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MILWAUKEE — With the trade of franchise superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat not yet official, Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst declined to talk specifics — but repeatedly emphasized “a theme of building” after the team drafted guard Brayden Burries at No. 10 and forward Nate Ament at No. 13.

“We’re building,” Horst said at the Bucks’ practice facility Tuesday night. “These guys are important to it.

“We’re just really excited to continue to build and add on piece and piece and create an identity, a style of play, a roster full of character and versatility and size. Got a lot of work ahead of us, but it’s a good start.”

Milwaukee agreed to trade Antetokounmpo to Miami late Monday night for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, which included the No. 13 selection on Tuesday, one pick swap and one second-round pick, sources told ESPN. The deal cannot become official until July 6.

When asked to sum up his last 24 hours, Horst simply responded: “busy.”

Milwaukee negotiated with two finalists in recent weeks, the Heat and Boston Celtics, before deciding on Miami’s trade package featuring heavy draft picks and young players, because of the flexibility it gave the Bucks in building their team for the future.

Burries and Ament are the first two lottery picks of Horst’s tenure as general manager, which began in 2017, and Milwaukee’s highest draft selections since 2016 (Thon Maker at No. 10).

“It’s busy, fun, stressful, but it’s no different. This is the best time of year,” Horst said. “We got a lot of things going on. This is when you always put together a roster and that’s what we’re doing right now. I thought tonight was a great first step.”

Horst said the Bucks targeted Burries — a 6-foot-4, 215-pound guard who helped lead Arizona to the Final Four — with the team’s first selection because of his size and winning background in what was a deep draft for guards.

“He’s been a winner his whole career,” Horst said. “We think one of the best two-way guards in the draft.”

Ament, a 6-foot-10 forward, will be a project in Milwaukee with a mix of size and perimeter skill after an inconsistent year at Tennessee.

“We were clear. If we had the chance to take Nate with that pick, that’s what we were going to do,” Horst said. “To acquire those draft rights, that was an unbelievable opportunity for us.”

After 13 years with Antetokounmpo on the roster and much of the past decade spent trying to build a championship contender around him, the Bucks began heading in a new direction this week. And Horst added two players he hopes will become building blocks for Milwaukee’s future.

“We’ve talked a lot at [coach] Taylor [Jenkins’] press conference about style of play, identity and who we want to be,” Horst said. “The things that we want to do takes processors. People that can think the game, that can attack space and create advantages, that are going to play on both sides of the ball, that are big at their positions.

“That’s how you also take advantage of space. That’s the vision. This has been a great opportunity for us to have the opportunity in a lottery for the first time in over a decade, first time in my career to make a lottery pick, much less two. And I think it’s a great draft to do it.”

SAN FRANCISCO — Michigan wing Yaxel Lendeborg was 13 years old in 2016, another teenage NBA fan debating his friends about his favorite side of the increasingly contentious rivalry between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors.

“I’m a big Kyrie [Irving] guy,” Lendeborg said. “So I used to hate Steph Curry.”

Lendeborg made this admission a decade later on a podium in Brooklyn, wearing a Warriors hat after the organization selected him No. 11 in the NBA draft and made him Curry’s newest teammate. He called it a “full circle” moment.

“Now that I’m actually going to be able to be on the same team with him, play and actually learn so much from him, it means a lot,” Lendeborg said. “He’s a very great guy, genuine person. It’s going to be an honor to be able to watch what he does in person.”

Lendeborg met Curry when he attended the play-in game between the Warriors and LA Clippers in April and said he had a conversation with Curry during his in-person workout with the Warriors last week. He also expressed a level of excitement about playing in the frontcourt next to Draymond Green, but also tossed a little dig at another of his new veteran teammates.

“I know he’s a Michigan State guy,” Lendeborg said. “I’m really not too fond of that. But I’m definitely excited to be able to meet him and speak to him in person and learn. Just learn everything I can.”

General manager Mike Dunleavy said the Warriors started taking Lendeborg more serious as an option with the 11th pick after a conversation at the combine in Chicago in May, saying that Lendeborg showed an increased level of maturity from his 2025 predraft interviews.

Lendeborg dipped his toes in the draft waters last summer but opted to return to school and transfer from UAB to Michigan, where he averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting nearly 59% from the field, won Big Ten Player of the Year and led the Wolverines to the national championship.

In the process, Lendeborg rose from a fringe first-round projection into a lottery prospect, despite the fact that he will turn 24 before playing his first NBA game. That advanced age was a factor in the Warriors’ process but didn’t dissuade Dunleavy from selecting him with the highest pick of his tenure.

“He’s, what, 23, almost 24?” Dunleavy said. “I’m not worried because he’s not 38.”

The core of the Warriors is both older and injured. Curry is 38. Green is 36. Al Horford, likely to return, is 40. Jimmy Butler is rehabbing a torn ACL. Moses Moody is rehabbing a ruptured patellar tendon. Both are expected to sit out a large chunk of next season.

That reality cracks open the door for anybody the Warriors would’ve selected at No. 11 to grab an immediate role. But it was also part of their reasoning in landing on Lendeborg, who is considered an NBA-ready plug-and-play frontcourt rotation option for a team that desperately needs immediate production.

“The passing of the ball,” Dunleavy said. “The defensive stuff, whether it’s on the ball or off the ball. [He] connects some lineups with his size. … He can play inside. He can play outside. So it probably makes our job in free agency a little easier.”

The Warriors also targeted Arizona guard Brayden Burries, team sources said, entering the draft with skepticism that he’d fall to the 11th spot until the first nine teams passed on him, generating optimism in the draft room.

“He’s, what, 23, almost 24? I’m not worried because he’s not 38.”Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy on Yaxel Lendeborg’s age

But the Milwaukee Bucks drafted Burries at No. 10 and the Warriors, on the clock for the next pick, started fielding calls from rival teams interested in trading up into their slot. At that exact moment, ESPN cameras went live and caught Dunleavy in an animated discussion with controlling owner Joe Lacob about the impending decision.

“We got into it about best golf course in San Francisco,” Dunleavy said. “He didn’t agree with me.”

Dunleavy then acknowledged that the conversation had more to do with the trade options on the table and Lacob’s anxiousness about finalizing the pick.

“Ultimately we were all in agreement to land on taking Yaxel,” Dunleavy said.

The second round of the 2026 NBA draft begins Wednesday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC) with the champion New York Knicks selecting first with the No. 31 pick.

Day 1 featured BYU’s AJ Dybantsa going No. 1 to the Washington Wizards and Darryn Peterson (Kansas) being selected by the Utah Jazz at No. 2. Morez Johnson Jr. was selected by Dallas at No. 9, reuniting him with former Michigan coach Dusty May, who was named the Mavericks head coach on Monday.

What’s in store for Round 2? Jeremy Woo and Ben Golliver answer some of the biggest questions still floating around the 2026 NBA draft, while Woo lays out his mock draft for Day 2. Which team is set up to have an intriguing Round 2, and which under-the-radar prospects could turn into steals?

The mock draft writeups below are from prospects’ scouting reports, found in Jeremy Woo’s top 100 rankings.

Which is the most interesting team drafting Wednesday?
Golliver: The Brooklyn Nets are always fascinating and unpredictable. They selected four guards in Round 1 of last year’s draft, then turned around and picked Mikel Brown Jr., another guard, with the No. 6 pick Tuesday.

The Nets sent one of their second-round picks to the Timberwolves in the Julius Randle trade earlier this week, but they still hold the No. 43 pick and have pressing needs throughout their roster.

Who’s an under-the-radar prospect you really like who’s likely to be picked Wednesday?
Woo: Ryan Conwell (Louisville). Although he’s effectively a small two-guard, I liked his physicality, shooting and toughness and think he’ll defend enough to find an NBA home long term. He should come off the board in the 30s.

What’s your favorite team-player fit you’ve projected in your Round 2 mock?
Woo: Henri Veesaar to the Knicks at No. 31. He’s a player New York likely considered at No. 24 before conducting its series of trades down the board. The team ended up adding five second-round picks after making three trades Tuesday.

If the Knicks trade this pick — which is entirely possible — he would be a strong option, with New York potentially in need of depth up front.

Woo: Round 2 mock draft

31. New York Knicks (via Washington)
    Henri Veesaar, North Carolina, Junior

Strengths: Veesaar is offensively gifted for his size, with good touch around the basket and consistent enough 3-point range to keep defenses honest. He has the size to take up space in the paint defensively, as well.

Weaknesses: He’s somewhat stiff-hipped and isn’t the most mobile defender or quick off the floor, which will limit him to drop coverage defensively. He’s on the lighter side for a player his size, and sometimes struggles with physicality and rebounding.

The verdict: Veesaar’s offensive game took off after transferring to North Carolina, where he partnered well with Caleb Wilson on an NBA-quality front line. The success of stretch 5s like Luke Kornet and Quinten Post lays out a feasible blueprint for him to stick long term in a role.

32. Memphis Grizzlies (via Indiana)
    Baba Miller, Cincinnati, Senior

Strengths: It’s difficult to find players in the mold of Miller, who is a skilled, late-blooming 7-footer who can handle the ball and find teammates while offering defensive versatility.

Weaknesses: Miller is a poor shooter who made 29% from 3 and shot just 61% from the line over four college seasons. He sometimes struggles with physicality.

The verdict: Miller had his best season at Cincinnati his senior year, and turned a corner with consistent production, improved commitment to rebounding and using his size. There are few players his size with his fluidity and potential versatility, giving him a path to NBA value if he continues to improve.

33. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Brooklyn)
    Isaiah Evans, Duke, Sophomore

Strengths: Evans hangs his hat on his long-range shooting — he averaged seven 3s per game at Duke this season — and is capable of hitting tough looks off balance from deep. He has good size and length for a wing shooter, and room to grow defensively.

Weaknesses: Consistency has been a challenge for Evans at times, though he took a step in the right direction this season. He’s not explosive or quick and doesn’t create much off the bounce, which could put him in a box offensively as more of a perimeter specialist.

The verdict: Evans took an all-around step forward this season at Duke, and can hang his hat on his shotmaking as he continues to develop. It may take a little more time for him to become a winning contributor in the NBA, but shooters of his caliber and size are often in demand.

34. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Sacramento)
    Meleek Thomas, Arkansas, Freshman

Strengths: Thomas has good size for a combo guard, shot 41.6% from 3 this season and was better defensively than expected. He’s a tough competitor and has room to grow as a shot creator.

Weaknesses: Improving his shot selection and rim finishing is critical for him to play his preferred style at the next level. While he can play on the ball, he’s not a natural point guard — an area of his game that’s still developing.

The verdict: Thomas had a solid freshman season at Arkansas, playing alongside Darius Acuff Jr. His NBA success will likely depend on whether or not he can become an efficient scorer. His mix of positional size, shooting and competitiveness gives him a pathway to earning minutes as he matures.

35. Denver Nuggets (via San Antonio)
    Dillon Mitchell, St. John’s, Senior

Strengths: Mitchell has a strong frame and great defensive versatility, which allows him to guard multiple positions at 6-8. He creates extra possessions defensively and on the glass.

Weaknesses: He offers very little offensively — with nearly everything coming at the rim — and lacks a reliable jump shot after four years of college.

The verdict: While the value of the specific high-energy role Mitchell fills will be unorthodox and team-specific, he’s an NBA talent who can hold his own physically in the league. What happens next will largely depend on a team’s vision for maximizing his strengths.

36. LA Clippers (via Memphis)
    Jack Kayil, Alba Berlin, Germany

Strengths: Kayil is a combo guard with a strong frame who has flashed potential to create offense — he’s capable of playing pick-and-roll and knocking down shots off the bounce from range.

Weaknesses: He’s not a very efficient scorer at this stage of his career and can be somewhat reliant on tough looks. He’s still developing as a playmaker and will need some time before being ready for NBA minutes.

The verdict: Kayil was committed to Gonzaga, but ultimately tested and opted to stay in the draft. He had a strong season for his age playing pro in Germany for Alba Berlin, helping the team to a second-place regular-season finish while playing as an offensive focal point. There’s some interesting developmental upside as he matures.

37. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Dallas)
    Richie Saunders, BYU, Senior

Strengths: As a quality long-distance marksman, Saunders has a solid profile for a role-playing wing shooter who employs good shot selection and battles defensively.

Weaknesses: Saunders turns 25 later this year, making him one of the oldest players in the draft. He tore his ACL in February and is expected to fully recover, but faces that health obstacle as he begins his pro career. He wasn’t supremely quick or explosive before the injury.

The verdict: Although his age limits his upside, Saunders has an NBA-ready game if he can work back to full strength. He’s a sharpshooter with enough secondary skills and feel to get in the door and stick, most likely as a depth option.

38. Chicago Bulls (via New Orleans)
    Emanuel Sharp, Houston, Senior

Strengths: Sharp shot 37% from 3 over four years at Houston and fashioned himself into a quality defender who’s willing to battle at the point of attack.

Weaknesses: He’s undersized for a 2-guard and needs clean looks created for him, which will likely limit him to a smaller 3-and-D type of role.

The verdict: Sharp is another tough-minded Houston role player who should have immediate value, providing depth on an NBA bench. His reliable floor spacing and gritty defense make him the type of player who can help a team with regular-season minutes right away.

39. Houston Rockets (via Chicago)
    Ryan Conwell, Louisville, Senior

Strengths: Conwell is a capable long-range shooter who works off the threat of his shot. He’s strong, quick and plays with good force for his size. He’s a willing defender with length and is a plus rebounder.

Weaknesses: Undersized for a shooting guard and not the most natural playmaker for others, Conwell has a somewhat narrow role pathway, likely as a bench scorer at best.

The verdict: After playing for four colleges in four years, Conwell has gradually positioned himself as a second-round selection. A career 37% from 3-point range, he’s a good enough shooter and plays hard enough to find his way into a role early in his career. If he doesn’t turn into an elite shotmaker, his size and lack of playmaking could ultimately work against him.

40. Boston Celtics (via Milwaukee)
    Braden Smith, Purdue, Senior

Strengths: Checking in as the NCAA’s all-time assists leader (1,103), Smith is a tough game manager and distributor who can create his own shot in a pinch and shoot from range. He excels at being disruptive defensively for his size.

Weaknesses: Smith was the smallest player at the combine, standing 5-foot-10 and 166 pounds. He will have to continue punching above his weight, particularly on the defensive end, where players his size are targeted in the NBA.

The verdict: Smith had a decorated career at Purdue and enters the NBA with a strong winning track record. There’s plenty to like from an intangibles standpoint, and he has a well-rounded offensive profile. He will have to continue overcoming size-related obstacles to stick as a backup in the pros, however.

41. Miami Heat (via Golden State)
    Felix Okpara, Tennessee , Senior

Strengths: Okpara is a coordinated big man with NBA dimensions who can run the floor, finish plays and block shots. The combo of skills gives him some appeal in a deep bench role.

Weaknesses: Beyond the outside chance he develops a spot-up 3-point shot, he doesn’t offer upside offensively.

The verdict: Okpara had a good predraft process and played his way into the two-way contract mix as a dependable big man who chips in a little bit of value on both ends.

42. San Antonio Spurs (via Portland)
    Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee, Senior

Strengths: Gillespie offers some microwave scoring ability from deep and is a pest defensively for his size.

Weaknesses: He’s more of a scorer than a distributor, and lacks ideal size for his position. He can frequently be streaky and reliant on tough shots to make his presence felt.

The verdict: After starting his college career at Belmont, Gillespie had good years at Maryland and Tennessee while playing his way into the NBA picture. He profiles as a potential bench option if his scoring ability can outweigh his size concerns.

43. Brooklyn Nets (via Clippers)
    Bruce Thornton, Ohio State, Senior

Strengths: Thornton is an efficient, low-turnover scorer with a solid offensive profile for a backup guard. He knows how to get to his spots and makes good decisions, and he had a strong career at Ohio State and fashioned himself into a stellar offensive player. He might have to maintain his excellent efficiency marks to stick in the NBA, with his upside likely limited to a bench role if things click.

Weaknesses: He is undersized and on the heavier side, relying largely on his strength to create for himself. He also isn’t much of a playmaker defensively.

The verdict: Thornton had a strong career at Ohio State and fashioned himself into a very good offensive player. He may have to maintain his excellent efficiency marks to stick in the NBA, with his upside likely limited to a bench role if things click.

44. San Antonio Spurs (via Miami)
    Trevon Brazile, Arkansas, Senior

Strengths: At 6-foot-10, Brazile can shoot from long range, catch lobs and block shots. He has a mix of skills that tend to be highly coveted in the NBA and is pretty agile for his size.

Weaknesses: Brazile is 23 and weighed 225 pounds at the combine. He’s slight for a power forward and struggles with physicality and consistency at times.

The verdict: He put together his most complete college season and benefited from playing alongside Darius Acuff Jr., showing he can space the floor and convert easy baskets. The things he does are highly valued by NBA teams — it’s simply a question of whether he’ll be good enough at them to stick in the long run.

45. Sacramento Kings (via Charlotte)
    Izaiyah Nelson, South Florida, Senior

Strengths: Nelson is a defensive playmaker and rebounder who can also run the floor and finish plays with his speed.

Weaknesses: He doesn’t space the floor well, isn’t skilled with the ball and is undersized for an NBA center.

The verdict: Nelson’s production neatly translated from his time at Arkansas State, as he came into his own this season at South Florida while helping lead the team to the NCAA tournament. His ability to do the dirty work in the paint and protect the basket makes him an intriguing developmental pick in the second round.

46. Orlando Magic
    Ugonna Onyenso, Virginia, Senior

Strengths: As a rim protector with NBA length, Onyenso was the country’s second-leading shot blocker with 2.9 per game.

Weaknesses: Outside of defense, Onyenso’s game is limited. He often struggles to score and doesn’t have much of a secondary skill set.

The verdict: Coming from NBA Academy Africa, Onyenso blossomed at Virginia, his third school, as the defensive backbone of a 30-6 team. Those defensive skills will need to be elite enough to stick in the NBA, but he’s a valid developmental depth option in the second round.

47. New York Knicks (via Phoenix)
    Aaron Nkrumah, Tennessee State, Senior

Strengths: Nkrumah averaged 2.8 steals last season and is a solid defensive playmaker with decent size for a 2-guard.

Weaknesses: He’s an older prospect whose offensive efficiency leaves something to be desired, both around the rim and from long range.

The verdict: Nkrumah began his career playing Division III and has worked his way up the ladder, earning a late invite to the G League Elite Camp and playing his way into the combine. His defensive play gives him a chance to stick, provided he can make enough shots and fit in on the other end.

48. Dallas Mavericks (via Phoenix)
    Vsevolod Ishchenko, Lokomotiv Kuban, Russia

Strengths: Ishchenko shot 50% from the field and 45% from 3 this past season with VTB United, showing promise as a shooter and also adding value as a defensive playmaker. He has plus positional size and has flashed intriguing passing instincts.

Weaknesses: He’s still developing with the ball in his hands and needs to gain strength and higher-level experience.

The verdict: Ishchenko won the VTB United League’s Young Player of the Year award, making an all-around jump this season and showcasing intriguing two-way potential. He offers legitimate second-round intrigue as a developmental addition and potential stash player.

49. Denver Nuggets (via Atlanta)
    Jaden Bradley, Arizona, Senior

Strengths: Bradley is a capable game manager and solid point-of-attack defender. His decision-making continued to improve over four years of college.

Weaknesses: He’s not a high-volume 3-point shooter and doesn’t finish consistently around the rim at his size. He can make simple reads, but isn’t a truly high-end playmaker.

The verdict: As the Big 12 Player of the Year, Bradley was a key part of the 36-3 Arizona team that made the Final Four. He has an opportunity to find a niche as an NBA backup, but will need to keep improving as a shooter, in particular, to realize that.

50. Toronto Raptors
    Tobe Awaka, Arizona, Senior

Strengths: Awaka is an outstanding rebounder with plus length who played an important supporting role for Arizona. He’s strong, plays hard and is known for his leadership and intangibles.

Weaknesses: He stands 6-8 barefoot, which is undersized for an NBA big man. His offensive game is also limited to finishing around the rim.

51. Washington Wizards (via Minnesota)
    Milos Uzan, Houston, Senior

Strengths: Uzan has nice size for a combo guard and good playmaking instincts, allowing him to fit into different lineups as an additional ball-mover and shooter.

Weaknesses: He’s not especially strong or quick with the ball and struggles to score efficiently, raising questions about whether he can create good looks consistently.

The verdict: Uzan took a back seat to Kingston Flemings this season at Houston, but still played a major role in the Cougars’ success the past two years as a guard with enough variety of skills to help fill in the blanks. He may need to take a step forward as a scorer, but his experience and positional size give him depth appeal.

52. LA Clippers (via Cleveland)
    Tre Donaldson, Miami, Senior

Strengths: Donaldson has good strength and explosiveness for a smaller guard, helping him get into the teeth of defenses and make plays. He’s a physical defender at the point of attack.

Weaknesses: His decision-making and shot selection can be wild at times. He has an average shooting profile for a higher-volume guard.

The verdict: Donaldson is a plus athlete with a football background who showed all-around improvement after transferring to Miami. He’s a solid two-way contract candidate, particularly if he can keep making strides with his ball control and playmaking.

53. Houston Rockets
    Quadir Copeland, NC State, Senior

Strengths: Copeland has excellent size for a point guard and creative passing vision, as he’s able to see over the defense and make plays for teammates. He rebounds well for a guard and has some defensive versatility.

Weaknesses: He takes a lot of risks and can be mistake-prone. He’s also a low-volume 3-point shooter who can be a non-factor as a spacer.

The verdict: Copeland is an entertaining player, but he’s not always highly effective. However, 6-foot-6 point guards don’t grow on trees, giving him some developmental appeal in the G-League if he can rein in his decision-making.

54. Golden State Warriors (via Los Angeles Lakers)
    Tobi Lawal, Virginia Tech, Senior

Strengths: Lawal is one of the best all-around athletes in the draft, with a 45-inch max vertical. He’s a good rebounder who can block shots and play above the rim.

Weaknesses: His offensive skill is rudimentary and limits his ability to impact the game, and he is largely restricted to dunks and finishing plays around the basket. He’s more of a project than your typical 23-year-old prospect.

The verdict: Lawal is a late-blooming player who grew up in London and has made some strides with his all-around game over the past couple of years. His elite physical gifts make him an intriguing developmental pick, but he’s raw offensively and projects as a high-energy depth player at best.

55. New York Knicks
    Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt, Senior

Strengths: Nickel is a gifted shooter who made 40% of his 3s the past two seasons at Vanderbilt. He has excellent size for a wing, helping him get his shot off cleanly, and can make shots off movement.

Weaknesses: He doesn’t have much of a secondary skill set, with his offensive role limited to catching and shooting, and he has average defensive chops at best.

The verdict: Nickel is a specialist with a good sense of his own role and enough toughness and size to have a chance to hold his own on defense. The NBA’s constant need for shooters with size will be enough to get him in the door.

56. Chicago Bulls (via Denver)
    Bryce Hopkins, St. John’s, Senior

Strengths: Hopkins is a multifaceted perimeter forward, with touch out to the 3-point line, decent ball-moving instincts and good strength and rebounding ability for his size.

Weaknesses: His college career was derailed by a torn ACL that limited him for two seasons and sapped his athleticism. He lacks elite tools or a calling-card skill and turns 24 later this year.

The verdict: Hopkins appears to have regained some of his old athleticism entering the predraft process. He profiles as a good two-way contract candidate, with a well-rounded enough game for some NBA bench upside if he can maintain his conditioning and knock down shots at a high enough percentage.

57. Atlanta Hawks (via Boston)
    Nick Martinelli, Northwestern, Senior

Strengths: Martinelli is a tough, hard-nosed scorer with a clever midrange game. His competitiveness and consistency allowed him to carry a huge offensive load for Northwestern.

Weaknesses: While Martinelli shot a career-best 41% from 3 this year, it’s not viewed as an area of strength. He’s physical, but lacks ideal quickness defensively and is a bit undersized for a 4.

The verdict: It’s easy to like Martinelli’s intangibles and history of improvement in college. He will need to continue improving as a 3-point shooter to maximize his chances of carving out a depth role.

58. New Orleans Pelicans (via Detroit)
    Maliq Brown, Duke, Senior

Strengths: Brown is an agile and versatile defensive big who can switch onto the perimeter and has good instincts around the ball. He’s efficient in finishing the opportunities he gets in the paint.

Weaknesses: He is often a nonfactor as a scorer, lacking a reliable jumper or the ability to create for himself. What you see on that end is what you get.

The verdict: Brown’s defense made him quite valuable at Duke, but he will need to expand his offensive game in some fashion to have a chance of sticking long term in the NBA.

59. Minnesota Timberwolves (via San Antonio)
    Noam Yaacov, Oostende, Denmark/Israel

Strengths: Yaacov is a crafty pick-and-roll player who comes off a very good year in Belgium. He is savvy enough to help run a second unit, with good vision and instincts.

Weaknesses: He has suboptimal size and length, and isn’t a consistent shotmaker from long range, particularly off the bounce. His size will create defensive limitations on an NBA floor.

The verdict: Yaacov is an auto-eligible international prospect who is committed to Utah next season. He is expected to play in college next season, barring any surprises, making him effectively a second-round stash pick, allowing a team to control his NBA rights. With continued development, he could be a viable depth point guard.

60. Washington Wizards (via Oklahoma City)
    Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA, Senior

Strengths: Bilodeau is a top shooter in the class, and he made 46% of his 3s last season, giving him potential offensive utility as a floor spacer in the NBA. Bigs who can shoot it at that clip aren’t easy to find.

Weaknesses: He doesn’t impact the game much defensively and will need offensive looks created for him. He’s not a shot blocker and may struggle to guard the perimeter.

The verdict: Bilodeau’s excellent shooting for a frontcourt player lays out a pathway for him to make it in the NBA. The things he does well are noteworthy; the question is, what else can he add to his game?

ANAHEIM, Calif. — — Rookie right-hander Ryan Johnson gave up one hit over six scoreless innings, Nolan Schanuel hit an early two-run home run and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 on Tuesday night.

In his third career start, Johnson (1-2) carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Jeremiah Jackson hit one-out a line drive single to center field. Johnson allowed one walk with career highs of eight strikeouts and six innings, while throwing 90 pitches.

A second-round draft pick by Los Angeles in 2024, Johnson earned his second career win against a Baltimore offense which combined to score 18 runs over its previous two games.

Right-hander Shane Baz (4-8) gave up five runs on eight hits over five innings with one walk and five strikeouts for the Orioles, who had their three-game winning streak halted.

Baltimore was without second baseman Jackson Holliday (groin) for a third consecutive game and was also missing utility man Blaze Alexander (knee). The Orioles fell to 4-4 on a nine-game, three-city trip that ends against the Angels on Wednesday afternoon.

Schanuel gave the Angels a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a home run off Baz to right-center field.

Los Angels padded the advantage in the fifth inning when Jose Siri led off with a single, Zach Neto doubled and Vaughn Grissom followed with a two-run single to left. Jorge Soler added a one-out sacrifice fly for a 5-0 lead.

With Johnson out of the game, the Orioles broke through in the seventh inning when Gunnar Henderson singled and Pete Alonso walked against Samy Natera Jr. Baltimore scored its lone run on a two-out single to center by Leody Taveras against Chase Silseth.

SAN FRANCISCO — — Robbie Ray held the Athletics to an unearned run and two hits in eight innings to lead the San Francisco Giants to a 3-1 victory Tuesday night.

Ray (6-6) struck out six and walked four. In his previous outing, the left-hander allowed two hits in 6 1/3 shutout innings in a 7-2 win at Atlanta last Wednesday.

Caleb Kilian worked a scoreless ninth in this one for his fifth save. He struck out Henry Bolte with two runners on to end the game.

Jung Hoo Lee tagged Aaron Civale (5-4) for a solo homer in the second inning for the game’s first run. It was Lee’s fifth HR of the season.

After Willy Adames doubled, Matt Chapman hit a drive off the left-field wall. Adames scored to make it 2-0, but the throw from Tyler Soderstrom to second baseman Zack Gelof nailed Chapman trying for a double.

Chapman accidentally spiked Gelof’s right hand as Gelof was making the tag with his glove hand. That forced Gelof to leave the game with a laceration and contusion, and his hitting streak ended at 24 games.

He had flied to right to open the game in his lone at-bat Tuesday. Gelof also had scored a run in 13 consecutive games.

The A’s got an unearned run off Ray in the third. It remained a 2-1 game until Rafael Devers singled home Bryce Eldridge with one out in the seventh to give the Giants a 3-1 edge.

Casey Schmitt singled in that seventh-inning rally. Schmitt went 2 for 4, making it his seventh straight multi-hit game. That’s the Giants’ longest such streak since Marco Scutaro’s seven-gamer in 2013.

Up next

Athletics rookie LHP Gage Jump (3-1, 2.37 ERA) faces Giants RHP Tyler Mahle (1-7, 6.04) on Wednesday night. Mahle has been on the injured list for nearly a month because of a strained left hamstring.

SAN DIEGO — — Manny Machado hit an RBI single in the 10th inning to lead the San Diego Padres to a 7-6 walk-off win over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night.

With Jackson Merrill at second, Machado sent a pitch from Raisel Iglesias (0-2) into center field to give the Padres their sixth walk-off victory of the season.

Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to tie it for the Padres, who rallied after being down 4-0 in the second.

The Padres scored five runs in their half of the second on RBI singles by Rodolfo Durán, Sung-Mun Song and Tatis, and a two-run single by Samad Taylor.

Mason Miller (2-1) pitched the final two innings of the game, striking out three for San Diego. It is their sixth walk-off win of the year.

Ozzie Albies’ double down the left field line in the fourth inning tie it at 5 for the Braves. Mauricio Dubón hit a solo homer in the fifth to give Atlanta a 6-5 lead.

Iglesias gave up two hits, one in the ninth and one in the 10th, and struck out one. Braves starter JR Ritchie pitched five innings, striking out seven. He gave up five hits and walked four.

Up next

LHP Martin Perez (6-3, 2.78 ERA) will start for the Braves on Wednesday against RHP Randy Vasquez (6-5, 4.17).

NEW YORK — — Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a three-run homer, Dansby Swanson also went deep and drove in four and the Chicago Cubs beat the New York Mets 9-6 on Tuesday night despite an injury to starting pitcher Edward Cabrera.

The right-hander hurt his left leg stretching to catch a throw at first base for the final out of the fifth inning. In obvious pain, he was carted off the field with a left hamstring/adductor strain.

New York slugger Juan Soto exited in the fifth with tightness on the left side of his back. Francisco Alvarez homered and knocked in three runs for the last-place Mets, who fell to 0-4 against the Cubs this season. Bo Bichette added a two-run shot in a three-run ninth.

Coming off consecutive rainouts, Chicago scored five times in the second against Kodai Senga (0-6), ineffective again in his second start since returning from the injured list. The right-hander issued a leadoff walk and hit a batter with a pitch before walking Carson Kelly with the bases loaded to force in the first run.

Swanson had a sacrifice fly and Crow-Armstrong launched his 17th homer to right-center, extending his career-best on-base streak to 24 games dating to May 26. The star center fielder is hitting .410 with 11 homers, 20 RBI and a 1.324 OPS during that stretch.

Riding an 11-game hitting streak, Crow-Armstrong has five homers in his last six games and six in his past eight. He was drafted 19th overall by the Mets in 2020 before they traded him to Chicago in July 2021.

Swanson, batting ninth, added a two-run shot off Senga in the fourth and an RBI double in a two-run eighth. Kelly, who scored three times, also had a run-scoring double in that inning as the Cubs got four straight hits off reliever Tobias Myers, the last three of them doubles.

Cabrera (5-4) gave up two runs, three hits and four walks over five innings in the opener of a four-game series.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell was ejected for arguing a replay reversal in the seventh.

The start was delayed 11 minutes by rain.

Up next

A day-night doubleheader between the teams Wednesday, with the first game scheduled to make up Monday night’s rainout.

Javier Assad (5-1, 3.89 ERA) starts the opener for Chicago against Nolan McLean (4-4, 3.67). Shota Imanaga (4-6, 4.26) faces New York lefty Sean Manaea (1-2, 4.64) in the nightcap.

NEW YORK — After his team got rained out two days in a row, Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell sounded a little miffed about the second one.

Hours later Tuesday, he was criticizing a major league rule that led to his ejection following an unusual play.

Chicago’s series opener Monday night against the Metsin New York was postponed because of poor weather and rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader Wednesday at Citi Field.

Counsell and the Cubs also got washed out back home at Wrigley Field on Sunday, when they were supposed to wrap up a series against the Toronto Blue Jays. That game will be made up Aug. 6.

“Look, consecutive rainouts are, they’re troublesome for pitching, for sure. And frankly, yesterday’s game did not need to be rained out. It didn’t rain, and for some reason we didn’t play,” Counsell said in the dugout late Tuesday afternoon, with a tarp covering the infield on another drizzly day in Queens.

There were a couple of heavy thunderstorms around Citi Field on Monday, in the late afternoon and after 11 p.m. It was a wet day throughout with light showers and mist — but the rain mostly stopped between about 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

First pitch had been scheduled for 7:10 p.m., but the game was called approximately 40 minutes before that. In their news release, the Mets announced the game was “postponed due to weather.”

It was the first time the Cubs had back-to-back games postponed because of weather since April 2018 — and the first time in different cities since early October 1986.

Counsell was asked if he sought any sort of explanation.

“Major League Baseball tells you the game’s canceled, and that’s it. Especially on the road. That’s all you get,” he said.

Shota Imanaga had been scheduled to start Monday for Chicago against Japanese countryman Kodai Senga, but with all the uncertainty during the evening about whether the game would be played, the Cubs ended up having Imanaga throw a bullpen and pushed his turn back to Wednesday.

“Just to give him a chance to touch the mound and be a little more in routine,” Counsell said.

Edward Cabrera started Tuesday night against Senga in the opener of a four-game series, which began following an 11-minute rain delay. Cabrera hurt his left leg in a 9-6 victory and is headed to the injured list.

“You stack a doubleheader, which affects — you’re not going to have enough starters available, so we’re either going to end up with a bullpen game or we’re going to call up (someone) later in the week,” Counsell said before the game.

In the seventh inning, Michael Busch drew a one-out walk for the Cubs that appeared to advance Pete Crow-Armstrong from first base to second.

Crow-Armstrong was running on the full-count pitch, however, and slid headfirst into second as Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez threw down. New York manager Carlos Mendoza challenged the play, and a replay review determined Crow-Armstrong was tagged out when he lost contact with second base at one point.

So even though Busch walked, his teammate was out at second.

“No comment. Pretty confusing stuff,” said Crow-Armstrong, who was ushered away from umpires when he attempted to argue.

Counsell got an explanation from the umps about what Mendoza was challenging. But when the call was overturned, Counsell came back onto the field and argued, waving his hand dismissively.

That’s when he got ejected.

“Umpires interpret rules correctly. They don’t get that stuff wrong,” Counsell said. “It’s a bad rule. It’s a terrible rule. I mean, I don’t know what else to say. Like, not a good rule.”

SAN FRANCISCO — Giants first baseman Rafael Devers apologized to manager Tony Vitello and said his actions at first base in the ninth inning of San Francisco’s one-run loss to the Miami Marlins on Sunday are being “blown out of proportion.”

Vitello backed his player, calling it a “nonissue.”

After drawing a leadoff walk Sunday in Miami, Devers waved off pinch runner Jonah Cox and gestured angrily toward the dugout when the rookie came out. When first-base umpire Nate Tomlinson made the substitution official, Devers covered his face with his helmet and yelled into it. Upon reaching the dugout, he avoided a backslap from bench coach Jayce Tingler and headed directly for the clubhouse.

Devers, who rarely speaks to the media, did not speak to reporters after Sunday’s game. On Tuesday, before the Giants played the Athletics at Oracle Park, Devers said the confusion arose because he believed Vitello was removing him from the game because of a lingering hamstring issue, which he said is no longer a problem.

“I think it was a misunderstanding,” Devers said through an interpreter. “I thought the hamstring was the reason he was taking me out of the game.”

Cox, a rookie with less than a month of big league experience, is one of the faster players in the majors. He did not attempt to steal second base, and the game ended when Willy Adames hit into a double play.

The loss completed a three-game sweep for the Marlins and dropped the Giants to 15 games under .500, the second-worst record in the National League.

Buster Posey, the Giants’ vice president of baseball operations, said Tuesday, “We’re all prone to have missteps at times.”

Posey said he had not spoken to Devers, but added, “You could tell he’s frustrated. Look, the way the season’s gone, everybody’s frustrated.”

Devers said he apologized to Vitello — “It was the right thing to do,” he said — in the manager’s office in Miami after the game. Vitello said the conversation took place when Devers came and sat with him on the flight back to San Francisco.

“We sat next to each other on the plane, had a good conversation,” Vitello said. “So, after that conversation … it’s a nonissue.”

Devers, who was traded to the Giants in a blockbuster deal with the Red Sox roughly one year ago, has had a disappointing tenure in San Francisco. After going 1-for-4 with an RBI in the Giants’ 3-1 win over the Athletics, he is hitting .238/.302/.735 with 97 strikeouts in 331 plate appearances.

Posey, who is expected to look to trade some of the team’s highest-paid players at the deadline, has not ruled out shopping Devers. Vitello, however, gave a strong defense of Devers.

“I’m going to go into battle with him anytime,” Vitello said. “If you rewind and listen to my comments [postgame], it was a Father’s Day conversation. As a person, the way he treats my family and especially my dad, I’ll go to battle with him. If he came over to my condo and said, ‘I need your help; you can’t ask about it,’ all I would say is, ‘Whose car we taking?’”

Vitello said he did not take Devers’ defiance personally, saying he did not perceive it as disrespecting him. Devers said it was not his intent to show up his manager.

“It was just heat of the moment,” he said. “Nothing to be read into it. The media in general blows everything out of proportion, and this is a reflection of why I don’t talk to the media.”

SAN FRANCISCO — Athletics infielder Zack Gelof left Tuesday night’s 3-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants in the second inning with a gruesome injury after Matt Chapman stepped on Gelof’s right hand during an awkward tag play at second base.

Gelof’s injury, which the Athletics said was a right hand laceration and contusion, put a painful end to his 24-game hitting streak, which equaled the longest streak in major league baseball over the past two seasons. The streak is also the sixth longest in Athletics’ franchise history.

The injury occurred as Chapman was attempting to stretch an RBI single to a double. The throw from left fielder Tyler Soderstrom beat Chapman by four strides, and Chapman tried to avoid the tag without sliding. Gelof took the one-hop throw on his knees in front of the base and appeared to slip as he reached up to tag Chapman.

Gelof ended up with his right hand on the ground as Chapman reached the base, and Chapman’s right foot slammed into Gelof’s forearm before landing heel-first, digging into the back of Gelof’s hand. Reflexively, Gelof attempted to free his hand, and when he pulled it away, blood from three spike punctures was clearly visible. He immediately jogged off the field in obvious pain.

Gelof was unavailable for comment after the game, but manager Mark Kotsay said X-rays were negative and Gelof did not need stitches.

It has been a resurgent season for Gelof, 26, who left the game hitting .282 with 11 homers and 29 RBIs. After establishing himself as one of the Athletics’ budding young stars with an impressive rookie season in 2023, he spent most of 2024 mired in a slump and sat out most of last season because of injuries. He has been the team’s most productive hitter in June, hitting .351 with five homers and 12 RBIs during his 24-game hit streak.

Before Tuesday’s game, Kotsay said one reason for Gelof’s resurgence was a change in his bat-angle approach to the baseball.

“We’re seeing a player that resembles the guy that came up and really excited us about [his] future,” Kotsay said. “The confidence that he has continues to grow and you see it out there on the baseball field.”