Basketball Wiretap

Kon Knueppel has declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, leaving Duke after his freshman season. Knueppel is expected to be a lottery pick.

Knueppel averaged 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 40.6 percent on three-pointers and 91.4 percent from the free throw line in 30.5 minutes over 39 games for the Blue Devils. 

What happened in two snapshots in the NBA Play-In on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.

Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey is dealing with a muscle injury in his right hand. The injury causes pain and tightness for Giddey, especially when making certain movements with his right hand and arm. But the versatile Bulls guard says it won't keep him out of Wednesday's Play-In Tournament game against the Miami Heat.

"I’m good to go," Giddey said. "Play-in game, must-win game, there’s no way I’m going to sit out."

The pending restricted free agent said about the injury that "It's just about managing the pain." Giddey also said it's something that will need to be addressed in the offseason.

The Bulls host the Heat in the 9-10 game in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament on Wednesday. The winner will advance to play at the Atlanta Hawks on Friday for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The loser will head to the NBA Draft Lottery.

The Milwaukee Bucks are getting healthier as the playoffs draw nearer. Damian Lillard is out to start the playoffs, but the Bucks should have Jericho Sims back for Game 1 against the Pacers on Saturday.

Sims has been out since injuring his thumb on March 16. However, Milwaukee head coach Doc Rivers said he thinks the backup center will be ready to play when the playoffs start this weekend.

"Yes. I think so, pretty sure of that," Rivers said of Sims' being active against Indiana.

In 14 games after being acquired at the trade deadline, Sims averaged 2.4 points and 4.9 rebounds in 15 minutes per game for Milwaukee. The Bucks acquired Sims from the New York Knicks in a deal for backup guard Delon Wright. Sims was acting as Milwaukee's primary backup for Brook Lopez at the time of his injury.

Danny Wolf will leave Michigan to declare for the 2025 NBA draft. Wolf is a projected first round pick and averaged 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 blocks this season. 

"This season exceeded all expectations," Wolf said Wednesday. "We had an awesome year from a team standpoint. I didn't know what I was getting myself into with a brand-new roster and coaching staff, but Dusty May had an out-of-the-box plan for my development with a unique style of offense that allowed me to play my game. I wouldn't be in the position I am today without them letting me showcase my skill set and developing me into the player I am today."

Despite being a 7-footer, Wolf can play point guard, power forward and center. Wolf transferred to Michigan after two seasons at Yale.

"In the summer, the coaching staff started tinkering with different ideas for utilizing me alongside another 7-footer in Vlad Goldin," Wolf said. "Dusty May and I watched a lot of NBA film, guys like Lauri Markkanen, Alperen Sengun and Karl-Anthony Towns operating next to Rudy Gobert. I had some reservations in the process of what it would look like, but coach laid out his vision and really believed in me. I am happy it worked out."

Monday's WNBA Draft averaged 1.25 million viewers on ESPN.

The number is down 50% from last year, but still represents the second most-watched draft in league history. 

The third most-watched draft had 601,000 viewers in 2004.

The telecast peaked with 1.46 million viewers.

Paige Bueckers was selected with the No. 1 pick by the Wings. 

University of Florida big man Alex Condon has declared as an early entry candidate for the 2025 NBA Draft. Condon will maintain his NCAA eligibility as he goes through the draft process.

As a sophomore, Condon averaged 10.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 blocks per game. Condon was a big part of leading the Gators to the national championship.

The 6-foot-11 forward/center is a projected late first-round pick in ESPN's most recent mock draft. NBA teams like Condon's versatile offensive skill set and ability to protect the rim on defense.

Trae Young was ejected from the Atlanta Hawks' 120-95 loss to the Orlando Magic in Tuesday night's play-in game due to "making a mockery of the game."

Young was ejected with 4:47 left in the game after receiving two technical fouls for throwing a chest pass to a ref then kicking the ball away.

"He received his second unsportsmanlike technical foul for kicking the ball away and making a mockery of the game as we were attempting to shoot the free throw for the first technical foul and by rule when the player receives two unsportsmanlike fouls he's ejected from the game," said referee James Williams.

The Hawks were down 22 points when Young was ejected.

Young was frustrated with a lack of foul calls during the game. The Hawks took 34 free throws compared to the Magic's 27.

"Sometimes when I take my frustration out on the refs it's not just for me," Young said. "It's for my teammates. I see Dyson Daniels going; he may not be a household name yet, but he deserves the same amount of respect as some of these other guys. If you see a foul, you should call a foul."

The Hawks will play either the Bulls or the Heat for a spot in the playoffs on Friday. 

The 2024-25 regular season averaged 1.53 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, and TNT, representing a 2% decrease from last year.

Since the trade deadline, games averaged 1.51 million viewers. That number represents a 16% increase from before the deadline when excluding Opening Night and Christmas Day.

ESPN and ABC viewership combined for an average of 1.71 million viewers, representing a 10% increase for ABC.

Viewership on ESPN and TNT was down 7% from last year.

The ten most-viewed games this season were the five Christmas games, the Opening Night doubleheader, the Bucks-Thunder NBA Cup Final, Lakers-Celtics on March 8 (4.6 million viewers) and Lakers-Warriors on January 25 (3.0 million viewers).

The Philadelphia 76ers swiftly retained both Daryl Morey and Nick Nurse for the upcoming season, but the team will need to bounce back significantly in order for them to continue beyond the 25-26 season.

"I was mildly surprised," said Brian Windhorst on the Stephen A. Smith Show about the Sixers continuing to back Morey and Nurse. "But heard that ownership was on board and and agreed with and endorsed signed off on the moves that they made last year."

The Sixers signed Paul George in free agency and also signed Joel Embiid to a massive extension. Embiid suffered from a right knee injury throughout the season, which derailed their chances of competing. 

"So I think they are giving [Morey] the grace that this was a terrible year in terms of injury and misfortune. But what I would say to both Daryl and Nick is you have no margin for error now. If next year isn't an excellent year, you're gonna...

"That's probably, I would say, the hottest seats in the NBA right now looking into next year. We got to see how the season ends [with playoff teams], but right now the hottest seats in the league are probably Daryl and Nick Nurse."