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UConn freshman sensation Liam McNeeley concluded his debut college season as the Huskies’ leading scorer, averaging 14.5 points and 6.0 rebounds over 27 games.
McNeeley exploded for a career-high 38 points and 10 rebounds in a February win at Creighton, reinforcing his status as the 2025 Big East Freshman of the Year.
At the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, he further impressed, clocking a record 2.75-second shuttle run, posting a 36.5-inch vertical leap and standing nearly 6-foot-7 without shoes.
During the combine, McNeely was asked who he thought the best player in the NBA is right now, and he didn't flinch with his answer.
"Jokic. He had two triple-doubles in one game...It's unbelievable.”
"Who's the best player in the NBA right now?"
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 15, 2025
Walter Clayton Jr.: "[Nikola] Jokic."
Cooper Flagg: "Joker."
Tahaad Pettiford: "James Harden."
Ace Bailey: "To be realistic it's Jokic, to me I'm gonna say Kevin Durant."
(via @BleacherReport/ TT)pic.twitter.com/knJIXkwvcf
The moment McNeeley is referring to is Jokic’s triple-double of 31 points, 21 rebounds, and a career-high 22 assists, which he recorded in a 149-141 overtime win over the Phoenix Suns in March.
This marked the first time in NBA history that a player recorded a triple-double of at least 30 points, 20 rebounds and 20 assists.
In 2024-25, Jokic has only continued to elevate his play, posting a career-high 29.6 points and 10.2 assists alongside 12.7 rebounds per game, ranking top three in each category.
Denver weathered a rocky regular season marked by an end-of-year dismissal of head coach Mike Malone and GM Calvin Booth, but still secured home-court through the second round with a record of 50-32, good for fourth in the Western Conference.
In Game 6 of the second-round series against Oklahoma City, Jokic poured in 29 points, 14 boards and 8 assists to stave off elimination, forcing a decisive Game 7 in Oklahoma City.
Game 7 will take place on Sunday, where the winner will advance to the Western Conference finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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Lakers Interested in $60 Million All-Star Big Man, Under One Condition
The Los Angeles Lakers were hunting for a center for most of the offseason after being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. They knew they needed an upgrade from Jaxon Hayes. While the Lakers didn't get any of the top centers on the free agent market, they were able to sign Deandre Ayton after he was bought out. Another center would be a better fit, but he wasn't available in the offseason. Nikola Vucevic has been linked to the Lakers dating all the way back to the trade deadline, although Vucevic was not moved. More news: Lakers Make Massive Announcement Ahead of 2025-26 Season The Lakers would only be interested in Vucevic if he were to be bought out, according to Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints. Los Angeles will not be pursuing a trade to acquire Vucevic. After bringing in Ayton on a two-year deal, it wouldn't make sense to trade assets in order to bring in Vucevic. They want to see what Ayton can do before bailing on him already. The Lakers needed a starting center, as that was their biggest need heading into the offseason. While Ayton isn't the greatest option, he is someone who can help the team with what he brings to the table. The Bulls seem to think that Vucevic can still help them win games and contend for the playoffs in what will be a very weak Eastern Conference next season. If things don't go well by the time the trade deadline arrives, the Bulls might decide to buy him out if they aren't in the playoff picture. That would be the only scenario in which the Lakers bring him in. More news: Lakers Rumors: NBA Insider Provides Massive Update on Luka Doncic Extension The Lakers are always looking to improve the roster whenever possible. They aren't worried about hurting feelings, so they wouldn't hesitate to offer Vucevic a contract if they thought he was better than Ayton. With LeBron James entering the end of his career, the Lakers are going to try to win the title as quickly as possible while he is still on the roster. Last season with the Bulls, Vucevic averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. He shot 53 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. More news: Former Lakers Castoff All-Star Linked to East Team in Free Agency For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.
Cowboys make decision on Micah Parsons' trade request
First-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer has been trying to instill civility at practice when tempers flare, but he has no choice but to stay idle as the Dallas Cowboys front office and Micah Parsons face off at training camp. On Friday, Parsons took to social media to announce he sent executive vice president Stephen Jones a request to be traded from the Cowboys. "Unfortunately I no longer want to be here," Parsons wrote, per a post on X. "I no longer want to be held to close door negotiations without my agent present. "I no longer want shots taken at me for getting injured while laying it on the line for the organization our fans and my teammates. I no longer want narratives created and spread to the media about me." Dallas didn't appear fazed by Parsons' request. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Cowboys have no plans to trade Parsons this summer, though multiple teams will plan to inquire about the three-time All-Pro pass-rusher. "The Dallas Cowboys have no intention of trading Micah Parsons, per sources," Russini posted on X. "Still, teams around the league are planning to reach out to check on his availability today." The Cowboys selected Parsons with the No. 12 pick in the 2021 draft. The four-time Pro Bowl nominee has recorded 256 tackles and 52.5 sacks during his four years in the league. The former Penn State standout has appeared and started in 63 games. Parsons missed four games last year due to an ankle injury. The Cowboys front office could have made the situation better by talking with Parsons' agent and keeping any issues with the star pass-rusher in-house. The Cowboys have another preseason distraction. This one is of their own making.
Report reveals if Commanders intend to trade WR Terry McLaurin
In the absence of progress at the negotiating table, Terry McLaurin went public with a trade request on Thursday. The chances of the Commanders dealing him away have long been viewed as low, and that remains the case at this point. A number of teams inquired with Washington about McLaurin prior to the news of his trade request. As Nicki Jhabvala and Dianna Russini of The Athletic report, though, the Commanders informed suitors they have no plans of moving on from the two-time Pro Bowler. The sides remain at an impasse regarding extension talks, so interest on the trade front will no doubt continue until and unless an agreement is reached. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated notes a number of issues (including overall value and guarantees) are yet to be resolved in McLaurin’s case. That differs from, for instance, the case of Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals. The AAV of a new Cincinnati agreement appears to have been hammered out, but the sides are at an impasse with respect to guaranteeing more than the first year of any new pact. It remains to be seen general manager Adam Peters and the Commanders will be willing to reach or surpass $30M per year on a long-term contract. While remarking on the situation, one general manager told Russini they liken this case to that of Haason Reddick from last year. Reddick engaged in lengthy holdout with the Jets while seeking an extension following his trade from the Eagles. In the end, a short-term compromise was made but Reddick’s debut was delayed until Week 8 and he departed in free agency after an underwhelming campaign. Any similar absence through the regular season — something which, to be clear, McLaurin has not yet threatened — would of course be highly detrimental to a Commanders team aiming to duplicate last year’s run to the NFC title game. During a Friday appearance on the "Rich Eisen Show" (video link), NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said a trade cannot completely be ruled out at this point. The Patriots are known to be a potential suitor in the event Peters’ approach changes and consideration is given to a swap. Such a move would leave Washington with trade acquisition (and pending 2026 free agent) Deebo Samuel atop the WR depth chart. However, the Commanders have a star quarterback on a rookie contract, opening up a clear competitive window for them to build around Jayden Daniels before he commands a market-level salary. That would seem to include investing in a perennial thousand-yard threat like McLaurin — who already has an impressive rapport with his young QB. Coming to an agreement with the soon-to-be 30-year-old feels like an inevitability, whether it be before Week 1 or partway into the regular season.
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Insider predicts how Cowboys, Micah Parsons contract standoff will end
As of the first day of August, there remained no indication that the Dallas Cowboys and star pass-rusher Micah Parsons were close to coming to terms on a contract extension. Parsons is in the final year of his rookie deal, so some understandably have wondered if he could follow in the footsteps of Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin and use a trade request as a negotiating tactic. During Friday's edition of the ESPN "Get Up" program, NFL insider Dan Graziano reported that he still believes "Parsons will be a Cowboy for a long time." That doesn't necessarily mean the two sides will come to terms on an agreement anytime soon. "I don't know, for a fact, that this contract gets done before [the] opening week of this season," Graziano continued. "[The Cowboys] do have the franchise tag available to them for 2026 and 2027 if need be." Graziano mentioned that the Cowboys have a history of getting deals done later than fans would like. Last summer, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb didn't receive his four-year, $136M deal until after Dallas finished its final game of the preseason. The following month, the news that quarterback Dak Prescott had agreed to a four-year extension broke just hours before Dallas' regular-season opener. T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers reset the market for edge-rushers when he agreed to a three-year, $123M extension that included $108M guaranteed ahead of training camp. While it's expected that Parsons would become the new highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL if he signs a deal this summer, it's possible the two sides are waiting to see if Trey Hendrickson accepts an offer from the Cincinnati Bengals before September. It's unclear how, if at all, a Hendrickson deal would impact how much money Parsons hopes to make via his extension. "There's a chance that we could get into this season with Micah Parsons actually playing out the final year of his contract and confronting the possibility of a franchise tag next March," Graziano continued. ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith recently attracted attention when he said Parsons should make it known he's "willing to sit out the year" if he doesn't receive his desired extension. Graziano noted that such a move isn't "feasible" because Parsons' current contract would toll, meaning he'd still have one season left on his deal in 2026. Dallas opens the 2025 campaign with a prime-time matchup at the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 4. It sounds like Parsons will be in the lineup for that contest even if he doesn't sign an extension before that Thursday evening arrives.
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