Category: Uncategorized

Kai Sotto join Koshigaya Alphas

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Kai Sotto finds his newest home at Koshigaya Alphas in the Japan B.League.

MANILA, Philippines—Kai Sotto has found his new home in the Japan B.League.

Weeks after his departure from the Yokohama B-Corsairs, the Koshigaya Alphas announced that they have acquired the services of the 7-foot-3 Filipino big as they are promoted to Division 1.

“The Koshigaya Alphas have reached an agreement with Kai Sotto (formerly of the Hiroshima Dragonflies) for the 2024-25 season… At only 22 years old, but also noticed by the world, the Philippine representative big man will be the new guardian of the Alphas,” wrote the team in an Instagram post on Friday.

Sotto, meanwhile, shared that he’s just as excited as the Alphas to start a new chapter in his B.League journey.

READ: Kai Sotto continues to shine in B.League return after Gilas stint

“I’m looking forward to being a part of the Koshigaya Alphas. The Alphas have been promoted from B2 and will want to prove that they can compete in B1,” said the Gilas big.

“I also chose Alphas to grow more and become a better player. [I’m] excited to see the city of Koshigaya. I’m especially looking forward to seeing the fans!”

In Sotto’s final stint with Yokohama, where he played after a loan clause with his former team Dragonflies, Sotto posted norms of 12.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game in 34 outings.

READ: Kai Sotto bound to dominate Asia, believes Gilas coach Tim Cone

He helped the B-Corsairs finish with a 24-36 record.

The Alphas, though, will have to wait a few more days to start training with Sotto as he is currently on national duty with Gilas Pilipinas.

As of writing, Sotto is in Istanbul, Turkey for a couple of friendlies before Gilas’ Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament.



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He finished with nine points and nine rebounds in his last outing with the national team in their win against the Taiwan Mustangs, 74-64, which the Alphas must have watched intently.

Galeries eyeing outside spiker at No. 3 in PVL Rookie Draft

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Galeries Tower coaching staff at the PVL Rookie Draft combine.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Galeries Tower looks to continue building its young lineup through the 2024 PVL Rookie Draft on July 8 as it targets a scorer for its third pick and also eyeing a setter and middle blocker in the succeeding rounds.

The Highrisers coaching staff, led by coach Lerma Giron and deputy Godfrey Okumu, were in full force on the final day of the draft combine at GameVille Ball Park on Wednesday.

They already have names on top of their minds but they didn’t divulge to protect their target players.

“We could get one of those positions. The setter, outside spiker, even an opposite, or a middle blocker. These players really add value because they’re just coming into the PVL. They’re new. The difference will be the one who settles first are the one who will add more value to their teams,” said Okumu, whose squad earned the third pick in the lottery.

“I think there’s a lot of talent. As I’ve said before I came to the Philippines, there’s a lot of talent in Philippine volleyball,” he added.

READ: Thea Gagate to be picked No. 1 by ZUS Coffee in PVL Rookie Draft

The Kenyan coach said their priority is an outside spiker, who can be a game-changer for their team, which only had a total of four wins in the past two All-Filipino Conferences. 

“In our team, we hope that the person we will get will come in settled and get to know the team better. That’s the most important thing, building the team together. With the people who are in and the people coming in,” Okumu said.

Okumu said that they will also bring a Brazilian outside spiker as an import but he didn’t disclose the name as the management will announce it in the coming days. 

READ: PVL: Alyssa Eroa grateful for chance to shine with Galeries

“We have a Brazilian girl, she’s coming in soon and we hope that she can fill the gap of one of the outside spiker positions. We cannot name it for now, we wanna make it official. Sometimes in the Philippines, we like fiesta. We wait for the right time like we have a big feast, we eat, and then we name names. I think it’s cool,” he said.

With a chance to bolster their roster through the PVL draft, Okumu is optimistic about the Highrisers’ future in the pros. 

“Last season, when we started, we had new players and we didn’t have time to train together with the new players so by the team the league was coming to an end, that’s when we were kinda getting to know each other, and beginning to work together. That’s why there’s a struggle in the beginning and by the end it is strong. That’s why we believe this time, we will start strong,” he said.



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NBA draft could be ‘special’ night for France

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Zaccharie Risacher from France, who played for JL Bourg basketball club, speaks to the press during a press preview for the 78th edition of the NBA’s annual draft at the Lotte New York Palace in New York, on June 25, 2024. The draft will be held June 26 and June 27, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)

NEW YORK — Alex Sarr was born in France and spent last season playing in Australia. Zaccharie Risacher was born in Spain and is coming off a breakout season in France.

The next step in their global basketball journey is the NBA, with one of them potentially heading to Atlanta on Wednesday night as the No. 1 pick in the draft.

“We grew up together, competing against each other, and now we are here in New York for the draft and it’s one day to realize our dream, you know?” Risacher said Tuesday. “So this is special.”

It’s a special time for France, which could have the No. 1 pick for a second straight season after Victor Wembanyama went to San Antonio last year amid enormous expectations and lived up to the hype in a Rookie of the Year season.

READ: French Zaccharie Risacher has best odds to be NBA draft top pick

Neither Sarr, Risacher (pronounced Ree-zah-shay) nor anyone else will arrive with that type of promise, part of the reason the 2024 draft has long been viewed as a weak one. It’s unclear which way the Hawks will lean, or even if they are focusing on the two French players.

“For us, I feel like this is a great class, to be honest,” said Isaiah Collier, a guard from USC, where he was a teammate of LeBron James’ son, Bronny James.

“Everybody says it’s weak and everything like that, but for us I think it’s wide open because there’s a lot of good players and nobody really knows who’s at the top.”

Alexandre Sarr NBA draft

Alexandre Sarr, French professional basketball player who last played for the Perth Wildcats of the Australian National Basketball League, speaks to the press during a press preview for the 78th edition of the NBA’s annual draft at the Lotte New York Palace in New York, on June 25, 2024. The draft will be held June 26 and June 27, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)

They will find out at the start of what this year becomes a two-night draft. The first round will be held as usual at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and the second round moves Thursday to ESPN’s Seaport District studios.

Much of the speculation surrounding the Hawks’ choice since they won the draft lottery last month initially focused on Sarr, a well-traveled 7-footer from Bordeaux, France, who began his pro career in Spain with Real Madrid’s youth team. He spent two years in the U.S. playing with Overtime Elite, a developmental league, and last season was with the Perth Wildcats in Australia’s National Basketball League.

READ: NBA draft: France’s Alexandre Sarr, UConn’s Clingan headline big men

He should soon be able to settle in somewhere, whether it’s back in Atlanta — where Overtime Elite is based — or Washington, Houston, San Antonio or Detroit, the teams that round out the top five spots.

“It’s been a long journey of me changing a lot of countries and now I know that I’m going to be probably in the same place for a couple of years, so it’s really exciting,” Sarr said.

His basketball existence is hard to imagine for one of the players he could be competing with for the No. 1 spot. Fellow center Donovan Clingan, who has worked out for the Hawks, has spent his entire life near his birthplace of Bristol, Connecticut, where he went to high school before helping UConn win back-to-back national championships.

“I can’t imagine traveling all over the world, just being away from your family and stuff,” Clingan said. “Just feels like his whole playing career really, ever since he was a young kid, just being on the move. So I’ve been lucky enough and blessed enough to have an opportunity to continue to stay playing in Connecticut, but I’m really excited to move away and start a new chapter.”

College teammate Stephon Castle is expected to join him in the top 10 picks, and Kentucky also could have a pair of players go early in freshmen guards Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham.

But that is nothing unusual for college basketball powerhouse programs. Kentucky had six players selected in both 2012 and 2015, the most in the two-round draft format that began in 1989, and the Huskies once went 2-3 in the draft with Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon in 2004.

But this is a whole new deal for France — or any country other than the U.S. If Sarr or Risacher is taken first, it would mark the first time that the draft went consecutive years without the No. 1 pick being someone who played at an American college.

They were teammates on France’s team that won a silver medal at the 2023 Under-19 World Cup, with Risacher scoring 13 points in a victory over the U.S. The 6-foot-9 forward also spent two seasons in France playing for ASVEL — owned by French Hall of Famer Tony Parker — and he was a one-time teammate of Wembanyama.

Now he could be France’s next No. 1 — unless an old friend beats him out.



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“It would mean a lot,” Sarr said. “I played with Zaccharie three years in a row, I’m really close with him, so I’m really happy for him and I think it’s really special for France in general.”

Celtics’ Brad Stevens expects only roster tweaks in repeat bid

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Confetti falls from the sky after Boston Celtics 106-88 win against the Dallas Mavericks in Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 17, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. Adam Glanzman/Getty Images/AFP

BOSTON — The past week has been a whirlwind for Brad Stevens since the Celtics reached the goal he’s been chasing since he arrived in Boston in 2013.

He’s gone from coach to president of basketball operations during that time, experiencing all the failures and near misses it took to finally earn the franchise’s 18th championship.

It’s also why he’s not allowing himself to get caught up in the expectations that already hover around the Celtics to do it again next season.

“The adulation doesn’t mean much in all sincerity. And the scrutiny doesn’t mean much either,” Stevens said Tuesday. “If you hang a banner everybody is going to talk about how great you are. And if you don’t, they’re going to talk about how much you stink. … If you tie your approach to that, then you’re just going to ride a roller coaster that’s not worth the journey. So, I think the most important thing is you appreciate the people you’re with, you try your best to have the best season you can. And you just keep going.”

READ: Celtics look to become first repeat NBA champion since 2018

The good news for Stevens is that the Celtics are positioned well to be very much in the mix to defend their title next season. Their top six players — Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford — are under contract for next season.

After having secured long-term extensions with Brown, Holiday and Porzingis, the Celtics are expected to do the same with Tatum and White this summer.

It’s why Stevens isn’t anticipating any major changes this offseason.

The Celtics hold the 30th and 54th overall picks in this week’s draft, but he said any player they select will be with an eye toward the future, not the present.

READ: NBA: Brown, Tatum answer critics while leading Celtics to title

“I think there’s a lot of moving parts to keeping this roster sustainable beyond this year. But specifically to this year, we’ve got a lot of guys back,” Stevens said. “It will be hard for any draft pick to crack our rotation when healthy. So we’ll think about how we can continue to invest in young players and their development and growth, with the reality that if we’re able to continue to move forward with this group — these guys are going to be on the court.”

Keeping the current core of this group intact will put the Celtics into the second apron of the luxury tax for a second straight year, but the biggest ramifications of that won’t need to be addressed until after next season.

While Stevens expects winning the title to put a target squarely on their backs next season, he bristles at the notion that the Celtics will be clear-cut favorites.

“I don’t know what the league’s going to look like in three weeks, so who knows?” Stevens said. “But I know this. Human nature is going to be another huge opponent. All of our opponents — when you win — the other 29 teams target you. It’s a different thing to come back from to then be great again.”

What this group has earned though, he said, is the opportunity to come back together to take on that challenge.

“We’ll always evaluate how to make our team better,” Stevens said. “But I think we would be crazy not to say that character and the foundation of this team is right. And let’s see if we can be as consistent as we can. Grow. Develop. Get better. Improve. … I’m not anticipating major changes, at least early on. Because I think this team deserves that.”

PORZINGIS UPDATE

Stevens said Porzingis is still being evaluated for the next steps on how to proceed to repair the dislocated tendon in his left ankle that he injured in the NBA Finals.



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“Kristaps is still in the middle of consulting with some different doctors and specialists. We anticipate surgery will be soon. We’ll have more of a timeline and recovery after the surgery,” Stevens said.

New coach Charles Lee out to turn around struggling Hornets

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New Charlotte Hornets NBA basketball team head coach Charles Lee, left, is introduced by Charlotte Hornets general manager Jeff Peterson during a news conference Tuesday, June 25, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Steve Reed)

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — Charles Lee joked that his wife thought he was a little crazy when he decided to step away from his job as a single stock equity trader on Wall Street to become a full-time basketball coach.

Turns out it was a pretty good career move.

Since walking away from Bank of America in 2012 to coach at Bucknell, Lee has gone on to win two NBA championships as an assistant coach, including last week with the Boston Celtics following 2021 with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Now, at age 39, he gets his first crack at being a head coach at any level with the Charlotte Hornets, a perennially disappointing franchise that hasn’t been to the postseason in eight years — the longest active drought in the NBA — and hasn’t won a playoff series in nearly a quarter century.

But like leaving Wall Street, Lee isn’t scared of a new challenge.

READ: NBA: Steve Clifford ends tenure as Hornets’ winningest coach

He feels with the support of his wife Lindsey and a strong family structure behind him, he can conquer just about anything.

He called the Hornets a “talent-rich group” with plenty of unrealized potential, even though they won just 21 games last season.

“We have a very, very good team here,” Lee said. “We’ve been snakebit with some injuries. … But this group is focused on the right things. The expectations are that we are going to compete every night, whether it’s a home game, road game or whoever is playing. This is going to be a group that is together offensively and defensively, no matter who is on the floor.”

Lee’s introductory news conference on Tuesday came nearly seven weeks after being hired to replace Steve Clifford, who announced late last season he was stepping away from coaching.

Lee has been busy pulling double duty since, helping Jayson Tatum and the Celtics reach the ultimate goal while also spending time developing relationships with his new players in Charlotte, as well as evaluating personnel ahead of this week’s NBA draft and the upcoming free agency signing period.

READ: NBA: Hornets shut down LaMelo Ball for rest of season

Hornets general manager Jeff Peterson said he was “blown away” by Lee during his interview and after talking with members of the Bucks and Celtics organization about him.

“He’s an excellent communicator,” Peterson said. “He’s competitive. He’s constantly trying to figure out ways to get better. I know that at night he goes to sleep thinking, ‘how can I make the Charlotte Hornets better?’ And, he’s a winner.”

Hornets forward Grant Williams was one of about a dozen players to attend the news conference, joining LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.

Williams believes Lee’s winning pedigree has already got the attention of his teammates.

“It definitely carries some weight, some respect, because he knows what it takes to win it all,” Williams said. “He was the associate head coach on both championship teams, so he had a direct impact in the development and style of play. He’s been around a lot of greats and he will do wonders for guys like LaMelo and Brandon, who are trying to be special.”

Lee’s addition completes some dramatic changes in the Hornets organization over the past 12 months.

Since Michael Jordan sold the team to Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin last August, the Hornets have hired a new general manager, a new head coach and traded several of their veteran players, including Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward and P.J. Washington.

They drafted Miller, who has shown star potential.

There are also major renovations underway at the Spectrum Center, which forced the news conference to be moved to a rented building in Charlotte less than a mile from where they play home games.

Lee offered no guarantees on when the Hornets might return to the playoffs, but he likes the attitudes of the players he has met and senses they’re willing to “buy in” and do anything to get things turned around.

“What I can say to the fans is that when I went through the interview process, Gabe, Rick and Jeff made it clear they want this to be one of the NBA’s premier franchises,” Lee said. “… The things that we can promise from this team is that they’re going to be very competitive, they are going to be focused on what we can control with our daily progress, process and effort.”

Williams, for one, said he believes the Hornets are about to turn things around.



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“The energy is shifting here. You can just feel the vibe,” Williams said. “And I think people are going to be really shocked here by how soon it is going to happen.”

Josh Giddey embraces fresh start with Bulls

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Oklahoma City Thunder’s Josh Giddey plays during an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

CHICAGO — Josh Giddey is looking forward to a fresh start in Chicago.

The 6-foot-8 guard from Australia confirmed Tuesday he did not want to come off the bench for Oklahoma City and insisted he appreciated Thunder general manager Sam Presti’s honesty leading up to the trade to the Bulls last week for Alex Caruso.

“I’m 21 years old, it wasn’t something that I was overly eager to do,” Giddey said during a videoconference. “He completely understood. And just throughout the whole process, we were open and honest with each other. And I said to him, ’Look, coming off the bench at this point in my career, it’s not something I’m trying to do and take a reserve role. He got it. And we worked together through the whole process, and he got me to a great spot.”

READ: NBA: Josh Giddey didn’t want to come off the bench, prompting trade

Giddey is coming off a challenging season in which his numbers dropped and he lost his starting job in the playoffs. He goes from a team that went 57-25 to earn the top seed in the NBA Western Conference and reached the conference semifinals with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren leading the way to one that missed the playoffs for the second straight year.

Giddey said he hasn’t discussed his specific role with the Bulls, though it’s hard to envision him coming off the bench in Chicago if he didn’t want to do it in Oklahoma City.

Presti said in a statement last week that the Thunder saw him in a reserve role next season in order “to maximize his many talents and deploy our team more efficiently over 48 minutes.” He said Giddey had a tough time with that idea and asked to be traded.

“The one thing about him that I really respect is his transparency,” Giddey said. “And he’s very open and honest with players and especially with me throughout this whole process.”

Giddey was the No. 6 overall pick in 2021 and he made the All-Rookie second team. He is a member of Australia’s national team that will play at the Paris Olympics this summer. He is an exceptional passer and his size makes him a solid rebounder.

READ: NBA: Thunder trade Josh Giddey to Bulls for Alex Caruso

Giddey averaged 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists in his second season, but those numbers dropped to 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 2023-24.

Giddey was also often booed on the road after an anonymous social media user accused him of having an improper relationship with an underage girl, leading to investigations by police in Newport Beach, California, and the NBA.

Newport Beach police completed their investigation in January and said detectives were “unable to corroborate any criminal activity.” The NBA also later dropped its investigation.

“I completely understand the question and I know you’ve got to ask as part of your job, but I’m not going to comment on anything regarding that situation,” Giddey said.

The trade for Giddey was the first move in what could be a busy offseason for Chicago, which owns the No. 11 pick in the draft on Wednesday. Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas vowed to make changes after the team he constructed finished 39-43.

Six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan is a free agent. Zach LaVine might be dealt after playing in just 25 games before having season-ending foot surgery, though the five-year, $215.16 million extension he signed following the 2021-22 season could make him tough to move.

It’s not quite clear how the guard rotation will play out with Giddey added to a mix that includes Coby White coming off a breakout season and Ayo Dosunmu in a key role. Lonzo Ball could also figure into it, though he’s been sidelined since January 2022 because of a left knee injury. He has said he expects to be ready for the season opener.

Giddey said he didn’t discuss with the front office if the Bulls were retooling or undergoing a major overhaul.



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“In terms of what direction the franchise is going, I haven’t asked any questions,” he said. “I’ve just kind of bought into whatever happens here, happens. And, I’ll probably play my part in helping our team be as good as we can be right from the jump.”

Knicks to acquire Mikal Bridges in trade from Nets

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Mikal Bridges #1 of the Brooklyn Nets warms up before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center on March 05, 2024 in New York City. Mike Lawrie/Getty Images/AFP

NEW YORK — Mikal Bridges is being traded by the Brooklyn Nets to the New York Knicks, where he will join Jalen Brunson and his other former Villanova teammates, two people with knowledge of the details said Tuesday.

The first trade between the New York rivals since 1983 will put Bridges in the lineup alongside Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, players who helped the Wildcats win two NCAA championships and were the core of a Knicks lineup that reached the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals last season.

READ: NBA: Knicks must weigh whether if being healthy enough is good enough

The Knicks will pay big to get him, with ESPN reporting that they are sending Bojan Bogdanovic to the Nets along with four unprotected first-round picks and one protected pick.

The deal was confirmed to The Associated Press under condition of anonymity because it is not yet official.



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Fil-Canadian libero makes case for roster spot in PVL combine

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Fil-Canadian libero Aleiah Torres during the PVL Rookie Draft combine.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino-Canadian libero Aleiah Torres excelled in several tests in the first-ever PVL Rookie Draft Combine, achieving a group-best 50 reps in the one-minute pushup and recording the fastest time in the modified agility T-test with 5.98 seconds on Tuesday at GameVille Ball Park in Mandaluyong City.

The Brock University product is among the 47 aspirants hoping to earn a roster spot from the 12 PVL teams in the inaugural Rookie Draft on July 8 at Novotel.

Torres, whose parents lived in Cavite and Tarlac before she was born and raised in Canada, applied for the draft, wanting to be part of the PVL’s growth and emergence as one of the country’s top leagues.

“I really like watching the teams here. The crowd’s really exciting. Everyone’s always involved when they’re watching the games,” she said. “I just thought it is super exciting and being able to play in the Philippines is just super special for me since I have lots of family here.”

In fact, Torres is hoping to meet Petro Gazz’s reigning All-Filipino MVP Brooke Van Sickle, Choco Mucho star Sisi Rondina, and her fellow Filipino-Canadian Savi Davison of PLDT.

READ: Almonte hopes to redeem self in PVL after down final year with Adamson

The 5-foot-4 libero, who started playing volleyball at 12 years old, is bringing her championship experience from Canada to the PVL.

“I played club volleyball and then I played in a university at Brock. I played for the varsity team there. We were really successful, we won three championships so hopefully I can bring my experience and my winning championship and mindset to whatever team I get drafted to,” Torres said.

READ: Unheralded player from Marinduque chases PVL dream

Torres, though, is tempering her expectations in the upcoming draft. All she can promise if a team drafts her is her athleticism, steady floor defense, and high volleyball IQ.

“I don’t really have too many expectations. I just came to have a lot of fun and play really good volleyball. Hopefully, I can contribute to whatever team I get drafted to and just experience everything that the Philippines has to offer,” she said.

“I think as a libero, I can read the game really well especially from the backcourt, playing defense and seeing what my teammates should be doing up in the net. I’ll let them know how many hitters they have or attack, what’s open for them. So, I think I really have high IQ on the court, good leadership, and just I think I’m really fast so I like to chase down some balls.”



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Lakers coach JJ Redick hopes to create great content with LeBron

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JJ Redick speaks after being introduced as the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers NBA basketball team Monday, June 24, 2024, in El Segundo, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

EL SEGUNDO, California — JJ Redick says his extraordinary hiring as the Los Angeles Lakers’ head coach means the end of his podcast with LeBron James.

Redick hopes they’ll be able to produce much more compelling content next season in a new incarnation of their partnership, chasing an NBA championship together with the Lakers.

The Lakers formally introduced Redick as their coach on Monday, which also happened to be the 15-year NBA veteran’s 40th birthday.

In a news conference with general manager Rob Pelinka at the Lakers’ training complex, Redick humorously embraced the unlikeliness of his extraordinary hire as he looked across a gym filled with team employees, media members and some of his new players.

“I have never coached in the NBA before,” Redick said with a straight face. “I don’t know if you guys have heard that.”

READ: NBA: Lakers hiring JJ Redick as their new head coach

Redick’s coaching experience is confined to volunteering with his sons’ youth teams, but he plans to overcome that yawning gap with encyclopedic basketball knowledge, personal charisma, an experience-packed coaching staff and an eagerness to innovate.

“This process has been surreal, to say the least,” Redick said. “I take this responsibility very seriously.. … The Lakers have some of the most passionate fans around the world, and the expectation is a championship, and so it’s my job to deliver a championship-caliber team. That’s what I signed up for.”

Redick also said he got this opportunity with no help or advice from James, who must decide this week whether to exercise his player option to return to the Lakers next season or to become a free agent.

Although Redick didn’t break any news, he spoke extensively about the way he hopes to deploy James next season with the Lakers — including shooting more 3-pointers to capitalize on his high percentage.

Redick said he didn’t speak with James at all about Los Angeles’ lengthy coaching search until a 15-minute conversation after the Lakers offered the job to him last Thursday. But Redick has spoken extensively with fellow Lakers star Anthony Davis, who was more involved than James in the team’s hiring process.

Redick and James won’t be speaking on microphone together anytime soon, however: Redick acknowledges that he’ll have to stop recording their podcast.

READ: NBA: Dan Hurley turns down Lakers offer, will stay UConn

“For the time being — and hopefully it’s a very, very long time — I am excommunicated from the content space,” Redick said. “There will be no podcasts. We’ll do something when I have a breather from what I have coming up. I’m gonna be drinking from a firehose for the next month.”

The Lakers reached an agreement with Redick last week, about two weeks after UConn coach Dan Hurley turned down a lucrative offer to jump to the NBA from the back-to-back defending national champion Huskies. Neither Redick nor Hurley has ever coached in the NBA.

Redick said he met with Pelinka before the Lakers’ pursuit of Hurley, and he was on broadcast duty for ESPN while the saga played out.

“At no point was my ego or feelings hurt or bruised in any way,” Redick said. “Dan Hurley is a two-time national champion at UConn. I am a two-time 55 Swish League champion in the third- and fourth-grade division. I understood, you know?”

Redick played 15 NBA seasons for six teams as a productive shooting guard after a four-year career at Duke. He became the Blue Devils’ career scoring leader under Mike Krzyzewski.

After he retired in 2021, Redick embarked on a media career. In just the past several months, he started the “Mind the Game” podcast with James while also ascending to ESPN’s top commentary team, working the NBA Finals this month. Yet Redick realized last year that he wanted to be an NBA head coach after interviewing for the job in Toronto, and he has since spoken at length to top coaches about every aspect of their jobs.

Redick’s insightful podcast with James opened many eyes about Redick’s understanding of the game, and his name arose as a viable — albeit unorthodox — candidate to replace Darvin Ham, who had been fired May 3.

Ham was dismissed by Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss despite leading the Lakers to two winning seasons, the 2023 Western Conference finals and a victory in the inaugural In-Season Tournament. The Lakers lost to defending champion Denver in the first round of the postseason, and they won just one game in two playoff series against the Nuggets over the past two years.

“I think in industry in general and in sports in specific, sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in patterns of being in a sea of sameness, and doing the same things everybody else is doing,” Pelinka said. “When we embarked on this search, it was really important for us to see if we could do something a little bit different.”



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Lakers players including Spencer Dinwiddie, Christian Wood and Gabe Vincent attended the news conference.

Redick spoke optimistically about the Lakers’ roster, saying championship expectations are “reasonable. I don’t look at the current roster as being that far off from being a championship-caliber team.”

Cebu bets lead march to National finals

On: By: admin


Eliana Mendoza and Kvan Alburo qualified for the ICTSI Junior Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) National Match Play championship after extending their reigns in the girls’ and boys’ 8-9 division, respectively, in the Bacolod Visayas leg of the circuit at Bacolod Country Club on Tuesday, Mendoza, the champion last week at Sta. Barbara in Iloilo, closed out with an 84 for a 36-hole 169, winning by a wide margin over Ana Marie Aguilar, while Alburo, another bet from Cebu, tallied 170 after an 87 to win over Benedict Rolida and Benito Tiongko.

The national finals will be held at The Country Club in Laguna where only those with enough ranking points will be eligible to play.

“I’m very happy, this win means a lot to me because I got to make my family proud,” said the 9-year-old Mendoza from Cebu after amassing 30 points for her twin victories.

Zuri Bagaloyos capped the Cebuanos’ sweep in the second leg of the Bacolod series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. The Singapore School-Cebu student secured a commanding win in the girls’ 10-12 division after closing out with a 74 for 156 avenging her defeat to Cailey Gonzales in the Iloilo leg.



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