Toyota Motor Philippines will be gifting two-time gold medalist Carlos Yulo after successful stint in the recent 2024 Paris Olympics. Yulo bagged the gold medal for Artistic Gymnastics Menโs Floor Exercise and Vault.
The company said “We hope this vehicle helps bring you to greater heights. We are excited to see where your journeys can further take you.”
This new Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is just one of the many rewards that he received for bring home two gold medals from the Paris and more than the medal, Carlos Yulo earned the admiration of every Filipino and worldwide recognition. He will forever be in the Philippines Sports history books, specially the honor that he brought to the country.
If you’re wonder, what the heck is the “Emirates NBA Cup 2024”? The Emirates NBA Cup 2024 was previously named the NBA In-Season Tournament, which debut last year and LA Lakers are the inaugural champions of the NBA In-Season Tournament.
New name, same goal ๐
Here's everything you need to know about the #EmiratesNBACup before the schedule release special at 3pm/et on ESPN!
Group play begins November 12… who will win the NBA Cup?
Before we can talk about the, let’s talk about the groupings first and below are the groupings for the Emirates NBA Cup 2024.
Western Conference
Group A
(1) Minnesota
(2) LA Clippers
(3) Sacramento
(4) Houston
(5) Portland
Group B
(1) Oklahoma City
(2) Phoenix
(3) L.A. Lakers
(4) Utah
(5) San Antonio
Group C
(1) Denver
(2) Dallas
(3) New Orleans
(4) Golden State
(5) Memphis
Eastern Conference
Group A
(1) New York
(2) Orlando
(3) Philadelphia
(4) Brooklyn
(5) Charlotte
Group B
(1) Milwaukee
(2) Indiana
(3) Miami
(4) Toronto
(5) Detroit
Group C
(1) Boston
(2) Cleveland
(3) Chicago
(4) Atlanta
(5) Washington
Now that we have the groupings out of the way, the schedule for the Emirates NBA Cup 2024 will every Tuesday and Fridays starting this November 12th until December 3rd. The quarter finals will be on the December 11th and 12th, while the Semis will be on December 14th . The Emirates NBA Cup 2024 Finals will be on the 17th of December. Both Semis and the Finals will be held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. As for the full schedule and who will be playing against who, you can checkout the full schedule published by the NBA.
If you are still clueless as how Emirates NBA Cup 2024 works, then here’s a 2 minute video;
It was a rematch of the Tokyo Olympics medal game, but the US Women’s Basketball team took care of business and claimed the gold medal in the Women’s 5×5 Basketball Tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Unlike their male counterparts, the US women needed a bit of luck to secure the gold, as Gabby Williams’ buzzer-beating shot was just inches inside the three-point line, potentially sending the game to overtime.
A’ja Wilson led the team with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Wilson also took have the MVP awards for the tournament. Kahleah Copper and Kelsey Plum contributed 12 points apiece, both going 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.
After clawing back from a 10-point deficit early in the third quarter, France kept the game close. However, Kelsey Plum’s offense and the team’s defense in the fourth quarter created a 3-point lead, ultimately securing the gold medal.
Gabby Williams led France with 19 points and 7 rebounds. Valeriane Ayayi and Marine Johannes added 9 points each, but no other French player scored more than 8 points. Fast break points (6-15), points in the paint (20-30), and bench points (20-29) were significant factors in France’s defeat.
The USA Men’s Basketball team, led by Steph Curry, has won the Olympic gold medal at the 5×5 Basketball tournament. Curry scored a team-high 24 points, making 8-of-12 shots from the three-point line, and added 5 assists. Teammates Booker and Durant each scored 15 points apiece, while LeBron James contributed 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists. James was also awarded the tournament’s MVP.
It was a dramatic finish for the Americans, as France mounted a comeback by scoring 7 straight points, cutting the United States’ 14-point lead to a single possession game, thanks to a Wembanyama tip-in. But then Steph Curry showcased his greatness with a dagger three-pointer, defended by two French players. He then celebrated with his trademark “Night night” gesture while returning on defense.
Victor Wembanyama was fantastic in #Paris2024 leading France to ๐ฅ๐
Victor Wembanyama led the French team with 26 points but lacked his usual defensive presence compared to the semi-finals against Germany. Guerschon Yabusele added 20 points for France, while no other player scored more than 9 points. Considering the number of young French players entering the NBA, future Olympic medal games could become regular showdowns between the USA, France, and Serbia.
A Steph Curry exploding for 36 points, Lebron James triple-double and a 19-point game from Joel Embiid proved too much for Serbia to overcome, despite leading the game for the first three quarters (76-63). At one point, Serbia was ahead by as much as 17 points and seemed to be hitting every shot, especially from the 3-point line.
Bogdan Bogdanovic led the Serbian national team with 20 points, while Nikola Jokic added 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 11 assists. Aleksa Avramovic scored 15 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. However, as a team, they shot 38.5% from the 3-point line, especially in the final period when their shots started to miss.
36 points. 8 rebounds. 12-19 shooting. 9-14 from three.
As much offensive firepower as Team USA possessed, it was their defense that secured the win. Trailing by 13 points entering the fourth quarter, Team USA clamped down on Serbia, allowing just 15 points in the quarter after surrendering an average of 25.33 points in the first three quarters. Embiid and James made several stops that led to 9 fast-break points, and it was the bench players who helped turn the game around for the Americans.
19 PTS on 8-11 shooting. 7 PTS in the 4Q to spark USA comeback.
Steph Curry led the team with 36 points and 8 rebounds, falling just one point short of tying Carmelo Anthony’s 37-point record at the 2012 London Olympics. LeBron James contributed 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, his second triple-double in the Olympics. The “crowd-favorite,” Joel Embiid, scored 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting.
Team USA will face Team France in the gold medal game this Saturday, August 10th, while Serbia will play Germany for the bronze medal.
Team USA are undefeated (4-0) and have been winning with an average 24.75 points margin. It be a rematch against Serbia, a team they played and defeated in the Group games. Serbia on the other hand, after getting the “L” from Team USA went undefeated including an overtime win against Australia in the quarter-finals. Serbia will try and avenge their loss as they try to win and eliminate Team USA in their coming rematch.
France with only one loss, advances to the semis after defeating/eliminating Canada – the second team that has the most NBA players in their roster. Spurs Rookie Victor Wembanyama was a defensive problem for the Canadians, grabbing 12 rebounds with 3 steals and this monster block on Dillon Brooks.
Carlo Yulo scored a convincing 15.116 points, over Armenian Artur Davtan’s 14.966 (silver) and the 14.949 (bronze) of Harry Hepworth from UK.
“Last night I couldnโt sleep. This morning I was so sleepy.. I slept in the bus, I slept after the podium training.” Carlos Yulo said. “I slept before going to the competition area… But I did it today.”
2 DAYS IN A ROW ๐ฅ Carlos Edriel Yulo just made history! First Filipino athlete to win 2 Olympic gold medals. ๐ต๐ญ Paris really suits him! ๐ฅน Binabati kita Carlos – DEUX JOURS DE SUITE ๐ Carlos Edriel Yulo continue d'รฉcrire l'Histoire ร Paris en devenant le premier athlรจteโฆ pic.twitter.com/siDvt6Xg06
Carlos Yulo’s first vault was a standout, earning a 15.433 points. With a top-tier difficulty score of 6.000, he flawlessly executed a handspring double front half out in pike position, setting a high bar for the competition.
His second attempt, a Kasamatsu double twist, was slightly less perfect, but he managed to control his landing and scored a respectable 14.800 points. Yuloโs final score of 15.116 points is more than enough for him to take home the gold medal.
Now that the group stage is done, the Quarter-Finals for the 2024 Paris Menโs Olympic Basketball Tournament are now set.
As the top seed, Team USA has drawn the most favorable matchup, playing against Brazil, which only has one NBA player on its roster.
The first game will be between Serbia and Australia, followed by USA versus Brazil. On the other side of the bracket, Germany will face Greece, and the host country, France, will take on Canada.
Team USA advances to quarter finals of the men’s 5 x 5 basketball tournament after defeating Puerto Rico in their last group game. The win also earn the USA men’s basketball team the top seed giving them the best possible matchup in the Olympic knockout games.
Anthony Edwards goes OFF for #USABMNT as they defeat Puerto Rico… finishing Group C play 3-0! ๐บ๐ธ
Six Team USA players scored in double figures lead by Anthony Edwards’ 26 points, Joel Embiid added 15 points and Kevin Durant chipped in 11 points and 4 rebounds. The game was highlighted by Edwards’ windmill jam early in the 4th qtr.
No other Puerto Rico player scored more than 10 points aside from Pelican’s Jose Alvarado with 18 points, Ismael Romero with his 12 points and 10 rebounds. Then Aleem Ford with his 10 points and 5 rebounds.
Team USA will face Brazil in the Quarter finals this 6th of Aug at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France.
Carlos Edriel Yulo etched his name in Philippine sports history by clinching the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in Artistic Gymnastics Men’s Floor Exercise at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Yulo defeated Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat (silver) with a score of 14.966 points and Jake Jarman of Great Britain (bronze) with 14.933 points. Yulo’s score was 15.000 points, a mere 0.067 points difference between the bronze and gold medal.
Golden boy! First medal for the Philippines in the 2024 Paris Games… and it's a gold one. Congrats to Carlos Edriel for this historic result ๐ฅณ๐ต๐ญ – Premiรจre mรฉdaille pour les Philippines aux Jeux de Paris 2024… et c'est une mรฉdaille d'or. Fรฉlicitations ร Carlos Edriel pour ceโฆ pic.twitter.com/C2wRTfL7Wn
Yulo’s gold medal is the Philippines’ second Olympic gold medal since Hidilyn Diaz won the weightlifting gold in the previous Tokyo Olympics. The Filipino gymnast still has a chance to win another medal for the Philippines as he is set to compete in the Men’s Vault Finals.
Just like in their first game, Team USA demolishes their opponent showing no signs that they almost lost their exhibition game against the South Sudan Men’s National Basketball Team.
Led by Bam Adebayo’s 25 points and 7 rebounds, with both Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis adding 17 points apiece, the game was decided in the first half. Team USA went on a 25-4 run that started at the 5:30 mark of the 1st quarter, where the Americans trailed by 2 points, and ended at 8:07 of the 2nd quarter (33-14), building a 19-point lead en route to victory.
Turn up the Heat.
80% shooting for Bam in the win over ๐ธ๐ธ South Sudan.
But the Sudanese stayed on course and was able to cut the 19-point lead to just 10 points in the 3rd period, thanks to the hot shooting of Nuni Omot (24 points) and Bul Kuol (16), both players made a combined 7 three-point shot out of the 10 that they shot. Aside from Omot and Kuol, South Sudan also got a lot of help from Carlik Jones, scoring 18 points and dishing out 7 assists.
Team USA will play against Puerto Rico, their last opponent for the group games, while South Sudan will face Serbia.
The WNBA has secured a groundbreaking 11-year media rights deal with The Walt Disney Company, Amazon Prime Video, and NBC Universal. This partnership will significantly increase the visibility of women’s basketball, with more games broadcast across multiple platforms. The 11-year media rights is reported to be worth $2.2 Billion or $200 million per year.
The new deal will start in 2026, WNBA fans can expect to see over 125 regular season and playoff games each year. Disney will air 25 regular-season games on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, while NBCU will broadcast 50 regular-season games on NBC, USA Network, and Peacock. Amazon Prime Video will stream 30 regular-season games globally.
Disney will broadcast two first-round series each year, while NBCU and Prime Video will each air one. The Semifinals and Finals will rotate over the 11-year deal, with Disney airing more Finals and NBCU and Prime Video airing more Semifinals.
It just keeps gettin' better ๐คฉ
We have officially secured a landmark media rights deal with the Walt Disney Company, Amazon Prime Video, and NBCUniversal! https://t.co/NmWQJdR4WK
Additionally, Disney platforms will continue to telecast all events from WNBA All-Star, including the All-Star Game, and the WNBA Draft, while Prime Video will continue to stream the Championship Game of the WNBA Commissionerโs Cup presented by Coinbase. Prime Video Channels will be the global channels store destination for WNBA League Pass, the WNBAโs subscription service for streaming live and on-demand games, in the U.S. and internationally.
Included in the deals, is the potential for WNBA and Media Partners to review and reevaluate the rights fees after three years, giving the league the chance to receive more money.
Micโd Up with Caitlin Clark, Aโja Wilson and Brittney Griner ๐ค
This announcement comes on the heels of a record-breaking season for the WNBA, with increased viewership, attendance, and merchandise sales. The league is also expanding with new teams in San Francisco/Bay Area and Toronto. With the current crop of WNBA rookies like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Cameron Brink, and with the influx of generational talent from the college ranks like Paige Bueckers and Juju Watkins, that $2.2 Billion could be a very good deal.
Team USA defeats Germany to remain undefeated in all of their 5 exhibition games. It was a close game down the stretch where the Germans were able to cut the 7-point USA lead to just a 3-point deficit (87-84) via Daniel Theis’ alley-oop.
But that’s when LeBron James went to work and scored the next 5 points for Team USA, giving them an 8-point cushion heading into the final 45 seconds of the game.
Like in the previous games, 39-year-old LeBron James carried Team USA with 20 points playing just 18 minutes. He also added 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Joel Embiid added 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, but more than his offensive contribution, he was a monster on the defensive end. His block on Issac Bonga led to a monster slam by Anthony Edwards.
Orlando Magic’s Franz Wagner led Germany with 17 points and 8 rebounds, while Andreas Obst added 17, including five 3-pointers.
โI think we can get a lot better,โ U.S. Coach Steve Kerr said. โWeโre getting to a place now where we are comfortable with rotations and I think guys are getting familiar with each other. But we can do a lot of things better. I thought our passing was not great tonight. They put a lot of defensive pressure on us and we turned it over a few times. I think we can tighten up our game and get better.โ
Team USA is part of Group C of the 2024 Paris Olympics Menโs Basketball Tournament Groupings and they will open the tournament against Serbia on Sunday (28th July), then have a rematch with South Sudan on July 31st, and their last game to wrap up group play will be against Puerto Rico on August 3rd.
In an attempt to make the games more exciting and engaging, Asia’s first professional basketball league will introduce the “four-point shot” from beyond a 27-foot arc.
PBA previously adopted the “four-point shot” but it was during a PBA All-Star Games, but with this announcement, it’ll be in official games.
Newly elected vice chairman Alfrancis Chua said that it will minimize zone defense, defense need to come out and it will speed up the games.
“Nagawa na natin ito sa All-Star Game. With this rule, mababawasan ang zone defense, lalabas ang depensa at mas tutulin ang laro,”
It remain to be seen if the addition of the “four-point shot” will make the game more exciting and in turn increase their ticket sales.
In a game that will go down as a major upset alert, Team USA escaped with a narrow victory over a determined South Sudan team by a final score of 101 – 100. The win, secured on a buzzer-beating layup by LeBron James, exposed some vulnerabilities for the American squad and served as a wake-up call heading into the upcoming Olympic tournament.
South Sudan came out firing on all cylinders, surprising Team USA with their aggressive defense and hot shooting from beyond the arc. The young African nation connected on 14 of their 33 three-point attempts, keeping pace with a Team USA offense that struggled to find rhythm early on.
Despite boasting a star-studded roster, Team USA looked uncharacteristically sluggish throughout the contest. Their usually potent offense sputtered, connecting on only 7 of their 28 three-point attempts. LeBron James, however, remained a constant threat, finishing the game with a team-high 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. Followed by Anthony Davis’ double-double, scoring 15 points and 11 rebounds.
With the clock winding down and South Sudan leading by a point 100 – 99, the ball found its way into the hands of the veteran leader. James, showcasing his experience and clutch ability, drove to the basket and converted a contested layup just as the buzzer sounded, sending the American bench into a frenzy.
The win, will keep USA’s undefeated record in exhibition play but raises concerns about their overall performance. Coach Steve Kerr and the rest of the coaching staff will use this game as a teaching moment, emphasizing the importance of staying focus and keeping their defensive intensity as they gear up for the Olympic Group stage this 28th of July.
Team USA’s next and last exhibition game will be this Monday, 22nd of July, against the Germany, who is the current 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Champions. Serbia and South Sudan are grouped together with the United States and Puerto Rico in the 2024 Paris Olympics Menโs Basketball Tournament Groupings.
Checkout some of the game highlights:
Rejected by Anthony Davis. The stadium is shaking.
Team USA, composed of some of the greatest basketball players on the planet today, narrowly defeated the Australian National Team. Team USA led by as many as 24 points in the middle of the 3rd quarter (65-41), but the Australians went on a 20-11 run to cut the deficit to just 15 points (76-61) by the end of the period.
Then in the final quarter, Team USA struggled with their shots while the Australians made another run, closing the gap to just 6 points. It appeared the US National Team might lose, but Tyrese Haliburton hit two consecutive three-point shots to secure a 12-point lead, despite Team USA not scoring in almost 4 minutes.
The Australians weren’t finished, managing to cut the lead to just 4 points (90-94) with only 9 seconds remaining in the game.
Anthony Davis led the team with 17 points and 14 rebounds, followed by Devin Booker with 16 points and Anthony Edwards with 14. On the Australia national team, Jock Landale lead the team with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Josh Giddey chipped-in with his 17 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists.
Team USA had six players score in double digits, dominated the boards with 45 rebounds against Australia’s 40, and made 12 three-pointers compared to Australia’s 4. Since this is an exhibition game with no bearing on the Olympic standings, it’s the pride of the US basketball team that’s at stake in these matchups.
Team USA will face the Serbia National Team, led by Nikola Jokic, on July 17th at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The Season 49 of the Philippines Basketball Association (PBA) draft and below is the full list of 2024 PBA Rookie Draft. Just like last year’s draft some of the most popular players who are playing overseas and suited for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 are missing.
Here are a total of 70 applicants for this years draft and below are the 47 players for the 49th PBA Rookie Class;
Now that the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament have concluded and we now have all 12 Basketball teams in 2024 Paris Olympics, know the group of your favorite team and their opponents.
It’s settled, the teams for the coming 2024 Paris Olympics Basketball tournament are now complete that the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament has concluded with 4 teams emerging from each tournament.
Below are winners for each of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament and qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics;
For the Greece Tournament, Greece came out on top after Giannis Antetokounmpo led the national team against Luka Doncic and Slovenia national team in the semis then Croatia in the Finals. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a team high of 23 points and 8 rebounds.
In the Latvia Tournament, Brazil routs Latvia (94 – 69) displaying a balanced offensive effort, 5 Brazil players scored double-digit points and seven players made at least one or more assists. Bruno Caboclo led the Brazil national team with 21 points and 4 rebounds.
And last but not the least, the winner of the Spain Tournament of FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament is none other than the host country, Spain, who defeated Bahamas in front their home crowd. Lorenzo Brown led the Spaniards with 18 points and 4 rebounds. He also shot 4 of 5 (80) from the three-point line.
All four teams will head to Paris to joint their respective Olympic tournament groups.
Brazil will advance to the Finals of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 and will be one win away to compete at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. They defeated Gilas Pilipinas in a hard-fought 71-60 victory on Saturday, July 6, 2024.
A dominant third quarter sealed the deal for Brazil. Led by Bruno Caboclo’s double-double (15 points, 11 rebounds) and Lucas Dias’ strong showing (10 points and 9 rebounds), they turned the tide. Brazil tightened their defense, limiting Gilas to just 6 points in the third while exploding for 24 of their own.
Gilas Pilipinas was missing the services of big-man Kai Sotto. Additionally, Justin Brownlee’s, the hero of the first two games, was limited to the just 15 points and 8 rebounds. Brownlee averages 27 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists, prior to the Brazil game.
Brazil will face Latvia in the Finals of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024. The winner of this game will claim one of the four remaining spots for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which begin on July 26th, 2024.
The Philippine national basketball team, Gilas Pilipinas, fell to Georgia in a close match during their FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers game on Thursday. Despite the loss, Gilas secured their spot in the Semi-Finals round. Georgia needed a victory by at least 19 points to advance themselves.
Georgia came out strong in the first quarter, going on a dominant 16-0 run. Gilas clawed their way back, but Georgia still held a commanding 20-point lead (40-20) in the second quarter. However, Gilas refused to give up. They closed the gap with a 12-0 run before halftime and carried that momentum into the third quarter. With just 75 seconds remaining in the third period, Gilas even took their first lead of the game at 71-70.
Gilas Pilipinas trailed for most of the fourth. However, they kept the score close, forcing Georgia shot some “hail-mary” threes. Georgia even tried to extend the game to overtime but Goga Bitadze missed a put back on Philippines court, after Chris Newsome missed both of his free throw with just 2.8 seconds remaining in the game.
๐ฌ๐ช Georgia player Goga Bitadze tried to SCORE in HIS OWN NET to send it to OT, but MISSED ๐ญ๐ญ
Just like their game against Latvia, Justin Brownless lead the team with 28 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. Followed by Dwight Ramos and CJ Peres who scored 16 points and 14 points, respectively.
On Georgia’s side, even with their contribution, it was not enough for them to carry the team to the next stage of the tournament; Tornike Shengelia (17 points and 7 rebounds), Goga Bitadze (21 points and 9 rebounds), and Sandro Mamukelashvili (26 points and 7 rebounds).
Gilas Pilipinas will either play Brazil or Montenegro from GROUP B.
WNBA has announced the 2024 WNBA All-Stars Roster that will face the USA Women’s National Team this coming July 20th, which is one of the main event for the coming WNBA All Star in Phoenix.
The are rookie phenom Caitlin Clark (Indiana) with 700,735 votes, followed by her teammate Aliyah Boston with 618,680 votes, then A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas) with 607,300 and NY Liberty star Breanna Stewart with 424,135 votes. To complete the top 5 fan vote-getters we have Chicago rookie Angel Reese with 381,518 votes.
Here’s the rest of the WNBA All-Stars Roster;
PLAYER
TEAM
POSITION
Aliyah Boston
Indiana Fever
Frontcourt
Allisha Gray
Atlanta Dream
Backcourt
Angel Reese^
Chicago Sky
Frontcourt
Arike Ogunbowale
Dallas Wings
Backcourt
Brionna Jones
Connecticut Sun
Frontcourt
Caitlin Clark^
Indiana Fever
Backcourt
Dearica Hamby
Los Angeles Sparks
Frontcourt
DeWanna Bonner
Connecticut Sun
Frontcourt
Jonquel Jones
New York Liberty
Frontcourt
Kayla McBride
Minnesota Lynx
Backcourt
Kelsey Mitchell
Indiana Fever
Backcourt
Nneka Ogwumike
Seattle Storm
Frontcourt
The countdown begins… โณ
Get ready to witness the ultimate clash of talent as #WNBAAllStar meets the USA Women's National Team on July 20th at 8:30pm/ET on ABC ๐บ pic.twitter.com/oEyJciHmEx
Aside from the WNBA All Star vs USA Women’s National Team, other events at the WNBA All Star are; 3-Point Contest and the Skills Challenge. The league has yet to announced the participants to these events. Last year, Sabrina Ionescu won the 3-Point Contest, while team mate Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray won the Skills Challenge.
The second round of the 2024 NBA Draft has concluded, making the entire 2024 NBA Draft complete. The second round went by rather quietly, with the biggest story being Bronny James being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. This marks a historic moment, as LeBron James and his eldest son, Bronny James, are now officially teammates.
Aside from Bronny, there were two other noteworthy storylines. First, Kyle Filipowski’s fall to the second round surprised many, as both agents and GMs projected him as a first-round pick. Second, Cam Spencer, drafted by the LA Clippers, joins his brother who was drafted by the LA Lakers two years ago.
Here’s the complete list of the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft;
Raptors draft Jonathan Mogbo (San Francisco)
Jazz draft Kyle Filipowski (Duke)
Bucks draft Tyler Smith (G League Ignite)
Trail Blazers draft Tyler Kolek (Marquette) โ Traded to Knicks
Spurs draft Johnny Furphy (Kansas) โ Traded to Pacers
Pacers draft Juan Nunez (Ratiopharm Ulm) โ Traded to Spurs
Timberwolves draft Bobi Klintman (Cairns) โ Reportedly traded to Pistons
Knicks draft Ajay Mitchell (UC Santa Barbara) โ Traded to Thunder
Grizzlies draft Jaylen Wells (Washington State)
Trail Blazers draft Oso Ighodaro (Marquette) โ Traded to Suns (via Knicks)
76ers draft Adem Bona (UCLA)
"I can't wait to get there to get to work… I'm so excited to be there."
The first day of the 2024 NBA Draft is in the books, and the Lakers did not draft Bronny James, instead they got what can be considered the biggest steal of the draft at #17 – Dalton Knecht, from the University of Tennessee and lead the team producing “21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.6 3s per game while shooting 45.8% from the field and 39.7% from deep.”
For those who were not able to follow the live broadcast here’s the complete list of the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft;
After a dominant season, the Boston Celtics are back on top of the NBA mountain. With a convincing 4-1 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the Finals, the Celtics secured their 18th championship title, etching their name in history as the winningest franchise in NBA history.
Jayson Tatum, finally hoisting his first Larry O’Brien trophy, delivered a masterful performance throughout the playoffs, culminating in a phenomenal 31-point, 11-assist and 8 rebounds in the clinching Game 5. Tatum wasn’t alone. Jaylen Brown, the newly crowned Finals MVP, proved himself to be an unstoppable force on both ends of the court, averaging over 23.9 points per game in the Finals series. Then there’s Jrue Holiday, who finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds and Center Kristaps Porzingis who provided the emotional anchor after missing the game 3 and 4 because of a dislocated tendon in his left ankle, he chipped-in five points in 17 minutes.
Itโs no longer what it ๐๐ค๐ช๐ก๐ be or ๐ข๐๐๐๐ฉ be, now it ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla deserves all the respects for his leadership throughout the season. After receiving most of the criticism last season due to his lack of coaching experience on the NBA’s biggest stage, this championship win is a remarkable turnaround.
Here are some of the highlights for the Boston Celtics celebrations;
After being leaked a couple of days ago, the official roster for the Team USA Womenโs Basketball for 2024 Paris Olympics have been officially announced.
As previously leaked and now official, below are the official roster of Team USA Womenโs Basketball for 2024 Paris Olympics;
Player
WNBA Team
Position
Napheesa Collier
Minnesota Lynx
Forward
Kahleah Copper
Phoenix Mercury
Guard/Forward
Chelsea Gray
Las Vegas Aces
Guard
Brittney Griner
Phoenix Mercury
Center
Sabrina Ionescu
New York Liberty
Guard
Jewell Loyd
Seattle Storm
Guard
Kelsey Plum
Las Vegas Aces
Guard
Breanna Stewart
New York Liberty
Forward
Diana Taurasi
Phoenix Mercury
Guard
Alyssa Thomas
Connecticut Sun
Forward
A’ja Wilson
Las Vegas Aces
Forward/Center
Jackie Young
Las Vegas Aces
Guard/Forward
USA Womenโs National Team head coach Cheryl Reeve with the assistance of Kara Lawson, Joni Taylor and Mike Thibault.
Here is what USA Basketball Womenโs National Team Committee chair Jen Rizzotti said in the official statement;
“On behalf of USA Basketball, Iโm excited to announce the 2024 USA Womenโs National Team, We have selected a team that we are confident will represent our country to the highest standard in Paris. Basketball in the United States boasts unparalleled depth, making this a challenging and competitive process. The commitment these athletes have shown to USA Basketball is unmatched and I look forward to watching them take on the World in Paris.โ
This is what USA Womenโs National Team head coach Cheryl Reeve said regarding the roster;
โThis roster features some of the best basketball talent our country has to offer and Iโm excited to lead this team with the goal of winning an eighth straight Olympic gold medal in Paris, Iโm looking forward to getting together in Phoenix and starting the journey to Paris.โ
ookie phenom Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever finally ended the discussion regarding the reported USA Women’s Basketball Roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
After practice with the Indiana Fever on Sunday, Caitlin Clark spoke about being left off the final Team USA roster for the Paris Olympics.
โIโm excited for the girls that are on the team. I know itโs the most competitive team in the world, and I know it could have gone either way, me being on the team, me not being on the team. So Iโm excited for them. Iโm going to be rooting them on to win gold. I was a kid that grew up watching the Olympics, so, yeah, itโll be fun to watch them.
When asked if she was disappointed to be left off the roster, Clark added โHonestly, no disappointment. I think it just gives you something to work for. Thatโs a dream. Hopefully one day I can be there. I think itโs just a little more motivation. You remember that and hopefully in four yearsโฆ I can be there.
Indiana Fever Head Coach Christie Sides also answered questions regarding the topic of Caitlin Clark not making the USA Women’s Basketball Roster.
The roster for the 2024 USA Basketball Womenโs National Team have been leaked. In a tweet, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported that “Indiana Fever rookie sensation Caitlin Clark is expected to be left off the 12-player Team USA womenโs basketball roster for the upcoming Summer Olympics”
Sources: Team USA womenโs basketball roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics โ no Caitlin Clark:
Charania then added and named the 12 players in the roster. Except for Kahleah Copper, Sabrina Ionescu, Kelsey Plum and Alyssa Thomas. All other players have Olympic experience. Fans also pointed out that rookie phenom Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever is missing from the roster. Despite receiving an invitation to the USA Basketball Women’s National Team training camp last April, Iowa Hawkeyes standout Caitlin Clark couldn’t attend due to her team’s Final Four run.
Player
WNBA Team
Position
Napheesa Collier
Minnesota Lynx
Forward
Kahleah Copper
Phoenix Mercury
Guard/Forward
Chelsea Gray
Las Vegas Aces
Guard
Brittney Griner
Phoenix Mercury
Center
Sabrina Ionescu
New York Liberty
Guard
Jewell Loyd
Seattle Storm
Guard
Kelsey Plum
Las Vegas Aces
Guard
Breanna Stewart
New York Liberty
Forward
Diana Taurasi
Phoenix Mercury
Guard
Alyssa Thomas
Connecticut Sun
Forward
A’ja Wilson
Las Vegas Aces
Forward/Center
Jackie Young
Las Vegas Aces
Guard/Forward
The final USA Women’s Basketball roster and list of potential alternates must be submitted to FIBA by June 24th. While no official announcement has been made by the USA Basketball on their official website or social media accounts.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are refusing to go down without a fight! After three straight heartbreaking losses to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, the Timberwolves finally secured a crucial win on their home court, defeating the Mavs 105-100 in a nail-biting Game 4.
This victory keeps their season alive and forces a Game 5 back in Minneapolis. The series remains heavily in favor of Dallas, who lead 3-1, but the Timberwolves have shown they have the grit and determination to push this talented Mavericks team to the limit.
Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves’ star center, had faced criticism for his performance in the first three games. However, he bounced back in a big way for Game 4. Towns was allover the court, near 70% from the field, with 4 of 5 from beyond the arc. His improved play was a major factor in keeping Minnesota competitive throughout the game.
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 29, 2024
While Towns’ resurgence was important, the key to the Timberwolves’ win was their defense. After struggling to contain Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in the previous games, Minnesota tightened up their rotations and made it specially difficult for Kyrie Irving to find his offensive groove. Irving is averaging 27.67 pts in the series, he just scored 16pts in game 4.
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 29, 2024
While the Timberwolves have shown they can compete, the challenge ahead remains daunting. Dallas still holds a commanding 3-1 series lead, and as history suggests, no professional sports team has overcome a 0-3 deficit in a best-of-seven series.
However, this win has injected hope into the Minnesota fans. The Timberwolves have proven they can win in this series, and they’ll be looking to extend the series as they head back home for a crucial Game 5.
Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals will be at the Target Center this Thursday, 30th of May.
