Basketball
McDonald’s All-American Game Dunk Contest & 3-Point Shootout Participants
Throughout the years, so many young prospects made it to the NBA after strong performances at the McDonald’s All-American showcases. We are talking about legends like Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin, or even recent stars like Pelicans’ Zion Williamson, who all left the crowd speechless before becoming professionals.
The spotlight shines on the next generation as the Powerade Jam Fest keeps on with it’s exciting competitions this Monday. This is the opportunity to see 2023 McDonald’s All American Games athletes compete in three challenges: Three-point contest, Knock-out and the Slam Dunk Contest.
Are you ready ⁉️ POWERADE JAM FEST is TODAY 🗣️
Catch all the action on @ESPNU at 7:30 PM ET 📺 @McDAAG pic.twitter.com/riJK1OXVks
— POWERADE (@Powerade_US) March 27, 2023
There is a lot of expectation around some young stars who’ve already been headlining the news due to their young and raw talent for basketball. Of course we are talking about Bronny James, LeBron’s son, who is about to graduate from Sierra Canyon High School and is already eyeing up which college he’ll be representing after this summer.
Another name who’s used to be below the spotlight is Matas Buzelis, the small foward from Hinsdale, Illinois, who is supposed to already be worth more than half a million dollars.
Both of these strong prospects have been announced to be a part of today’s Powerade Jam Fest’s Slam Dunk Contest. Let’s take a look at the list of young stars who are set to dunk in this competition:
1) Elmarko Jackson
2) Mookie Cook
3) Stephon Castle
4) Ron Holland II
5) Matas Buzelis
6) Omaha Biliew
7) Bronny James
8) Jeremy Fears Jr.
9) Sean Stewart
The question on everyone’s mind is, will Bronny become the first player to win this contest after his own father also won it in the past?
However, the excitement over the slam dunk round will have to wait until the end of the night, as the Power Jam Fest usually starts off with the skills knock-out tournament.
In this contest, both boys and girls will participate, so let’s take a look at the competitors selected for this year:
Boys knockout
1) Sean Stewart
2) Elmarko Jackson
3) Aaron Bradshaw
4) Ja’ Kobe Walter
5) Kwame Evans
6) Justin Edwards
Girls knockout
1) Essence Cody
2) Juju Watkins
3) Madison Booker
4) Sofia Bell
5) Ashlynn Shade
6) Riley Nelson
In the 2022’s edition, Indya Nivar won the girl’s competition as she signed for Stanford, and the new Duke player Mark Mitchell won the boy’s knock-out. Just to refresh your memories, let’s take a look at last year’s Powerade Jam Fest which was also held in March in Chicago:
Finally, the famous three-point competition, which proves who’s the most efficient shooter after 25 attempts, five from each angle of the arc.
Last time around, it was Keyonte George won and took the trophy all the way to Baylor University, as he made 12 points after his shooting display.
Boys 3-point
1) Ja’Kobe Walter
2) Andrej Stojakovic
3) Jared McCain
4) Reed Sheppard
Girls 3-point
1) Tessa Johnson
2) Emma Risch
3) Kymora Johnson
It was another new-Duke signature player who proved to be the best young shooter in the girl’s department, as Ashlon Jackson tallied 18 points and beat the second place by eight last year in Illinois.
The Powerade Jam Fest’s competitions will get under way today Monday 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET, on both ESPN2 and the ESPN App.
Basketball
Brandon Miller hit career-high seven 3s, tied Hornets’ rookie record
Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller made a career-high seven 3-pointers, tying the franchise rookie record for most in a single game, during Wednesday night’s 118-111 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The 6-foot-9 wing recorded 31 points, six rebounds, one assist, and a block in 35 minutes of action. He also finished 11-of-19 (57.9%) shooting from the field and 7-of-13 (53.8%) from 3-point range.
.@brandmillerr has made seven threes tonight to:
✅ set a new career high
✅ tie franchise rookie record for a single game pic.twitter.com/cqCrueD2H0— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) March 28, 2024
“I wasn’t aware, I was just happy that we got the win,” Miller replied when asked if he knew about tying the Hornets’ rookie record. “With being on a losing streak, I think a win like this can start something great and we’ll try to build off this.”
Miller drained a dagger 3-pointer with 25 seconds left to secure a seven-point lead and help Charlotte snap its five-game losing streak. It was his third 30-point game of his NBA career.
Brandon Miller became the third-fastest Charlotte Hornets rookie to reach 1,000 career points
“He was big,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said of Charlotte’s No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft. “He made big plays, and he got going in the second half. Another really good performance.”
Earlier this month, Miller scored his 1,000th career point in his 60th career game against the Phoenix Suns on March 15. He became the third-fastest Hornets rookie to reach the mark behind only Alonzo Mourning (53 games) and Larry Johnson (55 games).
Through 65 games (59 starts) of his rookie season, Miller is averaging 17 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals, 2.4 3-pointers, and 32 minutes per game while shooting 43.6% from the floor, 36.8% from deep, and 81.7% at the line.
.@hornets guard/forward @brandmillerr has reached 1,000 career points in his 60th career game. He is the third-fastest Hornets rookie to reach 1,000 career points behind only Alonzo Mourning (53 games) and Larry Johnson (55 games).#LetsFly35
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) March 16, 2024
Additionally, Miller is set to become the 11th rookie in NBA history to average at least 15 points and two 3-pointers per game in a season.
Miller would join Allen Iverson (23.5 PPG, 2 3P), Stephen Curry (17.5 PPG, 2.1 3P), Damian Lillard (19 PPG, 2.3 3P), Lauri Markkanen (15.2 PPG, 2.1 3P), Kyle Kuzma (16.1 PPG, 2.1 3P), Donovan Mitchell (20.5 PPG, 2.4 3P), Luka Doncic (21.2 PPG, 2.3 3P), Kendrick Nunn (15.3 PPG, 2.0 3P), Anthony Edwards (19.3 PPG, 2.4 3P), and Jalen Green (17.3 PPG, 2.3 3P).
The Hornets host the Golden State Warriors on Friday.
Basketball
Victor Wembanyama 2nd NBA rookie with 300+ combined stls, blks
San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama is the first NBA rookie to record 300 or more combined blocks and steals in a season since Shaquille O’Neal in 1992-93.
Wembanyama, 20, has amassed 222 blocks and 79 steals through 64 games, totaling 301. O’Neal logged 286 blocks and 60 steals in 81 games, combining for 346 in his rookie season.
Per multiple NBA betting sites, Wembanyama is the odds-on favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year. Sportsbooks are still showing great odds for Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chet Holmgren.
Victor Wembanyama (221 blocks, 79 steals) becomes the first Rookie to eclipse 300+ combined blocks & steals in a season since Shaquille O’Neal in 1992-93 with 346. pic.twitter.com/ELhjcpP0Hc
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) March 28, 2024
In San Antonio’s 118-111 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, Wembanyama posted 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and five blocks in 30 minutes of action.
It was his 21st game with five or more blocks, the most by an NBA player before age 21. O’Neal ranks second on the all-time list with 19 games, followed by Anthony Davis (14), Josh Smith (13), and Kevin Garnett (10).
The 7-foot-4 big man also finished 7-of-15 (46.7%) shooting from the floor, 1-of-4 (25%) beyond the arc, and 4-of-7 (57.1%) at the foul line.
San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama leads NBA in blocks, recorded a career-high 10 blocks
Through 63 games (all starts), San Antonio’s No. 1 pick in last year’s draft is averaging 20.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, an NBA-leading 3.4 blocks, 1.3 steals, and 29 minutes per game.
Wemby also leads the league with 217 blocks. He ranks 10th in total rebounds (662), eighth in defensive rebounds (519), 20th in steals, third in defensive box plus/minus (3.0), second in defensive rating (106.7), and sixth in usage percentage (31.8%).
Moreover, in San Antonio’s 122-99 loss against the Toronto Raptors on Feb. 12, Wemby notched 27 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a career-high 10 blocks in 28 minutes played.
denied and destroyed!! 👽🛸@wemby | #PorVida | @Spurs | @BallySports 📺 pic.twitter.com/ERTJeyWTHZ
— Bally Sports San Antonio (@BallySportsSA) March 28, 2024
He became the fifth NBA player since 1990 to register a triple-double with at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 blocks in a single game.
It was also the first triple-double with blocks since Clint Capela had 13 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 blocks for the Atlanta Hawks against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Jan. 22, 2021.
NBA sportsbooks show Wembanyama with second-best odds to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert is the front-runner with 10 games left of the regular season.
Basketball
Draymond Green’s first-quarter ejection among fastest in the past decade
Draymond Green is at it again and has now received his fourth ejection of the campaign. It seems that no matter how much his team has asked him to control his emotions on the NBA floor, he finds a way to impact the game negatively with his low tolerance and aggressive nature.
This time around, he was thrown out of the match with less than four minutes played on the clock into Golden State‘s clash against Orlando on Wednesday night. It was the forward’s first ejection since his 16-game suspension, which was a special punishment made by the NBA after he hit rival Jusuf Nurkic in the face.
With 8:24 still on the first quarter’s clock, the four-time champ started to argue with referee Ron Acosta after a foul was called on Andrew Wiggins. “It’s unfortunate. He deserved it,” his coach Steve Kerr said after beating the Magic 101-93. “And he’ll bounce back.”
Draymond was called for two technical fouls in a matter of seconds, and earned his ejection. “After a prolonged diatribe, Green directed egregious profane language towards a game official,” explained crew chief Mitchell Irvin, who then said this had nothing to do with the player’s history of misconduct.
Just as the veteran was seen walking to the locker room, his teammate Stephen Curry was visibly frustrated at the situation. Once the contest was over, he recognised how badly they need him on the floor. “We need him. He knows that. We all know that, so whatever it takes to keep him on the floor, for him to be available, that’s what’s got to happen, especially at this time of year,” he said. “I’ve talked to him plenty of times about it, even tonight, and I’ll continue to talk to him as a teammate and a friend.”
Nevertheless, the 36-year-old praised his team for the way they handled themselves on the court and conquered the game. “But it was a beautiful team effort to respond the way we did,” Curry expressed. “We went and took it, and that’s a good sign for us.”
Green didn’t attend the press after the match, but did share his excitement on social media by showing appreciation to his squad. “Great DUB!! Appreciate my dawgs holding it down! On to the next one! BOUNCE BACK!” he wrote on X.
Forward Andrew Wiggins led the Warriors in Draymond’s absence and was recognised by his locker room
Despite Green’s on-court antics earning him an ejection, Andrew Wiggins stayed calm and inspired his team to victory. Just in the first half, the forward dropped 13 points. By the end of the contest, he earned a team-high 23 points, plus 6 rebounds and two blocks over 35 minutes of play.
“Just trying to stay aggressive, trying to do whatever I can to get over the hump and get this win,” he told the press after the win. “We’re desperate. We need every win we can get.”
.@legsespn reacts to Draymond Green being ejected less than four minutes into Warriors-Magic.
“The only word that popped in my head is selfish. This is a selfish move to do this to your team when they desperately have to have you.” pic.twitter.com/Y7Fch9myPr
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) March 28, 2024
“He won us the game tonight – plain and simple,” Curry added. “I’m just proud of the way he took that challenge on, that he was assertive and aggressive. Whether he makes or misses shots, I could (not) care less. It’s just the ability for him to just be aggressive and take the shots that he knows he can take, put the pressure on the room, he’s knocking down 3s. Like everything. He had the whole bag working tonight.”
Their coach acknowledged how Golden State came back from a difficult situation. “It was a gutsy effort in tough circumstances, back-to-back, losing Draymond early” coach Steve Kerr shared. “And the guys just competed for 48 (minutes). Obviously, we need every game we could get right now so that’s why everybody was pretty emotional.”
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