Latest news with #Hornets
Reuters
a day ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Sacramento State to join Big West in 2026, except for football
June 19 - Sacramento State will leave the Big Sky Conference to join the Big West Conference beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, the school announced this week. Sacramento State officials have sought a waiver for the Hornets' football program to leave the Football Championship Subdivision for the Football Bowl Subdivision. On Monday, the NCAA Football Oversight Committee delivered its recommendation that the Division I Council should not support the request. The council's formal decision has yet to be made. In the meantime, Sacramento State will move all its other sports, most notably men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball, to the Big West. The Hornets previously were an affiliate member of the Big West for baseball from 1996-2002. The rest of the conference includes California Baptist, Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, Cal State Northridge (CSUN), UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and Utah Valley. The Big Sky will drop to nine members, mostly concentrated in Washington state, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. --Field Level Media
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
LA Lakers join list of teams being sold at ever-escalating prices
The family-owned Los Angeles Lakers are about to be sold at a valuation of $10 billion, smashing the previous record for the purchase price for a team sport. The cross-country rival Boston Celtics went for $6.1 billion just three months ago. With team values soaring, there have been a number of notable franchise transactions in recent years: The Lakers have been in the Buss family since 1979, but Jeanie Buss has agreed to sell the NBA's most valuable franchise to L.A. Dodgers owner Mark Walter. The Celtics, who won their record 18th NBA championship last year, went for $6.1 billion in March to private equity mogul Bill Chisholm. Josh Harris, who with David Blitzer owns the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and NHL's New Jersey Devils, added to his sports portfolio in 2023 by purchasing the Commanders for a then-record $6.05 billion. The English Premier League team went to a consortium fronted by Dodgers part owner Todd Boehly that also includes Walter in 2022 for $3.2 billion. Another $2.2 billion was pledged for infrastructure and associated teams. The Walton-Penner ownership group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton bought the NFL team in 2022 for $4.65 billion. Mortgage executive Mat Ishbia purchased the team for a then-NBA record $4 billion in 2022. Mark Cuban sold the NBA franchise in 2023 for $3.5 billion to the Adelson family, which owns the Las Vegas Sands casino company. Michael Jordan agreed to sell his majority share in the NBA's Hornets in 2023 for $3 billion to Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin. Schnall had a minority ownership in the NBA's Atlanta Hawks and Plotkin in the Hornets.
New York Post
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Intriguing 7-foot Knicks prospect James Nnaji leaving Europe for Summer League chance
The Knicks have an intriguing new big man in the mix. James Nnaji informed Barcelona that he intends to leave and pursue a career in the U.S. with the Knicks, The Post confirmed. Advertisement The Knicks acquired the rights to Nnaji from the Hornets as part of the three-team Karl-Anthony Towns trade last offseason. He's already in New York and working out with the Knicks, his agent Gerard Raventos told The Post. Nnaji expects to be with the team at Summer League with a chance to make the roster. 'Hopefully after [the Summer League], we can reach an agreement,' Raventos said. Advertisement 'That's the plan, from both sides. It's 50-50, it depends how he does. He's coming in great shape. … Everything will be based on his performances in the Summer League.' The Knicks acquired James Nnaji's rights in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade. Europa Press via Getty Images The Hornets originally drafted Nnaji, still just 20 years old, with the 31st pick in the 2023 draft, and he opted to stay in Europe the last two seasons. Advertisement A Nigerian native, he had some of the best measurables in the 2023 class. According to his official draft measurables, he was listed at 7-foot and 251 pounds with a 7-foot-7 wingspan and 9-foot-4 standing reach at the time. He spent most of last season on loan with Girona, averaging 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Advertisement Nnaji also spent time with Turkish side Yukatel Merkezefendi Basket, where he averaged 7.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. The Knicks are likely to lose some of their frontcourt depth in Precious Achiuwa, who is a free agent. James Nnaji in 2024. Getty Images Beyond Towns and Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks also have Ariel Hukporti, who was selected with the No. 58 pick and the Knicks acquired on draft night last year, as a reserve big man. He did not have much of a role last year as a rookie while also missing time with a knee injury. He averaged 1.9 points and 2.0 rebounds in 25 games. Barring a salary dump before June 30, the Knicks have very little ability to add new pieces in free agency. They won't have any cap space, and will only be able to sign players to a minimum contract or as part of the taxpayer's $5.7 million exception. Advertisement Nnaji, who would likely not command more than a minimum contract, could represent one path for them to add new talent given those constraints. His offensive game is clearly not yet polished, but he has the tools and physical makeup to develop into a strong rim protector and rebounder for a new head coach to consider.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Prospect Sends Hornets Clear LaMelo Ball Message Ahead of Draft
NBA Prospect Sends Hornets Clear LaMelo Ball Message Ahead of Draft originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The 2025 NBA Draft is rapidly approaching. Even with the NBA Finals still hanging in the balance, the association's attention will soon shift to the league's prospects looking to become the next wave of NBA superstars. Advertisement With the Dallas Mavericks winning the NBA Draft Lottery, there is a wide-ranging expectation the Mavericks will select Duke University's freshman phenom, Cooper Flagg, with the No. 1 overall pick. Immediately following the Mavericks in the draft are the San Antonio Spurs (No. 2), the Philadelphia 76ers (No. 3), and the Charlotte Hornets (No. 4). With each of the draft's lottery teams still putting top prospects through workouts, teams continue to compile information, whether from tape, the Draft Combine, or these individual workouts. With this process, comes speculation, conversation, and drama. The latter, has taken center stage for the Hornets, and it involves their current star player, LaMelo Ball. Advertisement Per Mike Lacett, anchor, reporter for Carolina Sports Live, one of the projected draft lottery prospects, refused to workout for the Hornets, citing a desire to not play with Ball as the reason. The report does not state which prospect sent this clear message to the Hornets regarding Ball, but that hasn't stopped the basketball world from speculating. The top prospects after Flagg, consist of Dylan Harper (Rutgers), VJ Edgecomb (Baylor), Airious "Ace" Bailey (Rutgers), Tre Johnson (Texas), and Kon Knueppel (Duke). Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo BallSam Sharpe-Imagn Images While there are no official answers on which prospect made the refusal, Bailey is reportedly the only lottery prospect yet to conduct a workout. Advertisement His first workout is scheduled for later this week with the 76ers. As for Ball, injuries have been the primary roadblock in his young, five-year career. Ball has played in just 231 of a possible 400 games. The 2025 NBA Draft will get under way on Wednesday, June 25 at 8:00 p.m. EDT, when the drama will in theory be put to rest. Related: Cooper Flagg Sends Clear Response on Copying NBA Players At NBA Draft Combine This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Mock Draft 2025: Picking 1st round, Boston Celtics selections
The 2025 NBA Draft is less than two weeks away. While the NBA Finals will wrap up in the coming games, the calendar flips quickly into the offseason. It all starts with the draft, where there could be heavy player movement across the league. The top-2 picks of the draft seem relatively straightforward, but afterwards, that's where things start to get uncertain. While the 2024 draft was considered one of the weaker ones in recent memory, there's a lot of talent throughout this year's draft. Advertisement The Celtics hold the 28th and 32nd overall pick, so they have some options. There's also always the chance they could look to trade up or down in the draft, depending on what offers are available. The draft is scheduled for June 25-26 with each round taking up one day. MassLive already looked at four guards, four wings and four big men who the Celtics could pick in the draft. Now, here's a mock draft of every first-round pick, including the Celtics at 28th overall: No. 1: Cooper Flagg, Mavericks Barring any surprise, Flagg is the surefire No. 1 pick going to Dallas. The Mavs get a potential generational star just months after trading away Luka Doncic. Advertisement No. 2: Dylan Harper, Spurs Harper had a stellar season at Rutgers even though the Scarlet Knights didn't make the NCAA Tournament. Considering his size at 6-foot-6, along with his all-around game, there's a reason why many think he'll be a star at the next level. No. 3: V.J. Edgecombe, 76ers One of the most explosive players in the draft, plus he projects well playing both sides of the court at the next level. The Sixers need to hit on this pick after a lost season, so they end up with Edgecombe. No. 4: Ace Bailey, Hornets Another Rutgers product in Bailey, the Hornets get another talented wing to go with the rest of their young roster. It's unclear where Bailey will go at the top of the draft, but he's still expected to go off the board quick come draft night. Advertisement No. 5: Tre Johnson, Jazz The offensive game is there after his lone season at Texas, where he showed off his scoring skills. The defense is another issue, but the Jazz end up taking a high-ceiling guy after they stumbled down the draft lottery. No. 6: Kon Knueppel, Wizards Knueppel could end up being picked even earlier as he was a knockdown shooter in his lone season at Duke. He comes in at 6-foot-7 and is considered an NBA-ready prospect, which is another plus since he turns 20 in August. No. 7: Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans Fears is one of the youngest players in this year's draft as he reclassified and doesn't turn 19 until October. Despite playing against some grown men in the SEC, Fears led Oklahoma throughout last season. He's shown a mature game despite his age, though he'll have to clean up other areas. Advertisement No. 8: Khaman Maluach, Nets The 7-foot-2 big man rounds out the talented Duke freshman trio going in the top-10 of the draft. Maluach is a force defensively with his size and skill, though the offensive game will need work at the next level. Nets go upside here. No. 9: Derik Queen, Raptors Queen starred at Maryland in his lone season as he impressed on both sides of the court. The offensive game is polished, and while he'll need to bulk up for the next level, his fluidness pops out. No. 10: Kasparas Jakucionis, Rockets Jakucionis is another Big Ten product coming out of Illinois as there's a lot to like about his game. He struggled with the physicality and grind of college ball at times, but considering his age, size and overall talent, he projects well to the next level. Advertisement No. 11: Collin Murray-Boyles, Trail Blazers Murray-Boyles is a strong defender, which is what immediately pops out. He'll need to find a shooting touch in the pros, but his defensive versatility will play in the pros. No. 12: Carter Bryant, Bulls Looks the part of NBA athlete coming in at 6-foot-7. Another defensive-minded player who didn't flash too much offensively, though the athleticism and bounce are there. No. 13: Jase Richardson, Hawks With the Hawks in limbo, they end up taking Jase, the son of former NBA player Jason Richardson. While Richardson is young and can improve in certain areas, his feel for the game sticks out immediately. The Michigan State product is a bit small so will need to improve his playmaking and bulk up for the pro game. But there's a lot to like. Advertisement No. 14: Noa Essengue, Spurs The French forward is one of the youngest players in the draft and already possesses impressive size. He'll need to expand his game at the next level to reach star status but already appears to fit athletically. No. 15: Asa Newell, Thunder Showed he can be an efficient scorer in his lone season at Georgia. Will need to add some percentage points to his 3-pointer and create more offensively, but looks well moving on defense. No. 16: Egor Demin, Grizzlies The Grizzlies pick up another guard after trading Desmond Bane to the Magic. Demin's size and playmaking pop out, potentially lessening the burden on Ja Morant. But Demin will have to be able to shoot in the pros to truly reach his potential. Advertisement No. 17: Liam McNeeley, Timberwolves McNeeley excelled in his lone season at UConn and now looks like a top-20 pick heading into the draft. Has good size at 6-foot-7 as the Wolves take the wing who can do a little bit of everything, though Minnesota will hope he can shoot better than he did last season. No. 18: Nique Clifford, Wizards Clifford will do just about everything as he's coming off a strong season at Colorado State. The 6-foot-6 guard is considered more of a glue guy coming into the draft, and for the Wizards, could be a nice influx of leadership. No. 19: Danny Wolf, Nets Wolf is one of the more interesting prospects in the draft considering his size as a 7-footer and playmaking. He doesn't shoot it much, but watching him run in the open court shows why he elected to stay in the draft. Advertisement No. 20: Cedric Coward, Heat Coward is considered one of the more intriguing players in this draft as a late riser. His 6-foot-5 frame and 7-foot-2 wingspan pop off the page. Had a slow rise starting off at Division III ball, meaning he turns 22 later this year. Was committed to Duke out of the transfer portal, but kept his name in the draft. Also only played six games with Washington State last season. The Heat take the risk with their player developmental staff. No. 21: Noah Penda, Jazz High-motor wing who can be disruptive defensively. He'll need to find a shot at the next level, but already looks the part of an NBA player. Advertisement No. 22: Nolan Traore, Hawks Much like other prospects on this list, Traore will need to smooth out his shooting at the next level. But considering he can bring combo guard skills, the Hawks end up taking him for their backcourt. No. 23: Joan Beringer, Pacers Beringer is a bit of a polarizing product, which is why the Pacers end up taking the flier and the risk for him. One of the youngest players in the draft and hasn't played basketball for long, making him a bit of a wild card. No. 24: Drake Powell, Thunder Powell, the North Carolina product, is dubbed as one of the most athletic wings in the draft. So Sam Presti ends up getting another standout defensive player in the draft who he hopes can develop his offensive game. Advertisement No. 25: Walter Payton Jr., Magic Fresh off winning a national championship with Florida, the Magic elect to go with Payton to keep him within the state. The Magic just traded for Bane in a blockbuster deal, but they go with another guard who packs a scoring punch. No. 26: Will Riley, Nets Riley showed flashes during his season at Illinois as a tough shot-maker. He's only 19, so there's plenty of talent for a Nets team looking for whatever they can find at this point in the draft. No. 27: Ben Saraf, Nets One of the best passers in the draft with good size, the Nets go with another player who could develop down the stretch. Advertisement No. 28: Ryan Kalkbrenner, Celtics With the Celtics facing a potential big man question mark, they end up getting one of the most experienced players on the board. Kalkbrenner is a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year as the Creighton product reunites with last year's first-round pick in Baylor Scheierman. No. 29: Maxime Raynaud, Suns The Suns are looking for some big man depth and they end up selecting the Stanford product who filled up the stat sheet. While Raynaud will need to add to his game to succeed at the NBA level, the Suns get a big body who has a nice scoring touch. No. 30: Chaz Lanier, Clippers An older product after playing in five years in college. While he might not end up becoming a star, his shooting prowess and experience stand out at this point in the draft. More Celtics content Read the original article on MassLive.
