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Although the NBA Draft just happened, its never too early to look into future drafts and try to project picks.
That is, according to nbadraftroom.com, who released its 2026 NBA Mock Draft.
NBA Draft Room has Pittsburgh native Meleek Thomas going No. 8 overall in that draft in the first round.
The highly-touted guard won back-to-back WPIAL and PIAA titles this season as a sophomore and junior, averaging 22.7 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He has been a significant Pitt target since early in his high school career and has been to numerous games over the past few seasons alongside former teammate and current Pitt guard Brandin Cummings.
Thomas, who is ranked No. 6 in the nation by the 247 Sports Composite Rankings, released a top-12 schools list back in September 2023 that included the following programs: Duke, Kentucky, Indiana, Kansas, Kansas State, Miami, Villanova, Pitt, Tennessee, UConn, Michigan, and Auburn. Since that list was released, he has taken visits to Pitt, UConn, Auburn, and Kentucky, and now has more visits on the agenda. He was scheduled to go to Arkansas last week, but ended up changing the date. That visit date is yet to be announced or reported.
Thomas’ recruitment has been jam-packed with storylines. He has been one of John Calipari’s top priorities at Kentucky and now at Arkansas. He has been a top target for the local program, Pitt, and has been at countless games throughout his high-school career. He recently visited the two-time reigning national champs, UConn. Now, he’s at Overtime Elite in Atlanta, and out of the Pittsburgh area.
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Wisconsin's No. 1 basketball recruit for 2027 schedules unofficial visits with Badgers and Big Ten rivals
3 Reasons The UConn Huskies Can Win The 2026 NCAA Championship
The UConn Huskies may not have been able to complete the national championship three-peat, falling in the second round of March Madness last season. However, the Huskies should be right back in championship contention this year and have as good a chance as anyone to win the whole thing. There are plenty of reasons why UConn can win a national championship during the 2026 season. Let’s take a look at three of them. Previous Championship Experience It takes a lot to win a national championship, and thankfully, there are players on UConn’s roster who already know what it takes to do just that. Alex Karaban already has two rings during his Huskies career, playing a key role on each of those teams. Then there is Jaylin Stewart and Solo Ball, who were members of UConn’s 2024 championship run. Don’t underestimate this experience. This trio knows exactly what it takes to win a title and navigate March Madness and can lead the way for freshmen such as Braylon Mullins and Jacob Furphy, who have never been there before. Purdue is going to be a threat, Houston will be elite again, and Florida is coming off a national championship victory. Still, they’ll be heavily relying on two freshmen and a duo of transfer portal adds to lead the way. No roster in college basketball has the championship experience UConn has. Dan Hurley Many coaches will spend years at the college level and never win a championship. It’s even rarer for a coach to win multiple national titles. However, Dan Hurley can confidently say that he’s one of 16 college basketball coaches to have won numerous championships during their career. This experience can’t be when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. Hurley knows what it takes to make it through a demanding. Hurley is considered one of the best coaches in college basketball over the last 25 years. He knows how to get the most out of his players and teams, and is elite at game planning for his opponents. No matter what the roster looks like, a Dan Hurley-led team always has the potential to make some noise in March. Luckily, this iteration of the Huskies is loaded with talent, and with Hurley at the helm, they have a great recipe to win their third championship in four seasons. UConn’s Demanding Non-Conference Schedule The only way to be the best is to beat the best, and that’s clearly the approach the Huskies took when considering their non-conference schedule. The Huskies have matchups with Arizona, BYU, Florida, and Kansas at times throughout this season. All of those teams are recognized as top-25 teams heading into the new season. UConn will have multiple tests throughout the year to see where they stands against college basketball’s best teams. These games will only make them more prepared come March.
Ex-Villanova Coach’s Suggestion Was Discarded By Jalen Brunson’s Mother After Concerns Over Degree
Vikings WR gets brutal injury news for second straight season
A Minnesota Vikings wide receiver's season is already over. The Minnesota Vikings announced on Tuesday that wide receiver Rondale Moore is being placed on season-ending injured reserve due to a leg injury that he suffered in the team's first preseason game against the Houston Texans this past weekend. It is a devastating blow for Moore, who is now being sidelined for an entire season, before it even begins, for the second year in a row. Moore signed a one-year, $2 million contract in free agency with the Vikings this offseason in the hopes he could return from a different injury that cost him the entirety of the 2024 season. Moore was a member of the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 after being acquired in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals for backup quarterback Desmond Ridder. This is now two different teams that Moore has been a part of, but will never play a game for them due to injuries. Moore was injured while returning a punt. He began his career with the Arizona Cardinals, catching 135 passes for 1,201 yards over three seasons before being traded. He was never going to be counted on to be a key contributor for the Vikings offense this season, especially given the superstars they already have at wide receiver in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but he still had a chance to be an interesting depth player. Now it is fair to wonder what the rest of his career might even look like. Missing two full seasons due to two different leg injuries is going to be a brutal thing to try to come back from. Missing two seasons for any reason is difficult, but when you add the leg injuries to the equation, it makes the obstacle even steeper.
Shohei Ohtani named in lawsuit regarding $240M real estate project
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has been named in a lawsuit that was filed in Hawaii on Friday. Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo, are being sued by a real estate investor and a broker in Hawaii who have accused Ohtani and Balelo of sabotaging a $240M real estate deal for a development on the Big Island. According to court documents that were obtained by Jimmy Golen of The Associated Press, real estate developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto say Ohtani and Balelo deliberately had them removed from the project “for no reason other than their own financial self-interest.” The lawsuit claims Ohtani was brought into the deal for his promotional value and that he and his agent pushed the founders of the project out using “threats and baseless legal claims.” “Defendants must be held accountable for their actions, not shielded by fame or behind-the-scenes agents acting with impunity,” the lawsuit states. “Plaintiffs bring this suit to expose Defendants’ misconduct and to ensure that the rules of contract, fair dealing, and accountability apply equally to all — celebrity or not.” Hayes and Matsumoto have also accused Ohtani and Balelo of trying to push them out of a similar neighboring development project. The $240M Big Island development is located along Hapuna Beach, which is rated one of the top beaches in the world. Matsumoto was supposed to be the listing agent for the properties, which average more than $17.3M each. A brochure for the project stated that Ohtani, who was called “Japan’s Babe Ruth” has committed to buying one of the 14 properties and acting as a “celebrity spokesperson” for the development. Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700M contract with the Dodgers prior to the 2024 season. The two-way star is having another monster year with a .284 average, 42 home runs, 78 RBI and a 1.013 OPS entering Tuesday. Ohtani has also returned to pitching this season and has a 2.37 ERA across 19 innings. Ohtani was also connected to a massive gambling scandal last year, though Major League Baseball determined that the 31-year-old was not guilty of any wrongdoing.
Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Makes Direct Statement About Mason Rudolph's Spot On QB Depth Chart
The Pittsburgh Steelers have quite an interesting quarterback room for the 2025 season. Of course, all the focus is truly on Aaron Rodgers and what he can bring to the team at this stage in his career. Behind him, the Steelers have Mason Rudolph serving as the primary backup. Skylar Thompson and Will Howard are competing for the third spot on the depth chart, but unfortunately for Howard, an injury has slowed his progress. Thompson took advantage of the opportunity, performing well in the first preseason game and possibly reclaiming the QB3 role. Before his injury, Howard had previously moved ahead of Thompson in the competition. Former teammate of Rudolph, Ben Roethlisberger, recently shared his honest thoughts about the veteran quarterback’s performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Roethlisberger, who spent years with Rudolph during his time in Pittsburgh, had a unique perspective on how his former understudy handled the game. While Roethlisberger acknowledged there were some areas where Rudolph could improve, he also praised his composure, decision-making, and ability to move the offense when needed. Roethlisberger discussed Rudolph’s performance on his Footbahlin podcast, noting that the veteran looked confident and in control despite limited opportunities. "You know I thought Mason [Rudolph] played really well," Roethlisberger said on his podcast. "I thought he did exactly what you would hope to see from your backup quarterback. He went out there I think, he solidified himself… as the two." He pointed out that Rudolph’s familiarity with the Steelers’ system allows him to step in without disrupting the flow of the offense. With Rodgers leading the way, Rudolph providing a steady backup presence, and the QB3 competition between Thompson and Howard continuing, the Steelers’ quarterback depth will be a storyline worth following as the 2025 season approaches. "Let’s see how he does this week and the next week," Roethlisberger said. "I thought he played really well. I thought he was efficient with the ball. He threw the ball down the field. As a team, you like seeing that because that gives you confidence going into the season that if something were to happen one game for Aaron… you have a guy that you feel confident who could go in there. Same thing when we had Charlie Batch, you had Bruce Gradkowski, you had Byron Leftwich, you had Dennis Dixon and Josh Dobbs. Any of those guys. You just feel confident he can go in and just get it done for you." Roethlisberger had high praise for Rudolph, and hearing him mention him alongside names like Charlie Batch shows he has faith in Rudolph’s ability to be a reliable backup in Pittsburgh. There is a strong argument that Rudolph is one of the most dependable backup quarterbacks in the NFL, which is a significant asset for the Steelers in the 2025 season. Steelers' Mason Rudolph Has Great Preseason Game Versus Jaguars Rudolph only attempted 10 passes on Saturday night against the Jaguars, but completed 90 percent of them. He threw for 84 yards and one touchdown. While preseason football can be difficult to evaluate, he performed well in roughly a quarter and some change of action. His efficiency and composure reinforced the notion that the Steelers have one of the league’s most steady and trustworthy backup quarterbacks heading into the regular season. Roethlisberger is confident Rudolph has now locked up his spot as QB2 for the 2025 season. Steelers fans are now super eager to get updates on when Howard will be back from his injury. Howard and Thompson will fight for the QB3 spot. What grade would you give Rudolph for his preseason outing against the Jaguars?
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