Not many players can win a tip-off against Purdue basketball giant Zach Edey. Samford University, Purdue’s season-opening opponent Monday, did not even bother to try.
The 7’4″ Edey stood opposite 5’7.5″ Samford player Dallas Graziani for the first tip-off of the season at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind.
You can guess who won the jump ball.
The David vs. Goliath matchup was not set up by surprise. The official X account of the Samford men’s basketball team had been posting a week-long series showing Graziani’s preparation for the jump ball against Edey.
No amount of training can make up for a nearly 2-foot size difference between players. Graziani was not even able to jump yet before Edey tapped the basketball to a Purdue guard Braden Smith.
Perhaps Samford got the idea of making Graziani do the jump ball from the Golden State Warriors. 2-time NBA MVP Steph Curry hilariously tried to out-leap 7’4″ San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama for a preseason tip-off (video here).
Samford’s failed jump ball was a sign of things to come for the rest of the game. The Boilermakers punished the Bulldogs in the 98-45 win to open the season.
San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama on Sunday did not endear himself to Toronto Raptors guard Dennis Schroder.
The Spurs led the Raptors 54-35 with less than 10 seconds to play before halftime at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
Raptors star Pascal Siakam was fouled right before he swung the ball to teammate Dennis Schroder waiting at the left wing. Wembanyama fell to his feet as he tried to close out on Schroder.
The German offered a hand to help the Frenchman up. The latter declined.
Schroder then appeared to mutter, “I was trying to help you up.”
Wemby was not having it.
Wembanyama and Schroder were surprisingly matched up several times throughout the contest. At one point in overtime, Wemby even picked up Schroder full-court. They were seen chirping at one another at various points as well.
San Antonio led by as much as 22 points and held a 15-point advantage before the fourth quarter. But Toronto outscored them 39-24 in the final quarter to force overtime. The Raptors won 123-116 in OT.
Schroder finished the contest with 24 points and 6 assists. Wembanyama tallied 20 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 blocks.
Jan 21, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) against the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
LeBron James is a decade removed from his last season with the Miami Heat. The Los Angeles Lakers star spoke openly Monday about his infamous 2010 decision — 13 years after his move from Akron, Ohio to South Beach.
James fielded questions from reporters following the Lakers’ morning shootaround at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Fla.
The 4-time MVP reflected on his memorable stint with the Heat, which yielded him two championships and four NBA Finals appearances. James said that the chance to win titles was the lone reason for his move.
The Ohio native also opened up about the futility of his efforts to win with the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier in his career. The lack of success during his early years ultimately pushed him to leave in free agency.
“[Winning championships] was the only reason I teamed up with [Dwyane] Wade and [Chris] Bosh. Because I felt like I couldn’t do it in Cleveland,” said James, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “We couldn’t. … I tried to recruit guys to come to Cleveland. I tried to go and help the upstairs and it wasn’t happening. So I had an opportunity to be a free agent so I did what I thought was best.”
James famously announced his 2010 departure from the Cavs during a 75-minute ESPN program entitled “The Decision.”
At that point in time, James’ supporting casts mostly consisted of low-tier stars like Mo Williams and Zydrunas Ilgauskas or past-their-prime veterans like Shaquille O’Neal and Antawn Jamison.
James’ decision proved to be a positive one. He won his first two rings with the Heat and gave the Cavs space to build up their roster before James returned in 2015. Delayed gratification came for James and Cavs fans in the form of the 2016 title that they won over the Golden State Warriors.
The Lakers star is now in his 21st NBA season. But at age 38, James continues to generate moments that leave fans in awe.
Sep 22, 2019; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson (7) stretching in the dugout before the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Free agent Tim Anderson has started at shortstop for over 99% of his MLB career. Some teams reportedly want that number to go down next season.
The White Sox parted ways with Anderson earlier this month after eight seasons with the ball club.
Anderson was coming off an abysmal 2023 campaign wherein he hit .245 with just 1 home run and 25 RBI across 123 games played. His .296 slugging percentage was the worst among qualified hitters in the majors.
The former batting champ’s recent performance at the plate is not the only concern prospective suitors might have with the 30-year-old. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, “several teams” believe Anderson would benefit from a move to second base.
Anderson has played shortstop in 885 career games. In contrast, he’s only played second base twice — both times coming in 2023.
Anderson has never been considered a premium defender at the shortstop position. He committed 14 errors last season. His total was 3rd-most in the American League despite missing 41 games last season. He was also the AL leader in errors from 2017 to 2019. According to Baseball Reference, Anderson was also -16 in Defensive Runs Saved last season.
The 2-time All-Star has been a vaunted player throughout his career due to his offensive prowess at the shortstop position. But with his hitting ability taking a dip last season, Anderson might need to consider making the change.
Oct 31, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers player Justin Turner at the Roberto Clemente Award press conference before game three of the 2022 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Houston Astros at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Veteran third baseman Justin Turner is one of the intriguing names to hit free agency this offseason. Could one NL contender be ready to pounce on him?
On Friday, Turner declined his player option to return to the Boston Red Sox for the 2024 season. The 2-time All-Star could have exercised an option to return to Boston for $13.4 million. Instead, he will receive a buyout worth $6.7 million and the freedom to choose his next destination.
The Arizona Diamondbacks reportedly have Turner “atop their wish list.” According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the D-backs “desperately want a third baseman” and are keen on pursuing Turner to fill that void.
Third base was arguably the Diamondbacks’ weakest link last season. Four different players — Emmanuel Rivera, Josh Rojas, Jace Peterson, and Evan Longoria — played at least 35 games at the hot corner. None of them had a Wins Above Replacement (WAR) rating higher than 0.5.
Turner played in 146 games for the Red Sox last season. He was one of Boston’s best hitters, finishing with a batting average of .276 with 23 home runs and 96 RBI. Turner’s RBI tally was second on the Red Sox behind All-Star Rafael Devers.
However, Turner was only inserted as a third baseman in 7 contests. The veteran played a majority of his games as either the team’s designated hitter (98) or first baseman (41).
Turner’s lack of starts at third could simply be due to the presence of Devers. But Turner also turns 39 later this month and is about a year older than Longoria. He probably does not have much more mileage left beyond a couple of seasons.
The Diamondbacks, fresh off a World Series run, are hoping to bring home the championship next season.
Mar 31, 2022; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (28) in the second inning of the game against the Toronto Blue Jays during spring training at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
Javy Baez made the easiest decision imaginable.
Baez had until Saturday to terminate his current contract with the Detroit Tigers. Unsurprisingly, he declined to do so.
Baez remains scheduled to earn $98 million over the next four seasons. He earned $42 million combined over the last two years and had the chance to end his deal but wisely chose not to.
Baez signed a 6-year, $140 million contract with the Tigers prior to the 2022 season. He was bad in his first season with the Tigers, and he was downright awful in 2023.
An All-Star with the Chicago Cubs in 2018 and 2019, Baez has batted .233 with a .633 OPS over 280 games with the struggling Tigers. He’s been so bad that he probably would be unlikely to get more than the minimum if he were a free agent. That’s why it was a no-brainer for the soon-to-be 31-year-old to keep his current contract intact.
While Baez declined to exercise his option to terminate his contract, pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez exercised his opt-out with the Tigers over the weekend. Rodriguez gave up the $48 million he was scheduled to earn over the next three years, figuring he will sign for more in free agency.
Baez marks the only long-term payroll commitment the Tigers have; he is their only player signed beyond the 2024 season.
Sep 1, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of Chicago White Sox hat and glove against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago White Sox have a new person in charge of their front office, and they seem to be ready to make some major changes.
Over the weekend, the White Sox cut loose former AL batting champion Tim Anderson. On Sunday, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported in a lengthy notes column that the White Sox are open to trading Dylan Cease. Nightengale made clear that while the White Sox are not actively shopping Cease, they are willing to listen to offers for him.
Cease has a lot to offer potential teams.
In five seasons with the White Sox, Cease has gone 43-35 with a 3.83 ERA and 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings. He realized his full potential in 2022 when he went 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA and finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting.
A durable pitcher, Cease made 33 starts last season and 32 in each of the two prior years. Much like many other White Sox players, Cease underachieved in 2023 and went 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA. He allowed 172 hits in 177 innings — a much higher amount than he had allowed in 2021 or 2022.
Cease is under team control for the next two seasons. The 27-year-old pitcher is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2025 season.
Aug 19, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) during warmups for the Jets game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers appears to be sending another signal that he is progressing in his injury recovery.
The Jets posted a video on social media showing Rodgers walking into MetLife Stadium for Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Not only was Rodgers not using the cart he had previously used to get around the stadium, but he appeared to be walking without a pronounced limp.
Obviously, there is a massive difference between casually walking and playing in an NFL game. Still, this counts as progress for Rodgers, who has set an ambitious timeline for himself in his efforts to come back from the Achilles tear he suffered in Week 1.
Rodgers is clearly working hard, both behind the scenes and occasionally in public, with the goal of playing again in 2023. It is still an extremely difficult task, but he is happy to keep sending little signals like this one to hint at the possibility.
Mar 20, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr encourages his players during the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
Steve Kerr’s time in charge of Team USA will end up being an abbreviated one.
The Golden State Warriors head coach, who also serves as head coach of USA Basketball, revealed in an interview Monday that he will be stepping down from his national team duties after the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Kerr made the revelation to Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
“No,” Kerr replied when asked if he planned to continue coaching Team USA beyond the Paris Olympics. “To me, it’s a two-year, it’s a cycle. Pop [Gregg Popovich] coached a World Cup and the Olympics. Now it’s my turn to pass the baton. I think that’s kind of how it should be.
“Frankly, it’s a huge commitment too,” Kerr went on. “I guess I think it was different [in] the last go-around with Coach K [Mike Krzyzewski] and Jerry [Colangelo], when they were really establishing this culture and this system where guys had to commit for a couple years. [It] made sense for Coach K to stay on. But I think where we are now, one cycle and you move on.”
You can read Kerr’s full interview with Vardon here.
The 58-year-old Kerr became head coach of USA Basketball in Dec. 2021 as the successor to Popovich, whom he had served as a national-team assistant under. Kerr’s time in charge has not been especially memorable thus far as he led Team USA to an embarrassing fourth-place finish in the FIBA World Cup this year. But Kerr now has a massive chance for redemption at next summer’s Olympics in Paris.
Kerr, who was himself a gold-medal-winning player for USA Basketball back in 1986, is right that it is hard to build any sort of culture these days because there is so much year-to-year variance on which star players actually suit up for the team. But Team USA will have some heavy hitters coming in for the Paris Games, giving Kerr a chance to exit on a triumphant note.
Sep 26, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Washington Football Team defensive end Chase Young (99) looks on prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Chase Young seems quite happy to have been traded from the Washington Commanders to the San Francisco 49ers, at least based on his initial quotes.
Young spoke to the media for the first time since being traded last week, and he made it clear that he thinks the 49ers are running a much better operation than his former team did. The pass rusher cited the 49ers’ “culture,” and took a bit of a shot at his former team by suggesting that San Francisco’s schemes and instructions are much more specific.
“Culture. I see why they win,” Young said of the 49ers. “The details of each play, the details of each assignment are much greater.”
There are two sides to every story here, and the Commanders might have some things to say about Young’s comments. For instance, one report suggested that the Commanders felt Young was lacking in discipline and deviated from his assignments.
The Commanders unloaded plenty of talent at the trade deadline, perhaps admitting that their season will not culminate in a playoff appearance. Young can be content with the fact that the 49ers probably will get there, so it is no wonder he is not exactly looking at his move with sadness.