Sports
Freshmen JuJu Watkins and Hannah Hidalgo top AP women’s team in America
Caitlin Clark has been a mainstay on the Associated Press All-America team for the past few seasons.
Iowa State’s all-time NCAA scoring leader was honored Wednesday for the third straight yr, becoming the eleventh player to earn the distinction 3 times. She was unanimously chosen by a 35-member national media panel that selects AP’s Top 25 each week.
Joining Clark’s first team were Stanford’s Cameron Brink, UConn’s Paige Bueckers, and freshmen JuJu Watkins from USC and Hannah Hidalgo from Notre Dame. They are only the fourth and fifth freshmen to affix the AP team since its inception in 1994-95, joining Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris, Maya Moore and UConn’s Bueckers.
“We had front row seats to JuJu, but what Hannah has done is unbelievable,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “Coach Niele (Ivey) did an amazing job.”
Clark joins the select group for the third time with first-team honors: South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston, Baylor’s Brittney Griner, Tennessee’s Chamique Holdsclaw, Duke’s Alana Beard, Paris, Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon’s Rhyne Howard Kentucky and UConn’s Breanna Stewart and Moore. Paris and Moore did it 4 times.
Clark, who earned second-team honors as a freshman, led the nation in scoring, averaging 31.9 points per game and was tops in assists with an 8.9 average. The Iowa native became the primary Division I player to attain a consecutive 1,000-point season in her profession and also surpass 3,000 points and 1,000 assists.
“It’s amazing when you think about it,” Iowa State coach Lisa Bluder said. “I mean, everyone’s defense plan is to stop her and nobody has been capable of determine how you can do it. She faced every type of defense. She really knows how you can tell them apart.
Watkins took the country by storm as a freshman. She has already scored 810 points, which is the fourth highest result amongst first-year students in history. She averaged 27 points, was second to Clark, and added 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.4 steals and 1.5 blocks to assist the Trojans win the Pac-12 Tournament for the primary time since 2014. She is the primary USC player to earn: AP Team honors.
“JuJu entered a program that, while it has a long history, has done nothing significant for many, many years,” Gottlieb said. “It’s very rare for a player of her level to come to a program that isn’t already at the top. She answered every call.”
Hidalgo was incredible on each ends of the ground for the Fighting Irish, helping them win the ACC Tournament title. She averaged 23.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists, and also led the nation in steals, averaging 4.6 per game.
Featured Stories
“She deserves to be among the best in women’s basketball,” Ivey said. “Hannah is a fierce competitor and an elite competitor who rose to the occasion and has been extremely consistent and dominant this season.”
Bueckers finally had a healthy season after missing a lot of the last two years attributable to injuries. She returned to the shape that earned her AP Player of the Year honors in her freshman yr, averaging 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Huskies.
“He’s one of those special superstars that wants to be on both ends of the floor,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “Not everyone values the identical things. He takes loads of joy in the deflections he could make, the shots he can block, the interceptions he could make and the passes he can intercept out of bounds. He just has an excellent sense of the sport and what is going on to occur next. I believe that is probably why she’s never surprised, because I believe she all the time knows what is going on to occur next.
Brink averaged 17.8 points, 12 rebounds and 3.5 blocks, which led the nation. She became the second player in the last 24 years to record 100 blocks and 100 assists in the identical season, joining Stewart, who did it 3 times.
“Cam is the best two-way player in the country and a dominant force on both ends of the court,” Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. “In addition to all her points, rebounds and blocks, she is a selfless teammate and willing passer who makes everyone around her better.”
Clark, Brink and Bueckers were on the preseason AP All-America team. They were joined by LSU’s Angel Reese, Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes and Virginia Tech’s Elizabeth Kitley.
SECOND TEAM
The AP Second Team was led by Kitley, who was the ACC Player of the Year for a 3rd straight season. She was joined by Reese, South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso, Texas’ Madison Booker and Ohio State’s Jacy Sheldon.
THIRD TEAM
The AP third team was Utah’s Alissa Pili, Holmes, Syracuse’s Daisha Fair, Virginia Tech’s Georgia Amoore and Oregon State’s Reagan Beers.
DISTINCTION
Kansas State’s Ayoka Lee and UConn’s Aaliyah Edwards were the major vote-getters amongst players who didn’t qualify for the three All-American teams. Players earned featured status in the event that they appeared on one in every of the ballots.
NFL Hall of Fame receiver and podcast host Terrell Owens has signed with a talent agency to further strengthen his claims within the entertainment game.
According to , Owens was signed by SMAC Entertainment, headed by host and NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and his business partner Constance Schwartz-Morini.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz has also joined SMAC Entertainment.
“We are excited to add TO and Jordan to the SMAC family. They are both at the top of their game and set the standard in their industry,” Schwartz-Morini said in a written statement. “TO and Jordan have already brought an infectious energy to our team, and we are excited to help them realize their vision for careers in media, business and branding.”
A five-time first-team All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler, Owens played for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. In 2018, he was finally inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
A member of the 2000 NFL All-Decade Team, Owens finished his profession with 1,078 catches for 15,934 yards, 14.8 yards per catch and 153 touchdowns, rating third all-time in receiving yards and touchdowns.
Since retiring from skilled soccer in 2012, Owens has already made several moves. He has appeared in several movies and tv shows, including “,” and in addition had his own reality show, “, on VH1.
He currently co-hosts the podcast with former NFL player and sports analyst Shannon Sharpe.
SMAC Entertainment is home to stars similar to rapper and actor Common, Wiz Khalifa, Strahan, Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders and current NFL players similar to Stefon Diggs and DK Metcalf.
Sports
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker brings an NBA championship desire with his Olympic experience
The gold medal went to the USA Basketball team. Mission completed on the 2024 Paris Games. U.S. men’s basketball coach Steve Kerr just answered his final query during his final news conference on Aug. 10 after his team defeated France within the gold medal game.
However, before leaving the stage of the press conference in Paris, Kerr stopped to deliver an unsolicited message to media around the globe.
“Devin Booker is an amazing basketball player. Nobody asked about him. He was our unsung MVP. I just desired to say that,” Kerr said.
The “underrated MVP” compliment meant so much to the Phoenix Suns guard.
“It meant everything. No one really asked him,” Booker recently told Andscape. “That was probably something that was weighing on his mind throughout the entire process. A 12 months ago I said what I desired to do for this team and what we desired to do for the country.
“It was a lot larger than all of us. Survival was something we’d discuss for the remainder of our lives.
The USA Basketball team was centered around NBA star icons LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. There has also been some discussion amongst media and fans in regards to the lack of playing time for Jayson Tatum and, to a lesser extent, Tyrese Haliburton. Lost within the shuffle was the all-around, unselfish play of sharpshooter Booker wearing the armband.
Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images
Booker was fourth in scoring for the U.S., averaging 11.7 points, 3.3 assists and a couple of.2 three-pointers made early in all six Olympics, and likewise had the perfect plus/minus (plus-130) for an American. Kerr was impressed with Booker’s deal with a difficult defense, regardless that he is thought for his offense, ball movement and the way he has adjusted to not being one in every of the highest options on offense.
“I just understood what was at stake,” Booker said. “I’m proud to be from this country. I’m happy with playing basketball. Even though it wasn’t invented in America, we dominated for a very long time. Obviously the world is incredibly talented and the sport is growing, however it was just one other message to allow them to know who we’re.
Booker said he also learned in regards to the preparations from his all-star team, watching the preparations on and off the court. The 28-year-old added that he gained lifelong friendships.
“It’s cool to see that everyone has their own issues,” Booker said. “In my 10 years in the NBA, I’ve learned that you have to choose what you can use for yourself. But the level of detail, the attention to detail, the intensity – it’s all consistent across the board.”
As for Durant, Booker said the bond between the 2 Sun stars “is close and grows stronger every day.” They live about five minutes from one another within the Phoenix area and commonly spend time at home and on the road. Most recently, Booker had to steer the Suns without Durant, who was sidelined with an injury.
The amazing Durant averaged 27.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and three.4 assists, which were tops for the Suns. However, the 14-time NBA All-Star has been sidelined since November 8 with a left calf strain. Suns players Bradley Beal (calf) and Jusuf Nurkic (ankle) were also sidelined. The Suns are 1-5 without Durant, which incorporates 4 straight losses.
Booker and Suns sans Durant’s next rivals shall be the New York Knicks on Wednesday evening (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET). Over the last six games, Booker is averaging 24.1 points, shooting 43.2% from the sphere and making 16 of 43 three-pointers. Suns guard Tyus Jones said there was numerous pressure on Booker offensively due to the injury.
“We’re asking a lot of Book,” Jones said after Monday’s 109-99 loss to the visiting Orlando Magic. “It’s numerous pressure for him. We are very focused on it. They are physical with him, holding him and grabbing him, throwing two or three bodies at him all night long. So he’s got so much on his plate and we just need to proceed to seek out ways to get him open within the moments we will and proceed to assist him when other players are taking shots and making plays.
Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
Booker currently has two Olympic gold medals, 4 NBA All-Star appearances and one NBA Finals appearance. The only thing missing from the Suns’ second-leading all-time scorer is an NBA championship. Since the Suns joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1968, they’ve yet to win a title.
After experiencing the joys of winning a gold medal, Booker as an NBA champion wants the gold Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy much more.
“Most of the guys that were there did it,” Booker said of his Olympic teammates who were NBA champions. “They were champions. This is standard for them. Anything lower than that, they need nothing to do with it. It’s contagious…
“That’s all I want. That’s all I want.”
After months of introducing the players and coaches who will participate in its inaugural season, the brand new Unrivaled 3-on-3 women’s basketball league announced its team rosters and coaching assignments on Wednesday.
Founded by WNBA players Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, Unrivaled consists of six teams of six players each. The league was created to offer WNBA players with a substitute for playing overseas in the course of the offseason.
Although initially announced as having 30 players, the league has since expanded to 36, which Collier attributed “above financial forecasts”. The league has announced 34 players publicly up to now.
The inaugural season of Unrivaled will begin on January 17, 2025, with all games going down in Miami. Here are the official teams for the inaugural season, as well season schedule.
Vinyl Basketball Club:
– Coach: Teresa Weatherspoon
Rose Basketball Club:
– Coach: Nola Henry
Mgła basketball club:
– Coach: Phil Handy
Lunar Owls Basketball Club:
– TBD: wild card
– Coach: DJ Sackmann
Phantom Basketball Club:
– TBD: wild card
– Coach: Adam Harrington
Laces Basketball Club:
– Coach: Andrew Wade
Zepto raises another $350 million amid retail upheaval in India
Mississippi College changes name and eliminates football program
NFL star Terrell Owens signs a contract with Michael Strahan’s talent agency
More proof that you’re old: Mary J. Blige’s “My Life” album debuted 30 years ago
Why is Trump delaying signing the ethics agreement?
CEO of 360WiSE Launches Mentorship Program in Overtown Miami FL
The Importance of Owning Your Distribution Media Platform
U.S.-Africa Chamber of Commerce Appoints Robert Alexander of 360WiseMedia as Board Director
360Wise Media and McDonald’s NY Tri-State Owner Operators Celebrate Success of “Faces of Black History” Campaign with Over 2 Million Event Visits
Another lawsuit accuses Google of bias against Black minority employees
Man removed from Airbnb for racist, hate-filled messages to black client
Charmaine Bey Shares Inspiration Behind Children’s Book on Colorism
Will Poulter got emotional during the filming of ‘Detroit’
NBA Champ Rasheed Wallace Talks Basketball and Black Lives Matter
Eddie Murphy Receives the Icon Award | theGrio Awards 2023
-
Press Release8 months agoCEO of 360WiSE Launches Mentorship Program in Overtown Miami FL
-
Business and Finance6 months agoThe Importance of Owning Your Distribution Media Platform
-
Press Release7 months agoU.S.-Africa Chamber of Commerce Appoints Robert Alexander of 360WiseMedia as Board Director
-
Business and Finance8 months ago360Wise Media and McDonald’s NY Tri-State Owner Operators Celebrate Success of “Faces of Black History” Campaign with Over 2 Million Event Visits
-
Ben Crump7 months agoAnother lawsuit accuses Google of bias against Black minority employees
-
Fitness7 months agoBlack sportswear brands for your 2024 fitness journey
-
Theater8 months agoApplications open for the 2020-2021 Soul Producing National Black Theater residency – Black Theater Matters
-
Ben Crump8 months agoHenrietta Lacks’ family members reach an agreement after her cells undergo advanced medical tests