On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Duke had seven players receive invites to the NBA draft combine -- along with one star who has yet to take the floor for the Blue Devils.
The NBA announced on May 2 a list of 75 players who were invited to this year's combine, a mix of college and foreign players. The Blue Devils had seven players invited, headlined by John R. Wooden Award winner Cooper Flagg.
The list also included one of Duke's biggest additions for the coming season, Washington State gu ard Cedric Coward, who had committed to Duke in the transfer portal last week.
The 21-year-old Coward, who averaged 17.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game last season, said when he committed to Duke that he was still leaving his options open for the NBA.
"There's no timetable on a decision," Coward said in an interview with Field of 68. "As I gain more info, I'll come to a more informed decision on what's best for me."
New Duke commit Cedric Coward on continuing to pursue the NBA draft as well:
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) April 29, 2025
"There's no timetable on a decision. As I gain more info, I'll come to a more informed decision on what's best for me"
After Dark is LIVE ⬇️⬇️https://t.co/K7eIQwYQzjhttps://t.co/KANMKWoJio
While Coward will go through the pre-draft process and leaves the NBA open as a possibility, he has also expressed excitement about playing with Duke's loaded roster in the coming season.
“Caleb Foster, me, the Boozer twins, Pat Ngongba, Isaiah Evans, we’ve got guys who are hungry and committed,” Coward said. “It’s a team full of competitors who want to do whatever it takes to win.”
While Flagg has also not yet made a decision, he is expected to land as the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft. Flagg is coming off a season where he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game.
More must-reads:
- Phillies get terrible injury news on ace starting pitcher
- World Series-winning pitcher won't commit to playing beyond 2025
- The '2024-25 NFL rushing touchdown leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
CBS Sports sees John Blackwell as one of college basketball's top combo guards
The hype is starting to build for John Blackwell ahead of his junior season with the Wisconsin Badgers. He showed that he's capable of greatness while working alongside stars like A.J. Storr and John Tonje, but now that it's his show, the expectations are rising even higher. CBS Sports writer Isaac Trotter sees Blackwell as the country's second-best combo guard this season. 2. John Blackwell, Wisconsin: The Badgers have uncorked two-straight top-20 offenses since Greg Gard hired offensive coordinator Kirk Penney. AJ Storr scored nearly 17 a night as the primary option in 2023-24. John Tonje became an All-American out of nowhere, averaging almost 20 points as the primary option in 2024-25. Blackwell flirting with All-American honors won't be a surprise to anybody. The fire-hydrant guard is a bulldozing driver who meshes perfectly with Wisconsin's five-shooter lineups. Blackwell will build a tent and camp out at the charity stripe line all year, but he's not a free-throw merchant. He's good at just about everything.Isaac Trotter, CBS Sports The only combo guard ahead of Blackwell is Labaron Philon of Alabama, who is making a similar transition from role player to lead option. Trotter split up positions into different archetypes, like combo guard, initiator point guard and wing handler. Blackwell and Philon could find themselves competing in the eyes of the national college media to be the bigger breakout star this season. If the Badgers' junior lives up to expectations, it should be another exciting season in Madison for Greg Gard and his crew. More Wisconsin Badgers News: Greg Gard pitting John Blackwell and Nick Boyd against each other to ramp up Badgers practice intensity Wisconsin Badgers losing ground in ESPN's way-too-early 2025-26 bracketology Hidden reason revealed for Wisconsin Badgers playing more neutral site basketball games in Milwaukee Wisconsin's No. 1 basketball recruit for 2027 schedules unofficial visits with Badgers and Big Ten rivals
Browns have major injury concern on offense after starter exits game
The Cleveland Browns have a big concern on Saturday following an injury to a key part of the offensive line. The Browns played their starters against the Los Angeles Rams as a tune-up before the regular season. Per the NFL's website, center Ethan Pocic was ruled out of Saturday's game against the Rams when he suffered a knee injury. Via the NFL: "C Ethan Pocic suffered a knee injury against Los Angeles and will not return to the game. Pocic played eight snaps with starting quarterback Joe Flacco before exiting with his injury. Pocic was injured on a third-and-9 play in the first quarter when Rams defensive tackle Desjuan Johnson ran into his leg while he was engaged in a block on linebacker Brennan Jackson." Pocic's injury is a worry for the Browns ahead of their Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7. The 2017 second-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks is a leader on Cleveland's offensive line. He's been with the Browns since 2022. Pocic has appeared in 101 games and started in 84 during his first eight years in the league. The upcoming season is important for the 30-year-old, as he's in the final year of the three-year, $18 million deal he signed in 2023. When Pocic came out of the game, the Browns inserted Luke Wypler in at center. The 2023 sixth-round pick has played in just five games in his career and has made one start. Wypler missed all of 2024 with an ankle injury that required surgery.
Green Bay Packers: Luke Musgrave’s Wife’s Stunned Reaction to Jordan Love’s Wife’s Personal Post
Steelers' Kenneth Gainwell Sends A New Eye-Opening Cryptic Message
The Pittsburgh Steelers have reshaped their running back room for the 2025 NFL season. With Najee Harris leaving in free agency and Cordarrelle Patterson released, Jaylen Warren is the lone returning back from 2024. Warren has totaled nearly 1,300 rushing yards over the past two years and is widely expected to assume the RB1 role following Harris’ departure. Competition is emerging however, as several newcomers are making strong cases for the starting job, and one running back recently sparked speculation with a cryptic post to Steelers fans on X. The Steelers signed Kenneth Gainwell to a one-year deal worth $1.79 million in March. Gainwell is entering his fifth year in the NFL out of Memphis, spending his first four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles backing up Miles Sanders, De'Andre Swift, and Saquon Barkley. Gainwell has always been a serviceable backup and third-down weapon, but he wants to be more than that in Pittsburgh. Gainwell took to X on Friday morning when rumors were conveniently swirling about who will be the Steelers' RB1 when they face the New York Jets in two weeks. "They gone find out real soon!!" Gainwell said via X. It's important to remember that Gainwell could be referring to many things here. The Steelers' running game has showed promise this offseason, but many pundits would argue there's still plenty of room for improvement. Gainwell could simply be referring to the room as a whole taking the league by storm in 2025. However, it would be no surprise if he were referring to himself as being the player to look out for in the Steel City. He has shown his capability of being an impact player so far in his NFL career and has a competitive spirit. Gainwell has rushed for 1,185 yards with 12 touchdowns in his career, to go along with 102 receptions for 721 yards. During his four seasons with the Eagles, Gainwell carved out a reputation as a reliable dual-threat option. Though often used in a rotational role, Gainwell proved that he was capable of producing in high-leverage moments. Steelers fans might recall the nasty spin-move that he put on Donte Jackson during Pittsburgh's 27-13 loss at Philadelphia last December. So is Gainwell now a candidate for the Steelers' starting running back spot in 2025, that's the real question. With recent rumors swirling of Warren being in danger getting benched due to ball security issues, the idea of someone else leading the Steelers' running back room doesn't seem so unrealistic. Warren has seven fumbles in his career so far, including four in 2023 alone. In the Steelers' recent preseason win over the Panthers, Warren put the ball on the ground during Pittsburgh's opening drive. Warren might be the most talented running back that the Steelers currently have, but with turnovers being a potential issue, it might not be a terrible idea to turn elsewhere to lead the way. Even if Warren does get benched however, does Gainwell take his place? The Steelers spent a third-round draft pick on Kaleb Johnson in April, and the expectations for him are sky high. Johnson rushed for 2,779 yards in three years at Iowa, and he did show some promise during the preseason, rushing for 94 yards on 23 carries. One area of uncertainty with Johnson's game is his pass protection abilities, simply due to the fact that Iowa did not throw the ball much while Johnson was there. Pass protection is an area where Gainwell could separate himself from Johnson in terms of competition. It will be key for the Steelers to protect four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers in 2025. With some uncertainty on the offensive line, the Steelers' running backs will need to be helpful in the pass protection game. Durability will also play a factor. Gainwell has remained relatively healthy throughout his career, only missing one game due to injury so far. Steelers' Gainwell Brings Experience And Success To Pittsburgh Along with pass protection and durability, Gainwell brings experience and success. The Eagles made it to two Super Bowls during Gainwell's tenure, winning one last season. The Steelers are looking to replicate the playoff success that Gainwell experienced in Philadelphia, and he could potentially help them reach that threshold.
Blackhawks Set to 'Take Run At' $13 Million Goalie
The Chicago Blackhawks have been busy this week. Elliotte Friedman addressed some of what the team has been doing, focusing specifically on the recent signing of Frank Nazar and a future contract for Connor Bedard. He also notes the Blackhawks might be looking to take care of some other business. During his latest 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman noted that Spencer Knight is on the final year of his current contract before becoming a restricted free agent. Friedman seems to think the team would like to lock that deal down. Noting that, when clubs believe in their guys, they aren’t afraid to make bets on them, Knight might be in a situation like Nazar. The Blackhawks believed that Nazar was going to be someone who could make his unprecedented seven-year contract extension look like a solid value in a couple of seasons. GM Kyle Davidson might think the same thing about Knight. Friedman explained: “I don’t believe there’s anything going on with Connor Bedard right now, who is eligible for an extension. But I do believe Chicago is considering some other business and one of the things I do wonder about is Spencer Knight” Friedman added, that Knight is up after this year and “the sure is predictor of future behavior is past behavior…” He said, “I wonder if they’re going to take a run at Knight.” What Would That Deal Look Like For Knight? It’s tough to tell how comfortable the Blackhawks are with their goalie and what a long-term deal might look like. If there’s anything the Nazar extension has proven, it’s that Chicago is unpredictable. Like Nazar, Knight has only played limited games for the Blackhawks. In 15 starts last season, he posted a 3.18 goals against average and a .896 save percentage. Those aren’t exactly the kind of numbers that scream monster extension for several seasons. That said, Knight did have much better results with the Florida Panthers in the 80 games he played for that franchise. Over his 95-game career, his totals have him at a 2.82 goals against and a .905 save percentage.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
