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After Illinois contacted a trio of 2027 prospects on Sunday – which marked the first day college basketball programs could officially reach out to rising juniors – the Illini stayed active, getting in touch with another pair of class of 2027 recruits.
The first target – 6-foot-5 shooting guard Joshua Rivera – marks a return to a high school program that has become a stomping ground for the Illini coaching staff: Archbishop Stepinac in White Plains, New York.
Mississippi State is the latest to offer 2027 Stepinac SG Josh Rivera.He’s also heard from Illinois, Seton Hall, Hofstra & Manhattan since yesterday.Recruitment heating @joshrivera22 @step_basketball @NYRhoops pic.twitter.com/2qSkUKWQ6f
— Nate Blue (@RealScoutBBall) June 16, 2025
If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Illinois offered 2026 prospect Jasiah Jervis – an Archbishop Stepinac attendee himself – back in March. It's also the same institution where former Illini Alan Griffin, a class of 2018 recruit, spent his high school days.
Rivera, Illinois’ current target, remains unranked by 247 Sports, but he holds a total of seven offers thus far, including one from the Illini’s Big Ten in-state rival: Northwestern.
Illinois' other latest target, Darius Wabbington, is a 6-foot-11 Arizona native tabbed as the nation's 17th-best overall recruit and third-ranked center. Wabbington has a handful of offers, headlined by Arizona, Purdue and Villanova.
Darius Wabbington has heard fromPurdueArizonaUCLAKentuckyAlabamaTexasArizona StateIllinoisPicked up an offer from the Tide.
— David Sisk (@CoachDavidSisk) June 16, 2025
Although Illinois has yet to extend an offer to either Rivera or Wabbington, both prospects have clearly piqued the interest of Underwood and his staff, and may be in line to receive an offer in the coming weeks or months.
More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:
Top Five Big Ten Returners for 2025-26: Braden Smith, Tomislav Ivisic and More
Illinois Guard Kasparas Jakucionis Earns Green Room Invite to NBA Draft
Illinois Swingman Ty Rodgers Injured: How it Affects Him and the Illini
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Scotland media react to Scott McTominay display vs Denmark
Scott McTominay’s reinvention since leaving Manchester United has been one of the major stories of the last 18 months in European football. The midfielder has managed, in a single season, to transform himself into the driving force of the Napoli side that went on to win Serie A and restore their status among Italy’s elite. Having swapped Old Trafford for the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in 2024, he quickly became a focal point in Antonio Conte’s system and finished his debut campaign as the league’s Most Valuable Player after steering Napoli to the title. McTominay made 36 appearances for Napoli in 2024/25, scoring 13 goals and registering four assists, comfortably the best return of his senior career, sealing a Ballon d’Or nomination. However, this season has been more challenging for the Scotland international. Opposition sides have clearly adjusted to his late runs and aerial presence, while Napoli themselves have not found the same rhythm. McTominay has still chipped in with goals, but with only a handful of strikes so far and more time spent shuttling between roles than dominating games. Unfortunately it seems the form that lit up Italy has been harder to rediscover, a trend that had also been visible with Scotland after Euro 2024. That backdrop is what made Tuesday night at Hampden so significant. With Scotland needing to beat Denmark to leapfrog them and reach the 2026 World Cup, Steve Clarke’s side arrived into a tense, almost wary atmosphere. However, Scott McTominay took matters into his own hands, opening the scoring inside three minutes. Attacking a cross from Ben Gannon-Doak, the former United midfielder adjusted his body and sent an acrobatic overhead effort skidding into the bottom corner. The finish instantly shifted the mood inside Hampden and reminded everyone why Napoli built their title-winning midfield around him. He raced towards the main stand, arms outstretched, as team-mates piled in behind him and the stadium erupted. The Herald’s reaction to the goal described it as a goal: “which will live long in the memory of everyone who was fortunate enough to witness it”. However, from there, Scotland were forced to suffer. A lengthy VAR check eventually handed Denmark a penalty, converted by Rasmus Hojlund, before the visitors went down to ten men and the game descended into chaos. Lawrence Shankland, Patrick Dorgu, Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean traded goals in a breathless finale that finally ended 4-2 to Clarke’s side. For Scotland, the result ends 28 years of waiting and confirms their place at a World Cup finals for the first time since 1998, with Clarke writing himself into national folklore. For Scott McTominay, it is another landmark in a career that, unfortunately for Manchester United fans, has accelerated since leaving Old Trafford.
Lakers’ Luka Doncic hilariously rebuffs Austin Reaves after Jazz win – ‘He’s not my friend’
The Los Angeles Lakers are rolling, as they moved to 11-4 on the 2025-26 season with a 140-125 win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night. The vibes are immaculate in the Lakers locker room right now, especially when elder statesman LeBron James made his season debut and put up 11 points and 12 assists to start his 23rd season in the NBA. One of the main highlights of the Lakers’ season to this point has been the blossoming friendship between Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, with the two continuously trading playful jabs on social media. But their banter towards one another is making its way onto the court. During Doncic’s interview with Spectrum SportsNet following the Lakers’ win over the Jazz, Reaves came over and interrupted the interview, patting his teammate’s shoulder and telling him, “Good job, friend.” This elicited a head shake from Doncic, who seemingly cannot believe what he heard from his Lakers teammate. Trudell then probed into the two’s friendship and Doncic doubled down on his gag-filled friendship dynamic with his backcourt mate. “He wants to be my friend, but I’m not allowing it,” Doncic said in a deadpan manner while holding back a smile. Trudell then asked what Reaves can do to convince Doncic to be his friend. The Lakers star then piled on the hilarity. “Nothing. He can’t do nothing [to be my friend],” Doncic added. There is nothing more telling that two people are friends than when they take this amount of crap from one another like Doncic and Reaves do. And their bond is translating to some wins as well — making it all the more fun for Lakers fans to witness. Lakers’ Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves now commandeer the Lakers offense James is 40 years of age, so as great of a player as he remains, he cannot be counted on any longer to be the man for his team every single night. He deferred to both Doncic and Reaves on Tuesday, preferring instead to take on a playmaking role. Meanwhile, Doncic and Reaves combined to score 63 of the team’s 140 points. This lighter responsibility for James on offense should help keep him fresher and healthier for the rest of the season in preparation for what the Lakers are hoping would be a deep playoff run.
Dodgers, Cody Bellinger News Emerges on Tuesday
The Los Angeles Dodgers are looking to reload this offseason with the goal of becoming three-time World Series champions in 2026. As always, the Dodgers have the payroll flexibility to address the team’s biggest needs, and one of those is a new outfielder. While Kyle Tucker remains the top option in MLB free agency, a familiar face in Cody Bellinger is also available. The 30-year-old veteran spent the first six years of his career with Los Angeles before joining the Chicago Cubs. During last year’s offseason, Bellinger was traded to the New York Yankees. Bellinger had an exceptional season in the Bronx, posting a .272 batting average, .334 on-base percentage, .813 OPS, 29 home runs and 98 RBIs. He also played superb defense in the outfield and earned an All-Star selection for his efforts. Now an unrestricted free agent, Bellinger will have the opportunity to weigh his options among all contenders. While a reunion with the Dodgers has long seemed like a natural fit, it remained speculation until Tuesday when ESPN’s Jeff Passan officially linked Los Angeles to Bellinger in a report. “Beyond the Yankees, who would like a return engagement with Bellinger — though Trent Grisham accepting the qualifying offer would make for a crowded outfield with a Bellinger reunion — the Blue Jays see him as a perfectly good alternative to Tucker. And the Dodgers, who non-tendered Bellinger three years ago, have expressed interest as they peruse the outfield market,” Passan wrote. Hours ago, Trent Grisham accepted the qualifying offer to return to the Yankees, and as Passan noted, that makes the idea of a Bellinger reunion in New York a little more complicated. While the Dodgers and Bellinger weigh their options, a reunion does make sense. Los Angeles is not necessarily looking for a long-term commitment, and with Bellinger now 30 years old, a high average annual value deal over five or six years could work well for both sides. Bellinger has thrived in Los Angeles before, even if his time there ended on a sour note. He won NL Rookie of the Year in 2017, earned NL MVP honors in 2019 and helped the Dodgers win a World Series title in 2020. He was originally drafted by Los Angeles in the 2013 MLB Draft. If he returns, Bellinger would immediately slot into a lineup built to contend and join a club determined to chase a third straight World Series championship.
Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase’s One-Game Suspension Upheld
According to Michael Signora, the NFL has upheld Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase‘s one-game suspension for spitting on Steelers DB Jalen Ramsey in Week 11. The incident sparked a commotion in Sunday’s game, where Ramsey threw a punch that got him ejected. Ramsey later said Chase spat on him, which provoked him. Chase denied it, but video from the game showed he was lying. The NFL has put an extra emphasis on sportsmanship this year, ejecting Eagles DT Jalen Carter for spitting in Week 1 and treating that as a de facto suspension by fining him a game check as well. He will now miss Cincinnati’s game against the Patriots in Week 12. A suspension costs Chase a game check worth $448,333 and a $58,824 active roster bonus. Chase, 25, was a two-year starter at LSU and a unanimous All-American during his sophomore season. He opted out of the 2020 college football season due to the pandemic. The Bengals took Chase with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He was in the fourth year of a four-year, $30,819,642 contract with the Bengals that included a $19,774,285 signing bonus when the Bengals picked up a fifth-year option worth $21.816 million fully guaranteed for the 2025 season. The Bengals and Chase then agreed to a massive, four-year, $160 million contract extension. In 2025, Chase has appeared in 10 games for the Bengals and caught 79 passes on 117 targets for 861 yards and five touchdowns.
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