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Red Sox Salvage Series Finale

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Rafael Devers collected two hits, including a two-run home run, to help the Red Sox avoid a three-game sweep by beating the visiting San Diego Padres 4-1 Sunday.

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Devers hit his 18th home run of the season in the bottom of the first against Matt Waldron. Wilyer Abreu, who reached on a walk, also scored on the home run. The two-run homer gave Devers 600 career RBIs.

Devers has hit four home runs in his last five games. Abreu and Masataka Yoshida also had two hits for the Red Sox.

Jarren Duran added a solo home run for the Red Sox, who ended a three-game losing streak. It was his ninth home run of the season.

San Diego scored in the seventh on back-to-back doubles by Jackson Merrill and Ha-Seong Kim. Merrill had three hits in the loss, which ended San Diego’s five-game winning streak.

Josh Winckowski (2-1) earned the win for tossing five scoreless innings in his second appearance since being recalled from Triple-A. Winckowski allowed four hits, struck out one and didn’t walk a batter.

Waldron (5-7) gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out three.

Boston was outscored 20-3 in the first two games of the series. San Diego prevailed 9-2 Friday night and 11-1 Saturday. The Padres entered Sunday’s game with a 9-1 record in their last 10 games and had outscored their opponents by 29 runs during that stretch.

After Devers gave Boston a 2-0 advantage, the Red Sox extended their lead to 3-0 in the third. Abreu singled, took third on a Devers single and scored on a passed ball.

Duran’s home run stretched the lead to 4-0 in the fifth, before the Padres got on the scoreboard in the seventh.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | June 30th

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While We’re Young (Ideas) – On Summer of ’24

Sunrise, Sunset (Photo by T. Peter Lyons/Digital Sports Desk)

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – Usually around Thanksgiving Day, this column waxes philosophic, taking stock of all the things to be thankful for as we face the challenges of life. Possibly lost in the shuffle or timing are the gifts of Summertime, a season of the year we should never, ever take for granted.

Yes, Fall in New England is a very special time of year. Brisk morning walks with our (two) dogs – Penny (Lane) and (Mighty) Max – start the day. We enjoy football Sundays and college football Saturdays on a cool October afternoon. The foliage is magnificent, at least until it must be raked and stuffed into bags of paper and placed on the curb come Monday night when yet another football game is being played.

But Summer. Ah, dear Summer, how can we thank thee?

Long days, filled with sun and 8:29pm sunsets … the smell of fresh cut grass … the robin red breast, a blue jay or a cardinal landing in the backyard … the chirp of the birds before sunrise … flowers blooming, especially the blue azaleas which took the year 2023 off but have outdone themselves this year … Cape Cod and Four Seas ice cream … new, clean and clear windows opened widely at night to cool the home from its midday warmth … checking the Major League Baseball standings on Memorial Day and cutting the standings out of the paper on the 4th of July to see how the old adage of first place on the 4th stands up come late September … a Fenway frank … keeping score of a major league game in Bob Carpenter’s baseball scorebook … the crack of the bat … red Twizzlers at a Little League baseball game … the annual NBA Draft and then free agency under a new set of rules governing maximum team salaries for the 2024-25 season … the travels of the Stanley Cup – sports’ most wonderful piece of hardware – as it travels the world to the hometowns of every single player on the NHL Stanley Cup championship roster … a double off the Green Monster or the proper fielding of a line drive off the historic wall at Fenway Park by a left fielder who promptly gloves and tosses the ball on a clothes line throw to second base, thus holding the batter/runner to a single … the 7 Line chugging into the old Shea Stadium – Willets Point stop and now a station to disembark to attend Citi Field, a wonderful ballpark in Flushing, Queens … soon – the same subway line will serve the patrons of the annual U.S. Open tennis tournament and the riders will walk towards Flushing Meadows instead of towards the home of the Metropolitans … that feeling on the 4th that Labor Day seems so far away … slicing Beefsteak tomatoes to decorate a sandwich … soft ice cream cones with a memory of Mister Softie trucks playing their tunes … Tom Carvel – aka Athanasios Thomas Karvelas – the business man from Hartsdale, New York who began selling ice cream from a truck in 1934 … Field 6 at Jones Beach … Ditch Plains in Montauk … radios on the beach, all tuned to the same FM station … Chatham, Mass … the opening of NFL training camps (July 23 for most teams) … the Farmer’s Market … corn on the cob with a bit of salt and pepper – hold the butter … cold gazpacho made from fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, red and green peppers with minced basil from the garden … the Arnold Palmer (half ice tea/half lemonade) over ice … summertime rock concerts at the Seaport, the Beach or maybe at Fenway Park … Blue Sky by the Allman Brothers Band … Saturday in the Park by Chicago … the signature carnival sound of the E Street Band … Southside at the Stone Pony … ice cold Rheingold or Shaeffer Beer … Gin & Tonic … the Jitney (isn’t it just a bus?) … Breakfast at Wimbledon … The Open ⛳️ … driving a JEEP in the open air on the beach … Gone Fishin’ … minor league baseball featuring the Chatham A’s vs Cotuit Kettleers – “Hey Cotuit” … hot dogs and burgers on the grill with watermelon for dessert … or the smell of a good NY Strip steak simmering on the grill … BLTs with corn salad … lightning bugs … the rooftops at Wrigley Field … smoked & grilled salmon on a cedar plank … waves breaking on the shore … the sounds of summer … wide open windows with a cool breeze overnight. Summer.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Boston College is rebuilding its swimming programs after a tumultuous year of 2023-24 when players on both the men’s and women’s teams were suspended for recruiting and hazing violations.

Dara Torres, one of the most decorated Olympians in United States sports history, has been named head men’s and women’s swimming & diving coach at Boston College. The announcement was made last week by William V. Campbell Director of Athletics Blake James.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dara Torres as our new head swimming & diving coach,” James said in a written statement. “From the moment we met with Dara, it was evident that she was exactly the fit we were looking for to begin a fresh, new chapter of Boston College swimming & diving. Her record as a world-class competitor is historic and her ability to clearly articulate her vision as a coach and leader will allow our student-athletes to develop and excel in and out of the pool.”

A six-time world record holder and 10-time American record holder throughout her competitive career, Torres made five appearances in the Olympic games (1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2008), garnering a total of 12 medals – four gold, four silver, and four bronze. She made her first U.S. national team at age 14 and broke her first world record as a 15-year old in the 50-meter freestyle.

As a coach, Torres has helped coach and mentor swimmers of various ages and skill levels, while serving as an advocate in leadership roles for the sport.

“This is a full-circle moment for me,” Torres said. “I’ve learned from great coaches at every point in my career. This opportunity to share what I’ve learned, in and out of the pool, and pass along technique, confidence, and support as part of the Boston College Athletics Department is a dream. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together.”

Boasting an Olympic career that spanned 24 years, Torres represented the United States as a 17-year old at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. It culminated with her becoming the oldest female swimmer – at 41 years of age – to compete in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. In 2009, Torres earned a trio of major awards: the ESPY Award for Best Comeback, the Thurman Munson Award, given to New York City athletes for their achievements and humanitarian efforts, and the World Fair play Award for best sportsmanship at the Olympics.

The previous head coach, Joe Brinkman, left BC early this year, “mutually parting” company with the school after the hazing scandal.

BIG EAST STRIKES TV RENEWAL WITH FOX AND STREAMING WITH NBC/PEACOCK: (Note is from official Big East news release) – The BIG EAST Conference announced a new six-year media rights agreement that will ensure that the league maintains its position as one of the most televised conferences in all of college athletics. FOX Sports, the BIG EAST’s television partner for the last 11 years, will continue as the conference’s lead network provider, with NBC Sports and TNT Sports also providing comprehensive BIG EAST basketball coverage for the first time. The agreement was unanimously approved by the Presidents of the BIG EAST’s 11 member institutions.

The new agreement, which will span from 2025-26 through 2030-31, encompasses coverage on FOX Sports (FOX, FS1, FS2), NBC Sports (NBC, Peacock) and TNT Sports (TNT, TBS, truTV and Max). The agreement will provide major national broadcast, cable and direct-to-consumer streaming coverage of BIG EAST men’s and women’s basketball games and Olympic sport championship contests. The BIG EAST’s current agreement with FOX Sports is scheduled to expire after the 2024-25 academic year. Established in 1979 and headquartered in New York City, the BIG EAST’s members are located in eight of the country’s top 38 largest media markets and include Butler University, University of Connecticut, Creighton University, DePaul University, Georgetown University, Marquette University, Providence College, St. John’s University, Seton Hall University, Villanova University and Xavier University.

FOX Sports will feature at least 80 BIG EAST men’s and women’s basketball contests across the regular season and postseason beginning in 2025-26. In addition, the FOX broadcast network will remain the home of the BIG EAST Men’s Tournament Final through 2031.

Peacock will launch its coverage of BIG EAST men’s basketball in 2024-25 with a package of 25 regular season games and five early round and quarterfinal conference tournament games. Beginning with the 2025-26 season, Peacock and NBC Sports will present more than 60 men’s and women’s regular season and BIG EAST Tournament games.

TNT Sports will feature 65 regular season BIG EAST basketball games airing on TNT – as its primary network – along with TBS, truTV and Max, beginning with the 2025-26 season.

“Our new agreement that provides coverage by FOX Sports, NBC Sports and TNT Sports will allow the BIG EAST to maintain our already high level of national broadcast and cable exposure while adding first-time streaming coverage for men’s basketball games and expanded distribution of games on the women’s basketball side,” said Creighton University President and BIG EAST Conference Board of Directors Chair Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, PhD. “The arrangement will provide enhanced revenue and long-term stability for the conference, create benefits for our student-athletes, and allow us to remain nationally competitive in our marquee sport: basketball. We are especially excited to continue our one-of-a-kind relationship with FOX Sports and look forward to building on the exceptional foundation we have established together over the past 11 years.”

“Everyone at FOX Sports is thrilled to continue our long-standing relationship with the BIG EAST, one of the nation’s top basketball conferences and a pillar of our college hoops lineup,” said Eric Shanks, CEO & Executive Producer, FOX Sports. “It’s a privilege to showcase these spectacular student-athletes and institutions alongside our new partners, NBC Sports and TNT Sports, while also fortifying our role as a leader in college sports.”

“BIG EAST Basketball is among the most prestigious in all of college sports, and we’re proud to be able to feature the men’s and women’s teams across our NBCUniversal platforms,” said Rick Cordella, President, NBC Sports. “The BIG EAST has a storied basketball history, and we look forward to showcasing these games as the conference creates more memorable moments.”

Surging Padres Rock Sox

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The visiting San Diego Padres will attempt to extend their winning streak to six games Sunday afternoon when they wrap up a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox. San Diego outscored Boston 20-3 in the first two games of the series. The Padres won 9-2 Friday night and 11-1 Saturday.

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The Padres hit six home runs in their two victories against the Red Sox. Jackson Merrill has homered in each game, and Manny Machado homered twice in Saturday’s win. San Diego is 9-1 in its last 10 games, with 20 home runs.

The 16 hits the Padres collected in Saturday’s win were the most the Red Sox have given up in a game this season. The victory pushed the Padres five games over the .500 mark (46-41) for the first time this season.

“We’re just looking for continual improvement,” San Diego manager Mike Shildt said. “You get continual improvement, then you get all areas firing together and you get guys working together, communicating together and clearly playing together. A lot of quality at-bats. Manny and some other guys put some big swings on the baseball.

“When you have confidence in your whole roster and guys in the lineup, you don’t feel like you have to carry the proverbial mantle. It’s just a matter of taking your good at-bat, knowing the guy behind you is going to take a good at-bat, and you’re going to do it over and over again.”

The Padres scored nine runs in the fifth inning Friday night, and struck for six runs in the fifth inning Saturday.

Right-hander Matt Waldron (5-6, 3.43 ERA) is San Diego’s scheduled starting pitcher Sunday. Waldron, a knuckleballer, has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his last nine starts. He has a 1.95 ERA during that stretch.

Sunday will be Waldron’s first career appearance against the Red Sox. Kyle Higashioka typically catches when Waldron is on the mound.

“The knuckleball is definitely an outlier pitch, because even if you know it’s coming, there’s no guarantee that you’re going to get one that’s good to hit,” Higashioka told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “It’s dancing out there like crazy. So regardless of whether you’re looking for it or not, if he throws the good one, it’s very unlikely that somebody’s going to really square it up.”

The Red Sox will go with right-hander Josh Winckowski (1-1, 3.26 ERA) on Sunday. Winckowski has a 1.69 ERA in three starts this season and a 4.12 ERA in 10 relief appearances. He pitched the final three innings to earn the save in a 6-1 victory over San Diego last season. That is his only appearance against the Padres.

The Red Sox have lost their last three games.

“It’s a good lineup, and they’re swinging the bats really, really well — putting up big numbers,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “Hitting the ball out of the ballpark. That’s something they’ve been doing the last 10, 15 days. Hopefully tomorrow with (Winckowski), we can hold them down and we can get going offensively.”

Red Sox catcher Connor Wong carries a 15-game hitting streak into Sunday’s matchup.

–Field Level Media

 

Red Sox Drop Opener to Padres

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox will have right-hander Tanner Houck on the mound today when they attempt to end the visiting San Diego Padres’ four-game winning streak.

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Houck (7-5, 2.18 ERA) began the season battling to win the fifth spot in Boston’s rotation but has quickly become the team’s ace. He leads the American League in ERA and has 101 strikeouts and 18 walks in 103 1/3 innings this season.

Houck credited much of his 2024 success to Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey, who suggested he overhaul his split-finger fastball.

“He came over and kind of gave me a few different grip ideas before camp,” Houck said on a recent NESN game telecast. “I took it and kind of ran with it. I feel incredibly comfortable with that pitch now. It’s something that I’ve known for years I’ve needed to develop and get better with, but ultimately I feel like that’s kind of been my biggest weapon this year that’s taken the most steps forward.”

Houck has pitched at least 5 2/3 innings in each of his 16 starts. Saturday — his 28th birthday — will be the first time he faces the Padres in his career.

Right-hander Michael King (5-5, 3.75 ERA) is San Diego’s scheduled starter. King, who was with the New York Yankees the previous five seasons, is 2-4 with a 5.20 ERA in 12 career appearances (two starts) against the Red Sox. He is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA in five outings (one start) in Boston.

The Padres opened the three-game series with a 9-2 victory on Friday. San Diego did all of its scoring in the fifth inning, which included a two-run home run from Kyle Higashioka and a three-run home run from Jackson Merrill, who grew up rooting for the Red Sox.

“I don’t usually like to talk about something I do,” Merrill said. “I like talking about the wins and stuff. But that was probably the dopest moment of my baseball career.

“A nine-run inning. You can’t ask for anything better than that.”

Higashioka has three home runs in his past two games and eight home runs in June.

The victory was the eighth in nine games for the Padres, moving them four games above .500 for the first time this season.

X-rays were negative on Padres starting pitcher Randy Vasquez, who took a line drive off his right forearm in the fifth inning.

“A little bit of swelling right now, but hopefully I’ll be able to be out there for my next start,” Vasquez said.

The Red Sox have lost two straight for the first time since dropping the middle two games of a four-game series against the White Sox on June 7-8.

“We have a good baseball team that can do a lot of good things,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “There’s other stuff that we have to get better (at), but at the same time very pleased with the way we went about our business in the first part of the season and the way some guys progressed.

“We’re going to keep working hard to make them better, and we’re going to keep playing good baseball. I truly believe there’s going to be meaningful games here in September.”

–Field Level Media

NFL Liable for $4.7B in Ruling

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The NFL plans to appeal a ruling by a federal jury in Los Angeles on Thursday that found the league liable for more than $4.7 billion in damages over antitrust violations related to DirecTV’s “Sunday Ticket” packages.

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The jury, after about five hours of deliberations across two days, voted unanimously that the NFL, DirecTV, CBS and Fox colluded to increase the price of the game packages.

The class-action lawsuit began in 2015 with a complaint filed by a San Francisco sports bar named the Mucky Duck that was dismissed in 2017. The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later reinstated the case, which last year became a class action and covered more than 2.4 million residential subscribers and more than 48,000 businesses that purchased DirectTV’s “Sunday Ticket” package of out-of-market games from the 2011 through 2022 seasons.

If the verdict stands, it would award $4.7 billion in damages to the residential class and $96 million to the commercial class.

The damages could increase to up to $12.3 billion due to federal laws that triple the amount in antitrust cases.

“It’s a great verdict for consumers around America that this jury, despite the star power of the defendants, upheld the antitrust laws which are geared to protect consumers from overcharges,” Bill Carmody, lead attorney for the plaintiffs, told the Los Angeles Times. “Justice was served.”

The plaintiffs argued that NFL teams pooling their broadcasts through “Sunday Ticket” on a satellite provider and selling the package at an inflated price violated antitrust laws in restricting competition.

The NFL argued it has an antitrust exemption for broadcasting that covers “Sunday Ticket,” but the plaintiffs contended that applies to over-the-air broadcasts and not pay TV.

“Sunday Ticket” was offered on DirecTV from 1994-2022 before the NFL reached a seven-year contract with Google’s YouTube TV that began in 2023.

The NFL’s attorneys noted that it’s the only major sports league to offer all local games on free, over-the-air TV. They also said that DirecTV controlled the “Sunday Ticket” package pricing, which was often made free to attract subscribers.

“We are disappointed with the jury’s verdict today in the NFL Sunday Ticket class action lawsuit,” the NFL said in a statement. “We continue to believe that our media distribution strategy, which features all NFL games broadcast on free over-the-air television in the markets of the participating teams and national distribution of our most popular games, supplemented by many additional choices including RedZone, Sunday Ticket and NFL+, is by far the most fan friendly distribution model in all of sports and entertainment.

“We will certainly contest this decision as we believe that the class action claims in this case are baseless and without merit. We thank the jury for their time and service and for the guidance and oversight from (U.S. District) Judge (Philip) Gutierrez throughout the trial.”

Gutierrez could ask the league to consider possible structural changes in the “Sunday Ticket” package. The judge will hear post-trial motions on July 31. The league can contend to Gutierrez that the damages are excessive and unreasonable, and it can appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and later to the U.S. Supreme Court.

–Field Level Media

USA Basketball: Lineup is Healthy

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COLORADO SPRINGS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Head coach Steve Kerr expects to have all hands on deck when Team USA begins training camp in Las Vegas, ramping up to the Olympics in Paris.

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Kerr said three players with injuries at the end of the playoffs — Kawhi Leonard (Clippers), Joel Embiid (76ers) and Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers) — would not be limited physically and are expected to be available to play the first exhibition July 10 against Canada.

“We’ve been in touch with everyone, not just those three guys,” Kerr said on a conference call with worldwide media Thursday morning. “We’ve been in communication constantly, so we expect all 12 guys to be ready to roll.”

Haliburton injured his hamstring in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Leonard told Kerr and Team USA general manager Grant Hill he has been working out for multiple weeks. He played only two of the Clippers’ final 14 games because of inflammation in his right knee.

Haliburton said Thursday the 12 players announced in April remain motivated by claiming a gold medal in Paris. To date, Hill and Kerr haven’t needed to replace anyone on the original roster.

That includes NBA champion Jayson Tatum of the Celtics, who said last week he’s fully committed to being on the team. He’ll wear the No. 10 jersey that Kobe Bryant chose with previous Olympic teams.

Haliburton was present for the press conference with Kerr and is already working out in Vegas.

“Hamstring feels good overall,” Haliburton said. “Winning is the peak of the sport. Winning a gold medal is right at the top of it.”

The first game of Olympic competition is a month away for the United States, which plays Serbia in Paris on July 28. The other known opponent in the group is South Sudan. A third and final team is to be determined next month in the qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico featuring the host country, Lithuania, Mexico, Italy, Bahrain and Ivory Coast.

Kevin Durant has the most Olympic hardware on the roster with three gold medals, but LeBron James also has two and numerous others have one.

“I think from the standpoint of career achievement, this team is probably as decorated as any since the 1992 Dream Team,” Kerr said.

But Kerr cautioned that the challenge at the 2024 Games will be dramatically different than it was 32 years ago.

“The world of basketball has gotten so much better, so much stronger,” he said. “This is an entirely different field we’re facing. This will be not easy at all for Team USA. In 1992, (Dream Team head coach) Chuck Daly never had to call a timeout. I don’t expect to do that.”

–Field Level Media

Porzingis Surgery Update

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official Team News Release) – The Boston Celtics said center Kristaps Porzingis underwent successful surgery to repair a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon. Porzingis is expected to return to play in 5-6 months.

Further medical updates will be provided as necessary, said the team in a brief statement.

PGA Tour: Rocket Mortgage Classic

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DETROIT – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The race is on for the PGA Tour’s rank-and-file with only six weeks of tournaments remaining to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs. This week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic presents a great opportunity for the field, with only one top-20 player making the trip to Detroit. The grind is on for those trying to earn — or keep — their spots in the playoffs and trying to get into the top 50 in the world for next year’s signature events.

Our golf experts preview the event starting Thursday at Detroit Golf Club, and provide their favorite prop picks along with best bets to win this week.

ROCKET MORTGAGE CLASSIC
Location: Detroit, June 27-30
Course: Detroit Golf Club, North Course (Par 72, 7,370 Yards)
Purse: $9.2M (Winner: $1.65M)
Defending Champion: Rickie Fowler
FedEx Cup Leader: Scottie Scheffler

HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday, 6:45 a.m.-6 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @RocketClassic

PROP PICKS
–Stephan Jaeger to Beat Taylor Pendrith (-110 at DraftKings): Jaeger isn’t a household name, but he is playing some really solid golf. In addition to tying for ninth in Detroit last year, the German won the Texas Children’s Houston Open in March and has finished T21 or better in four of his past seven starts. Pendrith also claimed his maiden PGA Tour win in May and is coming off a T16 at the U.S. Open and a T23 at the Travelers.

BEST BETS
–Cameron Young (+1600) is coming off a T9 last week that included a 59 in the third round. He finished runner-up here in his last visit in 2022, when Young tied the 18-hole record with a 63 in the second round. He’s second at the book with 8 percent of the money supporting Young to finally claim his first PGA Tour title this week.
–Min Woo Lee (+2000) is coming off a T21 at the U.S. Open, his 11th made cut in 15 starts this year. The young Australian has also been backed by 8 percent of the money.
–Akshay Bhatia (+2200) finished T5 last week after a T16 at the U.S. Open.
–Stephan Jaeger (+2500) also tied the 18-hole record in the final round last year to finish T9. He has only two top-20s since winning the Texas Children’s Houston Open.

NOTES
–Miles Russell, 15, makes his PGA Tour debut after being the youngest player to make the cut in a Korn Ferry Tour event. He is a +100000 longshot at BetRivers. Other sponsor’s exemptions included Auburn star Jackson Koivun and Neal Shipley, who won low amateur at the Masters and U.S. Open.
–Detroit Golf Club is hosting the event for the sixth time.
–Fowler won a three-man playoff last year to claim his first tour title since 2019.
–Tony Finau set the tournament scoring record of 262 in 2022.
–The North Course is set to undergo a renovation following the completion of next year’s event.

–Field Level Media

NBA Draft: Hawks Pick Risacher at No. 1

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BROOKLYN – (Staff and wire Service Report) – The Atlanta Hawks selected forward Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday night.

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Risacher comes out of France, where he most recently played for JL Bourg-en-Bresse of LNB Elite, the country’s premier division of professional basketball.

In 32 games last season, Risacher averaged 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists for JL Bourg. The 19-year-old is 6-foot-9 and weighed in at 195 pounds at the draft combine back in May.

Atlanta does not own another pick in this year’s draft, which has been split into two days. Wednesday’s first round is being held at Barclays Center in New York. ESPN’s Seaport District Studios — also in New York — will host the second round.

The Washington Wizards will be on the clock next.

–Field Level Media

NBA Draft: Who’s Got Next?

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BROOKLYN – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The second round of the 2024 NBA Draft tips-off  tonight switching from Barclays Center in Brooklyn to ESPNS’s New York City studio. The second round will begin with the No. 31 pick, held by the Toronto Raptors.

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With well-known names and unknown talents vying to be selected before the draft ends with the 58th pick, here are 10 prospects viewed as the top available players:

1. SG Johnny Furphy, Kansas
Australian late bloomer lacks pure strength but has the traits to be an-off-the-bench shooter at 6-foot-9 while he grows into his frame at age 19.
2. PG Tyler Kolek, Marquette
Not explosive enough to run by NBA on-ball defense but crafty with the vision to lead the second unit and dominate in pick-and-roll sets.
3. Kyle Filipowski, Duke
Fundamentally sound with the touch as a shooter to be a mismatch problem. NBA teams fear he’ll be in chase mode too often on defense.
4. SG Cam Christie, Minnesota
Lead guard with room for growth at 18, he’s more of a project than most shooting guards in this class but patience could be richly rewarded.
5. PF Bobi Klintman, Sweden
More mobile than given credit for, Klintman has size (6-9, 212) and the range to space the floor.
6. SG Justin Edwards, Kentucky
All the tools to take off in the right role, Edwards has a nearly 7-foot wingspan, giving him a foothold as a defensive stopper until his 3-point shot becomes more consistent.
7. Tyler Smith, G League Ignite
Southpaw shoots it well and at age 19 has enough upside to earn a spot because of his potent finishing skills.
8. PG Juan Nunez, Spain
From the Ricky Rubio mold of pass-first point guards with a slick handle and creativity, Nunez lacks the mid-range game and jump shot to be more than a backup for now.
9. SF Kevin McCullar Jr., Kansas
Competitive and experienced, McCullar isn’t elite in any single area. His value is versatility, particularly consistent rebounding and defense for his 6-7, 212-pound frame.
10. SG Pelle Larsson, Arizona
A gamer who makes winning basketball plays and decisions. Size and savvy are Larsson’s calling cards, even if he didn’t test exceptionally well or finish with ease against NBA bigs.

–Field Level Media