DETROIT — Tim Hardaway Jr. intends to sign a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets, a source confirmed to The Detroit News on Tuesday, following ESPN’s initial report. His departure marked the end of his one-year stint with the Detroit Pistons.

Hardaway joined the Pistons in July 2024 after being traded from the Dallas Mavericks. During his time with the team, he appeared in 77 games and averaged 11.0 points per game, shooting 40.6% from the field.

He played a significant role in improving the Pistons’ lackluster 3-point shooting from the previous year. Hardaway made the second-most 3-pointers on the team — trailing only Malik Beasley — hitting 168 shots on 36.8% shooting from behind the arc.

His best game of the season came during the Pistons’ 133-122 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 28. He scored a season-high 32 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field, 7-of-11 from behind the arc. Although he played a crucial role in the Pistons’ on-court success, Hardaway was equally instrumental in transforming the team’s subpar culture through his veteran leadership.

Prior to Hardaway’s departure, Dennis Schröder and the Sacramento Kings had agreed to a deal, which ended Schröder’s brief tenure in Detroit. The deal was reported by multiple national writers, including ESPN’s Shams Charania and Yahoo! Sports’ Vincent Goodwill.

Though Schröder’s time with the Pistons was brief, the veteran point guard was one of the most important figures in the team’s success. After landing in Detroit at the trade deadline, Schröder became everything the Pistons envisioned.

In need of a secondary ball-handler and scorer, Schröder became a trade target after the Pistons lost Jaden Ivey for the season due to a leg injury in January. He was acquired as part of the five-team trade that landed the Golden State Warriors Jimmy Butler III. In addition to Schröder, Detroit also obtained Lindy Waters III in the deal.

“When J.I. went out, we felt like we needed another guy who we could put the ball in his hands and he could go out and make reads and make plays,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said in April. “He has been tremendous for us.”

Schröder became a productive role player as soon as he stepped onto the court, averaging 10.8 points and 5.3 assists across 28 games. During the Pistons’ six-game first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks, he maintained his production amid averages of 12.5 points, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals.

Sacramento will be Schröder’s 10th NBA team.

DETROIT — The Red Wings didn’t land any big names Tuesday, but they improved their depth during the start of unrestricted free agency.

Fans were hopeful that players such as Mitch Marner (Vegas), Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand or Aaron Ekblad (all re-signed in Florida) would find their way to Detroit.

But many free agents decided to stay with their present teams, while others went to championship contenders. The Wings, meanwhile, solidified their depth, signing forwards James van Riemsdyk and John Leonard and defensemen Jacob Bernard-Docker and Ian Mitchell to one-year contracts.

The Wings’ biggest free-agent splash occurred Monday night when general manager Steve Yzerman re-signed prospective UFA forward Patrick Kane to a one-year contract worth $3 million.

Kane, 36, can earn another $4 million in bonuses. He can earn $2.5 million for 10 games played, $250,000 for 30 games played, $250,000 for 50 games played, another $500,000 if the Wings make the playoffs, $250,000 for a first-round victory and $250,000 for a third-round victory.

Kane’s season turned around once Todd McLellan replaced Derek Lalonde in late December. Kane scored 16 of his 21 goals and 45 of his 59 points after McLellan was named coach.

“I didn’t have the best start to the season. Felt a little bit unlucky at the start of the year, but still just didn’t feel good about my game and where I was at,” Kane said after the season ended. “The coaching change, maybe just the style, we started playing a little bit more aggressive, a little bit more connected, all five guys up the ice, that really helped me.”

Kane, who was drafted first overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by Chicago, will be joined next season by the No. 2 overall pick that year — van Riemsdyk (by Philadelphia).

Often viewed as a potential trade target by the Wings, Yzerman signed van Riemsdyk, 36, to a one-year contract worth $1 million, plus bonuses that could earn him another $750,000.

Van Riemsdyk played in 71 games with Columbus last season, scoring 16 goals with 20 assists and a minus-4 rating. One of the best net-front players in the NHL, van Riemsdyk has 327 goals and 665 points in 1,082 games played in his career.

The Wings are hoping to catch a spark with Leonard, who is coming off a professional career-best season in the minor leagues.

Leonard, 26, signed a one-year contract for $775,000. He spent last season with Charlotte (AHL), where he scored a career-high 36 goals.

Leonard (5-foot-11, 196 pounds) has played 70 NHL games in his career, with six goals and 17 points. His last NHL stop was 2023-24 in Arizona, where he played six games with the Coyotes.

Bernard-Docker, 25, signed a one-year deal worth $850,000.

A former first-round pick in 2018 (26th overall) by Ottawa, Bernard-Docker (6-1, 198) split last season between Ottawa and Buffalo, playing 25 games with the Senators and 15 with the Sabres. He had one goal and three assists with each team, as well as a plus-2 rating in Ottawa and plus-3 rating in Buffalo.

A defensive defenseman who is a prolific shot blocker, Bernard-Docker is likely to battle for time on the third pairing.

The Wings also added depth to their defense by signing Mitchell to a one-year contract worth $775,000.

Mitchell, 26, was a former 2017 second-round pick (57th overall) in Chicago. Mitchell (6-feet, 192) split last season with the Boston Bruins and their minor-league team. In 15 games with the Bruins, he had one assist with minus-2 rating.

With the free agent market pretty much picked over, Yzerman might look at possible trades to improve the roster any further.

The Wings’ own unrestricted free agents found homes elsewhere.

Goaltender Alex Lyon found a two-year contract with $1.5 million annual average value in Buffalo, where Lyon will compete for playing time rather than a possible third-string job with the Wings, and defenseman Jeff Petry signed a one-year contract worth $800,000 with two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida.

Gordie Howe was one of the greatest players ever in the NHL, but Howe didn’t reach greatness by himself.

Howe needed talent around him, and having Alex Delvecchio as his center was a major reason Howe reached such incredible heights.

“I can thank Alex for a lot of good years,” Howe said. “We read each other very well. I played with some great hockey players, but none came to his order.”

Delvecchio, a quiet magician who played in Howe’s shadow in the opinion of many but was immensely talented in his own right, died Tuesday at the age of 93.

The Delvecchio family, through the Red Wings, posted a message Tuesday afternoon on social media:

“To our Red Wings Fans, Friends and Hockey Community,

“It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved Alex Delvecchio, who left us peacefully on July 1, 2025, surrounded by his family at the age of 93 years old.

“Alex was more than a Hockey icon, he was a devoted husband, loving father, grandfather, great grandfather, cherished friend, and respected teammate to so many. While the world knew him as an incredible hockey player with numerous accomplishments on the ice, we knew him as someone whose humility, strength, competitiveness, kindness and heart were even greater than his professional achievements. For decades, your love and support meant everything to Alex and to all of us. We are deeply grateful and thankful to everyone.”

The line of Howe, Delvecchio and Ted Lindsay was known as “The Production Line” and formed one of the most prolific scoring units in NHL history.

Delvecchio played in 1,550 games with 456 goals, 825 assists and 1,281 points. When Delvecchio retired in 1974, he ranked second to Howe in all three categories. The Red Wings retired his No. 10 jersey in 1991.

Delvecchio finished among the NHL’s top 10 scorers 10 times in 14 seasons from 1955-56 to 1968-69. He scored 20 or more goals in 13 of his 22 full Red Wings seasons (two seasons with 19) and had 30 or more assists 17 seasons.

Delvecchio assisted on 210 of Howe’s goals, more than any other Howe teammate.

“A great artist, that’s what he was,” Howe said. “I had no idea how much of one until I played with him. Ted Lindsay and I would sit on the bench when Alex was just a rookie and talk about what a good player he could become.”

With Howe and Frank Mahovlich as his wings, Delvecchio had his best season in 1968-69, with 58 assists. Howe had a career-best 103 points.

“Alex was one of those players who made people around him better,” said Mickey Redmond, a former Wings player and now the team’s TV analyst. “He was an extremely unselfish player. The game slowed down for him. He was a top-notch, excellent passer.

“A real gentleman on and off the ice. Maybe some can say he was underrated because he was so unassuming. Maybe he fell under the radar just a bit because of that. But you look at the numbers and you say, ‘Wow.’ The stuff Alex accomplished, it’s a great tribute to how good a hockey player he really was.”

Delvecchio didn’t mind staying in the background while others attracted the headlines. He preferred it that way.

“I never did play the game to have them hang my jersey in the Joe Louis Arena or anyplace, or be a Hall of Famer or whatever,” Delvecchio once said. “I just wanted to play the game, play it as best as I could, contribute to your hockey team, and I feel that any of those other honors are like bonuses.”

Delvecchio was born on Dec. 4, 1931, in Fort William, Ontario. He played minor hockey in his hometown before beginning his professional hockey career with the Oshawa Generals, with whom he suited up for during the 1950-51 season.

After making his NHL debut with the Wings on March 25, 1951, Delvecchio embarked on an impressive 24-year NHL playing career, all with the Red Wings, helping them capture three Stanley Cup championships (1952, 1954, 1955).

Delvecchio followed his playing career, going on to coach the Red Wings for four seasons (1973-77) and was named general manager in 1974, serving in both roles until 1977. That same year, Delvecchio was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and entered the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

Delvecchio possesses some of the biggest moments in Wings’ history, including a two-goal performance in Game 7 of the 1955 Stanley Cup Finals and scoring seven goals during the Wings’ 1956 Stanley Cup run.

Delvecchio was named one of the NHL’s 100 Greatest Players as part of the league’s centennial celebration and has his No. 10 jersey hanging in the rafters and a bronze statue on the concourse of Little Caesars Arena.

“Not bad company,” said Delvecchio the night of his statue ceremony at Joe Louis Arena in October 2008, the statue alongside his linemates Howe and Lindsay, the only other Wings with statues. “This wouldn’t have happened had I not played with some great players. Like that guy over there (Howe, who was at the ceremony). Playing with guys like that helps your career immensely.

“With guys like Teddy and Gordie, with the horses we had and I played with over the years, my job was to get the puck to them. Get the puck to them and they’d get the job done. I learned that quick. They helped me become a better passer, shall we say.”

Red Wings owner Marian Ilitch issued this statement on Tuesday:

“I am honored to have known our dear friend and Red Wings legend, Alex Delvecchio. Alex was a cherished part of the Red Wings family, and I’m grateful for the years my husband Mike and I shared with him, as well as the remarkable legacy he leaves behind — both in the rafters of the arena and in the hearts of Red Wings fans everywhere. My heartfelt condolences go out to the Delvecchio family during this time of loss.”

Chris Ilitch, Red Wings governor and chief executive officer, said this in a statement:

“The Detroit Red Wings organization is deeply saddened by the passing of Alex Delvecchio – a true Red Wings great whose contributions to our team, our city, and the game of hockey will never be forgotten. Alex embodied what it means to be a Red Wing: loyalty, humility, and excellence on and off the ice. For over two decades, including 12 as captain of the Red Wings, Alex earned the reputation as one of the best two-way forwards in NHL history. Following his Hall of Fame career, he continued to represent the Red Wings with class and distinction as both an executive and ambassador. Our thoughts are with the Delvecchio family and all those who were fortunate enough to know and admire Alex. His legacy will forever be remembered as part of Red Wings history and Hockeytown.”

Delvecchio is survived by his wife Judy and their five children, 10 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

DETROIT — Goaltender John Gibson was in Cabo for a charity event Saturday when he heard the news he was traded to the Red Wings.

It was interesting timing, for sure, but news that Gibson welcomed after being part of the Anaheim Ducks for over a decade.

“Very exciting,” Gibson said during a Zoom call Tuesday with Detroit media. “Being in one place for a long time, there’s a lot of close friendships inside and outside the organization, but we’re really excited for the next chapter. I still feel like I have a lot left to prove and I’m excited to get the season going and playing, and hopefully we can get Detroit in the playoffs.”

Since returning from Cabo, and settling into his offseason home in his native Pittsburgh, the trade has settled in for Gibson.

“Being away and all that and being in a whirlwind and kind of coming home and explaining it to our kids, it’s now more exciting,” he said. “It’s starting to soak in than when it originally happened.”

Gibson was acquired for goaltender Petr Mrazek and two future draft picks (a 2026 second-rounder and a 2027 fourth-rounder).

Gibson spoke with general manager Steve Yzerman on Tuesday morning after playing phone tag the last several days. He also talked with captain Dylan Larkin, forward Andrew Copp and goaltender Cam Talbot, among others.

Having been part of the USA National Team Development Program, based in Plymouth Township, early in his career gave Gibson a good handle on the Metro Detroit area. He’s been coached by Wings coach Todd McLellan during the World Cup of Hockey, and assistant coach Trent Yawney was an assistant in Anaheim for years when Gibson was there, so there’s familiarity.

“He (McLellan) has been around and coached for a while in the Pacific Division. Playing against him, any time we were going against one of his teams, they were well coached and structured, disciplined. He kind of holds his standards and principles and you just go,” Gibson said. “I had a lot of experience with Trent Yawney. I’ve kind of grew up with him. He was my first coach in Norfolk (AHL) and had him a few years in Anaheim. Some familiar faces, which definitely helps the transition.

“I kind of played under Todd for a little bit. I know Trent Yawney and how the defensive structure is. I don’t know if it’ll be a ton (of adjustment). It’s all kind of fresh and new but hopefully not too much.”

The emergence of Lukas Dostal in Anaheim the past couple seasons made Gibson’s name a regular appearance on trade boards. With injuries and illness also hampering Gibson, 31, last season, he was limited to 29 games with an 11-11-2 record, a 2.77 goals-against average and .911 save percentage.

Gibson — who has two more years on his contract, with a $6.4 million annual average value — is looking forward to showing the NHL he’s still a premier goaltender.

“It’s a new chapter, a fresh start,” Gibson said. “I’m excited to prove myself. It’s an exciting opportunity, a team and organization that really wants to get back to playoff hockey. They’ve been so close for a couple years, and for me coming in and being part of it, it’s a historic franchise. It’s a privilege and honor to be part of it all.

“They’re right there.”

General manager Steve Yzerman was pleased Saturday to add Gibson and upgrade the Wings’ goaltending.

“John has historically, throughout his career, been a good goaltender,” Yzerman said. “Anaheim went through a rebuilding process and they are coming out of that. We’re sitting here today, banking on John has battled through that and will be able to maintain a high level. We like to think we’re a reasonably solid team that is moving forward, and that he’ll be fine in this role.

“We just think he’s a good goaltender and the best option for us right now. We’re hopeful and expecting him to perform at a high level next year.”

Gibson has been a goaltender who regularly plays at least 40 games per season and is optimistic he can do that in Detroit.

“Everybody’s body is different throughout the season. You’re going to have unforeseen challenges and bumps and bruises here and there, but I’m just trying to put myself in the best position possible with training and conditioning to be ready for the season, and be healthy as I can be,” he said.

Being from Pittsburgh, Gibson was a teenager when the Wings and Penguins met in consecutive years in 2008-09 in the Stanley Cup Final, both winning one, and relishes the memories.

“I remember those battles. Obviously remember growing up in Pittsburgh and (goaltender Marc-Andre) Fleury’s (game-saving) save, so I remember the good and bad from both of them,” Gibson said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals game was postponed Tuesday because of rain and rescheduled as a doubleheader on Wednesday.

The games are scheduled for 1:05 p.m. and previously scheduled 6:45 p.m.

 

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DETROIT ― The last time the Tigers played on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” was Aug. 18, 2024. By that point, they already had been sellers at the trade deadline, and they entered the “Little League Classic” game against the New York Yankees in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, with a 60-64 record and still buried in the playoff chase.

Before that game, ESPN’s longtime baseball insider, Buster Olney, talked to The Detroit News about the need for the team to build for the future.

Like everyone else, he didn’t expect a bright future to come so quickly.

“You can run back my quotes, and I told you they would go on to to be the best team in baseball. You don’t have those at the ready? I can refresh your memory on how I predicted everything like this,” Olney said with a laugh this week.

“Really, it’s amazing. It’s just astonishing.”

The Tigers won that game last August against the Yankees, 3-2 on a walk-off, and went on to make a stunning trip to the postseason, beating the Houston Astros in the wild-card round before falling to the Cleveland Guardians in five games in the American League Division Series.

Starting with that win, the Tigers a major-league best 78-44 (after Saturday’s 10-5 win over the Minnesota Twins), including 52-32 this season, as they lead the AL Central by a whopping 10.5 games.

Olney spoke to The News again this week, about what’s transpired and about the road ahead for the Tigers, who are among the World Series favorites just past the halfway point of the season. Here are the highlights of our conversation, ahead of the Tigers’ first appearance on “Sunday Night Baseball” since that thriller of a game last August, with some light editing for clarity and brevity:

Question: How did the Tigers get here?

Answer: It’s neat to see, and you start with (Tarik) Skubal, and he’s become this aircraft carrier that every team would love to have at the front of the rotation. The surprising thing is the offense. Earlier in the year, I was texting with AJ (Hinch, Tigers manager) and I just mentioned to him, I kind of wondered if they would have trouble scoring runs, and he said, ‘No, we’re going to hit.’ … (That was even) after they had some injuries in spring training, especially with their outfielders, it’s impressive what they’ve built.

Q: So you didn’t see this coming in 2025, even after how 2024 finished?

A: I think when they we went into spring training and they asked for our picks, I think … I might’ve picked Kansas City to win. (ESPN’s baseball-writing staff went with Kansas City, by a slim margin over Detroit.) I definitely did not think of the Tigers as a juggernaut, especially following those injuries in spring training. … I was wrong about the Tigers last August, and I was wrong about the Tigers before the year started. They just keep on surprising.

Q: What do you make of the Javier Báez resurgence? He could start the All-Star Game?

A: I thought for sure at the time they called up the guys (in August 2024) … I thought for sure he was going to get released. It only made sense at the time that they would just say, ‘You know what, it hasn’t worked out. We’ll eat the money and move on and focus on developing younger players,’ because it was so bad. … It makes me happy that you have stories like this in baseball, because he goes from where he was last August (placed on the injured list shortly after the Yankees series, and done for the year with a hip injury), and now he’s one of the top vote-getters (among AL outfielders). Who would’ve guessed that? Isn’t that crazy? Who knows what Aaron Boone (Yankees manager, and the AL manager) is gonna do … but can you imagine if we get to the All-Star Game and there are four Tigers starters (Skubal, Gleyber Torres, Riley Greene and Báez)? That would be a stunner.

Q: The big talk here is, what do the Tigers do at the trade deadline next month?

A: On the face, because I think they’re sitting in such a great position, there’s nothing that Scott (Harris, Tigers’ president) has to do. They’ll run away with the division. I think if you were to draw up a spectrum of which teams are run through gut feel, Scott probably leans more toward the analytics side, which would suggest that they would be less likely to do something, because they don’t have to. However, in some respects, I think the answer to your question was the winter time, when they pursued Alex Bregman. You do wonder if in some form and fashion, with the Red Sox so absolutely going in the tank (since trading Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants), if that all of a sudden it becomes more of a reality (that they’d trade Bregman, too). … And why not go to the team with the best record in the American League and play for your former manager (Hinch, who managed Bregman in Houston).

Q: Bregman signed a three-year contract for $120 million with the Red Sox, and he can opt out after 2025. Hard to believe the Tigers would give up a ton for a guy who can opt-out, unless there are assurances he’ll stay in Detroit beyond the end of 2025.

A: Everyone would have to understand … that he was going to opt out at the end of the year. And that would be tough (to make a trade), but I think the Tigers are so good and it’s been so long since they won a World Series, maybe that’s one of the deals they make. … Remember the Cubs in 2016 when they were run by an analytically driven front office and they’re the team that made the choice, ‘You know what, we need a finishing piece. (Closer) Aroldis Chapman. Let’s go get him.’ They wouldn’t have won the World Series that year without Chapman.

Q: And, interestingly, the Red Sox have Chapman, too, and the Tigers need relief help.

A: Maybe you do a two-for one.

Q: If there’s one team that could run down the Tigers in the AL Central, who is it?

A: It’s funny; I’m ready to put the pin in the division race, because Cleveland has struggled so badly offensively, and Kansas City’s offense is a mess. Kansas City, there’s a chance they follow the model of the Tigers last year and they trade a Seth Lugo, and the way (Jack) Flaherty was moved, and they begin to spin it forward a little bit. And the Twins … they kind of go as those big three go, with (Royce) Lewis, (Carlos) Correa and (Byron) Buxton. … If I’m going to choose one of those three teams, it’s Cleveland, but I don’t think they’re close.

Q: How do the Tigers stack up in the American League?

A: Tampa Bay, they are the freight train that’s coming in the American League. … They looked good against (the Tigers, taking two of three recently). … They look like they’re going to be the toughest out for the Tigers.

Q: Let’s look toward the World Series. The National League seems so much better than the AL this season. Is the champion coming from the NL?

A: It’s significantly better and it has a lot more depth, but I would say if your rotation starts with Skubal and you have Flaherty with his experience in the postseason at No. 2, that’s pretty good. I don’t think there’s any question the (NL) is better, but in an individual series, I can’t rule out either Tampa Bay or the Tigers. … I think the Yankees would have a really tough time in a (seven-game) series. … That’s the advantage (the Tigers have) when you have the best pitcher on the planet.

Q: Skubal (who starts Sunday night, as he did or the Tigers-Yankees Sunday-night game last August), that’s the elephant in the room. He’s under contract through the end of 2026, and nobody believes the Tigers can pay the suggested $400 million it might cost to keep him.

A: I would agree with you. … Enjoy the time you have left together.

The Detroit Red Wings made eight selections in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

Here’s a breakdown of each of players selected:

 

Carter Bear

Pick: No. 13 overall (Round 1)

Position: Left wing

Height/weight: 6-foot, 179-pounds

Last season: Everett (WHL), 56 games, 40 goals, 42 assists, 82 points

Fact:  An Achilles injury ended his season in March, but he’ll be ready for training camp.

Scouting report: Bear can score in many different ways but mostly isn’t shy about getting to the net and plays a complete game at both ends of the ice. Has an elite shot and can score from the perimeter as well. Bear brings a lot of energy to the lineup.

Eddie Genborg

Pick: No. 44 overall (Round 2)

Position: Right wing

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 196-pounds

Last season: Linkoping (Sweden), 28 games, 19 goals, 15 assists, 34 points.

Fact:  Switched positions, from goaltender, as a teenager.

Scouting report:  Maybe a little bit of Tomas Holmstrom in his game, but Genborg has a lot more skill.

He loves to hit, lives in front of the net, and plays with a bit of a physical edge. But Genborg has good offensive instincts and has shown ability to score at the junior level.

Michal Pradel

Pick: No. 75 overall (Round 3)

Position: Goaltender

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 198 pounds

Last season: Tri-City (USHL), 14 games, 9-4-0, 2.41 GAA, .899 SVS.

Fact: Came over from Slovakia to further his hockey career in the USHL.

Scouting report: Scouts love Pradel’s size and athleticism. He has the ability to see over opponents and always seems to be in position. Rebound control is an area he needs to work on.

Brent Solomon

Pick: No. 109 overall (Round 4)

Position: Right wing

Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 165 pounds

Last season: Champlin Park H.S. (Minnesota), 28 games, 38 goals, 18 assists, 56 points.

Fact:  Went directly to USHL hockey after high school career ended and scored four goals in six games for Sioux Falls.

Scouting report: A natural goal scorer with an elite, quick release. Has shown the ability to score goals, a pure goal scorer, at every level. Needs to grow physically but has the offensive skills to intrigue.

Michal Svrcek

Pick: No. 119 overall (Round 4)

Position: Left wing

Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 178 pounds

Last season: Brynas (Sweden), 30 games, 14 goals, 16 assists, 30 points.

Fact: One of the few Slovaks playing in the Swedish Elite League.

Scouting report: Don’t let the size fool you — Svrcek plays much bigger than his size. He loves to hit, plays hard every second, and can disrupt opponents with his ability to get on top of skaters. He complements that all-out style with an ability to put the puck in the net.

Nikita Tyurin

Pick: No. 140 overall (Round 5)

Position: Defenseman

Height/weight: 6-foot, 174 pounds

Last season: Spartak Moskva (Russia), 50 games, 4 goals, 16 assists

Fact: One of only 21 Russian players drafted by NHL teams last weekend.

Scouting report: A dangerous offensive defenseman, who can skate with the puck, fires a good outlet pass and jump into the play. Coming off a strong playoff performance.

Will Murphy

Pick: No. 172 overall (Round 6)

Position: Defenseman

Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 205 pounds

Last season: Cape Brenton (QMJHL), 54 games, 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points.

Fact: Maritimes junior defenseman of the year in 2024.

Scouting report: Murphy is a classic, old school, defensive defenseman who will protect teammates, clear out bodies in front of the net, and is a team leader. The Wings could use the physicality Murphy brings to the organization.

Grayden Robertson-Palmer

Pick: No. 204 overall (Round 7)

Position: Center

Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 181 pounds

Last season: Phillips Andover Academy H.S. (Mass.), 30 games, 16 goals, 23 assists, 39 points.

Fact: Headed to play for QMJHL powerhouse Moncton.

Scouting report: Dominated in the New England high school level and is headed to a strong junior program. Robertson-Palmer has a strong, pro body, gets off a hard shot, and has leadership qualities. The step upward in competition should help drive his game.

On the eve of the NBA draft, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paraded through the streets of Oklahoma City, shirtless and with a Canadian flag wrapped around his waist. Joy finally infiltrated his cool and quiet demeanor. He swaggered about, embracing being The Man, leaning into his full superstar identity: champion, deadly scorer, regular season and Finals MVP, the latest player born outside the United States to stake a claim as the best hooper in the world.

Consider the scene a prologue to the NBA story of Cooper Flagg, the 18-year-old with sky-born ability who enters the league as the new great American hope in an era ruled by international stars.

It shouldn’t matter, yet it does. The NBA is still an American league, regardless of whether its alpha star hails from New York City or French Lick, Indiana; Athens, Greece, or Sombor, Serbia. Basketball globalization has helped make the sport more lucrative, epitomized by the news last week that a majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers will be sold at a record-setting $10 billion valuation. Nevertheless, this nation’s roundball ego won’t allow the game to diversify without concern that our players are losing their edge.

It’s never simply amazing that the game has grown across so many borders that Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo have driven the bus for three of the past five champions. The discourse always includes criticism that America doesn’t have sufficient representation among the best of the best.

The depth of U.S. talent remains untouchable, which is why Team USA has won five straight Olympic gold medals. But the hierarchy is changing. It’s most noticeable at the MVP level, where the award has gone to foreign-born players the past seven years. An American hasn’t finished in the top three of MVP voting since Stephen Curry placed third in 2021.

On Wednesday night, when the Dallas Mavericks made the no-brainer decision to draft Flagg No. 1 overall, he stepped into the spotlight wearing a dark blue three-piece suit and a black tie. A goatee in training decorated his face. The hairy effort only added to his boyish charm.

Flagg, who won’t turn 19 until December, has experienced hype for the past four years. He keeps proving worthy of the attention. His reputation rose to a preposterous level last summer after he impressed during scrimmages with Team USA as it prepared for the Paris Olympics. Then he went to Duke, won national player of the year as a freshman and led the Blue Devils to the Final Four.

Now in the NBA, his development will mean much to the perception of American pro ballers. It’s an unfair burden, but there’s hope that he can offset the dearth of 25-and-under American players capable of dominating the league. Anthony Edwards has MVP talent. But the other candidates, including Zion Williamson and Ja Morant, have struggled with injuries and off-court troubles.

In every generation, there are only a handful of stars who can define an era. Because the Williamson generation has yet to step forward, aging stars such as LeBron James, Curry and Kevin Durant have lingered as the standard for too long. As a result, the 35-year-old James Harden is the youngest former American MVP in the league. Jaylen Brown, 28, is the only active American Finals MVP under 30. But despite being a four-time all-star and the first NBA player to sign a $300 million contract, Brown is not a top-shelf star.

Does Flagg have the game and magnetism to be the alpha star? He might, but he’s not the once-every-two-decades prospect that James and Victor Wembanyama were. His skill set is a notch below, but with his drive and competitiveness, Flagg still might rule the league.

During a media session after Dallas selected him, a reporter asked Flagg if he will try to win a championship as a rookie. It’s a feat that a No. 1 pick hasn’t accomplished since Magic Johnson did it 45 years ago. Yet Flagg refused to admit the thought was unrealistic.

“Of course,” he said. “Of course, yeah. My mindset has always been to be a winner. So I’m going to try to win as hard as I can everywhere I go. I’m looking forward to being successful and winning a lot of games, for sure.”

As a public figure, Flagg can be robotic and a little shy. But even in those moments, you notice hints of charisma. On the court, his personality shines. He has an intensity that complements his athleticism. He’s a highlight dunk or blocked shot waiting to happen. His game defies racial stereotypes, which will enhance his marketability.

The question about the kid from Newport, Maine, has never been whether he would be a significant player. The debate centers on how big a star can be. For the sake of basketball discourse in this country, he needs to be more than the safe pick.

After Gilgeous-Alexander won the MVP, ESPN led a chorus of “What’s wrong with American basketball?” Most of the conversation veered into tropes about the soft and spoiled athletes.

“Most of these successful international guys either are influenced heavily by American basketball culture, played high school ball in America, some even went to college here,” Durant wrote on X in May. “This whole convo is trash, basketball is a universal language, some people have different dialect. Some states teach the game different than other states, who says there’s a perfect way to teach the game?’”

The basketball culture has its problems. But some of the criticism lacks depth. It’s irresponsible to scream crisis when 12 of the 15 players named to the 2025 all-NBA teams were Americans. But the three others – Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic and Antetokounmpo – are the best players in the league.

And Luka Doncic probably has a couple of MVP seasons in him.

And Wembanyama is something we’ve never seen.

That’s just five international superstars, but they’re enough to take every spot-on the all-NBA first team.

When the 2024-25 season began, a record-tying 125 players from other countries made the opening night rosters. That’s about a quarter of the league. But there’s so much talent among those players that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is formulating a USA-vs.-World format at the 2026 All-Star Game.

The U.S. could use some of Flagg’s fearlessness. When Edwards was asked last season about being the face of the NBA, he declared, “That’s what they got Wemby for.” If his honesty was refreshing, his resignation was shocking. Edwards wants to hoop without responsibility. But the NBA was built on legends who welcomed the task of carrying the league.

America needs to replenish its talent at the highest tier of NBA stardom. Flagg doesn’t back down from any challenge. An entire nation now hopes his game matches his mentality.

HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) — Home-state favorite Chase Elliott passed Brad Keselowski on the final lap and won the the crash-filled NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta on Saturday night for his 20th career victory.

Elliott, the popular driver from Dawsonville, Georgia, earned a spot in the NASCAR playoffs with his first victory since April 2024 at Texas. It was his first win in Atlanta since 2022.

“I’ve never in my whole life, this is unbelievable,” Elliott said. “This is something I’ll remember the rest of my life.”

Keselowski was second, followed by Elliott’s Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet teammate, Alex Bowman, and Tyler Reddick. Bowman helped block Keselowski following Elliott’s last-lap pass.

“The 48 and 9 just got together,” Keselowski said, referring to Bowman and Elliott. “… At they end they were able to double-team me.”

Elliott climbed into the stands to celebrate with fans after ending a 44-race winless streak.

“I’m happy for the 9 team,” Bowman said. “It’s a big win for him in his hometown. … I’m glad to have a Hendrick car in victory lane. I wish it was us.”

The race’s second crash early in Stage 2 took out many of the sport’s biggest names and left others with damaged cars. Pole-winner Joey Logano, who led the first 36 laps before light rain forced the first caution, was among the many drivers caught up in the big crash.

Among others knocked out of the race: William Byron, Austin Cindric, Ross Chastain, Josh Berry, Corey LaJoie and Daniel Suarez.

“It wrecked the whole field,” Logano said. “I still don’t know exactly how it started … but it was total chaos. Cars were sideways and on the brakes. I got hit from every corner possible.”

Added Denny Hamlin, who suffered damage to his Toyota in the crash: “Some zigged. Some zagged. Most crashed.”

The Atlanta race at EchoPark Speedway, formerly known as Atlanta Motor Speedway, was the debut of the 32-driver In-Season Challenge, a five-race, bracket-style tournament.

The parade of highly regarded drivers to be knocked out so early in the race showed the perils of trying to pick NASCAR winners on a March Madness-style bracket sheet. The top two seeds were among the early casualties.

Hamlin, the No. 1 seed in the tournament, finished 31st and lost to Ty Dillon, who finished eighth.

Chase Briscoe, who held off Hamlin for his first win for Joe Gibbs Racing last week at Pocono Raceway, was the No. 2 seed before being knocked out in a crash and losing to Noah Gragson in the tournament.

A $1 million prize awaits the winner as part of a new media rights deal that includes TNT.

Elliott and Keselowski were on the front row when a caution with 33 laps to go forced a decision on whether to pit for fresh tires. Both stayed on the track and Elliott faded following the restart until making his decisive charge at the very end.

Bracket busters

Ryan Blaney, the race favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook, was knocked out on a wreck late in the first stage. Christopher Bell hit the wall, triggering the crash that ended the stage with Cindric in the lead.

Cindric was involved in the bigger crash early in Stage 2. Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace were among others involved in the crash.

Photo finish

Tyler Reddick beat Elliott to the finish line by .001 seconds to win Stage 2 in a battle between drivers looking for both their first stage win and overall win of the season.

Weather woes

Lightning and rain delayed qualifying Friday and the Xfinity race won by Nick Sanchez late Friday night. More lightning and rain threatened Saturday night’s race. Fans were encouraged to leave the stands about 90 minutes before the race due to severe weather in the area but were allowed to return as pre-race were conducted as planned.

Up next

The Cup Series moves to Chicago for the Chicago Street Race on Sunday, July 6.

— By CHARLES ODUM, Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Dave Parker, a hard-hitting outfielder who was set to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame next month, has died, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced Saturday. He was 74.

No further details about Parker’s death were immediately available. The Pirates informed the crowd of his death just before the start of their game against the New York Mets and held a moment of silence.

Nicknamed “the Cobra,” the 6-foot-5 Parker made his major league debut in 1973 and played 19 seasons, 11 for the Pirates. He was the NL MVP in 1978, won a World Series with Pittsburgh a year later and then won another championship in 1989 with the Oakland Athletics.

“All of us who grew up in the ’70s remember how special Dave was,” Pirates owner Bob Nutting said in a statement. “He had a big personality and his passing has left a bigger void for all who knew him. Our hearts go out to his wife, Kellye, and his family.”

Parker won NL batting titles in 1977 and ’78. He finished his career as a .290 hitter with 339 homers and 1,493 RBIs. He also played for Cincinnati, Milwaukee, the California Angels and Toronto.

Parker was elected to the Hall of Fame by a special committee in December. The induction ceremony in Cooperstown, New York, is set for July 27.

“We join the baseball family in remembering Dave Parker. His legacy will be one of courage and leadership, matched only by his outstanding accomplishments on the field,” Hall chairman Jane Forbes Clark said. “His election to the Hall of Fame in December brought great joy to him, his family and all the fans who marveled at his remarkable abilities.”

Born on June 9, 1951 in Grenada, Mississippi, Parker grew up in Cincinnati and was a three-sport star at Courter Tech High School.

After playing for Pittsburgh from 1973-83, he signed with his hometown Reds and spent four seasons with the club. In 1985 he led the NL with 125 RBIs and was second in the MVP voting.

“He was such a big dude at a time when there weren’t that many ‘6-foot-5, 230-pound, dynamic defender, batting champion with power’ guys,” Hall of Famer and Reds teammate Barry Larkin said. “Everything about him was impressive.”

In a statement, the Reds said: “Dave was a towering figure on the field, in the clubhouse and in the Cincinnati community, where his baseball journey began, playing on the fields near his home and going to games at Crosley Field. Dave’s impact on the game and this franchise will never be forgotten.”

Parker was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2012.

He told reporters that he burst into tears upon learning of his selection to the Hall of Fame.

“Yeah, I cried,” Parker said after receiving the news. “It only took a few minutes, because I don’t cry.”

Parker homered for the A’s in the 1989 World Series opener and took credit for helping the Bash Brothers of Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire take the title with a four-game sweep of San Francisco.

“All of us throughout the game are deeply saddened by this loss,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “We will remember the Cobra forever, especially as his name soon officially joins the legends of our national pastime.”

Pirates veteran and 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen paid tribute to Parker after Pittsburgh beat the New York Mets 9-2.

“He had to be like Superman to people when he was playing,” McCutchen said. “He was larger than life on the field and had a larger-than-life personality, too.”

Parker was a seven-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove right fielder, and when he retired after the 1991 season, he was one of only five players with at least 500 doubles, 300 homers, 150 stolen bases and 2,700 hits.

“I was a five-tool player. I could do them all,” Parker said after his Hall selection. “I never trotted to first base. I don’t know if people noticed that, but I ran hard on every play.”

— By JOHN PERROTTO, Associated Press

DETROIT — Every NHL team is excited this weekend, after the completion of the Entry Draft, with their accumulation of talent into the organization.

The Red Wings are no different.

Starting with drafting forward Carter Bear Friday in the first round, and leading into adding seven players Saturday, the Wings feel they’ve infused the organization with promising depth.

“Just good prospects,” general manager Steve Yzerman said. “We don’t necessarily draft by position. We always try to, at least at this stage and where we’re at, still trying to get the best prospects. We’re excited about Carter in the first round, a player that fits into the type of player that’ll fit in well for us, a left shot left winger.

“The remainder of the group, our scouts feel good about it. We were able to get a couple defenseman, several forwards, another big goaltender. We were able to address some needs in terms of depth in the prospect pool and we’ll try to do our best and be patient and develop them and help them along the way to be professional players and hopefully play for the Red Wings.”

The way the Florida Panthers have won two consecutive Stanley Cups, with a style of hard-nosed, competitive, hard-hitting hockey, but blending that with offensive skill, is a framework the rest of the NHL is trying to copy.

The Wings have been accumulating those types of players for several drafts.

“We want to continue to draft and bring in prospects that can skate, can think the game and are competitive and be tough players to play against,” said Kris Draper, director of amateur scouting. “Two hundred (foot), complete hockey players.”

The Red Wings opened Saturday selecting that type of player in Sweden’s Eddie Genborg in the second round.

Drafting 44th overall, the Wings took the 6-foot-2, 196-pound Genborg, a skilled, power forward winger who scored 19 goals and added 15 assists in 28 games for Linkoping.

Genborg is projected as a physical forward who is strong on the forecheck and is effective around the net and along the walls. Scouts also like his intelligence on the ice.

“Watching playoff hockey the last two months, the one thing that sticks out is how hard it is to play and compete,” Draper said. “The teams that were able to be successful and go on a run, they had guys who could skate, be hard to play against and be responsible hockey players. We think that Eddie will bring that for us.”

Draper relayed a story about how the Wings ask players at the NHL combine if you could take a teammate or two with you to the NHL, who would it be?

“It was unanimous, the guys on the Swedish (national) team wanted to play with Eddie,” Draper said. “He’s a big, strong kid who can really skate and be physical on the forecheck, a guy who is tough to play against. We just like the intensity he’s able to bring.”

The Wings had two consecutive picks in the third round but only used one.

They grabbed goaltender Michal Pradel, from Tri-City (USHL) with the 75th overall pick, then traded the 76th pick to Columbus for pick No. 109 (fourth round) and Columbus’ fourth-round pick in 2026.

Pradel (6-5, 198), from Slovakia, played 14 games in Tri-City (9-4-0, 2.41 GAA, .899 SVS). Pradel has the size to track pucks through screens, even in scramble mode, and he’s played well in pressure situations.

Pradel joins a growing stable of goaltending prospects the Wings possess, including Sebastian Cossa, Trey Augustine and Rudy Guimond.

“It’ll sort itself out over time,” said Draper, noting new regulations in junior and NCAA hockey that allows more development time. “We wanted to draft a goaltender and bring them into the prospect pool. Michal Pradel was someone we saw a lot of and loved his size and athleticism.”

In the fourth round, the Wings took right wing Brent Solomon, with the Columbus pick acquired in the previous round.

Solomon mainly played high school hockey in Minnesota last season, scoring 94 points in 49 games for two teams. Solomon had six points (four goals) in eight games with Sioux Falls (USHL) to end the season.

Solomon (5-11, 165) is committed to play collegiately at Wisconsin, after Sioux Falls this season.

“Right shot natural goal scorer, with a real good release,” Draper said. “We like his ability to score goals. He did real well at the high school level and he got off to a hot start in the USHL which was something you like to see.”

With their second fourth-round pick, the Wings took Michal Svrcek at 119th overall.

At 5-10 and 178 pounds, Svrcek is a competitive winger who had 30 points (14 goals) in 30 games with Brynas in Sweden. Svrcek isn’t big physically, but scouts rave about his energy and ability to swarm opponents. Despite his size, Svrcek doesn’t shy away from hitting and loves to forecheck.

“We really like, and you’ll probably hear this a lot, the skating and compete, and the puck skills he has,” Draper said. “He plays a lot bigger than he is. When you sit there and think about names and players (at this stage in the draft), we decided to go with Michal and we’re excited to have him.”

Russian defenseman Nikita Tyurin was the Wings’ fifth-round selection, at 140th overall.

Tyurin is a 6-foot, 174-pound offensive defenseman who had four goals and 16 assists in 50 games for Spartak Moskva in Russia’s junior league. Wings’ Russian scout Nikolai Vakourov led the charge to draft Tyurin.

“Nikolai kept saying what a great playoff he (Tyurin) had,” Draper said. “He’s a good skater, good hockey sense, good with the puck and good first pass defenseman. When you’re sitting there and in the later rounds, and one of the area scouts is excited about a player, that’s what I want to hear.”

Defenseman Will Murphy was the Wings’ pick in the sixth round (172nd overall).

A 6-4, 205-pound defensive defenseman with Cape Breton (QMJHL), Murphy had four points (two goals) in 54 games. Murphy knows how to use his size and length, protects the area in front of his net, and can play a physical game.

“Big stay at home defensive defenseman,” Draper said. “The physicality and toughness is something we felt at the time, where we were (in the draft), we wanted to bring into the organization. He’s a character kid, the type of teammate that will do everything he can to stick up for his teammates.”

The Wings ended the day by grabbing center Grayden Robertson-Palmer (5-foot-10, 181-pounds) in the seventh round (No. 204 overall). Robertson-Palmer has a strong body with a strong shot and had 39 points in 30 games playing at Phillips Andover Academy (Massachusetts). He’ll play in Moncton (QMJHL) next season.

“He’s solid kid, thick build, competitive kid who can really skate,” Draper said. “He can really skate and we like the way he plays the game, and the intensity he plays the game with.”

Detroit traded its second seventh-round selection (No. 211) to Calgary for the Flames’ seventh-round pick in 2026.

MIDLAND, Mich. (AP) — Sarah Schmelzel and Albane Valenzuela took the third-round lead Saturday in the Dow Championship, shooting a 2-under 68 in alternate-shot play to move into position for their first LPGA Tour victories.

Schmelzel and Valenzuela had a 13-under 197 total at Midland Country Cup heading into the better-ball final round. They opened with an alternate-shot 68 on Thursday and had a best-ball 61 on Friday.

“You’re kind of on pins and needles most of the day, just hoping you don’t get your partner in trouble,” Schmelzel said. “Just super solid. I feel like we had really good attitudes throughout the entire day. I think both of us took every single shot as it came.”

The teams of Jin Hee Im-Somi Lee (68) and Manon De Roey-Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (69) were a stroke back.

“I’m very proud of us,” De Roey said. “We hung in there. We fought until the end.”

Jennifer Kupcho and Leona Maguire, the second-round leaders after a 60, birdied the final two holes for a 72 that left them tied for fourth at 11 under with Lauren Hartlage-Brooke Matthews (66) and Sung Hyun Park-Ina Yoon (67) . Kupcho won in 2022 with Lizette Salas.

“Just try and go low and try and post a number early and see what happens.” Maguire said. “I think it was nice to see two putts go in at the end.”

Lexi Thompson-Meghan Kang (68) and Rio Takeda-Miyu Yamashita (67) were 10 under.

Defending champions Ruoning Yin and Jeeno Thitikul, both among the top five in the women’s world ranking, were 9 under after a 67.

Schmelzel and Valenzuela parred the final seven holes. They had four birdies and two bogeys in the round.

“I feel like we had a really good day,” Valenzuela said. “Our goal in foursomes was just to get a couple under or maybe a little bit better. We had a few mistakes, and that’s going to happen in this format. We also did a lot of really good stuff.”

DETROIT (AP) — Aldrich Potgieter, standing on the practice green at Detroit Golf Club, said the most challenging part of his life was moving to Australia when he was 8 and returning to South Africa at age 17 because the COVID-19 pandemic limited his opportunities to compete.

Potgieter is about to face another test.

The PGA Tour’s youngest player and biggest hitter is going into the final round of the Rocket Classic with a two-shot lead, hoping to hold off a pack of players, including Collin Morikawa, for his first victory on the circuit.

“The leaderboard’s so stacked,” Potgieter said after he had five straight birdies in a 7-under 65 to surge into the lead Saturday.

The 20-year-old tour rookie started the week averaging 326.6 yards off the tee — several yards longer than Rory McIlroy — and credits his multi-sport childhood.

“I played a lot of sports, rugby, wrestling,” the 5-foot-11, 211-pound Potgieter said. “Kind of did everything as a kid. Didn’t just focus on golf, so that kind of helped me build that strong foundation.”

Max Greyserman (66), Jake Knapp (66), Mark Hubbard (67), Andrew Putnam (67) and Chris Kirk (69) were two shots back. Three more players were another stroke behind.

“As long as you’re kind of hanging around on Sunday, that’s what counts,” Greyserman said.

Collin Morikawa, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 5 in the world, shot a 68 to start the final round four shots back. Two years ago in Detroit, he was outlasted by Rickie Fowler in a playoff. Morikawa, a two-time major champion, has not won on the tour since October 2023 at the Zozo Championship in Japan.

“Look, I know what’s at stake,” Morikawa said. “I want to find a way to get it done.”

In a nod to his native country, Potgieter’s white golf shoes have the South African flag on the outside of his heels.

He won the British Amateur at the age of 17 and became the youngest Korn Ferry Tour winner last year, paving the way for him to become the second-youngest player to earn a PGA Tour card through the minor league just after his 20th birthday. The youngest was Jason Day, who was 19 in 2007.

Potgieter was in a position to win earlier this year.

He lost a playoff at the Mexico Open in February, when Brian Campbell got a big break when his tee shot on the second extra hole went off tree and back in play. He missed the next four cuts and and seven of eight before he was tied for sixth at the Charles Schwab Challenge last month in his last PGA Tour start last month.

While the Detroit Golf Club is one of the easiest courses on the PGA Tour, it will likely be challenging for the world’s 123rd-ranked player to hold off the competition.

Potgieter’s driver certainly gives him a shot, but he also flashed some of his finesse during his birdie streak on the front nine in the third round.

He opened with a birdie on a 35-foot shot from a bunker. His approach on the par-5 seventh was buried in the rough, pin high and 78 feet to the right of the cup. He lofted the ball past the hole and it rolled back toward it, setting up an eight-foot birdie putt.

At the 372-yard, par-4 eighth hole, he waited for Kevin Roy and Michael Thorbjornsen to exit the green because he was going for it.

Potgieter pulled out his driver and sent the ball over towering trees and through the green before it finally rested in the rough 374 yards from the tee. He went on to make an 11-foot putt for his fifth straight birdie and sixth of the afternoon to help him shoot a 30 on the front nine for a two-shot lead.

He cooled off on the back nine with a birdie at No. 13 and lipping out on a 7-foot putt at the 14th, missing a chance to birdie the par 5, and closed with five pars in a row.

“That front nine really helped me to get through,” Potgieter said. “A lot of par saves on this back nine.”

DETROIT (AP) — Zach McKinstry had three hits, including one of Detroit’s four home runs, and the Tigers went on to beat the Twins 10-5 on Saturday afternoon.

Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter and Gleyber Torres also homered for the Tigers.

Casey Mize (8-2) gave up two runs on five hits and one walk in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out five as he improved to 5-0 with a 2.00 ERA in six starts at home this season.

Bailey Ober (4-6) took the loss, allowing seven runs on 11 hits, including all four home runs. He walked one and struck out five.

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the second when Spencer Torkelson doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly. After Minnesota went ahead 2-1 on Buxton’s two-run homer in the third, Detroit tied the game in the bottom of the inning on Carpenter’s homer.

Colt Keith made it 3-2 in the fourth with a sacrifice fly and Torres followed with a two-run homer.

Greene led off the fifth with Detroit’s third home run to move the lead to 6-2, and McKinstry’s lead-off homer in the sixth made it a five-run game.

Carlos Correa hit a two-run homer in the eighth, but Wenceel Pérez hit a two-run double in the bottom of the inning.

Key moment

The Twins nearly took the lead in the second inning, but Carpenter leaped to keep a fly ball from Ryan Jeffers from clearing the left field fence.

Key stat

Buxton homered and stole a base in the same game for the 15th time, tying Gary Gaetti for third place on the Twins career list.

Up next

The teams finish the three-game series in the first Sunday night game at Comerica Park since 2017. Twins RHP Chris Paddock (3-6, 4.64) faces Tigers ace LHP Tarik Skubal (9-2, 2.29), who is 9-0 in his last 14 starts.

Eight players from Oakland County, including two each from Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, were named to this year’s Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association Dream Team.

A Division 1 regional finalist, Brother Rice’s Dream Team pair are senior infielder Cole Van Ameyde and sophomore catcher Broder Katke.

Van Ameyde, off to Michigan State in the fall, batted .398 for Rice, led the team with a .547 on-base percentage and had a team-high 10 home runs while tying for the team lead of 40 RBIs.

Katke hit .374 on the year, leading the Warriors in doubles with 17 while driving in 39 runs and swiping 16 bags, all while serving as a fixture behind the plate.

The Eaglets were repped by the tandem of Luke Crighton and Hudson Brzustewicz.

Committed to Indiana, Crighton started his spring with a no-hitter, and finished it nearly just as strong, tossing a complete-game shutout in the Eaglets’ district championship win.

A Notre Dame commit, Brzustewicz was just as integral to the Eaglets’ postseason success. He hit a grand slam in the district semifinal win against Detroit Country Day, drove in a pair of runs in the regional championship against Lake Shore and had four RBIs in the D2 quarterfinal victory over Yale.

Novi southpaw Uli Fernsler (TCU), also in the top-tier of the state’s talented senior pitching crop, drew in scouts thanks to a 0.33 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 42 2/3 IP.

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep Drake Roa was selected as an infielder but also dealt it on the hill for one of the top D2 programs in the state. In addition to batting a team-high .464 average, Roa homered three times, drove in 24 runs and nabbed 30 bags. On the bump, he pitched 19 frames, converting all seven of his save opportunities with just a 0.37 ERA.

An all-LVC, all-district, and all-region pick, senior catcher Kaiden Kapa made the Dream Team from Waterford Kettering. He ended the year with 19 RBIs and posted six three-hit performances over the course of the year for the Captains.

Rochester Adams outfielder Koltyn “Flip” Watters was the lone freshman to make the Dream Team. He led the Highlanders in both batting average (.469) and OBP (.545), along with a handful of doubles, 21 RBIs and 22 stolen bases.

Bay City Western’s Luke LaCourse was selected as the 2025 Mr. Baseball.

 

DIVISION 1

Joining Van Ameyde and Katke from Brother Rice (both first-team), senior pitcher Blake Ilitch and freshman outfielder Maksim Neshov from the Warriors made the D1 team as second-team selections.

Neshov made an immediate impact, as Katke did last year, with a team-high .417 BA. He accrued eight doubles, homered three times and tied for the team lead in stolen bases with 28.

Ilitch, part of the team’s formidable two-ace staff along with Cole Duhaime, pitched 51 2/3 innings and enjoyed a team-best 1.63 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP. The Ole Miss commit had just a .132 batting average against and struck out 90 on the year.

In addition to Dream Team picks Fernsler, Kapa and Watters, Rochester Adams junior outfielder Matt Toepper was also a first-team selection. He finished with a .436 average, and led the Highlanders in doubles (seven), triples (three), RBIs (25) and stolen bases (30).

West Bloomfield senior Slade Moore and Walled Lake Northern senior infielder Carson Beattie each received second-team nods, also.

When he wasn’t making plays with his glove in center field for the Lakers, Moore, committed to Michigan, made his mark as another of the state’s best left-handers on the mound. He had a pair of five-inning postseason outings in which he struck out eight batters both times and wasn’t charged with any earned runs in either, including West Bloomfield’s 2-0 regional semifinal victory over Lakeland.

Beattie was an on-base machine for the Knights, and along with a slew of walks, he finished with three home runs and 36 RBIs on the season.

 

DIVISION 2

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s each placed a pair of players — all juniors — on the first-team D2 squad.

From a 29-win Irish team were Roa, also from the Dream Team, and Henry Ewles, selected as a utility player.

Ewles tossed a team-high 65 1/3 innings for Notre Dame Prep and went 7-4 in 11 starts. He had phenomenal metrics with just a 1.29 ERA and 0.80 WHIP, striking out 49 with only 10 walks allowed. At the plate, Ewles batted .420, homering three times while driving in 37 runs, best on the Irish.

Also from the Dream Team for St. Mary’s were Crighton and Brzustewicz.

 

DIVISION 4

A pair of Novi Christian Academy seniors, infielder Tyler Brown and outfielder Luke Gallagher, were each second-team selections, as well as Royal Oak Shrine senior first baseman Jackson Poulton.

In a sweep of Allen Park Inter-City Baptist, two of the Warriors’ best wins of the season, Gallagher combined to go 5-for-8, while Brown went 5-for-5 with nine RBIs, including a double short of the cycle in a 16-5 victory on April 29.

Poulton singled in the go-ahead run and drove in a pair for the Knights in their 3-1 win over Our Lady of the Lakes for Shrine’s district championship.

DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons selected guard Chaz Lanier with the No. 37 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft Thursday night.

Lanier, 23, adds depth to the Pistons’ backcourt, averaging 18.0 points on 39.5% shooting from behind the arc in his only season at Tennessee. He finished the 2024-25 season ranked fourth in 3-point shooting percentage in the nation.

Lanier came into the draft with five years of college experience. Before transferring to Tennessee, the 6-foot-4 guard played four seasons at North Florida. He appeared in 104 games with 49 starts for the Ospreys.

Lanier’s best season came during the 2023-24 campaign, when he notched a career-high 19.7 points on 51.0% shooting from the field and 44.0% from behind the arc, along with 4.8 rebounds.

Lanier, a native of Nashville, was named First Team All-SEC in 2025 and First Team All-Atlantic Sun in 2024.

High school sports seasons are like a roller coaster.

Teams ride the ups and downs of run-of-the-mill games, holiday tournaments and rivalry matchups – a variety of mini-loops and corkscrews – before the big drop that is the postseason.

As writers, we quietly mimic those steps in the background, as we record the many successes throughout the county in a given season.

Typically, throughout those parts of the regular season, a series of league matchups means I wouldn’t run into my Macomb counterpart in Brady McAtamney too often. But when the playoffs roll around, Oakland and Macomb County teams inevitably face each other for the right to advance.

Brady talked about what a frenetic run-up it was for him to the state finals in East Lansing several weekends ago. I joked that mine across the county border wasn’t nearly so, a sign of the see-saw nature in which any given season, it’s either him or I. But we chatted briefly at McLane Stadium when Dakota was playing in the D1 baseball final, then parted ways.

These OAA vs. MAC all-star games at season’s end are another chance for us to intersect when the real ride of the spring is over. Last year, I spent a majority of the game hovering around the OAA dugout, and I assume Brady did something similar.

Last week, for this year’s baseball game between the two counties’ all-stars, Brady and his girlfriend were sitting at a table behind the plate. I hadn’t met her, and we’d spent so little time throughout the spring at the same place at the same time, and so rather than wandering back to the dugout, I pulled up a seat.

We chatted about work. We shared stories about coaches, players. The three of us shared our joy and disdain for pop stars.

Over the past few weeks, Brady and I had talked about anything from video games we had played or planned to play to dealing with seizures, which have been affecting an immediate family member of mine.

I’ve spent most of the week in a hospital watching over that family member, including Tuesday when I got the news that Brady had passed away over the weekend. As it does when you get any kind of text, email or call of that nature, my heart sank.

Just trying to work through the challenges of that, it didn’t really hit me until sometime Wednesday afternoon as I looked out the fifth-floor window of the hospital.

There won’t be any more ribbing each other in our group chat over Troy vs. Athens outcomes, the rival high schools we each went to. No more texting about games we wish we’d gotten to. No more commiserating about the busy season we can relate to.

Brady McAtamney, sports coordinator for Macomb Daily, dies at age 28

There’s no silver lining to the death of someone so young, but I’m dealing with it by finding joy in that decision to sit and chat with Brady one last time watching some baseball together, something he loved, too.

When the softball game between the OAA and MAC rolls around in the next several weeks, there will still be stories to celebrate of players and coaches. But whoever bats, pitches or wins, there’ll be a hole in the lineup without Brady there also. He will be missed.

DETROIT – Sometimes it happens like you dream it. Or pretty darn close to it.

Lefty Dietrich Enns’ last big-league start was Sept. 24, 2021. He’s traveled a long, long road to get back. And he certainly made the most of his return.

The 34-year-old Central Michigan product allowed one hit over five impressive innings Thursday, helping the Tigers beat the Athletics 8-0 and take the three-game series at Comerica Park.

“I’m proud of him for the journey,” manager AJ Hinch said. “He’s been around the world and worked his way back.”

Literally.

Enns, who last pitched in the big leagues with the Rays, spent 2022 and 2023 in Japan and last season pitched in Korea. The Tigers signed him and after he made a strong impression this spring, he was dominant in 14 starts at Triple-A Toledo (2.89 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 62.1 innings).

“Reliable human, reliable pitcher,” Hinch said. “He earned his way back here by how he pitched in Triple-A. I told him he got called up because he can help us win.”

Enns got into the game with an eight-pitch, six-strike first inning and only had to work out of one mess.

In the third inning, Eastern Michigan product Max Schuemann rolled an infield single to the left side of the infield – the only hit Enns allowed – and stole second. He advanced to third on a flyout.

But Enns left him there, getting the dangerous Brent Rooker to bounce into a 5-4-3 double-play.

Smartly mixing changeups, cutters and curveballs off well-located 93-mph four-seam fastballs, Enns struck out four and got six ground-ball outs. The Athletics put 11 balls in play against him with a mild average exit velocity of 81.4 mph.

“He dove right in with our pitching group,” Hinch said. “He’s not just doing the same thing over and over again, hoping for a new opportunity. He refined his changeup. He’s learned count leverage a little better. His arsenal has shifted.

“Adjustments don’t mean a complete overhaul. It just means subtle tweaks and the performance followed.”

It was Enns’ third big-league win. His other two were against the Tigers, Sept. 11 at Comerica and Sept. 16 at Tropicana Field.

Spencer Torkelson got the offense started, lining a changeup from lefty Jeffrey Springs over the wall in left field. It was his 17th homer and his first since June 10. He’d gone 44 plate appearances between homers and was 4 for 37 in that stretch.

They stretched the lead to 3-0 in the third. Jahmai Jones bounced one over the bag at third base that eluded Max Muncy and caromed off the side wall for a double.

Parker Meadows scored easily from second and Gleyber Torres hustled around from first.

Torres padded the Tigers’ lead with an opposite-field, two-run homer to right off reliever J.T. Ginn in the seventh. It was his eighth homer.

The Tigers, specifically Zach McKinstry, ran themselves out of a couple scoring opportunities.

With runners at first and second and one out in the fourth, McKinstry broke for third base on a 2-2 pitch to Jake Rogers. Perhaps he thought the count was full, but he stopped, got in a rundown and was tagged out.

With two outs in the sixth, McKinstry singled and stole second base. He tried to score on an infield ground ball by Javier Baez. Baez was safe on a throwing error by Muncy but McKinstry was thrown out at the plate by first baseman and former Tiger Gio Urshela.

McKinstry more than made up for the outs on the bases. He had three hits and paid full penance in the eighth inning by ripping a two-run triple into the right-field corner off lefty TJ McFarland. He leads the American League with eight triples.

The Tigers (51-31) continue to pile up series wins. They’ve won 18 of 25 series with one tie. They’ve won 10 of 13 series at Comerica Park.