No. 1picks
NEW YORK — The question for weeks leading into the NBA draft was whether the first pick would be Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren or Jabari Smith Jr.
The answer finally came Thursday night — and even Banchero didn’t know it until moments before the announcement of the Orlando Magic’s selection.
“I had a feeling from the information I was being told is that it was just kind of up in the air,” Banchero said. “Orlando wasn’t really sure yet, and just to be ready for whatever,
“I didn’t find out, though, that I was actually getting picked until about 20 seconds before the commissioner got on the stage. I didn’t even have time to really think about it or anything. It just kind of happened. I can’t believe it, but I’m ready. I’m ready.”
After leading the Blue Devils to the Final Four in coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final season, the 6-foot-10 forward was called first by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to begin the draft, beating out fellow first-year forwards Smith and Holmgren.
The order had been debated throughout the process, with Smith often considered the player who would go No. 1.
Instead, he wasn’t even second, falling behind Holmgren to Houston at No. 3.
“Definitely added a chip, but God makes no mistakes, so I’m happy to be here,” Smith said. “I’m happy to be where I’m wanted. I’m happy to get to Houston and just show them, give them what they picked. Just happy to be here.”
All the players picked looked thrilled, with Banchero among those crying or coming close as they hugged friends and family.
Wearing a purple suit full of bling, he received a loud ovation inside Barclays Center, where Duke lost in the ACC Tournament final.
The Magic were picking first for the fourth time and they’ve done well with their previous choices. They took 2022 — 2021 —
2020 — 2019 —
2018 — 2017 —
2016 — 2015 —
2014 — 2013 — 2012 —
2011 — 2010 —
2009 —
2008 — 2007 — 2006 —
2005 — 2004 —
2003 —
2002 — 2001 —
2000 —
1999 — 1998 —
1997 — 1996 — 1995 —
Since 1995
Shaquille O’neal in 1992, traded the rights to Chris Webber for Penny Hardaway the next year, and went with Dwight Howard in 2004.
All eventually reached the NBA Finals with the Magic.
Holmgren went second to the Oklahoma City Thunder after the 7-footer led the West Coast Conference in blocked shots, rebounding and shooting percentage at Gonzaga. He looked sharp in his black suit but may need it to eventually be a bigger size for success in the NBA, as he’s listed at just 195 pounds.
He’s not worried that talk.
“I wake up every day with a plan on how to make myself a better person, better basketball player,” Holabout
Sarah Stier mgren said. “I put so much effort into executing that, that it doesn’t really leave room to put effort into things that, one, I can’t control, and two, don’t help make me better.”
The Rockets were happy to end up in Smith who has the skills to go higher. The 6-10 forward from Auburn is a natural fit in the current NBA game, able to defend all three frontcourt positions and with a shooting stroke that allowed him to hit 42% behind the arc.
Forward Keegan Murray, after a huge leap in his second season in Iowa, jumped all the way to the No. 4 pick by the Sacramento Kings. The Detroit Pistons, a year after taking Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 pick, took athletic Purdue guard Jaden Ivey fifth.
Before the selections began, Silver congratulated the Golden State Warriors on their recent NBA championship and reminded fans that their core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green was built through the draft.
All the teams at the top of this draft need help and have recent high picks already on their rosters, so will hope the Warriors way works for them as well.
Bennedict Mathurin, a Canadian who played at Arizona, went to Indiana with the No. 6 pick. The Portland Trail Blazers followed with Kentucky’s Shaedon Sharpe, Dyson Daniels of the G League Ignite was taken eighth by New Orleans, Baylor’s Jeremy Sochan stayed in Texas with San Antonio at No. 9, and Washington rounded out the top 10 with Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis.
CROMWELL, Conn. — Rory Mcilroy fought off a sinus bug to shoot an 8-under 62 on Thursday for a share of the first-round lead with J.T. Poston in the Travelers Championship.
Coming off a fifth-place tie Sunday in the U.S. Open after winning the Canadian Open the previous week, the second-ranked Mcilroy had a bogey-free morning round — highlighted by a 47-foot birdie putt on the par-4 seventh.
Mcilroy matched the lowest opening round of his PGA Tour career. He finished with a tap-in birdie on the ninth hole after a 332yard drive and 44-foot chip just past the pin.
“It’s like U.S. Open rehab coming here,” the four-time major champion said. “I like coming here the week after the U.S. Open, it sort of gives you an opportunity to shoot low scores and get after it.”
Poston had five straight birdies on Nos. 13-17 and made the turn at 6-under 29, giving rise to thoughts of Jim Furyk’s record 58 on the same TPC River Highlands course in 2016. Poston parred the first six holes on front nine and birdied Nos. 7 and 9 to cap a bogey-free round.
“I gave myself a few looks, but kind of made a bunch of pars to start the front, so that was kind of out of the picture after a little while,” said Poston, the 2019 Wyndham Championship winner. “I might have thought about it a little more if I had made a couple of early birdies.”
WIMBLEDON, England — At least at the outset, before a tennis ball is struck, this edition of Wimbledon is as much about who — and what — is missing as who’s here.
And that’s even taking this into account: It is no small matter that the grasscourt Grand Slam tournament marks the return of Serena Williams to singles play after a year away.
The No. 1-ranked man, Daniil Medvedev, was barred from competing by the All England Club, along with every other player from Russia and Belarus, because of the war in Ukraine.
“It’s a mistake,” International Tennis Hall of Fame member Martina Navratilova said about the ban. “What are they supposed to do, leave the country? I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.”
The two professional tours reacted by pulling their ranking points from Wimbledon, an unprecedented move in a sport built around the rankings in so many ways. In turn, some athletes opted not to show up, including 2014 runner-up Eugenie Bouchard and four-time major champion Naomi Osaka.
For others, though, it was a no-doubt-about-it decision to show up. This is, after all, Wimbledon, with its unique surface and long-standing traditions, its powerful prestige and — let’s face it — tens of millions in prize money.
“It’s definitely hard to swallow that there are no points. I’m not going to sit here and tell you I’m happy about it. But the cards are dealt. At the end of the day, if I tell my mom I’m not playing Wimbledon, she’d be like, ‘Are you nuts?!’ So I’m going to go, no doubt,” said Frances Tiafoe, an American who is seeded 24th in the men’s field. “It’s out of everybody’s hands. It’s a tough situation, a crazy time. And it’s not just about you. It’s not a ‘Why me?’ problem.”
There were rumors among players that prize money would be cut, too, prompting one, Fabio Fognini, to joke that he’d be thankful for that because — without any ranking points available and with less cash on offer — he’d head to an island for some vacation time with his wife, 2015 U.S. Open champion Flavia Pennetta, and their young children.
But it turned out that’s all that was — a rumor: The All England Club wound up
Michael Reaves
Jed Leicester announcing it would provide a record total of about 40 million pounds ($50 million) in player compensation.
There are other important names staying away for different reasons.
Reigning women’s champion Ash Barty retired in March at age 25. Eight-time men’s champion Roger Federer still has not returned from the latest in a series of knee operations; he has not participated in any tournament since last year’s Wimbledon. No. 2-ranked Alexander Zverev is sidelined after tearing ligaments in his right ankle at the French Open.
Also gone in 2022 at Wimbledon, for the first time in its lengthy history: a scheduled day off on the middle Sunday (so what had been a 13-day tournament becomes a full twoweek event).
Ah, but guess who’s back? Yes, Williams, thanks to a wild-card invitation, bringing enough star power to fill the spotlight for however long she remains in the bracket.