averaged 10.6 minutes per game against the Nuggets and scored 24 points on 18 shots in totality.

Williams also received praise from head coach Mark Daigneault for his presence in timeouts throughout the postseason. Perhaps most notably, Williams had a memorable moment during Oklahoma City’s Championship parade last week.

While there’s little path toward Williams being a starter longterm in Oklahoma City, he’ll now make approximately $8 million annually over the next 3 years while playing for a title contender.

The post Jaylin Williams agrees to multi-year contract extension with OKC Thunder, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Late Thursday night, Mizzou confirmed on social media that Grill was landing a 2-way contract with the Chicago Bulls. Grill spent 2 seasons with the Tigers, earning the SEC basketball 6th Man of the Year Award this past season.

Tamar Bates followed a similar trajectory, spending 2 seasons at Indiana before spending 2 seasons as the 2nd-leading scorer for Mizzou and head coach Dennis Gates. Bates signed a 2-way deal with the Denver Nuggets to begin his NBA journey.

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As for Bates, he is a 6-foot-5 guard who averaged 13.4 points per game across 66 appearances (59 starts) for Mizzou. He was the SEC’s free-throw percentage leader the past 2 seasons, and Bates led all of D-I basketball with a 94.6% percentage from the charity stripe during the 2024-25 season. Another good sign for Bates is that he improved his 3-point shooting every season in college, finishing with a 39.7% percentage from deep as a senior.

When it comes to Grill, the 6-foot-3 sharpshooter saved his best for last with the Tigers, averaging a career-high 13.7 points and setting a new career-best mark with a 39.6% shooting mark from 3-point range. He also spent time at Iowa State and UNLV to go with his 2 seasons at Mizzou.

Best of luck to the former Tigers as they look to start their NBA journey!

The post Former Mizzou stars Caleb Grill, Tamar Bates land 2-way deals after NBA Draft appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Clayton and girlfriend Tatiyana Burney brought Leilani to Brooklyn for the first round of the draft. Even before the first pick, the cameras were drawn to Leilani.

Walter Clayton Jr. getting draft ready with his daughter pic.twitter.com/uz0EibxsbB

— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) June 25, 2025

When Clayton was called with the No. 18 pick (officially of the Washington Wizards but traded to the Utah Jazz), Leilani was visibly excited to see her dad take the stage.

Walter Clayton Jr.'s daughter points and shouts "DADA" as he goes up the stage to get drafted pic.twitter.com/rwXgvRAQ8M

— r/nba_highlights (@rNBAHighlights) June 26, 2025

In one of the more humorous moments captured on camera, Leilani had little interest in congratulations from prominent agent Rich Paul.

Walter Clayton Jr’s daughter wanted nothing to deal with Rich Paul

@TWDTV1 pic.twitter.com/tQpKLrx8a2

— Andrew Jerell Jones, Luke 1:37 (BlueSky too now) (@sluggahjells) June 26, 2025

As one would expect, Clayton credits his young daughter as his leading source of motivation since her birth in December 2023. Clayton seems to have the role of “Girl Dad” down as his basketball career takes the next step.

The post Walter Clayton Jr.’s 1-year-old daughter stole the show at 2025 NBA Draft appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Murray-Boyles was one of the 2025 NBA Draft selections on hand in Brooklyn for Wednesday night’s festivities. The Raptors selected him at No. 9 overall. When the ESPN cameras turned to Murray-Boyles, he was caught dropping an f-bomb.

Colin Murray-Boyles shakes his head and says “f**k” right after the Raptors select him

Just what you want to see from your first round selection pic.twitter.com/3vLoT3rgbu

— Underdog (@Underdog) June 26, 2025

The viral reaction had many Raptors fans upset that Murray-Boyles appeared unhappy about being drafted by Toronto. When asked about happened, Murray-Boyles said that’s not the case.

Just disbelief,” Murray-Boyles said on a conference call with the media. “Toronto was probably my first team that I worked out for. What I said was not a bad thing by any means. Just very thankful for it.

“That was like a surreal moment to hear my name called by this organization that has a good history and has really good players as of right now. It was just a crazy moment. Obviously thankful for the opportunity that they give and ready to take it full on and do whatever they need me to do.

In an interview with NBA TV, Murray-Boyles also offered a “disbelief” explanation, offering that he was saying “what the f—.”

WTF, for sure. WTF all the way until my name got called,” he said. “I almost shed a tear. I dreamed of this as a kid.

It’s not the smoothest start with a new team, but Raptors fans are sure to enjoy watching Murray-Boyles once they get over the f-bomb.

The post Collin Murray-Boyles explains f-bomb after learning he was drafted by Raptors appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The native of Columbia, S.C., starred for the college down the road, and he made the most of those 2 seasons. The 6-foot-7, 245-pound power forward was an SEC All-Freshman Team pick in 2024 and followed it up by being a 2nd-team All-SEC selection as a sophomore this past season.

Murray-Boyles was destined for the NBA, and those NBA dreams were realized on Wednesday night in Brooklyn when the Toronto Raptors made him the 9th overall pick of the draft. Now, the Raptors might not be a glamour NBA franchise, but they have won an NBA title and that came pretty recently in 2019. So, it’s not like going to Toronto to start your NBA career is the worst thing in the world.

Plus, Toronto is known and loved as a world-class city.

But when Murray-Boyles was picked by the Raptors, the expected celebration wasn’t exactly there. In fact, it wasn’t a celebration at first glance. Murray-Boyles was caught on camera shaking his head when he got up from his chair to go on stage and shake hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver. That wasn’t all though. He also appeared to let an f-bomb out after shaking his head, which sort of implied that he wasn’t happy with going to the Raptors.

Here is the video:

Of course, the Toronto Raptors caught wind of this draft-night calamity. And about an hour later, the team’s social media account sought to make things right. They got a picture of Murray-Boyles smiling widely for the camera and posted it for everybody to see.

Here is the post, with the headline: “See guys, he’s happy!!”

Naturally, the post came with a laughing hysterically emoji attached, implying that the whole thing might have just been a joke, even if it might not have been.

The post Collin Murray-Boyles appears to drop f-bomb after being drafted by Raptors appeared first on Saturday Down South.

For the towering 6-foot-11, 220-pound Newell, this past season at Georgia was rewarding in many ways. He averaged 15.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game while shooting 54.3% from the field. Newell also contributed 1 block and 1 steal per contest, and those numbers got him onto the SEC All-Freshman Team.

In addition to being recognized by the SEC, Newell helped power Georgia into the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs earned a 9th seed in the tournament thanks to Newell, although their stay was brief after being bounced by Gonzaga in the 1st round. Still, Newell helped make Bulldogs basketball matter in 2024-25.

Newell was born in Atlanta and then grew up in Athens, so Georgia athletics was in his blood even before his family moved to Destin, Fla., when he was 10 years old. Newell starred at Montverde Academy in Florida as a high school player before heading back to where it all began: Athens.

Newell helped lead Georgia to the NCAA Tournament for the 1st time since 2015. Even the Bulldogs’ previous 1st-round NBA Draft pick, Anthony Edwards, didn’t do that, so Newell belongs in elite company in the annals of Georgia basketball.

Come this fall, Newell will launch his NBA journey just after turning 20 on Oct. 5.

The post 2025 NBA Draft: Asa Newell selected No. 23 overall in Round 1 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Clayton, forever a Florida legend after leading the program to the 3rd national championship in program, is now a member of the Utah Jazz. As part of a reported trade, the Washington Wizards selected Clayton with the No. 18 overall pick in the first round of the NBA Draft on Wednesday night in Brooklyn. Though the Wizards made the pick, Clayton is off to Salt Lake City.

Washington is trading Walter Clayton Jr. at No. 18 to Utah, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 26, 2025

UF’s first first-team All-American, Clayton had the most productive individual season in Florida basketball history with 713 points scored. Clayton has a strong claim to the most decorated Gator season ever, with a list of individual honors that includes NCAA West Regional Most Outstanding Player and All-Tournament Team, SEC Tournament MVP and All-Tournament Team and first-team All-SEC.

Utah is getting a certified shooter in Clayton, a 6-2, 199-pound guard. He made 117 3-pointers in the 2024-25 campaign, which ranks 2nd best all-time for a single season at Florida. He totaled 235 field goals, which is good for fifth among all Gators.

A Lake Wales, Florida native, Clayton transferred to Florida to play for Todd Golden in 2023 after 2 seasons at Iona under Rick Pitino. In 2 seasons as a Gator, Clayton was a 76-game starter, scoring 1346 points on 44% shooting from the field, 38% shooting from 3-point territory and 87.6% at the foul line. Clayton also added 3.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in orange and blue.

Clayton is the 13th player in program history to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft.

The post 2025 NBA Draft: Walter Clayton Jr. selected No. 18 overall in Round 1 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The 6-foot-7, 245-pounder was born in Columbia, S.C., and stayed in his hometown for 2 strong seasons at South Carolina. Murray-Boyles didn’t get the Gamecocks to the NCAA Tournament last season, as they struggled to a 12-20 record. But that wasn’t the fault of Murray-Boyles, who averaged 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists for South Carolina last season. Maybe most impressive in his stat line was that he shot 58.6% from the field.

As a freshman in the 2023-24 season, Murray-Boyles came out of the gates strong, averaging 10.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting an even better 59.7% from the field.

Murray-Boyles was unique during his 2 seasons at South Carolina in that he averaged 1 block per game during both years while also averaging 1.5 steals per contest this past season and 1.0 steals per game as a freshman, so he contributed at the rim and in the steals column.

He was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2024 and was a 2nd-team All-SEC selection as a sophomore in 2025.

Now, it’s off to the NBA and a journey that will begin north of the border in Toronto.

The post 2025 NBA Draft: Collin Murray-Boyles selected No. 9 overall in Round 1 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Fears made the SEC All-Freshman Team this past season, averaging 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.6 steals for the Sooners. The 6-4 guard helped Oklahoma make the NCAA Tournament in its 1st season in the SEC. The 9th-seeded Sooners lost to 2-time defending national champion UConn in the 1st round, but it was still a successful season for Oklahoma and a very successful campaign for Fears.

That success came to fruition on Wednesday night, when Fears became a 1st-round pick in the NBA Draft. He’ll begin his pro journey this fall just after turning 19 on Oct. 14.

Fears started his high school career in Joliet, Ill., before transferring to Arizona Compass Prep in Chandler, Ariz., for his junior year.

He was the youngest American-born prospect in this draft cycle behind only No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. Like Flagg, Fears reclassified to forego his senior year of high school to head to college instead. For Flagg, that college was Duke. For Fears, it was Oklahoma, and after 1 banner season in Norman he decided to take his talents to the NBA.

On Wednesday night, that NBA dream came true.

The post 2025 NBA Draft: Jeremiah Fears selected No. 7 overall in Round 1 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The 6-foot-6, 190-pound shooting guard was born in Garland, Texas, and then stayed in-state for his 1 and only collegiate season at Texas. Johnson averaged 19.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists while playing 34.7 minutes per game for the Longhorns. He led the Longhorns in scoring and minutes per game, becoming the main man in Austin as a freshman.

Now, he’ll be beginning his NBA journey as a teenager, not turning 20 years old until March 7 of next year. Johnson made his 1 and only season at Texas count, earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors while also being a 2nd-team All-SEC selection.

Johnson helped Texas earn an 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but the Longhorns had to head to Dayton, Ohio, to play in the First Four to get into the field of 64. Unfortunately, Johnson couldn’t get Texas over the top, as the Longhorns fell to Xavier at the First Four.

He was a McDonald’s All-American in 2024 after combining his high school career in Dallas and Missouri. Then it was off to Texas for 1 season of individual glory.

Now, Johnson has taken the final step in his basketball life, becoming an NBA player at the age of 19.

The post 2025 NBA Draft: Tre Johnson selected No. 6 overall in Round 1 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Flagg won just about every award there was to win last season in college basketball, and at the 79th edition of the NBA Draft in Brooklyn he was the ultimate prize. Dallas shockingly won the NBA Draft lottery this spring, and the Mavericks were in prime position to grab that prize, as long as they didn’t have other grand plans to trade the pick.

They didn’t, and so Flagg is theirs.

Flagg becomes the 6th Duke player to go No. 1 overall and the 2nd in just 4 years. Duke’s Paolo Banchero was the No. 1 overall pick in 2022 by the Orlando Magic, and now Flagg has added his name to that illustrious Duke list. The other 4 Duke players to go No. 1 are: Art Heyman (1963 to the New York Knicks); Elton Brand (1999 to the Chicago Bulls); Kyrie Irving (2011 to the Cleveland Cavaliers); and Zion Williamson (2019 to the New Orleans Pelicans).

Now, Flagg is part of that elite club after averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Blue Devils during his 1 and only season at Duke. The only thing Flagg didn’t do during his 1-and-done time at Duke is capture a national championship, with the Blue Devils falling short against Houston in the Final Four semifinals.

That’s ancient history for Flagg now, as he begins his NBA journey this fall in Dallas. All eyes will be on him, as many scouts have called him a generational talent. That will be proven out, 1 way or another, over the coming years.

But Wednesday night was Flagg’s night, and Dallas was the beneficiary.

The post Cooper Flagg becomes sixth Duke player taken first overall in 2025 NBA Draft appeared first on Saturday Down South.

There are numerous former SEC stars expected to be picked on Day 1, led by former Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears and former Texas guard Tre Johnson. Both of those prospects could end up going in the top 5 (or shortly thereafter).

RELATED: Best bets, predictions for the 2025 NBA Draft

With just a few hours before the draft is set to begin, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have updated their mock draft. Here’s a look at where every SEC prospect is currently projected to land:

• Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears | Utah Jazz | No. 5 overall
• Texas guard Tre Johnson | Brooklyn Nets | No. 8 overall
• South Carolina forward Collin Murray-Boyles | Chicago Bulls | No. 12 overall
• Georgia forward Asa Newell | Brooklyn Nets | No. 19 overall
• Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. | New Orleans Pelicans | No. 23 overall
• Arkansas forward Adou Thiero | Philadelphia 76ers | No. 35 overall
• Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier | Detroit Pistons | No. 37 overall
• Kentucky guard Koby Brea | Sacramento Kings | No. 42 overall
• Auburn center Johni Broome | Oklahoma City Thunder | No. 44 overall
• Florida guard Alijah Martin | Phoenix Suns | No. 52 overall
• Kentucky center Amari Williams | Utah Jazz | No. 53 overall

In total, the SEC is projected to have 5 first-round picks and 6 second-round picks. Kentucky is expected to be excluded from the first round for the NBA Draft for the first time since 2009.

The 2025 draft is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET on ABC (live stream via FuboTV free trial).

The post ESPN issues final NBA mock draft, updates projections for all SEC prospects appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Day 1 will commence on Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. ET on ABC (or live stream via FuboTV free trial) with Day 2 following on Thursday. This story will cover a few different first-round markets where there may still be some value for bettors on the day of the draft.

2025 NBA Draft best bets

Here are 4 bets to consider for the 2025 NBA Draft:

Jeremiah Fears over/under draft position 6.5

The former Oklahoma guard is a bit polarizing, but he certainly has his fans within the NBA. He was the best player on a Sooners team that made the NCAA Tournament despite re-classifying up a cycle — that in and of itself is a remarkable accomplishment. Fears can get into the paint as well as anyone in this class and he showed signs of potentially being a good shooter down the line. 

He’s been heavily mocked to Utah at No. 5 overall by leading experts in the days before the draft. Even if the Jazz don’t take him, he could be a fit for Washington — or a team trading up — at No. 6 overall. 

Pick: Under draft position 6.5 (-110 on bet365)

Tre Johnson to be the No. 3 overall pick

With Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper more or less written into the top 2 picks in Sharpie, this draft really starts at No. 3 overall. Johnson is an underdog to be taken in this spot, with VJ Edgecombe and (to a lesser-extent) Ace Bailey seen as more likely options. 

But I think you’re getting a lot of value with FanDuel’s number on this prop at +550. Most of the market is at +350 or +400 on Johnson being picked No. 3. Johnson had a tremendous freshman season at Texas where he showcased himself as one of the best shooters in this class. He also measured with a 6-foot-11 wingspan at the combine, giving him the requisite physical tools to develop into an excellent 2-way wing. The 76ers, should they keep this pick, need to win now while also preparing for the eventual post-Joel Embiid era. Johnson gives them the best opportunity to strike that balance. 

Pick: Tre Johnson to be the No. 3 overall pick (+500 on FanDuel)

First player drafted: Thomas Sorber vs. Asa Newell

Asa Newell had a very productive season during his lone year at Georgia, but I’m on the other side of this prop. Thomas Sorber was a surprise one-and-done at Georgetown and profiles as a rim protector who can make smart, quick decisions with the ball on the offensive side of the floor. With apologies to 3-point shooting, that’s arguably the best combination of skills a modern big can have in the NBA. 

Newell just isn’t as far along in his development on either side of the ball. His wingspan is significantly smaller than Sorber’s and he lags behind in offensive skill as well. Sober does have one red flag — a surgically-repaired left foot that ended his season in February. But at close to plus money, I think Sorber is a strong bet to be picked ahead of Newell. 

Pick: Thomas Sorber to be picked before Asa Newell (-110 on bet365)

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Nique Clifford to be a top-20 pick

Draft order always determines a lot of outcomes, particularly as we get further down the board. As the consensus top players get picked, the range of opinions on players starts to get wider. Some teams look for upside, some look for fit. This draft just so happens to break extremely well for Clifford’s top-20 potential. I could see his range starting as early as No. 14 to the Spurs. He’d be a fit with any of the next 3 teams on the board (Oklahoma City, Memphis and Minnesota) as well. Miami at pick 20 could also take a long look at Clifford, as could whoever inevitably trades for pick No. 19 from Brooklyn (the Nets now have 5 first-round picks in this draft as of publication). 

Clifford is arguably one of the most NBA-ready players in this class. All teams are looking for 6-6 wings who can shoot and defend. He fits that bill while also adding some playmaking upside (4.4 assists per game) and physicality (9.6 rebounds per game). He’s an older prospect, yes, but the teams in the back half of the top 20 are going to be looking for immediate production. There’s enough potential landing spots that I feel good about him going in the top-20. 

Pick: Nique Clifford to be a top-20 pick (-110 on BetMGM)

The post NBA Draft 2025 bets, predictions: Where will Jeremiah Fears, Tre Johnson land? appeared first on Saturday Down South.

After the parade had reached its final stop at OKC’s Scissortail Park, former Arkansas big man Jaylin Williams was amongst those who spoke to the thousands of fans in attendance. At the end of his speech, Williams got the crowd fired up by delivering arguably the best moment of the afternoon in OKC.

“They said we were too young,” Williams said, recounting a popular criticism of the Thunder throughout the year. “They said Oklahoma shouldn’t have a team. But guess what? We’re the f—ing champs!”

Here’s a (slightly NSFW) clip of Williams’ big moment on stage in OKC:

Williams was a role player for OKC this season, which was his third in the NBA. After missing the start of the year due to a hamstring injury, Williams played in 47 games — including 9 starts — while averaging 5.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per night. He produced 2 triple-doubles this season with both coming back in March.

Williams was selected by the Thunder with the 34th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He’s proved to be an excellent value so far with the Thunder and could be due for a big raise once his contract expires after the 2025-26 season.

Williams spent 2 seasons at Arkansas before moving on to his pro career. He was named all-SEC for his efforts as a sophomore in 2022.

The post Jaylin Williams delivers ‘mic drop’ moment at OKC Thunder championship parade appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Gilgeous-Alexander, a former Kentucky Wildcat, won the scoring title and NBA MVP for the season. On Sunday, his team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

With a championship ring to complete the trifecta, Gilgeous-Alexander is now only the 4th player in NBA history to achieve all 3 in the same season. He joins Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal. Jordan accomplished the feat in 4 different years.

Since MVP began in 1955-56, only 4 players have won the scoring title, MVP and NBA title in the same season in league history:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shaquille O'Neal
Michael Jordan
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar pic.twitter.com/lIEfJkHvIH

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 23, 2025

On top of his other accomplishments, SGA is also the Finals MVP. He averaged 30.3 points, 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game in the Finals while shooting 44.3% from the field. Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 29 points, 12 assists and 5 rebounds in Sunday’s Game 7.

SGA IS AWARDED THE BILL RUSSELL TROPHY AS THE NBA FINALS MVP

4th player to win #KiaMVP, the scoring title and the Finals MVP in the same season! pic.twitter.com/JP93jzjipu

— NBA (@NBA) June 23, 2025

A Wildcat in 2017-18, Gilgeous-Alexander was selected No. 11 overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2018 NBA Draft. He was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on draft night, where he played his rookie season in 2018-19. In July 2019, the Thunder acquired Gilgeous-Alexander in a trade.

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Then Sunday afternoon happened, and the 36-year-old veteran was caught off guard for a change. With Game 7 of the NBA Finals being staged on Sunday night in Oklahoma City, the NBA didn’t have to wait until the game started to provide its first bombshell of the day.

Durant, who started his NBA career way back in 2007, was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets in a blockbuster deal that had everyone buzzing. The trade itself was shocking enough, but what truly made it stunning was the way Durant found out about his next NBA destination.

Durant was onstage Sunday at Fanatics Fest in New York City when news of the trade broke. His laid-back appearance at the star-studded festival turned out to be anything but that when ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news while Durant was speaking as part of a “Global Game Changers” panel.

Well, things certainly changed for Durant in that moment, when he found out he would be joining the 5th franchise of his legendary career. In a scene not to be believed, fan videos showed some audience members shouting toward Durant that he had been traded to the Rockets. While Durant and moderator Taylor Rooks looked confused at first, Durant soon understood what fans were shouting.

It was surreal, and here is the video:

Rooks, ever in the moment, asked Durant what he thought about heading to Houston as the crowd reacted with a mixture of, well, everything.

“We’re gonna see man, we’re gonna see,” Durant said, trying to play off the shock with a smile.

The post Kevin Durant learned of Rockets trade while on stage at fan event appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four is in the 2025 NBA Draft class, and has reportedly received a green room invitation to be on hand at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn next week.

NEWS: Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. has received a green room invite to attend the NBA Draft with his family, a source told ESPN. pic.twitter.com/YScYFonEqA

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 19, 2025

UF’s first first-team All-American, Clayton had the most productive individual season in Florida basketball history with 713 points scored, leading the Gators to the national championship. Clayton has a strong claim to the most decorated Gator season ever, adding NCAA West Regional Most Outstanding Player and All-Tournament Team, SEC Tournament MVP and All-Tournament Team and first-team All-SEC to his long list of individual honors.

NBA teams know that they’re getting an elite shooter in Clayton. He made 117 3-pointers this past season, good for 2nd in a single season at Florida. His 235 field goals are good for fifth.

Walter Clayton Jr. shot creation summarized in 60 seconds.

38.6% 3P (13.5 3PA/100). pic.twitter.com/KeLxpGi1cM

— Mohamed (@mcfNBA) June 17, 2025

Questions about Clayton’s defense may keep him from being a lottery pick, but he’s still expected to hear his name called in the first round. It has already been a special year for Clayton, and Wednesday will start the next chapter.

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Multiple fans at Gainbridge Arena captured photos Smith playing the game while the Oklahoma City Thunder looked to even the series against the Indiana Pacers. Here’s a look at one photo that surfaced on social media during the game:

It’s an embarrassing look for Smith, who is the lead on ESPN’s basketball coverage during the NBA Finals — not to mention his role as an analyst on numerous other ESPN programs. Smith responded to the photo on social media and said he was “multi-tasking” during timeouts:

However, another fan captured video of Smith playing solitaire during live game action:

It will be interesting to see if Smith addresses this incident while he’s on the air at any point before Game 5.

The series now shifts back to Oklahoma City on Monday evening for a pivotal game between the Thunder and Pacers. OKC pulled off a comeback win over the Pacers in Game 4 despite hitting just 3 3-pointers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points in the win, including 15 of the final 16 for OKC in crunch time.

Tip-off of Game 5 is set for 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday night.

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However, even non-basketball fans are aware of the date on this Friday, and that’s because it is Friday the 13th. Sure, a Friday the 13th in June doesn’t carry quite the same spookiness as one in October around Halloween, but superstitious individuals are on high alert as it is.

That makes what happened during the live “ESPN on ABC” broadcast of the Finals even spookier.

During the 1st quarter of the action, the broadcast experienced a glitch that cut out the live feed for a brief delay. The spooky touch was added in the form of a “Friday the 13th” graphic that was on air for a split second before disappearing.

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Here’s what it looked like for fans far and wide:

Whether you are superstitious or even just a little stitious, the incident had fans talking with more technical difficulties for the worldwide leader. The incident simultaneously lit up social media with fans equally spooked, and some undoubtedly frustrated, by the interruptions in the coverage.

Take a look:

For now, the coverage appears to have smoothed out with the two sides locked in a tight battle during the 2nd quarter.

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Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson of CHSN reported Wednesday night that the club denied the Knicks’ request to speak to Donovan about their head coaching position.

The Knicks requested permission to speak to Billy Donovan for their coaching vacancy but were denied, per sources. The Bulls value Donovan highly for his coaching acumen, communication skills and ability to connect with players and all members of organization.

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) June 12, 2025

Donovan, 60, has been coaching in the NBA since 2015. He led the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2015-20 before landing with the Bulls in 2020.

At the pro level, Donovan has coached 800 games, going 438-362. The Thunder reached the playoffs in all 5 seasons under Donovan, but lost in the first round the last 4 times after a trip to the conference finals in 2016. The Bulls have been to the playoffs only once in Donovan’s tenure, missing the postseason the last 3 years.

Earlier this year, Donovan was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame for his legendary UF tenure from 1996-2015, winning the first 2 national championships in Florida basketball history (2006, ’07). Donovan notched 467 wins at Florida, including 6 SEC regular-season championships, 4 SEC Tournament titles and 4 trips to the Final Four.

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As Givony explains, it’s not so much a room as it is an area in front of the draft stage for family, friends, and acquaintances.

“The green room is a staging area in front of the NBA draft podium where players, their families and agents await commissioner Adam Silver’s announcement of players’ names upon selection. Players are allowed to invite six people to sit at their tables,” Givony writes.

Flagg, a one-and-done sensation at Duke, was the national high school player of the year as a senior at Montverde Academy in Florida. At Duke, he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists as he was named a consensus All-American and the national player of the year.

The Dallas Mavericks earned the No. 1 overall selection in the NBA draft lottery and appear poised to select Flagg, although some note that the same organization that traded superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers shouldn’t be given the benefit of the doubt.

13 players invited to the NBA Draft green room thus far:

Cooper Flagg
Dylan Harper
Ace Bailey
VJ Edgecombe
Tre Johnson
Khaman Maluach
Jeremiah Fears
Kon Knueppel
Kasparas Jakucionis
Egor Demin
Carter Bryant
Derik Queen
Asa Newell

Noa Essengue is still playing, not yet invited pic.twitter.com/OYdXVMRr3y

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 10, 2025

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As the Indiana Pacers were taking on the New York Knicks, McAfee grabbed the mic. The College GameDay host pointed out some celebrities in the audience who made the trip to Indianapolis to root for the Knicks. Spike Lee, as always, was in attendance, but so was Ben Stiller and Timotheé Chalamet.

Here was McAfee’s message to the Knicks’ traveling party:

“Indiana, we’ve got some big wigs from the big city in the building,” McAfee said. “Spike Lee is here! Ben Stiller is here! Timotheé Chalamet is here! Let’s send these sons-a-bitches back to New York with their ears ringing! Let’s turn this s–t up!”

Here’s a clip of McAfee’s intro:

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In the end, the Pacers delivered on the court, winning the game 130-121. Tyrese Haliburton had perhaps the best game of his career so far as he poured in 32 points while adding 12 rebounds and 15 assists. Haliburton also commit a single turnover during the performance.

This win means the Pacers are now up 3-1 in the series over the Knicks, although 2 of the next 3 games — if necessary — will take place at Madison Square Garden. The Pacers have not made the NBA Finals since 2000.

The post Pat McAfee calls out NYC celebrities in Pacers crowd with fiery speech appeared first on Saturday Down South.

ESPN insider Shams Charania broke the news on Wednesday afternoon.

Breaking: Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has won the NBA MVP award, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 21, 2025

Gilgeous-Alexander won the NBA scoring title, averaging 32.7 points per contest in 2024-25, along with 6.4 assists, 5 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1 block per game while shooting 51.9%. As Charania noted in a follow-up post, that puts Gilgeous-Alexander in the company of Michael Jordan as the only other player in NBA history to average at least 30 points on 50% shooting, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1 block per game in a season.

A Wildcat in 2017-18, Gilgeous-Alexander was selected No. 11 overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2018 NBA Draft. He was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on draft night, where he played his rookie season in 2018-19. In July 2019, the Thunder acquired Gilgeous-Alexander in a trade.

With the Thunder, Gilgeous-Alexander is a 3-time NBA All-Star and was named All-NBA First Team the previous 2 seasons as well. Oklahoma City is currently in the Western Conference Finals with a 1-0 series lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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