Although Wednesday marks the start of the 2025 NBA draft, the Golden State Warriors will likely have to wait until Thursday to make their only selection of the draft. Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Steve Kerr will be on the clock in the second round with the No. 41 overall pick.

Before the Warriors make their pick, last-minute mock drafts are being filed with different predictions for what player could come off the board at No. 41. In the latest mock draft from ESPN, the Warriors landed a 7-foot-3 center out of Australia.

In Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo’s new mock draft at ESPN, Australian center Rocco Zikarsky was penned to the Warriors at No. 41.

Check out the full mock draft with predictions for both the first and second rounds of the 2025 NBA draft here.

The 18-year-old big man has played 18 games for the Brisbane Bullets in the 2024-25 season, averaging 4.6 points on 52.4% shooting from the field to go along with 3.4 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game.

Rocco Zikarsky may be one of the more misunderstood players in the 2025 NBA Draft. His stats for the Brisbane Bullets in the NBL may not necessarily jump out at you, but the film should.

A 7’3″ mobile big with long arms, great rim protecting instincts, and rim running ability… pic.twitter.com/Z1quDFbhLf

— Draftstack (@TheDraftstack) May 26, 2025

In his second season in Brisbane, Zikarsky tallied double figures in four games, scoring a season-high 13 points twice.

Rocco Zikarsky showing NBA teams how he moves at 7-foot-4 at the NBA draft combine pro lane agility drill pic.twitter.com/wCcAeKdyXA

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 13, 2025

Zikarsky signed with the Bullets in the NBL in 2023 at 16-years-old, becoming the youngest player in the Brisbane program history.

7-foot-4 Australian Rocco Zikarsky showing his outrageous 9’6 1/2 standing reach in the standing vertical jump test at the NBA draft combine pic.twitter.com/hyP9WZVTgX

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 13, 2025

Zikarsky could add to Golden State’s young frontcourt with former second-round picks Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quinten Post.

This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Warriors add 7-foot-3 center out of Australia in new ESPN mock draft

Jacob deGrom has been outstanding this season in his return from Tommy John surgery.

On Wednesday, he showed the Baltimore Orioles the stuff that made him a two-time Cy Young winner. 

deGrom pitched seven no-hit innings against Baltimore to lead the Texas Rangers to a 7-0 win. Manager Bruce Bochy left him on the mound for the eighth inning with a chance to keep the no-hitter going. But the bid ended with with a leadoff single from Colton Cowser.

deGrom’s night was done at 89 pitches, and the Rangers bullpen took the shutout home. 

While he didn’t secure the no-hitter, there was plenty to like about the 37-year-old’s effort. deGrom entered the seventh inning with a perfect game intact before allowing a pair of walks. Those and Cowser’s single were the only baserunners deGrom allowed. 

deGrom had his best stuff going, including a sweeping changeup that bewildered Baltimore’s rising star second baseman Jackson Holliday.

deGrom’s fastball sat in the high 90s and his slider produced repeated swinging strikes. When his night was done, deGrom had allowed one hit, two walks and zero runs. He struck out seven and lowered his season-long ERA from 2.24 to 2.08.

It’s the type of stuff the Rangers envisioned when they signed him to a five-year, $185 million contract ahead of the 2023 season to lure him from the New York Mets. Disaster struck when deGrom required Tommy John surgery for the second time six games into his Rangers career.

But now that he’s back, he looks very much like the pitcher who earned that $185 million deal. 

Jacob deGrom has been outstanding this season in his return from Tommy John surgery.

On Wednesday, he showed the Baltimore Orioles the stuff that made him a two-time Cy Young winner. 

deGrom pitched seven no-hit innings against Baltimore to lead the Texas Rangers to a 7-0 win. Manager Bruce Bochy left him on the mound for the eighth inning with a chance to keep the no-hitter going. But the bid ended with with a leadoff single from Colton Cowser.

deGrom’s night was done at 89 pitches, and the Rangers bullpen took the shutout home. 

While he didn’t secure the no-hitter, there was plenty to like about the 37-year-old’s effort. deGrom entered the seventh inning with a perfect game intact before allowing a pair of walks. Those and Cowser’s single were the only baserunners deGrom allowed. 

deGrom had his best stuff going, including a sweeping changeup that bewildered Baltimore’s rising star second baseman Jackson Holliday.

deGrom’s fastball sat in the high 90s and his slider produced repeated swinging strikes. When his night was done, deGrom had allowed one hit, two walks and zero runs. He struck out seven and lowered his season-long ERA from 2.24 to 2.08.

It’s the type of stuff the Rangers envisioned when they signed him to a five-year, $185 million contract ahead of the 2023 season to lure him from the New York Mets. Disaster struck when deGrom required Tommy John surgery for the second time six games into his Rangers career.

But now that he’s back, he looks very much like the pitcher who earned that $185 million deal. 

Jacob deGrom has been outstanding this season in his return from Tommy John surgery.

On Wednesday, he showed the Baltimore Orioles the stuff that made him a two-time Cy Young winner. 

deGrom pitched seven no-hit innings against Baltimore to lead the Texas Rangers to a 7-0 win. Manager Bruce Bochy left him on the mound for the eighth inning with a chance to keep the no-hitter going. But the bid ended with with a leadoff single from Colton Cowser.

deGrom’s night was done at 89 pitches, and the Rangers bullpen took the shutout home. 

While he didn’t secure the no-hitter, there was plenty to like about the 37-year-old’s effort. deGrom entered the seventh inning with a perfect game intact before allowing a pair of walks. Those and Cowser’s single were the only baserunners deGrom allowed. 

deGrom had his best stuff going, including a sweeping changeup that bewildered Baltimore’s rising star second baseman Jackson Holliday.

deGrom’s fastball sat in the high 90s and his slider produced repeated swinging strikes. When his night was done, deGrom had allowed one hit, two walks and zero runs. He struck out seven and lowered his season-long ERA from 2.24 to 2.08.

It’s the type of stuff the Rangers envisioned when they signed him to a five-year, $185 million contract ahead of the 2023 season to lure him from the New York Mets. Disaster struck when deGrom required Tommy John surgery for the second time six games into his Rangers career.

But now that he’s back, he looks very much like the pitcher who earned that $185 million deal. 

The Golden State Warriors have had over 600 players don the more than 60 jersey numbers used by their players over the more than 75 years of existence the team has enjoyed in its rich and storied history.

Founded in 1946 during the Basketball Association of America (BAA — a precursor league of the NBA) era, the team has called home the cities of Philadelphia, San Francisco, Oakland, and even San Diego.

 To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Warriors Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. For this article, we begin with the 25th of 27 players who wore the No. 15 jersey for the Warriors.

That player would be Golden State big man alum Damian Jones. After ending his college career at Vanderbilt, Jones was picked up with the 30th overall selection of the 2016 NBA draft by the Warriors.

The Baton Rouge, Louisiana native would play the first three seasons of his pro career with Golden State, coming to an end when he was dealt to the Atlanta Hawks in 2019.

All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.

This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Warriors jersey history – No. 15 – Damion Jones (2016-19)

The Brooklyn Nets have 52 jersey numbers worn by over 600 different players over the course of their history since the franchise was founded in 1967 as a charter member of the American Basketball Association (ABA), when the team was known as the “New Jersey Americans”.

Since then, that league has been absorbed by the NBA with the team that would later become the New York Nets and New Jersey Nets before settling on the name by which they are known today, bringing their rich player and jersey history with them to the league of today.

To commemorate the players who played for the Nets over the decades wearing those 52 different jersey numbers, Nets Wire is covering the entire history of the franchise’s jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. The 21st of those 52 different numbers is jersey No. 20, which has has had a total of 28 players wear the number in the history of the team.

The eighth of those players wearing No. 20 played in the (then) New Jersey (now, Brooklyn) Nets era, big man alum Maurice Lucas. After ending his college career at Marquette, Lucas was picked up with the 14th overall selection of the 1974 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls.

The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native would play the first two seasons of his pro career with the ABA’s (defunct) Spirits of St. Louis, however. He would also have stints with the ABA’s (also defunct) Kentucky Colonels, and the Portland Trail Blazers before he was dealt to New Jersey in 1980.

His stay with the team would span just 90 games over parts of two seasons, coming to an end when he he was traded to the New York Knicks in 1981. During his time suiting up for the Nets, Lucas wore only jersey Nos. 33 and 20 and put up 14.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 blocks per game.

All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets jersey history No. 20 – Maurice Lucas (1981)

Bills Criticism and Rumors Focus On Both of Josh Allen’s Tight Ends originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

What is the level of public unhappiness with the Buffalo Bills tight end situation?

On the one hand, we have Bleacher Report having offered a blockbuster three-team deal that would cause the Bills to get New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu while sending tight end Dawson Knox to the Saints while the Atlanta Falcons get Kirk Cousins.

Their logic?

“The Bills can use the three-time first-team All-Pro all over the field as a defensive chess piece,” they write. “At 33, he’s still a better safety than Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin. Buffalo needs the type of players who can push the team over the top. Mathieu can be one of those individuals.”

Our confusion here: Why does this need to be a three-way trade?

If the Bills want “Honey Badger,” can’t they just trade for him?

And if they want to move on from Knox, can’t they do the same?

Besides … There is no indication in the building of dissatisfaction with Knox.

Now, what about unhappiness with the other tight end, promising Young Dalton Kincaid? Again, to the public perception …

USA Today’s Bills Wire has named Kincaid – the team’s first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft – as the Bills player with the most to prove this season.

And truthfully, the team has made some noise there.

As a rookie, he totaled 73 receptions for 673 yards. Last year, though, Kincaid made just 44 catches for 448 yards and infamously dropping a late fourth-down pass from quarterback Josh Allen in the AFC Championship Game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

But none of this should add up to a give-up. We’re betting that if you quizzed Allen, he would prefer to keep his tight ends just as they are, with Knox a clutch veteran and with Kincaid, admittedly, needing to continue to work to the goal of being the same.

Related: Bills MVP ‘Superman’ Josh Allen Reveals Brutally Honest Take on Individual Honor

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.

LAS VEGAS – It’d be deja vu for Renato Moicano if there wasn’t so much extra money in the bank.

For the second time in the calendar year, Moicano (20-6-1 MMA, 12-6 UFC) sat before reporters at an official pre-fight news conference and fielded questions from reporters about his nearing fight vs. Beneil Dariush. At UFC 317 on Saturday, however, the fight will actually happen – barring any craziness.

“I used the same training partners. I used the same system,” Moicano said. “But I had more time and I focused more on my dieting, on my training. This camp was even better than the last one.”

Moicano found himself in an impromptu title fight in January when he slotted in opposite champion Islam Makhachev in a title fight made a little over 24 hours prior to the event. The change occurred when Arman Tsarukyan suffered a last-minute injury and the change left Dariush (22-6-1 MMA, 16-6-1 UFC) without an opponent.

Despite the UFC 311 main event being a quick loss for him, Moicano is not discouraged or deterred – particularly because of the $1 million check that came his way as a result.

“It benefited me that I got a lot of money,” Moicano said. “I think that’s what I want and what I got. I got this opportunity and I was happy. Sometimes, life throws at you a challenge. I came up short. But now I have the chance to get back, to beat Dariush and to climb the rankings again, so I’m happy.”

Prior to their should’ve-been UFC 311 collision, Moicano verbally jabbed Dariush’s age and said he’d beat the “sh*t” out of him. However, a recent discovery, Moicano joked, devastated him and raised his internal bar as to what he needs to do Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“The difference is somebody told me he’s only 15 days older than me, so I have to kill him now,” Moicano said. “Because that means I was calling myself old the whole training camp. Saturday night, than can only be one old man standing. This is going to be me.”

With Makhachev en route to welterweight and a battle vs. champion Jack Della Maddalena, the path toward a title for Moicano might not be totally obstructed. However, Moicano doesn’t really care. He’s not about accolades. He’s about cashing checks, as his nickname indicates.

“I don’t care about rankings,” Moicano said. “I don’t care about anything. I want to fight for the belt someday again with better preparation. But that’s not up to me. I have to beat Beneil Dariush. I have to give a good speech to everybody. I have to bring more fans to my side. This is going to happen. I have to become more popular to fight for the belt. A lot of people think is a sport, but UFC is entertainment. They want to sell tickets. They want to sell merchandise. That’s the truth. That’s why I’m trying my best to be sellable.”

“… I still want to be on top. I still want more money, so you guys can expect somebody who wants to climb the rankings and get more money.”

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 317: Renato Moicano looking for a ‘kill’ vs. Beneil Dariush

Why Boston Celtics Blockbuster Trade Doesn’t Help San Antonio Spurs originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

On Tuesday, a day before the NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics agreed to a trade. The Brooklyn Nets got looped in as a third team.

Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round pick (via BOS) will go to the Hawks, Terance Mann and the 22nd pick will go to the Nets, and Georges Niang and a second-round pick have been sent to the Celtics.

BREAKING: Boston, Atlanta and Brooklyn are finalizing a three-team trade that sends Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round pick to the Hawks, Terance Mann and Atlanta’s No. 22 pick to the Nets, and Georges Niang and a second-rounder to the Celtics. pic.twitter.com/1fcbIslyVF

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2025

The deal gets the Celtics below the second apron, allowing them to hold pat and not make any other moves this offseason, if they so choose. The Hawks, meanwhile, will have Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Trae Young, Zaccharie Risacher, and Porzingis, allowing them to compete in a very weak East.

The San Antonio Spurs are owed a first-round pick from the Hawks in 2027 and a swap in ’26, although with Atlanta adding win-now talent next to Young, those picks sent to the Spurs are expected to lose some value as Atlanta improves.

Of course, with Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell, and others, the Spurs might not want to add rookie talent in 2026 and 2027, instead opting to trade those picks for a win-now player.

When the Hawks traded Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans, there was hope that the Spurs would be able to select in the lottery in 2025, 2026, and 2027, although this trade throws a cold towel on speculation, which likely was only ever realistic for a few short weeks, anyway. 

Check out the Inside the Spurs home page for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.

Related: Dylan Harper Compared to New York Knicks Legend Before NBA Draft

Related: Thomas Sorber Could Do With Victor Wembanyama What Rudy Gobert Failed

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.