A loaded 2028 class in the state of Arizona has national appeal with suitors for the top prospects spanning the country.
It is a defensive-heavy group, especially with the top three recruits in the state, but there is plenty of offensive firepower in the state.
Here is a look at some of the top recruits in the Grand Canyon State and how their recruitments are lining up.
–Goodyear (Ariz.) Desert Edge edge Jalanie George is the highest-rated defensive prospect in the 2028 class by Rivals. In May, George named a top six of, alphabetically, Auburn, Florida, Miami, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Washington. He plans to visit Auburn when they host Florida on September 19 and he's working on finalizing a visit to Ohio State. Two of his teammates are committed to Washington, 2027 quarterback Blake Roskopf and receiver Zerek Sidney and he said he wants to get to Husky Stadium this fall and Oklahoma is also likely to get him to visit with his committed teammate Mikyal Davis. In June, he camped at Miami and also made a multi-day visit to Florida and said he hit it off with head coach Jon Sumrall. He plans to trim his list once more this fall and hopes to have a decision in January at the Navy All-American Bowl.
–Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton cornerback Keaton Fields maintains he's completely wide open and won't even hint at schools standing out. With nearly 30 offers, Fields was able to visit Notre Dame, Penn State and Texas A&M and he's working on plans for game day visits, with a few games being considered but nothing locked in. Arizona State offered him in June as part of the Golden Ticket push, and his father played for the Sun Devils, and he said they were one of three schools recruiting him the hardest along with Texas A&M, which has had major success in the state the last two years, as well as USC, where his teammate, Roye Oliver is committed.

#visit #george

When NBA free agency opened several weeks ago, the Los Angeles Lakers quickly lost LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes. Once their new-look roster started to take shape, they still had a big hole at one of their starting forward positions, and there was some hope that they would retain forward Rui Hachimura.
However, Hachimura opted to join the Los Angeles Clippers, a team that is clearly on a downward trajectory, instead. The Clippers aren't exactly the faux-contenders they were a few years ago, especially now that star forward Kawhi Leonard is apparently on his way out, pending a trade to the Toronto Raptors, and that Paul George, James Harden and Ivica Zubac are long gone.
But Hachimura, via ClutchPoints, raved about the Clippers organization and said that he's "so happy" to be a member of the team.
"I'm just so happy," Hachimura said. "The Clippers are an amazing organization. Even when talking to other NBA players, they always rave about how great the Clippers organization is. It's truly a player-first team, you know. They take care of their players while having that winning mentality. The Clippers are a young team. A year ago, they were called the oldest team in the league, but they've transitioned to a younger generation especially with Kawhi Leonard getting traded. Joining them right as they build this next generation is huge for me, and I'm incredibly excited."
The Clippers are now built around Darius Garland, whom they acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers for Harden, and rookie Keaton Wagler, who was the No. 5 pick in June's draft. They may miss the playoffs again this coming season, but Hachimura also cited a couple of other reasons for choosing them.

#angeles

Etienne Catalan: Aaron Wiggins will wear No. 2 for the #hawks . Number last worn by Keaton Wallace in 2026. Wallace will wear something else, still TBD. #NBA
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Aaron Wiggins will wear No. 2 for the #hawks .

#aaron #number #keaton

A Washington State teenager has become the center of a national controversy after claiming the confrontation that led to a WNBA suspension left her in tears.
Ahnaleigh Wilson, a 16-year-old junior, came out to thank Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham for her recent public comments about supporting the exclusion of transgender athletes from women's sports. Holding up a sign that was seemingly inspected and approved by security beforehand somehow riled up Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton, who approached the teen and made a profanity-laced remark calling her "insane."
Although this led to Keaton's suspension, the punishment doesn't seem severe enough, as the teen outlines while narrating the incident.
Speaking to Fox News Digital in her first extended interview since the incident, Wilson said she has been subject to online hate in the past but has never been "cussed out" to this extent in person.
Narrating the incident, she revealed how the Storm's co-owner came to talk to the people sitting next to her at first, which she thought would be a "friendly interaction," because Keaton seemed like a "nice person," but it didn't go as imagined.

#incident #person

The Chargers continued their training camp at The Bolt on Thursday. Throughout the 90-minute session, QB1 made his presence felt in team drills.
According to the team's official website, Justin Herbert had a deep sideline completion to running back Keaton Mitchell, then hit wide receiver Quentin Johnston over the middle against double coverage, then it that same area of the field to Tre' Harris and Ladd McConkey, and capped it with a deep crosser to rookie Brenen Thompson.
Herbert's dominance should come as no surprise, but it is highly encouraging. Over the past few months, he has had to alter his foundational mechanics for new coordinator Mike McDaniel's system, which have included his footwork and stricter rhythm and anticipation.
While it's still early, Herbert appears to be playing fast, free, and looks entirely capable of putting together an MVP-caliber campaign in this new-look offense.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers training camp Day 2: Justin Herbert dominates practice

#chargers #justin #camp

Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton has been officially suspended and fined by the WNBA, following her interaction with two teenage fans who were supporting Sophie Cunningham — particularly the Fever guard's stance on banning transgender athletes from women's sports.
According to The Athletic, Keaton approached two teens prior to Tuesday night's game against the Indiana Fever, who beat the Seattle Storm that evening. The fans — who were both wearing shirts with XX and XY chromosomes on them — were backing Cunningham, who has been vocal about IL26-638, a statewide ballad initiative in Washington schools that would ban transgender students from participating in girls' athletics. Keaton allegedly cursed out the teens and called them "fucking insane."
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#fans

Indiana Fever forward Sophie Cunningham has called the confrontation between a Seattle Storm co-owner and two teenage girls during their WNBA game this week "truly embarrassing." She noted that disagreement on the participation of transgender individuals in women's sports is acceptable.
Cunningham made the remarks on a recent post on X late Wednesday. In her post, she complimented the two girls and berated the executive.
"I truly believe there is a safe ****** e and love for EVERYBODY. Biological girls, biological boys, trans women, and trans men. Everyone is welcome at my table! You can disagree and still be kind," Cunningham wrote. "Bravo to those girls for standing up for what they believe. You'll be hearing from me soon. Yay for gifts. Truly embarrassing of the co-owner. Unfortunately shows the type of leader she is."
Cunningham posted on X following an incident that occurred Tuesday evening in Climate Pledge Arena during their 105-95 victory over Storm. According to podcaster Brandi Kruse, who was present with the girls, Storm minority owner Celeste Keaton screamed at the girls who were holding handmade posters thanking Cunningham for speaking out on the girls' behalf.
According to yoursourceone.com, two 16-year-old girls seated courtside said they were cheering for both teams and were respectful before the encounter. The two girls wore shirts from XX-XY Athletics, which advocates for ****** -based categories in women's sports. One of the girls identified is Ahnaleigh Wilson, 16, a track and cross country athlete from East Wenatchee, attending Eastmont High School.

#storm #truly #owner #embarrassing

Two teenage girls claimed that Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton shouted and used profanity toward them Tuesday night over signs they brought supporting Sophie Cunningham after her very public opposition to transgender women competing in women's sports. Cunningham has now responded publicly to the incident, but fans are not happy at her continued stance against transgender athletes.
In a statement shared on social media, Cunningham described Keaton's behavior as "truly embarrassing," while commending the teenage girls for standing by their beliefs and promising to send them gifts. However, fans were quick to express their displeasure at Cunningham's latest post.
Following Tuesday night's game, the two teenage fans said they were confronted by a woman they identified as Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton, alleging she was "screaming and cussing" at them because of signs expressing support for Cunningham.
"Well, we were just sitting there with our signs that said like, 'We love Sophie,' like, 'Thank you Sophie for speaking up,'" one of the young girls recounted, via Brandi Kruse. "And so we were holding on, just watching the game, again, like, we were being super great, we hadn't said anything to anyone else, we were being super respectful, we were just holding our signs and cheering for both teams, and this lady, older lady comes up to us."
According to the teenager, the encounter was so upsetting that it brought her to tears.

#fans

A Seattle Storm co-owner has been suspended after two girls claim that she yelled and cussed at them for their sign supporting Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham following her comments against transgender women in women's sports. However, that does not seem to be a popular decision amongst fans.
Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton has been suspended five games after the incident with the fans on Tuesday night, and the WNBA community was quick to express outrage once the news hit social media.
After Tuesday night's game, the two teenage fans claimed that they were confronted by a woman identified as Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton, who was "screaming and cussing" at them for their signs supporting Cunningham.
"Well, we were just sitting there with our signs that said like, 'We love Sophie,' like, 'Thank you Sophie for speaking up,'" one of the young girls recounted, via Brandi Kruse. "And so we were holding on, just watching the game, again, like, we were being super great, we hadn't said anything to anyone else, we were being super respectful, we were just holding our signs and cheering for both teams, and this lady, older lady comes up to us."
According to the teenager, the interaction left her in tears.

#like

Although Saquon Barkley clearly leads the Eagles' backfield, Tank Bigsby is poised to take a huge leap in his fourth NFL season. Here's why fantasy managers should reach early for the handcuff.
There is room on this team for both Barkley and Bigsby to thrive, at least relatively speaking. Barkley has had 288+ regular-season touches in four straight seasons. He's still the workhorse, and last year's letdown was predictable (as discussed last summer) given his massive 2024 workload.
Bigsby's RB55 ADP (down from RB52 three weeks ago) reflects the fantasy market's uncertainty about his usage. After earning only 61 touches last year, he's ranked behind Dylan Sampson (RB51), Isiah Pacheco (RB52), Keaton Mitchell (RB53), Emmett Johnson (RB54), and many other second- and third-stringers.
It doesn't make sense. He was among the league leaders with 3.1 yards-after-first-contact on 63 rushing attempts. He didn't get his first snap in Philly until Week 7 and frequently outplayed Barkley while running behind the same offensive line. I don't think the Eagles will overwork Barkley. 300-325 touches seems realistic. That would open the door to at least 100, or even 125, touches for Bigsby.
Volume-wise, that would probably put him in the top 50, possibly the top 45. And if Barkley is ever sidelined, Bigsby would have top-20 appeal in a plus offense.

#barkley #rb52 #least

The Chargers are less than a week away from the start of training camp, and the anticipation is building.
While most starting jobs and roster spots appear to be locked in at positions like quarterback, running back and safety, there are still several key roles that remain unsettled.
Those battles will begin to take shape in the coming weeks. Heading into training camp, here are the four biggest postion groups still unclear.
The left guard position will be one of the more intriguing battles entering training camp. The players fighting for the starting spot are veterans Kayode Awosika, Trevor Penning and second-round pick Jake Slaughter. Slaughter enters his first training camp having only played center at Flordia. Awosika appears to have the upper hand, as he received most of the work with the first-team offense during the spring.
While Omarion Hampton is locked in as the featured starter, who will secure the primary change-of-pace duties is a competition in its own. Free-agent acquisition Keaton Mitchell brings explosive, home-run speed that fits the scheme perfectly, but he faces a strong challenge from Kimani Vidal, who proved his reliability with a productive 643-yard season last year.

#starting

The 1980s were bursting with stars whose charisma, talent, and style set the tone for an entire generation. From music legends breaking records to beloved actors lighting up the silver screen, these icons became household names and remained influential well past their heyday. Here's a look back at the enduring power, unforgettable roles, and bold personalities that made these 14 stars truly everywhere.
Brooke Shields captivated audiences with her iconic beauty and boldness, making waves as a model and actress from a young age. Her fearless performances in films like The Blue Lagoon (1980) and Endless Love (1981) and effortless transition to television kept her spotlight shining, as reported by Biography.
Michael J. Fox's charm lit up sitcoms and the Back to the Future film trilogy, making him an emblem of the era's feel-good entertainment. He rose to prominence portraying Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties (1982–1989) and Marty McFly in the Back to the Future film trilogy (1985–1990), according to The Michael J. Fox Foundation. His wit and vulnerability on-screen won over generations, and his advocacy for Parkinson's research, founding The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research in 2000, cemented his inspirational legacy.
Arnold Schwarzenegger defined the blockbuster action hero with his imposing presence and memorable catchphrases. His roles in beloved franchises, plus his leap into politics as the 38th Governor of California, a position he held from 2003 to 2011, made him a larger-than-life American icon, according to the National Governors ***** ociation. Schwarzenegger's story is one of relentless ambition and transformation in the public eye.
Sylvester Stallone personified determination with unforgettable roles like Rocky and Rambo, inspiring audiences globally. He achieved his greatest critical and commercial success starting in 1976 with his iconic role as boxer Rocky Balboa, which he also wrote, and in 1977 became the third actor in history to be nominated for two Academy Awards, Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor, for the same film, according to Britannica. His gritty performances and underdog spirit still resonate, while his influence shaped decades of cinema.

The Lakers defeated the Clippers, 99-85, on Wednesday in the NBA Summer League at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Former Vol Cameron Carr started for the Lakers and led all scorers with 23 points. He converted 8-of-18 field goal attempts, 3-of-10 three-point attempts and 3-of-5 free throw attempts. Carr also recorded one rebound, two **** ists and one block in 29 minutes.
Kobe Sanders led the Clippers in scoring with 18 points. Keaton Wagler also scored 16 points for the Clippers.
Carr was selected by New York with the No. 24 pick during the first round of the NBA draft in 2026. He was traded to Los Angeles.
Carr played for the Vols from 2023-25.

This afternoon, the San Francisco Giants announced that they placed Victor Bericoto on the 10-day IL "with an oblique strain" and taking his spot on the roster is 25-year old Grant McCray, in the majors for the first time in 2026.
McCray had surgery back in June to repair his left hamate bone and up to that point he'd been hitting just .237/.360/.370. He made just three starts since being activated, but he's 4-for-8 with a homer, a double, a strikeout and a walk. He also stole 3 bases and didn't get caught. McCray's defense will come in handy. His bat remains the central question.
He'll be taking Victor Bericoto's roster spot. An oblique strain is a tough injury for a hitter and it's a real shame to see such a young player have some quite positive momentum halted by the injury bug. Such is baseball, I suppose. Then again, it's remarkable to consider how much these two players mirror each other. In 59 plate appearances, the 24-year old Bericoto had 15 strikeouts against just 1 walk but 4 homers and 3 doubles. In McCray's debut age-23 season, he swatted 5 homers in 130 plate appearances and had 56 strikeouts against just 6 walks. Not exactly the same, but close enough in terms of those three true outcomes. Although, it's absolutely worth mentioning that Bericoto's line in a much smaller sample is much, much better than what McCray did in 2024: .293/.305/.552 vs. .202/.238/.379.
Anyway, it will be interesting to see how the outfield defense aligns late in games because McCray is an outstanding defender in center and right and with Jung Hoo Lee and Drew Gilbert on the roster (at least for now), his playing time seems a little fuzzy.
The bigger surprise is the return of Keaton Winn, who comes off the IL after being seemingly lost to the vagaries of Tony Vitello's managing. But, nope. After hitting the IL on June 8th, he returned and rehabbed on July 3 and made 3 total appearances across the Giants minor leagues (who were playing home games in Northern California). He struck out 3 in three innings while walking 2 and allowing just a hit. He ******* ps Carson Whisenhunt back to the minors because, as Alex Pavlovic points out, "With the All-Star break, he wasn't going to be in line to start for at least a week."

Once again, it’s time to pass judgement prematurely. After all, I would have my basketball writer card revoked were I to not evaluate before the dust has fully settled: that’s why they pay me the modestly-sized bucks, I’m told. So, without further ado, the Winners and Losers of week one of 2026 NBA free agency.
Philadelphia 76ers It must feel strange for Sixers fans to be on the right side of one of these incredibly lopsided, head-scratching transactions. But here we are: Philadelphia may end up as the biggest winners of the week after somehow (!) landing 2026 MVP candidate, 2024 NBA finals MVP and bona fide second-team All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown in exchange for just two first-round picks, two second-rounders and Paul George – whose contract is widely regarded as one of the league’s worst. The 36-year-old, injury-prone former superstar is still owed roughly $110m over the next two seasons. At the time of writing, the Sixers remain in the LeBron James sweepstakes, but even if they strike out, they’re in terrific shape. A George-for-Brown swap gives them far more insurance against the inevitable Joel Embiid absences during the regular season, while adding a battle-tested champion to help shepherd Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe through the postseason and show them what it takes to reach the mountaintop. Additionally, after being unceremoniously dumped on a division rival for the basketball equivalent of a bag of chips, Brown will arrive about as motivated as possible heading into the 2026-27 campaign. Hats off to the Sixers’ brass for pulling off what looks like the biggest heist since Nico Harrison since Nico Harrison was employed.
Los Angeles Clippers Self-awareness is a virtue. The Clippers were going nowhere in a hurry, and as heartening as last season’s late push was, the Kawhi Leonard era had, by any reasonable measure, been an abject failure. The reckoning actually began before the offseason. At the trade deadline, the Clippers cut bait on James Harden, landing the much younger Darius Garland while adding draft capital. They also dealt longtime center Ivica Zubac for a package that ultimately yielded fifth overall pick Keaton Wagler. The housecleaning continued this summer when they sent Leonard back to his old home in Toronto, receiving a respectable haul of picks along with two intriguing younger pieces in Brandon Ingram and Gradey ****** . They even poached three-point sniper Rui Hachimura from the neighboring rival Lakers. In all likelihood, the Clippers won’t be very good next season. But now, what was once an empty cupboard of future ****** ets has been restocked, the foundations of a genuine rebuild are finally in place, and, a year after watching former Clipper-turned-trade-chip Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy, the franchise can at last start moving forward. That is, until tree-planting-gate is fully adjudicated.
LeBron James It is absolutely preposterous that the hottest commodity on the free-agent market is a

Running backs frequently make or break fantasy seasons. Drafting one bargain improves playoff odds. Drafting two improves ******* le odds. Here are three of the biggest RB fantasy bargains in the AFC North based on average draft position (ADP).
The Derrick Henry era doesn’t appear to be winding down, at least statistically. The 32-year-old future Hall of Famer pulled a Tom Brady of sorts: moving to a new team late in his career and then posting some of the best numbers of his career. He’s been a perfect fit in Baltimore. He’s also had six 300+ touch campaigns these past seven years and endured his worst broken-tackle rate last season.
Some might ignore it all and say, “He’s Derrick Henry. That’s all I need to know.” But at some point in aging players’ careers, their backups deserve better value. The market disagrees. Longtime Raven Justice Hill has an RB70 ADP. Teammate Rasheen Ali is sitting at RB80. Fifth-round rookie Adam Randall (RB83) was a converted wide receiver who amassed only 172 carries in college.
Even with Henry on full blast in 2025, Hill was the RB57 in points per game, while teammate Keaton Mitchell was the RB74. So if Henry remains a 17-game monster workhorse (i.e., no injuries), we should ******* ume that Hill and/or Ali will finish better than their ADPs. Both also are lottery tickets if Henry is forced to miss time. Essentially, Hill and Ali are nothing-to-lose bargains with significant upside if they’re thrust into more prominent roles.
Is Kaleb Johnson finished in the NFL after only one season? Of course not. The 2025 third-rounder had a major letdown last year. He was coming off a 262-touch college campaign that nearly doubled his career total. Now he’s operating behind entrenched #1 or co-#1 Jaylen Warren and free-agent signing Rico Dowdle. Johnson’s ADP is all the way down at RB105. It’s not uncommon for things to start clicking for Day 2 picks in Year 2 or beyond. Johnson still has time to get going.

The final piece of Seton Hall basketball's 2026-27 roster is in place, and it's someone to provide insurance at the point guard position.
Mihailo Petrovic, who was a reserve for Illinois last season, will join the Pirates as their summer workouts already are underway.
Here are three things to know about him.
The 6-foot-3, 180-pound Petrovic hails from Serbia and represented that country at the international level on its Under-16 and Under-20 squads before making a cameo with the senior national team during qualifying for the 2025 European Championships. Prior to coming to Illinois, he averaged 14.2 points and 7.3 ******* ists in the Adriatic League, a pro-ball league consisting of clubs in the nations that once comprised Yugoslavia.
Petrovic was brought to Illinois as part of a wave of Eastern European imports last offseason by coach Brad Underwood. He was viewed as a possible starter at point guard, but his role diminished as the season went on and Keaton Wagler burst onto the scene as a lead guard superstar. Petrovic wound up averaging 1.6 points and 1.1 ******* ists in 5.7 minutes, shooting 33 percent from the field and just 2-of-10 from 3-point range.

The Brooklyn Nets will be playing in the California Classic for the first time and as a result, Nets fans will be able to see some of the younger players on the roster get more reps than normal years. Brooklyn has an interesting summer slate this time around as they will be looking to see what guard Mikel Brown Jr. and forward Tyler Bilodeau has along with four of the five players from the 2025 NBA Draft.
On Saturday, the Nets will be facing the Sacramento Kings and that matchup will be interesting for a number of reasons, but the main attraction is the matchup between Brown and guard Darius Acuff Jr. With the Los Angeles Clippers taking Illinois guard Keaton Wagler with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, many around the league believed that Brooklyn would take Acuff over Brown.
However, Brown made it clear that he met with the Nets multiple times over the course of the pre-draft process so it made sense when Brooklyn selected him given the familiarity. Be that as it may, the Nets still have to see if Brown can live up to his draft position and the first step on that journey as in the California Classic so here is what you need to know for Saturday's matchup against the Kings:
Date: Saturday, Jul. 4
Time: 5:00 PM ET

It’s starting to feel like déjà vu.
For the third year in a row, Illinois season tickets have sold out. It only makes sense that fans are eager to see the Illini in action after a historic season. Illinois went on a run in the NCAA Tournament and reached the Final Four for the first time in over 20 years.
It’s also the third straight year Illinois earned a win in March Madness. While head coach Brad Underwood and his Illini lost a superstar in Keaton Wagler and a gritty veteran in Kylen Boswell, they also kept key contributors in David Mirković, Andrej Stojaković and the Ivišić twins.
Along with the returners, Illinois added freshman Quentin Coleman and Stefan Vaaks from Providence. The Illini are projected to be a top team next season, and the fans obviously agree.

Illini Isaac and Robby Nardini of The Champaign Room are joined by Alex Kyi of Armchair Illini to react to Keaton Wagler being drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers, Dusty May leaving the Big Ten, and other Big Ten news!
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INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The unexpected rise of Keaton Wagler — from just two Power Five scholarship offers to the No. 5 pick in the NBA draft — has the 19-year-old guard's head spinning.
“It’s kind of crazy just seeing how fast things moved, especially kind of being underrecruited and underrated,” he said. ”I didn’t think it was going to happen this fast."
Wagler was introduced Wednesday to about 200 Los Angeles Clippers fans on the court at Intuit Dome. The overhead halo board welcomed him. He was accompanied on the trip by his parents, brother, sister and girlfriend.
Wagler spent three days with the Clippers in a predraft visit.
“I saw how genuine they were — front office, coaches, players,” he said. “I just loved the culture that they have built. They have some young players and some veterans I can learn from. I feel like I fit in really well here. This is the place that I wanted to be.”

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres acquired the No. 4 pick in the NHL draft in a trade that sent defenseman Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks.
As part of the deal, Buffalo also acquired third-year defenseman Louis Crevier, who had a career-best 25 points in his first full NHL season, and a second-round draft pick, 46th overall. Chicago also acquired hard-hitting forward Jordan Greenway.
Byram is the key player in the trade.
The 25-year-old had a career-high 42 points and matched a career high with 11 goals in 82 games in spending much of the season playing alongside captain Rasmus Dahlin as Buffalo's top defensive pairing. He was part of a deep and talented blue line that contributed to the Sabres winning their first Atlantic Division **** le and snapping an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought.
With the fourth pick, the Sabres are positioned to land a top prospect in a draft class that's loaded with highly regarded defenseman. Among the defensive candidates expected to be available at No. 4 are Carson Carels (WHL Prince George), North Dakota's Keaton Verhoeff and Latvia's Alberts Smits.

Jun. 24—Keaton Wagler's selection as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft made the one-and-done guard the 19th first-round pick in program history. While Don Sunderlage was the first in 1951, Wagler was the fourth in three years, meaning Brad Underwood has produced 21 percent of the program's all-time first-round picks.
How Wagler fits with the Los Angeles Clippers will play out during the course of the upcoming 82-game season. Here's a look at how the other 18 fared as rookies:
Don Sunderlage, Philadelphia Warriors (1951, No. 9)
Sunderlage didn't play until the 1953-54 season after two years of military service. The wait was worth it for the Milwaukee Hawks, who traded for the Illini guard in 1952. Sunderlage was an all-star as a rookie and averaged 12.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and three ***** ists for a 21-51 team.
John Kerr, Syracuse Nationals (1954, No. 6)

The Brooklyn Nets had an interesting choice to make when it came to the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, especially since a few of their potential targets were on the board. Brooklyn has been linked to various players over the course of the pre-draft process, but they eventually went with the guy that they met with behind the scenes multiple times.
The Nets chose Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. with the No. 6 pick after the Los Angeles Clippers selected Illinois guard Keaton Wagler with the No. 5 pick. Brown had worked out for the Nets and met with team brass multiple times prior to his being selected by the team on Tuesday and now, Brooklyn and Brown can move forward knowing who the point guard of the future will be.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets take Mikel Brown Jr. with No. 6 overall pick in 2026 NBA Draft

On the eve of the NBA Draft, Kevin O'Connor interviews prospects Darryn Peterson, Aday Mara, Keaton Wagler, Brayden Burries, Christian Anderson, Allen Graves and Dailyn Swain.
KOC also shares the latest on Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors and Trae Young's new contract with the Wizards.
(0:50) Giannis trade updates
(4:57) Trae Young signs contract with Wizards
(6:38) Darryn Peterson joins the show

After eight months of the regular season, playoffs, and NBA Finals, the 2025-26 NBA year is in the rearview after the New York Knicks ended a 53-year championship drought this month. Now, the league is pivoting to the offseason, which includes this week’s NBA Draft and the start of free agency on June 30. Before the league’s 30 teams make selections for a future star on June 23, we offer up our all-new NBA power rankings.
On paper, the Sacramento Kings should have been a good team this past season. Yet, quite a few NBA **** ysts prophesied a messy situation, and they were right. Despite the talent on the roster, the Kings were one of the worst teams in the NBA all year. It didn’t take long for them to realize that and go into tank mode in the second half. Unfortunately, their bad luck continued, and they won’t pick until seventh on Tuesday.
Despite the tough luck, they could still land Arkansas star Darius Acuff Jr. with their pick. A player who could be a franchise changer. After that, all signs point to the Kings trying to offload either Zach LaVine or Domantas Sabonis‘ expensive contracts.
In last year’s draft, the Brooklyn Nets had four first-round picks and chose to use them all instead of packaging some or all of them in trades for veteran players. That proved to be a mistake because none of those players has given reason to believe they can be a core member of a future contender. In the end, the only bright spot this past season was a career year from trade addition Michael Porter.
The Nets will be on the clock at No. 6 on Tuesday and have been linked to many of the talented guards expected to go in the top 10. Including Darius Acuff Jr. and Keaton Wagler.

The Brooklyn Nets are just two days away from having to make their decision on what they will be doing with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft that begins on Tuesday. Brooklyn is most likely going to use the pick to select a player that can be part of the rebuild moving forward, but there is reporting suggesting that the Nets are exploring other options.
"The Brooklyn Nets have attempted to move up into the top-four range of the NBA Draft by dangling their No. 6 pick with future first-round draft picks, league sources told HoopsHype," HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported on Saturday. There has been plenty of speculation over whether Brooklyn will keep their pick, but if they decide to stay put, there doesn't seem to be much clarity regarding who they would be targeting at No. 6.
"Should Brooklyn remain at six, who they’ll select is a bit of a mystery to teams around the league, considering the Nets have been linked to guards Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff, Mikel Brown Jr., Kingston Flemings, forward Nate Ament, and center Aday Mara at various points," Scotto continued. Based on Scotto's reporting, it seems that the Nets are trying to get themselves into position to get either Duke forward Cameron Boozer or North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson.
As Scotto mentioned, the Nets have mostly been connected to players like Illinois guard Keaton Wagler, Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr., and Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr., among others. Wagler, Acuff, and Brown are expected to be taken somewhere in the 5-10 range of the draft and if the Los Angeles Clippers decide to take someone like Wagler with the No. 5 pick, Brooklyn would presumable have to make a decision between Acuff and Brown.
The Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz seem content to keep their picks so that they can select BYU forward AJ Dybantsa and Kansas guard Darryn Peterson with the No. 1 and No. 2 picks, respectively. However, the draft could get interesting if the Memphis Grizzlies (No. 3) and/or Chicago Bulls (No. 4) decide to trade down. There hasn't yet been reporting to suggest that either team is considering those options, but if they are, the Nets could be there to seize those opportunities.

Keaton Wagler to Mavericks is no longer a long shot after Clippers showed their hand originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Dallas Mavericks have a ton of choices for their No. 9 draft pick. Throughout most of the pre-draft cycle, selecting Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler at their most important No. 9 seemed unrealistic.
The 19-year-old Illinois Fighting Illini guard, who won the Jerry West Award, Big Ten Freshman of the Year and NCAA South Region Most Outstanding Player, was widely projected as a top-five selection.
Most ******* ysts expected the Los Angeles Clippers to draft him at No. 5, putting him out of Dallas's range. However, the situation changed when the Clippers' preferences became clearer.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that Clippers staffers have been "very impressed" with Arizona guard Brayden Burries during his pre-draft visit and that Burries is "very much under consideration for the fifth pick." Since the Clippers were already reportedly uninterested in Wagler, this shift creates a realistic path for the Mavs to land their dream pick.

James Ham: According to a league source, Keaton Wagler has not visited Sacramento for a pre-draft workout/meeting, as was reported earlier today.
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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Keaton Wagler has not visited Sacramento for a …

The Brooklyn Nets have the No. 6 overall pick in next week's 2026 NBA Draft and many around the league have been speculating on how the Nets will approach the event. Most teams in Brooklyn's position would take the best player available and move on from there, but the next question is would they be the best fit for a player like Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr.?
"Acuff would thrive with a featured offensive role, and the star-needy Nets should have no trouble providing that," Zach Buckley wrote for Bleacher Report of the Nets being the best fit for Acuff because of what they could offer him coming into the NBA. Acuff is projected to be the kind of player that could be an offensive engine for his team if he reaches his ceiling and Brooklyn could use a player capable of providing that value.
"In addition, they'd also give him enough **** ers to keep defenses honest, a couple of rim-running centers to pair with in pick-and-rolls and as much scoring help as he'll need but not so much that he'd get lost in the shuffle," Buckley continued on Acuff's fit with the Nets. "They're also supremely flexible going forward, so they could create the ideal roster to emphasize his strengths and mask his weaknesses."
Acuff is coming off a 2025-26 season for the Razorbacks where he averaged 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.4 **** ists per game while shooting 48.4% from the field and 44.0% from behind the three-point line. While Acuff's offensive potential is clear, his struggles on the defensive end gives some pause on how effective he'll be at the next level, but the Nets do not have to worry about that too much in the early going.
At this point in the pre-draft cycle, most around the league have the Nets taking Acuff or Illinois guard Keaton Wagler, depending on who the Los Angeles Clippers decide to take with the No. 5 pick. It seems that many agree that Acuff is the better player of the two and if the Nets are able to take him with their pick, it looks like Brooklyn would be the best fit for him as well.