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It's a big season for Florida State men's basketball, as Leonard Hamilton has stepped down after 23 years as the head coach in Tallahassee, making way for his former point guard, Luka Loucks. Any time a coaching change happens in college basketball, rosters usually undergo heavy overhauls. That's starting to happen now for the Seminoles.
Sophomore forward Jerry Deng will enter the transfer portal for the second time. He started his career at Hampton and transferred to FSU last offseason, going on to average 7.0 PPG while shooting 37% from three-point range this season. At 6'9" and with a shooting ability like that, there should be some interest in him.
The Rochester, New York, native had some big performances toward the end of the season, scoring 16 points against North Carolina at home and 12 against Duke on the road. He had a rough shooting stretch to start ACC play, but he went 15/35 (42.9%) from deep over the last seven games of the season.
While he's a great shooter, Deng's biggest issue is that he doesn't provide much else. He's not a great defender, rebounder, or playmaker, and it seems Coach Loucks is going to prioritize strong skill sets as well as shooting, not one or the other. He'd be a solid 10th man, but he was relied upon way too much by FSU this season. He joins Taylor Bol Bowen, Waka Mbatch, Anastasios Rozakeas, Justin Thomas, and Chandler Jackson as Seminoles in the transfer portal.
Coach Loucks will have a busy offseason ahead as he figures out how to navigate the transfer portal as a first-time college coach and shape the roster as he sees fit. FSU had stalled out recently, winning 17 games in each of the last two seasons.
More must-reads:
- No. 4 Arizona accomplishes rare feat in thrilling road win over No. 3 UConn
- Update surfaces on Joe Schoen's future with Giants
- The 'Men's Final Four hosts since 2000' quiz
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How Illinois Transfers Are Faring: Morez Johnson Jr., Tre White and Others
Illinois is off to a scorching-hot start at 4-0 and has climbed all the way to its highest spot in the AP poll since the end of the 2023-24 season. Despite the optimism swirling around Champaign, we're left to wonder: Would the Illini be even better if they hadn’t lost some notable players to the transfer portal this offseason? We won’t answer that question here, but we will provide some data and a quick, early-season snapshot for each player who departed Champaign in the offseason – and then let you be the judge. Without further ado: The latest on former Illini around the country Carey Booth, Colorado State Four games in, and the Carey Booth-Colorado State union has been a dream come true for both parties. The Rams are 4-0, with each win coming by double digits. Meanwhile, Booth is producing in a big way: 12.5 points and 9.0 rebounds, plus 56.5 percent shooting from the field and 54.5 percent from long distance (1.5 threes per game), in just 23.3 minutes per game. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, UNLV Other than poor efficiency from beyond the arc (21.7 percent) and a little bit of foul trouble (a 17-minute foul-out against Memphis), Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn has been nearly flawless for UNLV. The 6-foot-1 guard has seamlessly transitioned into a go-to role, averaging 15.3 points per game and 3.0 assists for the Runnin’ Rebels. Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan Already a proven product at the Big Ten level, Johnson was expected to come out of the gate and be a key piece of Michigan’s attack – and he has been exactly that. Averaging 14.7 points (on 63.3 percent shooting from the field), 7.7 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block, Johnson is the same two-way menace he was at Illinois – just on a broader scale. His free-throw percentage has leapt from 61.8 percent last year as a freshman to a solid 75.0 percent through three games as a sophomore. Johnson has even attempted a pair of threes on the season, and although he didn’t connect on either, the solid stroke and uptick in efficiency from the charity stripe are signs that his jumper could become a respectable threat. Tre White, Kansas A steady presence who has consistently brought production on a night-to-night basis throughout his four-year career, White has kept it going at Kansas. A 6-foot-7 wing, White is averaging 14.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals. He has been quite efficient (58.3 percent from the field) in his role as a secondary option for ultra-talented freshman Darryn Peterson. And in Peterson’s recent absence, White has carried a heavier load without a hitch, scoring 17.0 points, grabbing 7.6 rebounds and dishing out 2.7 assists all while maintaining that high clip from the field, shooting 14-for-23 (60.9 percent) over those three games.
Mavericks' Mark Cuban sends strong message on Anthony Davis, but he should change his tune
The Dallas Mavericks still believe they can make it work with forward Anthony Davis. Entering Wednesday, the Mavericks (4-11) were 13th in the Western Conference and had lost eight of their past 10 games. Amid the slow start, a report surfaced that the team would explore trading Davis. However, minority owner Mark Cuban shut down that rumor. Mark Cuban says the Mavericks aren't trading Anthony Davis "We won't. We want to try to win," Cuban said Wednesday in an email when asked if the Mavericks would trade Davis, via The Athletic's Joe Vardon. A healthy Davis would help Dallas win more games. In 14 seasons, the No. 1 pick of the 2012 NBA Draft has made 10 All-Star Games and won a championship. In five games this season, the 32-year-old veteran has averaged 20.8 PPG on an above-average 52% shooting from the field and recorded 10.2 rebounds per game and 1.2 blocks per game. The problem, though, is that Davis is injury-prone. He has played in 75 regular-season games or more three times in his career. Since acquiring him in a blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Lakers last season, the oft-injured Davis has played in just 14 games for the Mavericks. He hasn't played since Oct. 29 because of a left calf strain, which will be re-evaluated in seven to 10 days, per the team. Even when he has been playing, the Mavericks have still stunk. Dallas has a 2-3 record with Davis in the lineup. Davis was supposed to form a tandem with star guard Kyrie Irving that would keep the Mavericks in championship contention. That vision may not become a reality. Irving is still recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in March. While he's making progress, it's unclear if/when the 33-year-old star will return this season. Cuban sending the email is his way of reestablishing his authority within the organization. He's acting as an "adviser" to majority owner Patrick Dumont, who fired general manager Nico Harrison on Nov. 11. The unpopular former GM, of course, sent star guard Luka Doncic to the Lakers for Davis. Cuban helped the Mavericks make 18 playoff appearances and win one title before selling his majority stake in 2023. So, he certainly feels responsible for Dallas' lackluster product on the court. But the responsible thing would be admitting it may be time to trade Davis. The Mavericks aren't winning a title even if he stays healthy, which seems unlikely. And it would be wise to stockpile draft capital to build around rookie forward Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 pick of the 2025 draft.
Texas HC Steve Sarkisian gives bold claim on job rumors
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian has been a popular name in both the NFL and college football coaching cycles. It makes sense, too. He's brought Texas back to being competitive and in the championship hunt, but he also has a wealth of great experience as an assistant in both college and the NFL. He's about as well-rounded a candidate as you'll find, so of course, programs like the Florida Gators, LSU Tigers or even the New York Giants may be interested to see if he's interested. The thing is, though, he's not. Or, at the very least, that's what he's telling the media. He's all-in with the Longhorns, according to comments he made on a recent SEC teleconference call. “I’d like to comment something before I get into our team that has been bothering me now over the past few weeks. That is people reporting that are insinuating that there’s a possibility I could leave the University of Texas, and that is absolutely false and untrue," Sarkisian said (h/t On3). "I’m not going anywhere. Never do I do this because I never want to be a distraction, so I never address these things. At this point, I feel like this is important that I do this because it’s important for our team. It’s important for our university." Steve Sarkisian has deep roots in Austin and is all-in with Texas As if that weren't clear enough, Sarkisian said that he has not had any discussions with anybody about coaching elsewhere. He even went as far as to say that even his agent hasn't spoken to anyone. Sometimes coaches can say publicly that they aren't talking about any opportunities while, in the meantime, their agents are working backchannels and putting something together. He could be lying, of course, because college football history is full of head coaches saying one thing and doing another. A full-throated statement like this seems to be a pretty clear indication that Sarkisian is serious about what he's saying, though. Heck, he went as far as calling Austin home, which is a pretty big deal for a coach to say. Those guys aren't used to staying in one place for too long. With that said, Sarkisian does have two kids actually enrolled at Texas, one on the football team. He has a third kid he wants to go to Texas in the near future. He also just had a baby. Sarkisian has roots in Austin. He also has high aspirations for the Longhorns. “We came here to win championships," he said. "We’ve built a damn good football program over the five years that we’ve been here. We’ve been to two College Football Playoffs. We won a Big 12 Championship. We went to the SEC Championship game in Year 1. We’ve had 23 players drafted the last two years, which is more than any other school in the country and our team GPA is at an all-time high. “Can we please stop putting things out there that you have absolutely zero evidence on? Can we please stop retweeting and putting it back out there as if it’s true? As if it’s the gospel? It is not true."
Cowboys Announce Trevon Diggs News After Four Missed Games
Trevon Diggs watched on as Brian Schottenheimer and the Dallas Cowboys ended a two-game skid, defeating Geno Smith and the Las Vegas Raiders 33-16 in Week 11's edition of "Monday Night Football." Now, the Cowboys improve to 4-5-1 on the 2025 NFL season with a Week 12 NFC East matchup on the horizon against the Philadelphia Eagles. Ten games into the regular season, the Cowboys have fielded one of the NFL’s worst defenses, allowing 378.7 total yards per game, 30th in the league, and a league-worst 258.7 passing yards. With the unit struggling, Jerry Jones decided it was time for upgrades, acquiring defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and linebacker Logan Wilson at the trade deadline. The team also welcomed back linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who had been recovering from a knee injury. With the reinforcements arriving for the Raiders matchup, the defense delivered its best performance of the season, allowing just 236 total yards, including only 27 on the ground. Despite the impressive outing, Dallas was still without one of its top defenders, as Diggs remained sidelined. Ahead of the Cowboys’ Week 7 win over the Washington Commanders, Diggs was ruled out after suffering a concussion in an accident at home. The following week, he was placed on injured reserve while also dealing with a separate knee injury. He has missed Dallas’ last four games, during which the team went 2-2. Diggs won't be able to make his return until the Thanksgiving matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, meaning he will be out against the Eagles. But on Wednesday, Schottenheimer had a positive update to share on his Pro Bowl cornerback. "Brian Schottenheimer says that Solomon Thomas is 'making progress' and with Trevon Diggs, 'all signs are that he's doing everything he's supposed to do,'" Cowboys reporter Tommy Yarrish wrote on X. "#Cowboys are doing walkthroughs today, so they'll know more on the injury front tomorrow." The Cowboys will take on the Eagles on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET at AT T Stadium.
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