A decade ago, the Dallas Mavericks stood atop the basketball world after Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and company won the NBA Finals over a heavily favoured Miami Heat team that featured LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in their first season together.
With the Heat dynasty clearly on the rise and with the Mavs fielding a veteran roster already, Dallas decided not to make an earnest title defense and traded defensive anchor Tyson Chandler.
The Mavericks have yet to win a playoff series since those 2011 NBA Finals.
Despite postseason appearances in six of the past 10 seasons and the acquisition of a generational talent in Luka Doncic, owner Mark Cuban decided change needed to come in the 2021 offseason.
Gone is Donnie Nelson, who had been the general manager since 2002 and was the architect of that title team a decade ago.
Also gone is longtime head coach Rick Carlisle, who had been in place since 2008 and amassed a record of 555-478. Nonetheless, Cuban decided to change things up.
"The league has changed in the 21 years since I've been here," Cuban said. "Players have changed. How you build a championship team has changed. Sometimes you just have to look to have a different tool set."
Who is in charge?
Doncic and Nelson have a famously close relationship and the 22-year-old star was disappointed to see his longtime friend replaced by former Nike executive Nico Harrison as general manager.
While training with Slovenia in preparation for the Olympic Games, Doncic admitted he was less than thrilled by the move: "It was kind of tough to me. I really like Donnie. I know him since I was a kid and he was the one that drafted me.
"It was tough for me seeing that, but I'm not the one making decisions there."
This indicates that Cuban, who has long held the reputation as one of the most involved owners in American sports, was asserting his view of what the Mavs' leadership team should look like.
Yet moving on from Carlisle, long considered a leading NBA coach, appears to be a move targeted at appeasing Doncic. The young star had openly shown his disapproval with some of Carlisle's coaching decisions and substitution patterns, becoming increasingly prone to on-court displays of frustration.
Doncic may not quite wield the sway of someone like LeBron James, who has become the face of the "player empowerment era" in the NBA, but Cuban has wisely taken Doncic's input into consideration.
And as much as the hiring of a new leadership team represents a new era for the Mavs, Cuban is clearly trying to revive some of the magic of the 2011 squad.
Jason Kidd was named the team's next head coach, with it also announced that Dirk Nowitzki would begin a formal role as a front office advisor – two moves that also surround Doncic with mentors to help him progress into a champion.
The cornerstone
Doncic's career is off to an unprecedented start, and Dallas clearly intends to build around its multi-talented superstar well into the future. Doncic was the fastest in NBA history to reach 5,000 points, 1,500 rebounds and 1,500 assists, hitting those marks in 195 career games.
LeBron James took 228 games to reach those numbers. Michael Jordan needed 282 games.
Doncic has also improved every season since entering the league in 2018. Already a triple-double machine, he posted career-high efficiency in 2020-21 by shooting 47.9 per cent from the floor and 35.0 per cent from three-point range.
His game has started to mature, as well, especially as a scorer. Doncic is a child of the shot-efficiency era, and he has always gotten shots from the most efficient areas on the floor – at the rim, behind the 3-point line and at the free throw line. Those shots remain valuable, but Doncic has diversified arsenal of mid-range options by developing a variety of floaters and pull-ups. He shot 51.5 per cent from mid-range last season – better than mid-range maestro Devin Booker (51.2 per cent) – after shooting around 41 per cent in his first two seasons.
This bodes well as an indicator of future success in the postseason, when opponents' defenses are geared toward taking away the most efficient shots.
Doncic's numbers are virtually unassailable and make him almost a lock to win an MVP – if not more – at some point in his career. It can be hard to forget, though, that Doncic has only played three years in the NBA.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, although a less refined prospect when drafted, needed until his sixth season to win his first MVP and became a champion in his eighth season only after suffering heart-breaking losses, sanding away some rough edges in his game that made him vulnerable in the playoffs and evolving into a true leader.
Doncic's numbers may remain steadily impressive over the coming years, but he can still grow and develop in subtle ways as he matures. Kidd, a dynamic triple-double threat in his own playing days, will be responsible for overseeing Doncic’s growth.
"My job is to give him answers to the test," Kidd said of Doncic. "His imagination is at the highest level, which is a great thing to be a part of. I (as a young player) tried a lot of things, and I know I drove a lot of my coaches crazy. I won't get mad because I've been in those shoes."
Do the pieces fit?
With a .362 usage rate last season, Doncic shouldered the largest offensive burden of any player in the league. Kidd has already said publicly that the superstar will need more help from his team-mates going forward.
"Not having to bring the ball up every time and start the play," Kidd said. "When you look at the fourth quarter, he wears down at times."
Further evidence that Doncic will need more help is that he has exploded for more than 40 points in five of his 13 career playoff games, yet the Mavericks are just 2-3 in those games.
Kristaps Porzingis has been tabbed as the second option in Dallas but could end up in trade rumours sooner rather than later after a flaccid playoff performance, averaging just 13.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
Despite largely considered a disappointment for not recapturing his peak form, Porzingis still plays an important role as a floor spacer on offense while defending bigger players. And while his numbers fall short of what is expected of a second option, his presence on the court makes Doncic better.
Porzingis spaces the floor and gives Doncic room to penetrate opposing defenses, allowing him to be more efficient while both scoring and assisting, while also shooting much better from any range with Porzingis on the court compared to when he sits.
Dallas' depth got worse last offseason with a disastrous trade that sent Seth Curry to the Philadelphia 76ers for Josh Richardson, who has failed to live up to his reputation as a defender and who is yet to match his 17-4-4 averages from his breakout season with Miami in 2018-19.
After a disappointing regular season, Richardson played just 13.4 minutes per game in the Mavs' first-round loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, averaging 4.9 points and shooting under 40 percent.
Curry, meanwhile, exploded in the postseason for Philadelphia, averaging 18.8 points and connecting on over half of his three-pointers on 6.8 attempts per game.
Richardson's defensive prowess also appears to be a farse, as the Mavericks allowed 113.0 points per 100 possessions with him on the court last season and only 107.7 with him on the bench.
Richardson appears to be a failed experiment, and Dallas will need to look elsewhere to find something resembling a third star.
Evolution or Revolution? Verdict: Evolution
The organisation has already undergone a massive transformation by ousting their longtime general manager and head coach in favour of a new direction, so it is fair to say that anything resembling a "revolution" has already taken place in the front office.
The Mavs' roster is far from a finished product, however, and Harrison will need to hit the ground running in his first general manager job. Dallas did not own the rights to any of its picks in the NBA draft, so he will have already assessed the need to look elsewhere to upgrade the roster around his young superstar.
The postseason failures and frequent injuries of Porzingis could lead the Mavs to the trade market, but opposing teams have also seen those weaknesses and have adjusted their assessments of him as well. Dallas may be better served by displaying some patience with a player who is still only 25 and has averaged over 20 points per game in three straight campaigns.
Milwaukee's 2021 title demonstrated that teams can still build patiently while developing players and Dallas may be one acquisition away – as the Bucks were with Jrue Holiday – from becoming contenders once again.
Top seed Casper Ruud is through to his third successive ATP final after defeating Arthur Rinderknech at the Generali Open.
The world number 14 has been in incredible form on clay, having captured the Swedish Open and Swiss Open titles.
Ruud, who also landed the Geneva Open crown in May, has now won his last 11 matches, but was made to work hard for a 6-3 7-6 (9-7) victory over world number 91 Rinderknech in Kitzbuhel.
The Norwegian was forced to come from behind and defeat Sweden’s Mikael Ymer on Thursday, saving a match point in the process, and a single break swung a close opening set in his favour.
Fresh from defeating third seed Filip Krajinovic in the last eight, Rinderknech refused to lie down and took the second to a tie-break.
The big-serving Frenchman fired down 10 aces, but Ruud held his nerve to avoid a decider and prevail, saving a match point as he came from a mini-break down to extend his winning run.
The 22-year-old will play Pedro Martinez in the final after the Spaniard came from behind to beat Germany’s Daniel Altmeier 4-6 6-3 6-3.
Spaniard Martinez won 70 per cent of points behind his first serve and broke four times to move into the championship match.
Valtteri Bottas recorded the fastest time of second practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix, 0.027s ahead of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
Bottas' fastest lap of 1:17.012 helped Mercedes lead the way on their soft-tyre simulations, while championship leader Max Verstappen had to settle for third after his car struggled in the hot temperatures.
Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez came in fifth, while the Alpine duo of Esteban Ocan and Fernando Alonso finished fourth and seventh respectively.
Three-time World champion Sebastian Vettel finished eighth, with team-mate Lance Stroll completing the top 10 behind McLaren’s Lando Norris.
South Africa must take their frustration over officiating out on the British and Irish Lions when then they attempt to keep the series alive on Saturday.
The Lions roared back in the second half of an attritional first Test at Cape Town Stadium last weekend to take a 1-0 lead with a 22-17 victory.
South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has had a busy week since the world champions' seven-match winning run came to an end.
Erasmus accused the Lions of "reckless and dangerous" play and used social media to highlight "questionable calls" from the officials during an absorbing contest.
The 48-year-old fanned the flames further on Thursday, offering to "step away" in an hour-long video in which he stated the Springboks should be given an "equal chance" by officials in the remainder of series.
It was the turn of assistant coach Mzwandile Stick to have his say on Friday, accusing the Lions of “destroying the dignity of the series" by starting the war of words prior to the first Test.
Siya Kolisi then backed up Erasmus' claim that the Springboks captain felt disrespected by referee Nic Berry, who might be glad it will be New Zealander Ben O'Keeffe on duty this weekend.
The Lions have taken a different approach as they look to stretch their run of series without defeat to three for the first time since 1959, giving their backing to O'Keeffe.
Full-back Stuart Hogg said: "In the short time I've been Scotland captain Ben O'Keeffe has been one of the best referees I've had to deal with.
"He almost coaches you round the field at the same time. When we ask questions he's very calm in his answers and is good at communicating.
"That's a reason why a large majority of his games when he's involved are allowed to flow, you're allowed to get on with it, and he helped me massively in the couple of games we've had him when I've been leading the side.
"Everyone is entitled to the opinion of referees, but they have a huge amount of respect from us as players. I'd hate to do the job if I'm honest!
"But Ben O'Keeffe has been one of the best referees I've had the opportunity to deal with as captain."
South Africa have handed number eight Jasper Wiese his first Test start as one of three changes, with prop Steven Kitshoff steps in to win his 50th cap alongside the returning Frans Malherbe.
Prop Mako Vunipola, scrum-half Conor Murray and centre Chris Harris come into the Lions team.
KOLISI: TIME TO STAND UP
While the hurting Springboks were quick to point the finger at the officials, skipper Kolisi knows they must improve after squandering a lead in the first Test.
"Of course, we feel a lot of pressure, but we must focus on what we can control and fix the mistakes we made," said Kolisi.
"We responded well this week and trained well, and we are looking forward to the match. We know we have to stand up in times like these."
He added: "There are some similarities to losing against New Zealand in our opening game in the World Cup, but this is different because this tournament is only played every 12 years, while the World Cup is played every four years, so we may not have another opportunity.
"We have to turn it up and we are looking forward to the match."
LIONS PREPARED FOR BOKS BACKLASH
Robin McBryde has been looking back as well as forward as the Lions prepare for another almighty battle, reading up on the 1974 tour of South Africa.
The Lions secured a 3-0 whitewash 47 years ago, but they did not go down without a huge fight and forwards coach McBryde knows it will be no different this time around.
"They will go back to their physical nature. It’s what they did in 1974 after losing that first Test," he said.
"There's a term they have which means climbing in, to get stuck in. I'm sure that’s what they'll be looking to do on Saturday – to get stuck into us.
"They're a very proud nation who will be looking to come out with all guns blazing."
South Africa : Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk; Steven Kitshoff, Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi (captain), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese.
Replacements : Malcolm Marx, Trevor Nyakane, Vincent Koch, Lood de Jager, Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith, Herschel Jantjies, Damian Willemse.
British and Irish Lions : Stuart Hogg, Anthony Watson, Chris Harris, Robbie Henshaw, Duhan van der Merwe, Dan Biggar, Conor Murray; Mako Vunipola, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tadhg Furlong, Maro Itoje, Alun Wyn Jones (captain), Courtney Lawes, Tom Curry, Jack Conan.
Replacements : Ken Owens, Rory Sutherland, Kyle Sinckler, Tadhg Beirne, Taulupe Faletau, Ali Price, Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly.
KEY OPTA FACTS
- The Lions have lost just two of their previous 13 games in Cape Town (W10, D1), a run that stretches back to the beginning of the 1974 tour.
- South Africa conceded 14 penalties against the Lions in the first Test, including nine inside their own half of the pitch; both tallies were their most in a Test since June 2018 against England.
- The Lions are unbeaten in their three Tests (W2, D1), their best run since a six game spell spanning the 1971 and 1974 tours (W4, D2).
- The tourists have lost just two series after winning the first Test (W10, D1) – against New Zealand in 1930 and Australia in 2001. They won four and drew one of their five such series against South Africa.
South Africa assistant coach Mzwandile Stick has accused the British and Irish Lions of "destroying the dignity of the series" ahead of the second Test on Saturday.
The Springboks are aiming to bounce back in Cape Town following last weekend's controversial 22-17 defeat in the series opener.
The performance of referee Nic Berry came under scrutiny from the hosts, with director of rugby Rassie Erasmus embarking on a lengthy rant on social media criticising the official.
Backing Erasmus, Stick has intensified the pressure ahead of the second Test.
The assistant coach has suggested Warren Gatland's Lions challenged the integrity of the governing body in the lead-up to the opening Test by questioning the appointment of South African Marius Jonker as TMO.
"Let's go on the build-up where firstly, the integrity of World Rugby was challenged by another human being when Marius was appointed TMO," Stick said.
"And then Gatland on the other side went crazy, and was asking World Rugby and challenging them about the decision they had made.
"We're not asking for any favours, we just want equal grounds.
"I wouldn't like the whole series to be about decisions taken by the officials, or about the coaches off the field.
"Even if things are being said in social media or a traditional media conference, it's still the media. All coaches want to get their messages across.
"He (Erasmus) wanted to state his as his own personal view; it had nothing to do with us as a team.
"So if Rassie got into trouble because of what he said on social media, I think the gentleman that challenged the integrity of the game when the TMO was challenged, I think that is something that really destroyed the dignity of the series and also challenges the integrity of World Rugby."
Russell Westbrook is preparing for life on a fourth different team in as many years, with LeBron James welcoming his new running mate to the Los Angeles Lakers following a blockbuster trade.
The Lakers overshadowed the NBA Draft by completing a deal to get Westbrook from the Washington Wizards, who receive Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in return.
The Wizards also got the 22nd pick in Thursday's first round – Isaiah Jackson was taken at that slot, then traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for point guard Aaron Holiday – while the Lakers gained two second-round selections in future drafts, according to reports.
For Westbrook, it means yet another fresh start. The 32-year-old ended his long association with the Oklahoma City Thunder when reuniting with James Harden at the Houston Rockets in 2019, only to then leave for Washington a year later.
Despite only spending one season with the Wizards, Westbrook declared his appreciation for all connected with the franchise in an Instagram post after news of the deal had emerged.
"Thank you DC! You welcomed my family and I with open arms from day one," he wrote.
"Everyone from the front office to the training staff, the coaches, my team-mates, and the fans. I’m grateful y'all took a chance on me and supported me every step of the way.
"I'm blessed to have been a part of such a stand-up organisation. It didn't take long to make a home in DC, and I will forever be grateful and appreciative of my experience with the organisation. Thank you."
LeBron, meanwhile, used his Instagram account to put up a picture of himself and fellow Lakers star Anthony Davis standing either side of the team's latest recruit, along with the caption "Brodie", which is Westbrook's nickname.
The addition is a move aimed at getting the 2019-20 NBA champions back into contention. The title defence did not go to plan last term, long-term injuries to their two stars leading to a struggle just to make the postseason. While they did qualify, the holders were knocked out in the first round by the Phoenix Suns.
As for Westbrook, his year with the Wizards included a key role in a late charge to make the playoffs via the play-in tournament, though they were beaten 4-1 in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers, after which it was announced head coach Scott Brooks would be leaving his role.
Westbrook had broken an NBA record that had stood for 47 years during the regular season, moving beyond Oscar Robertson to top the list for career triple-double games.
He led the league for assists with 11.7 per game, as well as shooting 31.5 per cent from three-point range - his best return from deep sine the 2016-17 season. It will be fascinating to see how he fits into the Lakers' current roster, though it remains to be seen if they are finished making offseason moves just yet, considering free agency is around the corner.
There was speculation L.A. were also in negotiations to bring in Buddy Hield from the Sacramento Kings. The 28-year-old would add some much-needed outside scoring, seen as he is a career 40.6 per cent shooter from deep.
The Lakers finished at 35.4 per cent as a team from three-point range, ranking them 21st in the entire league. Caldwell-Pope was one of their more successful players when it came to taking aim from distance, finishing up at 41.0 per cent, but he has been moved on in order to add a new playmaking presence.
Westbrook, who is from California and played at UCLA during his college career, will earn $44.2million in 2021-22, then has a player option worth $47m for the following year.
Two-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar has signed a new deal to remain with UAE Team Emirates until 2027.
The Slovenian has worn the yellow jersey down the Champs Elysees at the last two editions of the Tour, also claiming the mountains classification in both.
Pogacar, who is still only 22, took bronze in the Tokyo 2020 men's road race and has now secured his long-term future with the team he joined in 2019.
"I'm really happy to be able to commit my future to the team and stay here for the next years," he told his team's official website. "I feel at home here, it feels like a big family.
"This team is a really good fit for me and I am fortunate to say that I have not only found colleagues but friends.
"I'm excited for the years ahead and what they will bring, hopefully more success for me and for the team. I hope we are inspiring lots of kids to ride bikes."
The New York Yankees have been one of MLB's most aggressive teams ahead of Friday's trade deadline, and their performance against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday showed they have plenty of room for improvement.
The Rays scored four times in the first inning before exploding for 10 runs in the sixth on the way to a 14-0 victory as they handed Yankees ace Gerrit Cole his worst loss of the season.
Austin Meadows' three-run homer off Cole was the big blow as Tampa Bay took an early lead, and Meadows added a two-run homer in the sixth to cap the scoring.
The Rays also got a grand slam from Brett Phillips and a two-run shot from Ji-Man Choi in that inning as they drove Cole from the game.
The Yankees starter was charged with a season-high eight runs, seven of them earned, despite striking out 10 in 5.1 innings, but it was Albert Abreu who let the game get out of hand for New York.
The reliever faced six batters in the sixth and did not retire any of them, allowing all three Rays homers in the inning while also surrendering a single and walking two.
New York's hitters did not provide much help, as they managed only four hits off Rays starter Luis Patino and two relievers, but they know reinforcements are coming after trading for Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo the last two days.
Blue Jays pound Red Sox
The Rays-Yankees game was not the only blowout among American League (AL) East rivals Thursday, as the Toronto Blue Jays hammered the Boston Red Sox in a 13-1 win at Fenway Park. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 33rd home run of the year amid the onslaught, a three-run drive in the fifth inning, as Toronto starter Hyun Jin Ryu allowed just two hits in six shutout innings.
The San Francisco Giants claimed their second series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in as many weeks, winning 5-0 as their bullpen turned in 4.1 perfect innings to back up Johnny Cueto's strong start.
Manny Pina homered in the sixth and eighth innings, driving in five runs as the Milwaukee Brewers pulled away late for a 12-0 win and three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Joey Votto homered for the sixth consecutive game, helping the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-4 win over the Chicago Cubs.
Miguel Cabrera hit the 496th and 497th home runs of his career as the Detroit Tigers beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-2.
Royals take series from White Sox
The first-placed Chicago White Sox fell to the Kansas City Royals for the third time in their four-game series, losing 5-0 as they collected only five hits off Carlos Hernandez and two relievers.
Phillies avoid sweep in dramatic fashion
After dropping the first game of their doubleheader against the Washington Nationals, the Philadelphia Phillies were on the verge of being swept before scoring three in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game. After Washington scored in the top of the eighth, Brad Miller hit a grand slam in the bottom half for the walk-off win.
Thursday's results
Toronto Blue Jays 13-1 Boston Red Sox
Milwaukee Brewers 12-0 Pittsburgh Pirates
Detroit Tigers 6-2 Baltimore Orioles
Atlanta Braves 6-3 New York Mets
Tampa Bay Rays 14-0 New York Yankees
Cincinnati Reds 7-4 Chicago Cubs
Kansas City Royals 5-0 Chicago White Sox
Oakland Athletics 4-0 Los Angeles Angels
San Francisco Giants 5-0 Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres 3-0 Colorado Rockies
Washington Nationals 3-1 Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies 11-8 Washington Nationals
Astros at Giants
Opening a matchup of division leaders, the Houston Astros (63-40) send Framber Valdez to the mound against All-Star Kevin Gausman and the San Francisco Giants (64-38).
With the MLB trade deadline still a day away, the big dominoes started falling on Thursday as rumours swirled around numerous star players.
While multiple reports said Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner were on the verge of being dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Yankees finalised another addition to their lineup.
A day after acquiring slugger Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers, New York got Anthony Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs for outfielder Kevin Alcantara and pitcher Alexandro Vizcaino, adding a power-hitting first baseman renowned for his clubhouse presence.
Though he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres, Rizzo had been a beloved Cubs fixture for years, making three All-Star teams and helping Chicago to a long-awaited World Series title in 2016.
Rizzo did not play in the Cubs' 7-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds earlier Thursday, prompting fans at Wrigley Field to chant "We want Rizzo!" during the game.
The 31-year-old is hitting .248 with 14 home runs, 40 RBIs and a .792 OPS and will become the Yankees' primary first baseman.
Red Sox swoop for Schwarber
Rizzo's former Cubs team-mate Kyle Schwarber also was on the move Thursday as the Nationals traded him to the Boston Red Sox for minor league pitcher Aldo Ramirez.
Schwarber is on the injured list with a hamstring strain but is expected back soon.
The All-Star is hitting .253 with 25 home runs and 53 RBIs, with 16 of those homers coming in an 18-game stretch in June.
He figures to see time as an outfielder and designated hitter for the Red Sox.
Mariners get Castillo as relievers on the move
In other moves Thursday, the Seattle Mariners acquired closer Diego Castillo from the Tampa Bay Rays for pitcher JT Chargois and third baseman Austin Shenton.
The San Diego Padres shored up their bullpen in getting veteran reliever Daniel Hudson from the Nationals for minor league pitcher Mason Thompson and infielder Jordy Barley.
The Chicago White Sox made a pair of moves, picking up infielder Cesar Hernandez from the Cleveland Indians for left-hander Konnor Pilkington and getting relief pitcher Ryan Tepera from the Cubs for pitching prospect Bailey Horn.
Lefty reliever Brad Hand moved from Washington to the Toronto Blue Jays for catcher Riley Adams, while the Dodgers picked up left-hander Danny Duffy from the Kansas City Royals for a player to be named.
The term "positionless" has been all the buzz in the NBA the last few years, and the first round of the 2021 draft followed that trend as the Detroit Pistons took Cade Cunningham with the first overall pick and players with similar skill sets went off the board soon after.
Longstanding positional terms like guard, forward and center have gone out the window as athletic players like NBA MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets have taken over the league, and Cunningham leads the latest crop of versatile options.
Checking in at 6-foot-8, Cunningham often plays like a point guard, leading his team down the floor – exactly the kind of headache-inducing matchup teams are seeking these days.
After the Houston Rockets took guard Jalen Green second overall and the Cleveland Cavaliers used the third pick on big man Evan Mobley, the Toronto Raptors surprised many prognosticators by taking another of those positionless players at number four with Scottie Barnes.
At 6-foot-9, his role at Florida State was similar to Cunningham's at Oklahoma State, running the offence while defending across multiple positions.
"He's a multi-faceted, multi-positional two-way player," Raptors head coach Nick Nurse told reporters. "We like guys that can handle, pass, score, defend, rebound a little bit and just kind of come at you in waves with that."
Most had expected Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs to be Toronto's pick after US fans fell in love with him during the NCAA Tournament, but he fell to the Orlando Magic at number five.
The Okahoma City Thunder then took yet another 6-8 talent in Australia's Josh Giddey at number six in a move that caught many off guard.
It was more of the same with the following pick as the Golden State Warriors took Jonathan Kuminga, a player who can defend anyone and is unafraid to launch from three-point range.
It was that kind of night as NBA teams added young talent while trading players and picks in this and future drafts.
Because most transactions cannot become official until August 6, teams selected players they know they will not keep due to deals made ahead of and during the draft.
Those types of moves prevailed in the latter half of the first round, with numerous reported trades on the cards.
Among them, yet another versatile big man in Turkey's Alperen Sengun, who was drafted at number 16 by the Oklahoma City Thunder but reportedly will play for Houston.
The 6-foot-10 Sengun told reporters he believes his passing abilities will help him excel as other European imports have done before him.
"With my new team, Houston, I will bring something different on the court," he said. "I will do whatever it takes and whatever is needed."
As the lines between positions and roles continue to blur in the NBA, that approach has increasingly become the default setting across the board.
2021 NBA Draft first-round picks
1. Detroit Pistons – Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State
2. Houston Rockets – Jalen Green, USA
3. Cleveland Cavaliers – Evan Mobley, USC
4. Toronto Raptors – Scottie Barnes, Florida State
5. Orlando Magic – Jalen Suggs, Gonzaga
6. Oklahoma City Thunder – Josh Giddey, Australia
7. Golden State Warriors – Jonathan Kuminga, Congo
8. Orlando Magic – Franz Wagner, Michigan
9. Sacramento Kings – Davion Mitchell, Baylor
10. New Orleans Pelicans – Ziaire Williams, Stanford (traded to Grizzlies)
11. Charlotte Hornets – James Bouknight, Connecticut
12. San Antonio Spurs – Josh Primo, Alabama
13. Indiana Pacers – Chris Duarte, Oregon
14. Golden State Warriors – Moses Moody, Arkansas
15. Washington Wizards – Corey Kispert, Gonzaga
16. Oklahoma City Thunder – Alperen Sengun, Turkey (reportedly traded to Rockets)
17. Memphis Grizzlies – Trey Murphy III, Virginia (traded to Pelicans)
18. Oklahoma City Thunder – Tre Mann, Florida
19. New York Knicks – Kai Jones, Texas (reportedly traded to Hornets)
20. Atlanta Hawks –Jalen Johnson, Duke
21. New York Knicks – Keon Johnson, Tennessee
22. Los Angeles Lakers – Isaiah Jackson, Kentucky (traded to Pacers via Wizards)
23. Houston Rockets – Usman Garuba, Spain
24. Houston Rockets – Josh Christopher, Arizona State
25. Los Angeles Clippers – Quentin Grimes, Houston (reportedly traded to Knicks)
26. Denver Nuggets – Nah'Shon Hyland, VCU
27. Brooklyn Nets – Cam Thomas, LSU
28. Philadelphia 76ers – Jaden Springer, Tennessee
29. Phoenix Suns – Day'Ron Sharpe, North Carolina (reportedly traded to Nets)
30. Utah Jazz – Santi Aldama, Loyola (reportedly traded to Grizzlies)
With the MLB trade deadline still a day away, the big dominoes started falling on Thursday as rumours swirled around numerous star players.
While multiple reports said Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner were on the verge of being dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Yankees finalised another addition to their lineup.
A day after acquiring slugger Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers, New York got Anthony Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs for outfielder Kevin Alcantara and pitcher Alexandro Vizcaino, adding a power-hitting first baseman renowned for his clubhouse presence.
Though he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres, Rizzo had been a beloved Cubs fixture for years, making three All-Star teams and helping Chicago to a long-awaited World Series title in 2016.
Rizzo did not play in the Cubs' 7-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds earlier Thursday, prompting fans at Wrigley Field to chant "We want Rizzo!" during the game.
The 31-year-old is hitting .248 with 14 home runs, 40 RBIs and a .792 OPS and will become the Yankees' primary first baseman.
Red Sox swoop for Schwarber
Rizzo's former Cubs team-mate Kyle Schwarber also was on the move Thursday as the Nationals traded him to the Boston Red Sox for minor league pitcher Aldo Ramirez.
Schwarber is on the injured list with a hamstring strain but is expected back soon.
The All-Star is hitting .253 with 25 home runs and 53 RBIs, with 16 of those homers coming in an 18-game stretch in June.
He figures to see time as an outfielder and designated hitter for the Red Sox.
Mariners get Castillo as relievers on the move
In other moves Thursday, the Seattle Mariners acquired closer Diego Castillo from the Tampa Bay Rays for pitcher JT Chargois and third baseman Austin Shenton.
The Chicago White Sox made a pair of moves, picking up infielder Cesar Hernandez from the Cleveland Indians for left-hander Konnor Pilkington and getting relief pitcher Ryan Tepera from the Cubs for pitching prospect Bailey Horn.
Lefty reliever Brad Hand moved from Washington to the Toronto Blue Jays for catcher Riley Adams, while the Dodgers picked up left-hander Danny Duffy from the Kansas City Royals for a player to be named.
Cameron Norrie breezed past Nick Kyrgios and John Isner downed countryman Jack Sock to advance to the quarter-finals at the Atlanta Open on Thursday.
The third-seeded Norrie defeated Kyrgios 6-1 6-4 in less than an hour as he tries for a second consecutive title after collecting his first ATP Tour championship at Los Cabos last week.
The former University of Georgia star Isner, a five-time champion in Atlanta, beat Sock 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 despite serving only 13 aces after hitting 36 in his previous match.
Second-seeded Jannik Sinner fell 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 to Australian qualifier Christopher O'Connell, leaving the tournament without its top two seeds after Milos Raonic was upset by Brandon Nakashima on Wednesday.
O'Connell, ranked 132 in the world to Sinner's 23, had not won a main-draw match this year before defeating Denis Kudla in the opening round and will now face Isner in the quarters.
Norrie will meet Emil Ruusuvuori, who advanced when Benoit Paire retired down 3-0 in the third set after the pair had split the first two sets 4-6 6-4.
Ruusuvuori is into his second career ATP quarter-final after making it to the semis at Nur-Sultan last year.
The Los Angeles Lakers are set to add another former MVP, as several media outlets reported they will acquire Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards in a draft-night blockbuster.
In return for Westbrook and second-round picks in 2024 and 2028, the Lakers reportedly are sending Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the 22nd overall pick in Thursday's draft to Washington.
While the deal cannot be officially completed until August 6, when the salary cap for next season is set, commissioner Adam Silver announced the portion involving the draft pick from the podium on Thursday.
With the 22nd pick that was part of the trade, the Lakers selected Isaiah Jackson from Kentucky and sent him to Indiana as part of a separate deal between the Indiana Pacers and Wizards that reportedly will net Washington Aaron Holiday and the number 31 pick.
But Los Angeles native and former UCLA star Westbrook was the man everyone was talking about on Thursday.
After one season with Washington, Westbrook will head west to join LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers as they try to bounce back from a first-round playoff loss a year after winning the NBA title.
The move will cost LA, who will owe their new star trio a combined $121million next season.
But the Lakers will be hoping for big things from the nine-time All-Star Westbrook, who was the league's MVP in 2016-17 while playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder and turns 33 in November.
Westbrook averaged 22.2 points and a career-high 11.7 assists and 11.5 rebounds in 65 regular-season games last season, recording triple-doubles in 38 of them.
Along the way, he broke Oscar Robertson's long-standing record of 181 career triple-doubles, finishing the season with 184.
From Washington's perspective, moving on from Westbrook frees up money to keep Bradley Beal as the team's centerpiece moving forward as he enters the final year of his contract.
The Wizards also added some supporting pieces in the deal, as Harrell averaged 13.5 points and 6.2 rebounds for the Lakers last season, while Kuzma contributed 12.9 points and 6.1 rebounds and Caldwell-Pope 9.7 points.
With the MLB trade deadline still a day away, the big dominoes started falling on Thursday as rumours swirled around numerous star players.
While multiple reports said Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner were on the verge of being dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Yankees finalised another addition to their lineup.
A day after acquiring slugger Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers, New York got Anthony Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs for outfielder Kevin Alcantara and pitcher Alexandro Vizcaino, adding a power-hitting first baseman renowned for his clubhouse presence.
Though he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres, Rizzo had been a beloved Cubs fixture for years, making three All-Star teams and helping Chicago to a long-awaited World Series title in 2016.
Rizzo did not play in the Cubs' 7-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds earlier Thursday, prompting fans at Wrigley Field to chant "We want Rizzo!" during the game.
The 31-year-old is hitting .248 with 14 home runs, 40 RBIs and a .792 OPS and will become the Yankees' primary first baseman.
Mariners get Castillo as relievers on the move
In other moves Thursday, the Seattle Mariners acquired closer Diego Castillo from the Tampa Bay Rays for pitcher JT Chargois and third baseman Austin Shenton.
The Chicago White Sox made a pair of moves, picking up infielder Cesar Hernandez from the Cleveland Indians for left-hander Konnor Pilkington and getting relief pitcher Ryan Tepera from the Cubs for pitching prospect Bailey Horn.
Lefty reliever Brad Hand moved from Washington to the Toronto Blue Jays for catcher Riley Adams, while the Dodgers picked up left-hander Danny Duffy from the Kansas City Royals for a player to be named.
In the end, there really was no suspense. The Detroit Pistons made the expected move, taking Cade Cunningham with the top pick in the 2021 NBA Draft on Thursday.
The Houston Rockets followed up by selecting Jalen Green second overall and the Cleveland Cavaliers took Evan Mobley third.
Though everyone had predicted for months that Cunningham would be the top pick, he still had to take time to collect himself after NBA commissioner Adam Silver called his name.
"It's still crazy to be in the moment," Cunningham told ESPN. "Words can't really describe the emotions. ... I'm just so happy to be here and I'm ready to see what I can do at the next level."
The 19-year-old Cunningham starred in his only season at Oklahoma State, earning consensus All-America honours after averaging 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
At 6-foot-8, he looks like a forward but plays like a guard and is comfortable creating shots for his team-mates and scoring on his own.
Green, 19, skipped college to go straight to the NBA G League Ignite developmental team. The 6-foot-6 guard is a natural scorer who should provide the Rockets and immediate boost on the offensive end.
Mobley, 20, is known for his two-way abilities, excelling on offence and defence in his lone season at Southern California. The 7-footer averaged 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.9 blocks for the Trojans.
Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona is stepping down for the rest of the season for health reasons, the team said Thursday.
The move is effective immediately, with bench coach DeMarlo Hale set to run the team in his absence.
Francona has battled health problems for years and missed much of the 2020 season, including the playoffs, with a gastrointestinal problem and blood clotting issues.
The 62-year-old has long been a fixture in MLB dugouts, beginning his managerial career with the Philadelphia Phillies (1997-2000) before leading the Boston Red Sox to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007 during his eight seasons there.
Francona has been Cleveland's manager since 2013, compiling a 723-568 record (.560) and reaching the World Series in 2016.
He has a 1,752-1,483 mark (.542) overall, with his win total putting him third among active MLB managers behind Tony La Russa (2,788) and Dusty Baker (1,955).
Hale, 60, is a longtime MLB coach who previously served on Francona's staff with the Red Sox and reunited with him in Cleveland for this season.
Max Scherzer will always hold fond World Series-winning memories with the Washington Nationals after potentially making his final appearance on Thursday, amid reports he could be on the move to the San Diego Padres.
The starting pitcher allowed one run over six innings as the Nationals picked up a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, though he now awaits confirmation on his future.
Scherzer, who helped the Nationals to a 2019 World Series win and is 8-4 this season with a 2.76 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 111 innings, wanted to focus on the positives after Yan Gomes' two-run homer secured victory over the Phillies in the first game of a doubleheader.
"I don't want to look at this as a negative thing," Scherzer told the media after the game. "I'd rather look at this as a positive thing. I signed a seven-year deal here and we won a World Series.
"That's the first thing I said when I signed, that I was here to win. And we won. We won a World Series.
"That's a lifelong dream come true and something I'll always be proud of with these guys here, to be part of a championship team, looking forward to reunions and stuff like that."
The 37-year-old is being tipped for a trade to the Padres, according to the Athletic, as they attempt to pair up the three-time Cy Young winner with Yu Darvish.
Scherzer's potential final game nearly did not happen due to triceps discomfort, but the pitcher pulled through for the Nationals to show the world he was still fit and healthy.
"Just working through it, getting back in the groove of things," he said about his injury. "I never like missing starts. For me to get back here, get six innings in, get back in my routines, that's when everything feels great."
Indeed, Scherzer has continually performed during his six-year spell at the Nationals which appears to be coming to an amicable end.
Since joining in 2015, Scherzer's 1,610 strikeouts lead the pitcher charts, with Gerrit Cole's 1,366 providing not much competition way back in second – such is the quality of the Nationals starter.
Amid growing trade rumours, with the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox among the original favourites, Scherzer reflected glowingly on his experiences with the Nationals.
"For me, this is where my family started. I came here without kids and now I have three kids. I've watched my girls grow up here," he said.
"What can you say about the fans? That championship will always mean something to all of us and we'll always have that flag."
Mercedes have criticised Red Bull for trying to "tarnish the good name and sporting integrity" of Lewis Hamilton after a request for a review into a collision with Max Verstappen was rejected.
Red Bull asked the FIA to review a 10-second penalty given to Hamilton after a crash that saw Verstappen smash into the barriers at high speed during the first lap of the British Grand Prix.
Verstappen was taken to hospital for checks after a 51G impact with the tyre barrier at Copse Corner and Red Bull argued the punishment handed to Hamilton - who went on to win the race - was not severe enough.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner accused the Brit of "dirty driving" at the time and Formula One's governing body confirmed on Tuesday the team had submitted a petition for a review of the incident.
The FIA's International Sporting Code only permits requests for a review if "a significant and relevant new element is discovered which was unavailable to the parties seeking the review at the time of the decision concerned."
Red Bull supplied four pieces of evidence, but the stewards did not deem the information provided qualified as a "significant and relevant new element", so Hamilton's win at Silverstone stands.
Mercedes took aim at Red Bull after the verdict was revealed.
A statement from the team said: "In addition to bringing this incident to a close, we hope that this decision will mark the end of a concerted attempt by the senior management of Red Bull Racing to tarnish the good name and sporting integrity of Lewis Hamilton, including the documents submitted for their unsuccessful right of review.
"We now look forward to going racing this weekend and to continuing our hard-fought competition for the 2021 Formula One World Championship."
Horner said Verstappen's crash with Hamilton cost Red Bull around $1.8million, an outlay that will have "massive ramifications" for the team.
Hamilton heads into this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix just eight points behind Verstappen after triumphing on home soil for a record-extending eighth time.
Casper Ruud survived a scare as he progressed to the Generali Open semi-finals with a 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 victory over Mikael Ymer.
World number 14 Ruud is targeting a third successive ATP title, having also captured the Swedish Open and Swiss Open earlier this month.
It has been a timely return to form for the Norwegian, who suffered a shock defeat to Australia's Jordan Thompson at Wimbledon at the end of June.
Although he was in danger of seeing his nine-match winning streak come to an end in Kitzbuhel, after losing the opening set against Swedish opponent Ymer.
Ruud, who also triumphed at the Geneva Open in May, was then taken to a tie-break in the second ser by the world number 99, but held his nerve to tee up a decider.
It was one-way traffic from there with the 22-year-old dominating play to set up a last-four clash with Arthur Rinderknech, who hit five aces as he overcame third seed Filip Krajinovic 6-4 6-1.
Meanwhile, Daniel Altmaier's place in the semi-finals was secured with a 6-1 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 win over Gianluca Mager.
The world number 135, who reached the fourth round of last year's French Open, will play Pedro Martinez in the semi-finals after the Spaniard saw off Jozef Kovalik 6-2 6-2.
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