Lakers select Bronny James with 55th pick; 2024 NBA Draft winners and losers; USMNT suffers bad defeat

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🏀 Good morning to everyone, but especially to…

The James Family

In October 2004, Cleveland Cavaliers Played an eight-game preseason in two weeks. This happened months later Lebron James He was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year and the offseason included the Olympics in Athens. But something even more important happened in October. James became a father for the first time.

Fast forward 20 years and that kid, bronny jameshas now been drafted by an NBA team — and not just any team, Los Angeles LakersThe team his father plays for (yes, technically, the father opted out of his contract a few days ago, but let’s dispense with formalities for a moment). When the Lakers’ 2024-25 season begins this fall, there’s heavy expectation that James, 39, and James, 20, will be more than father and son. tHey, they’ll be teammatesThis is the first time in NBA history that such a pairing has been formed.

There is and will continue to be an endless sea of ​​opinions on the events leading up to this point. And there will be basketball discussions, but this moment should also recognize something else. Congratulations to LeBron and Savannah James, as well as Bronny James and those close to him.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s interesting to take a deep look at what happened to get to this moment. But we must also nuance the noise. Here is Great article from Gary Parrish of CBS Sports On one aspect of a recent discussion.

• Parish: “Was the whole process manipulated? Yes. Can it be fairly called nepotism? Sure. But things like this really happen in basketball all the time. Billy Donovan has helped his son get a job. John Calipari has helped his son get a job. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s brother has been on the roster in Milwaukee for five years. Jalen Brunson The father is on staff in New York. In other words, there’s nothing unique about LeBron and his agent creating this situation for Bronny. And though some have criticized the Lakers for going along with the plan, I personally think the 55th pick (that usually doesn’t mean anything) is a small price to pay to keep the NBA’s all-time leading scorer happy and ensure he signs a contract extension and retires with the franchise.”

As far as NBA Draft coverage goes, here’s a sample of what else you can find on our site:

👍 Honorable Mention

⚽ And not so good morning…

United States men’s national team

The U.S. Men’s National Team is in a bit of a fix this morning. After losing 2-1 to Panama in a Copa America group stage match, the U.S.M.N.T. now has to win Monday’s game – and possibly with a lopsided score – if the team wants to advance to the knockout round. The problem is that they’ll have to do so against a Uruguayan team that’s leading 2-0 and has a goal difference of +7, but it’s possible, and Here are all the scenarios Due to which the advance amount will be secured.

Chuck Booth has it all Player rankings from Thursday’s game, and we also have the coach Gregg Berhalter Making sounds after Tim WeahWhere does this loss stand based on the 18th minute red card and Chuck’s rankings? One of the five worst defeats of the USMNT has been handed in. Here is Chuck’s opinion on Thursday’s game:

• Booth: “After getting a goal pulled away in the first five minutes of play, it looked like the USMNT would pull away, but that wasn’t to be as Weah was shown a red card in the 18th minute. Folarin Balogun Credit for leading USMNT to glory quickly evaporated Caesar Blackman scored the equaliser before Jose Fajardo This is the worst defeat the USMNT has suffered in recent years at the Copa America.”

👎 Not so honorable mentions

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🏈 Evaluating the Hall of Fame candidacy of NFL stars

With the NFL’s Hall of Fame Game less than five weeks away, it’s only fair to ask if some of today’s stars will ever be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We’re not talking about players like these patrick mahomesWhose work so far has made him as compelling a case for Canton as any active player in the league.

No, This practice will also bring other players under scrutiny. Thinking Matthew Stafford. Thinking Davante Adams. Thinking Russell Wilson. To be considered, a player must currently be on the roster and have played at least eight seasons. Nine CBS Sports NFL writers and editors participated, and each player needed five votes to cross the threshold for induction. Now it wouldn’t be fair for me to spoil the fun — but I’m not going to stop Brian DeArdo from evaluating the Saints defensive linemen cameron jordan and his chances of winning the sport’s highest honor.

• Deardo: “Compelling is the best word to describe Jordan’s Hall of Fame case. He is an eight-time Pro Bowler who has 117.5 sacks in his career. Jordan is also a member of the 2010s All-Decade Team, an honor that will further help his case. Based on our voting results, it doesn’t look like Jordan’s single All-Pro selection will hurt his future Hall of Fame chances.”

🤼 International Fight Week continues

saturday night’s UFC 303 The circle-the-date event was supposed to be held during International Fight Week – which conor mcgregor After a gap of three years. But, of course, This is not what we’re gonna getInstead, the UFC has lined up a new main event Characteristics of the champion Alex Pereira And Jiri Prochazkaand a co-main event Brian Ortega And diego lopesOur own Brian Campbell has a great comment on Pereira’s quick rise.

• Campbell: “But given Pereira’s short and opportunistic history as a UFC fighter, which saw him move to MMA late in his career after a Hall of Fame run as a two-division champion with GLORY kickboxing, it’s not surprising he would accept the risk that comes with the big payout that comes with replacing McGregor atop the marquee in the UFC’s most important summer blockbuster… In just eight UFC bouts, Pereira is 7-1 with six knockouts, winning titles in two divisions and holding wins over former champions such as Sean Strickland, Israel Adesanya, Jan BlachowiczProchazka and Hill.”

📺 What we’re watching this weekend

Here’s how to catch up Rocket Mortgage Classic From Detroit Golf Club.

Friday

Copa America – Colombia vs. Costa Rica6 p.m. on FS1
Copa America – Paraguay vs. Brazilat 9 on FS1
Astros at Mets7:10pm on Apple TV+
Padres and Red Sox7:10pm on Apple TV+
US Olympic Gymnastics Trialsat 8 p.m. on NBC
US Olympic Track and Field Trials8 p.m. on USA Network; 10 p.m. on NBC

Saturday

Euro 2024 — Round of 16: Switzerland vs. Italy12 p.m. on FS1
BIG3 — Week 3at 1 p.m. on CBS.
US Olympic Gymnastics Trialson NBC at 3 p.m.
Euro 2024 — Round of 16: Germany vs. Denmarkon Fox at 3 p.m.
Dodgers vs. Giants Or Rangers vs. Orioles7:15pm on Fox
US Olympic Track and Field Trialsat 8 p.m. on NBC
Copa America – Argentina vs Peruat 8 p.m. on FS1
Copa America — Canada vs. Chileat 8 p.m. on FS2
UFC 303on PPV at 10 p.m.

sunday

Euro 2024 — Round of 16: England vs Slovakia12pm on Fox
dream freely1 p.m. on ESPN
Fever on Mercuryon ESPN at 3 p.m.
Euro 2024 — Round of 16: Spain vs. Georgiaon Fox at 3 p.m.
Lynx at Skyat 3 p.m. on ESPN3
Rangers vs. Orioles7:10 p.m. on ESPN
US Olympic Track and Field Trials7:30 p.m. on NBC
Copa America — Mexico vs. Ecuadorat 8 p.m. on FS1
Copa America — Jamaica vs. Venezuelaat 8 p.m. on Fox
US Olympic Gymnastics Trials8:30 p.m. on NBC