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UConn's 82-59 win over South Carolina on Sunday averaged 8.5 million viewers across ESPN and ABC. The number represents a 55% decrease from last year's Iowa-South Carolina matchup and a 14% decrease from the LSU-Iowa game from two years ago. It did represent a 75% increase in viewership from 2022, the last time Caitlin Clark didn't appear in the final.
It’s a new day for St. Bonaventure with former ESPN and Yahoo Sports reporter Adrian Wojnarowski at the helm of its men’s basketball program. WWE created customized championship belts for the school, adding the Catholic university to a growing roster of colleges with “Legacy Belts.” The TKO brand has also created belts for Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, Florida, LSU and Penn State, among others. Along with the belts, the partnership with WWE includes NIL opportunities for the men’s basketball players. “Our fans will love the Bonnies-inspired championship title belts, and our student-athletes will be the beneficiaries of the opportunities that come from our alignment with WWE,” Wojnarowski, the basketball program’s general manager, said in a statement.
In light of Caitlin Clark making headlines for becoming the first person to ever be dressed by Prada for the WNBA Draft on Monday night, the retired NBA legend reflected on the attire he sported at the 1992 NBA Draft. "I just went to a suit store and got a suit on consignment," O'Neal tells PEOPLE exclusively of the garment he wore when he was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the first overall pick that year. "The suit was $1,500." The then-LSU player — who's gone on to play for six NBA teams over his 19-year career —admits, "I didn't have $1,500 at the time." However, the gentleman behind the counter cut the then-rising athlete a deal.
Elsewhere in O'Neal's interview with PEOPLE, he opened up about his close bond with fellow LSU alumna Angel Reese, who was recently selected by the Chicago Sky as the seventh pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. "I am described as Angel's understandable ear," O'Neal tells PEOPLE exclusively of Reese. "I know things that she went through, I know what she's going through, I know what's about to happen to her and I could give her advice." "She's the same age as my children, so I only want the best for her," the retired NBA star and father of six tells PEOPLE. "And when you have daughters, you know how to use that calm voice," he adds.
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LSU guard Jalen Cook will enter the 2024 NBA draft, the Tigers guard confirmed on Monday.
Amare Stoudemire: The number #32 was inspired by my brother (Rest in Peace) Hazell Stoudamire Jr., you feel me? And then Shaq also played for number #32 in Orlando so that was also another great moment for myself. So, it's a little bit of both. On what he remembers about Shaq growing up in the Orlando days when he was growing up in Lake Wales... Amare Stoudemire: So Shaq came out of LSU ripping down backboards dominating, right? My brother was locked up doing an 8-year bid upstate New York so his energy and his persona -- the way he played the game, the way his personality was reminded me of my brother, right? So, that energy that I took from him correlated with me. So that number #32 jersey and they both played that same number, that made me want to take that #32 jersey to the next level.
For a brief moment, Morant flashed what seemed like a finger gun as he celebrated the play. He closed his fist a split-second later. It’s not exactly a great look for a player just coming off a gun-related 25-game suspension. Some fans on social media claimed that Morant’s dance was an homage to the celebrations used by LSU football players in Baton Rouge. Morant even reposted one fan’s clip showing off LSU players hitting similar moves as Morant.
Me’Arah O’Neal, the youngest daughter of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, on Sunday signed a National letter of Intent to play college basketball for the Gators. She chose Florida over defending national champion LSU (her father’s alma mater), among other schools.
Marc J. Spears: The Thunder has signed forward KJ Williams. During the 2022-23 season at LSU, he averaged 17.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. @LSUBasketball
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Blazers add Australian World Cup starting center Duop Reath
Adrian Wojnarowski: The Portland Trail Blazers are signing free agent center Duop Reath on a one-year deal, sources tell ESPN. Reath was a starter for the Australia in the World Cup and played for the Blazers' summer league team. He played at LSU and has had stops in Serbia and China.
Adrian Wojnarowski: The Washington Wizards are hiring LSU assistant Cody Toppert to be the franchise’s G League head coach with the Capital City Go-Go, sources tell ESPN. Toppert previously worked with the Phoenix Suns as an NBA assistant and G League head coach.
Timberwolves, Naz Reid agree to a three-year deal
Adrian Wojnarowski: Timberwolves center Naz Reid has agreed on a new three-year, $42 million deal with a player option, his agents Sean Kennedy and Jeff Schwartz of @excelbasketball tell ESPN. Undrafted out of LSU, Reid had his best season with 11.5 points and 4.9 rebounds.
Brad Turner: Here are the players the Lakers are having in for pre-draft workouts today: Ben Sheppard - Belmont Landers Nolley II - Cincinnati Patrick Gardner - Marist Omari Moore - San Jose State Sidy Cissoko - G League Ignite KJ Williams - LSU
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