At the 2025 NBA Draft combine, a number of players have increased their stock ahead of a promising draft.
One of those is Chinese center Hansen Yang, a relative mystery box as far as most prospects go. He’s a bulky center who will be just shy of 20-years-old on draft night, and offers a unique game packaged within his lengthy frame.
Yang, predictably, measured solidly at the combine. He stands at a towering 7-foot-1 without shoes, posting a 7-foot-2 wingspan and a 9-foot-3 standing reach. In the Chinese Basketball Association, Yang used his blend of size and skill well, averaging 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game.
Though his team struggled in the first combine scrimmage, Yang was solid, posting 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting, dishing two assists and grabbing one board. In his second outing, he offered consistency with another 11 points on 75% shooting, with a blistering six assists and rebounds apiece. His passing highlights were eye-popping, to say the least.
In showcasing his size and ability to stand out among future draftees, Yang certainly raised his stock among at least a few NBA decision-makers. Coming in as a relative unknown, it’s likely he played himself into second round conversations, even one’s where he could hear his name called early.
Yang likely won’t be able to avoid G League time if drafted, given how high the skill jump to the NBA will be, and certain negatives like conditioning and foot speed. But there’s a very real chance that with his feel for the game — and most notably his high passing prowess for a big man — that he could play NBA minutes down the road.
Should any singular team fall in love with his skillset as a potential passing hub with scoring and defensive upside, he could very well earn first-round buzz at this year's draft.
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Myles Turner had spent the first ten seasons of his career playing for the Indiana Pacers. Last year, the former Texas star helped lead the franchise to the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years. However, Turner shockingly signed with the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this month. Via ESPN's Shams Charania (on July 1): " Free agent center Myles Turner has agreed to a four-year, $107 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, plus a player option for year four in 2028-29 and a full 15% trade kicker, sources tell ESPN. Stunner." One person who reacted to the signing was New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson (via Roommates Show). Brunson: "I thought the Myles Turner thing was like weird... You know what's crazy about that? I feel like he was on the trading block like every year... It was like that for at least five, six years." Turner finished his final year in Indiana with averages of 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.0 blocks per contest while shooting 48.1% from the field and 39.6% from the three-point range in 72 games. He was the 11th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. As for Brunson, he led the Knicks to the 2025 Eastern Confernece finals They lost to Turner and the Pacers (in six games). Brunson (who has been with New York for three seasons) had averages of 26.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 7.3 assists per contest while shooting 48.8% from the field and 38.3% from the three-point range in 65 games.
Shedeur Sanders has been working with the Cleveland Browns' equipment staff as the No. 4 quarterback this summer. He'll have a new opportunity following the troubling injury news for Kenny Pickett. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Pickett suffered a hamstring injury during Saturday's practice and will not receive reps until his issue is re-evaluated. "Browns QB Kenny Pickett injured his hamstring near the end of Saturday’s practice and is expected to re-evaluate the injury later this week, per sources," Schefter posted on X. "Pickett was coming off a strong couple of practices, per sources, and at least for the short term, there now will be more reps for Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Pickett's injury will shake up the quarterback race in Cleveland. Through OTAs and early in training camp, Sanders has been the odd man out as the only signal caller on the roster not to receive reps with the first-team offense. It's unclear if the Browns coaching staff intends to give Sanders reps with the first-team offense now that Pickett is sidelined, but the fifth-round pick will have more chances this week to prove that he deserves an opportunity to stay in Cleveland. The Browns are in a unique situation with their rookie quarterbacks. Third-round pick Dillon Gabriel was selected before Sanders, but the son of Deion Sanders fell to Day 3 of the draft for reasons other than talent. The majority of draft analysts had Sanders as a better-graded quarterback than Gabriel, and many thought the Colorado product would be taken in the first round. The Browns can use the injury as an excuse to give Sanders reps with the first team, and it's a task they need to take advantage of before the team names a starter. Sanders has the potential to be a starter in the league, and this week is pivotal for his rookie season in Cleveland.
Caitlin Clark is expected to sit out for a fourth straight game on Sunday when the Indiana Fever take on the Chicago Sky in a much-awaited rivalry matchup. The 23-year-old is still dealing with a reaggravated groin strain and has no timetable to return. The rest of her Fever teammates have had to step up in her absence. There is, perhaps, no other player who has taken a bigger role on the offensive end amid Clark’s injury spell than three-time All-Star Kelsey Mitchell. Mitchell, however, struggled with her shot in Thursday’s win against the Las Vegas Aces. The 5-foot-8 guard shot the ball poorly in the first three quarters, going just 4-of-19 from the field for 12 points. Mitchell caught fire in the fourth, though. She went 4-of-5 in the final frame for nine points, finishing with a game-high 21 points on 8-of-24 shooting. This is exactly why head coach Stephanie White remains completely confident in Mitchell’s scoring ability. The veteran coach has made it clear that she has given Mitchell the green light to shoot the rock. “The biggest thing with Kelsey is just telling her, ‘Let it fly.’ It’s going to go,” White said after Thursday’s win against Las Vegas. "... Keep shooting it from outside. She made some big ones when we needed them.” Kelsey Mitchell Has Stepped up Amid Clark's Injury Mitchell has answered the call for the Fever of late. In the three games Clark has been sidelined, Mitchell has put up averages of 22.0 points on 42.9% shooting. She also knocked down 2.7 triples during that stretch on a 34.8% clip. The 29-year-old veteran will need to keep her foot on the gas on Sunday as the Fever try to take down the Sky at United Center. With Clark watching from the bench, the Fever will rely on Mitchell’s scoring against Chicago as they look to improve on their 13-12 record. The Fever and Sky meet at 3 p.m. ET Sunday on ABC.
Those running the Minnesota Vikings took somewhat of a gamble when they decided to trust that quarterback J.J. McCarthy would be ready to win meaningful games in September after the 2024 first-round draft pick spent his entire rookie season recovering from a meniscus repair. For an article published on Monday morning, Vikings reporter Alec Lewis of The Athletic explained how McCarthy "has checked critical boxes early on" while serving as Minnesota's QB1 during training camp. "The Vikings have gotten in and out of the huddle on time, and the operation at the line of scrimmage has been smooth," Lewis wrote. "McCarthy used cadences Saturday to create a free play, and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown patted him on the helmet afterward. Processing the defensive picture hasn’t been an issue either. McCarthy executed Saturday’s red zone period as well as anyone could have hoped." Vikings All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson raised some eyebrows when he said ahead of the weekend that outsiders "definitely have to have patience" regarding McCarthy's development. Such a comment understandably could've caused an outsider to wonder if the Vikings should've done more to hold onto Sam Darnold after he guided the club to a 14-3 record and a playoff berth last season. After Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5M contract to join the Seattle Seahawks early into free agency, stories linked the Vikings with current Atlanta Falcons backup Kirk Cousins and with future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. Cousins played under Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell from September 2022 up until the 36-year-old suffered a torn Achilles in October 2023. Meanwhile, O’Connell and Rodgers have known each other for over a decade. That said, O'Connell handed the offense over to McCarthy before the start of training camp. "The Vikings are fortunate that defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ unit simulates the need for angled throws more than most," Lewis wrote about O’Connell and McCown wanting McCarthy to "add some air" to passes in certain instances. "Defenders positioned on the line of scrimmage often drop, and safeties regularly step down from depth. The changing picture provides a textured feel, which forces McCarthy’s hand." McCarthy seemingly has passed tests thrown his way during his first training camp as Minnesota's undisputed starter. If he doesn't look the part during upcoming exhibition games, however, the Vikings could potentially call the Falcons about Cousins' availability in August. Minnesota opens the preseason with a matchup versus the Houston Texans on Aug. 9.
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