Trump ban: US sports figures criticise ban on immigrants

Luol Deng (right): "I stand by all refugees and migrants, of all religions, just as I stand by the policies that have historically welcomed them."

Leading US sports figures have criticised President Donald Trump's travel ban on nationals from seven mainly Muslim countries.

Trump's order has resulted in protests both in America and worldwide.

Those who have spoken out against the ban include British Los Angeles Lakers star Luol Deng who, as a child, fled to the UK from what is now South Sudan.

He said: "Refugees are productive members of society. It's important we humanise the experience of others."

The US president banned entry to the country from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen - and temporarily suspended refugee resettlement. The country's Olympic committee said the measures should not impact athletes travelling to the country for international events.

Trump signed the executive order on Friday and early on Sunday he tweeted that the US needed "extreme vetting, NOW". But later, in a statement, he tried to offer more reassuring words, saying: "This is not about religion - this is about terror and keeping our country safe.

"We will again be issuing visas to all countries once we are sure we have reviewed and implemented the most secure policies over the next 90 days," he said.

Trump doing fabulous job say voters

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Trump travel ban: Protesters speak out

There were stronger opinions elsewhere in the NBA on Trump's measures.

Detroit Pistons coach Stan van Gundy said in an interview with The Detroit News: "Now we're judging people by their religion - trying to keep Muslims out. We're getting back to the days of putting the Japanese in relocation camps, of Hitler registering the Jews. That's where we're heading."

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri, a native of Nigeria, told reporters in the US: "I think it's just ridiculous. I just don't get it. This is mind-boggling. I'm a prime example of what opportunity is in this world."

NBA championship-winning coaches Steve Kerr, of the Golden State Warriors, and Gregg Popovich, of the San Antonio Spurs, have also spoken out against Trump's order.

Meanwhile, Muslim Atlanta Falcons player Mohamed Sanu said he wanted to focus on preparing for Sunday's Super Bowl against the New England Patriots instead of talk about the ban.

"My name's Mohamed, a lot of people know I'm Muslim, but I'm here because of my football talents, not because I'm Muslim," the 27-year-old said at the Super Bowl opening night.

"I'm here to talk about football so if you guys are going to continue to ask me about my religious beliefs then I'm going to continue to tell you the same thing."

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was cited by Trump as a supporter during his election campaign and was asked about the issue during a weekly radio appearance.

"I don't want to get into it, but if you know someone, it doesn't mean you agree with everything they say or they do," he said.

Britain's four-time Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah said he was "relieved" he could return to his US home after it was clarified Trump's travel ban did not apply to him.

The ban had appeared to apply to Farah, who was born in Somalia, until an announcement by the UK Foreign Office on Sunday that dual citizens were only affected if travelling to the US from one of the banned countries.

A petition calling for Prime Minister Theresa May to cancel Trump's planned state visit to the UK has so far gathered more than 1.5 million signatures.

Otani might not throw in Arizona

PEORIA, ARIZONA – In what could be a setback for major league scouts looking to gauge Shohei Otani’s arm, the chances are increasing that he may not pitch in Arizona next month.

The slugging pitcher, who arrived in the Phoenix area on Saturday with his teammates for the first phase of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters’ spring training is reportedly not completely fit.

The Japan Series champs are practicing at the San Diego Padres’ spring training complex for the second straight season. They have a game against a South Korea club slated for Feb. 8 and an intrasquad game set for the following day.

Nippon Ham will wrap up its camp on Feb. 10 and resume training in Okinawa, but Otani and his Samurai Japan teammates will gather in Miyazaki on Feb. 22 for the final preparations ahead of March’s World Baseball Classic.

“We will keep a close eye on his condition,” manager Hideki Kuriyama said of the Pacific League’s Most Valuable Player from last season.

WBC duty means quick turnaround for foreign stars

Now that spring camps are only a few days away for NPB teams — some players are already working out “independently” together — the foreign contingent has begun trickling into the country. It was mostly the first-year foreign players the past couple of weeks, but now the veterans have started showing up.

For some, the return to Japan will be brief. The 2017 World Baseball Classic will cause a shakeup in a number of NPB camps, and it won’t only be Japanese players headed off to __play for their country.

Some recently arriving foreign stars will be headed right back to the airport in a couple of weeks to join their respective national teams ahead of the fourth edition of the WBC. The tournament begins March 7, with the semifinals and final scheduled for March 20-22 in Los Angeles.

“At the airport heading to Japan. Good bye Florida see you in a month for the WBC,” Giants reliever Scott Mathieson wrote on Twitter on Jan. 26, as he waited on his flight to Japan. Mathieson will be playing for Canada during the WBC.

His Giants teammate Luis Cruz will be heading back out soon as well, as the infielder will represent Mexico and __play alongside the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters’ Brandon Laird.

“I want to concentrate on giving my all in camp first,” Cruz told reporters when he arrived in Japan last week.

The Tokyo Yakult Swallows’ Wladimir Balentien and the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks’ Rick van den Hurk will play for the Netherlands and will travel to Korea for the first round.

They would return to Japan for the second round and jet off to America for the final rounds, should the Dutch qualify. After that, it would be back to Japan again to prepare for the season, which begins March 31.

Samurai Japan’s players have the advantage of not leaving the country before the final round. The foreign NPB stars participating in the WBC, however, might have a busy schedule ahead of them as they accumulate frequent flyer miles during a spring that will be anything but routine.

U.S. bound: The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters arrived in Arizona on Saturday in the U.S. ahead of the start of their second straight spring camp abroad. The team will train in Arizona from Feb. 1 until Feb. 10, before returning to continue their preparations in Okinawa.

“It starts today,” manager Hideki Kuriyama was quoted as saying by Sankei Sports before leaving Narita airport.

Shohei Otani, last season’s Pacific League MVP, will likely draw the lion’s share of attention from fans in the U.S., as was the case when the team headed stateside last year.

“The goal is to reach the top this year also,” Otani said before leaving.

While most of the regulars made the trip, Sho Nakata and Kensuke Tanaka are among those who will remain in Japan and work out at the team’s ni-gun camp.

Tour guide: Orix Buffaloes right-hander Brandon Dickson is adding tour guide to his resume has he prepares for his fifth season in Japan.

Dickson is doing his part by helping out the Buffaloes’ new foreign players and showing them the ropes as they adjust to life in Japan.

One of his first tasks was making sure they were fed well, reportedly taking his new teammates to Steakhouse Zen, a popular restaurant in Kobe.

Dickson, who has posted three consecutive nine-win seasons, said one his personal goals for the season was to improve on last year’s numbers. He’ll also be trying to reach double-digit wins for the first time in Japan.

Kawasaki Stadium stirs fond recollection of legendary games

Former Lotte Orions players Hideaki Takazawa (front, center) and Koichi Hori (front, right) pose for a photo with fans at Fujitsu Stadium Kawasaki, which was formerly known as Kawasaki Stadium, on Saturday. | KAZ NAGATSUKA

KAWASAKI – Former Lotte Orions outfielder Hideaki Takazawa recalled that he and his teammates would joke that there were more officials than fans at the stadium for their games back in the day.

The Pacific League was far behind the Central League in terms of media exposure and attendance in general in the 1980s. And Lotte, in particular, would always finish in the bottom half of the standings. It was one of the least-popular teams in all Japanese pro baseball, and poor attendance figures at home provided clear-cut evidence of that.

But its small, not-so-state-of-the-art home stadium, Kawasaki Stadium, has remained stuck in the minds of baseball fans of a certain age, even a quarter century after the club left to become the Chiba Lotte Marines.

A legendary game played there Oct. 19, 1988, between Lotte and the Kintetsu Buffaloes — which is popularly dubbed “10.19” — is undoubtedly one of the biggest reasons why. On that particular day, the usually deserted Kawasaki Stadium was all of a sudden the center of Japanese baseball.

“People are still talking about 10.19, and I feel appreciative for that,” Takazawa said during a talk show at an all-day event to reminisce about the stadium’s legacy on Saturday. “I still get interviewed about it.”

That day, the Buffs played a double header against the Orions to wrap up their regular season and needed to win both games to capture the PL pennant over the powerhouse Seibu Lions. They won the first game 4-3. In the second, they had a 4-3 lead until Takazawa dramatically smacked a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth. It finished in a 4-4 tie as the game was ended after the bottom of the 10th due to the time-limit rule back then.

The Orions’ spot in last place had already been set before the double-header and they had not won a single game (seven losses) against the Buffs in October alone.

But the Oct. 19 games were different. Takazawa revealed that Lotte’s then-skipper, Michiyo Arito, told his players before the first game that he would __play his best squad so it would not disrespect either Seibu or Kintetsu.

“We were told that we would have to __play as hard as we could, because the games meant so much for both teams,” said the 58-year-old Takazawa, who now serves as a coach at the Marines’ baseball academy.

Takazawa went on to say the unusual mood at the stadium naturally raised the tension for the Orions players as well.

“It wasn’t a normal situation,” said the Hokkaido native, who became the PL’s batting champion with a .327 average that season. “The mood created by the fans got us going.”

Takazawa confessed that the Buffs, who dramatically won the first game by scoring the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning, inadvertently provoked the playing-for-nothing Orions into taking the second game more seriously.

“They were celebrating, laying on the ground (after pinch hitter Masataka Nashida drove in the go-ahead run),” he said. “And we were like, ‘Hey, we’re playing, too.’ We wouldn’t get like that normally, but the whole stadium contributed to the mood.”

At any rate, the result of the second game meant the Buffaloes came up short and their first pennant since 1980 slipped from their grasp.

After playing 130 games apiece, the gap between the pennant-winning Lions and runnerup Buffaloes was miniscule. Seibu finished the season with a .589 winning percentage to .587 for Kintetsu.

Kenichi Yokoyama, who was first a member of the Orions ouendan cheering group and later served as a club official for the Marines over two decades, is a walking encyclopedia of the team and Kawasaki Stadium, which opened in 1951.

Yokoyama, 53, said the team’s final game at the venue in 1991 did not fill the stadium, which is said to have a capacity of 30,000 but in reality probably holds far fewer, but that the 10.19 game did, a sign of how extraordinary the contest was. It’s often been shown on TV programs that some fans would play badminton during games there, using the wide-open space in stands devoid of people.

Kawasaki Stadium, which had been the franchise home for the Takahashi Unions and Taiyo Whales (predecessor of the Yokohama BayStars) before Lotte came in 1978, has now been renamed Fujitsu Stadium Kawasaki and has been renovated. It’s used more as an American football venue these days. Yet some things, such as the fences behind home plate, part of the outfield fences and light towers, remain from the old days.

Yokoyama added that it is special that the unpopular stadium has not been torn down.

“Among the Pacific League stadiums that were used when I was a boy, it’s only Kawasaki Stadium that’s still in existence,” he said. “It’s incredible that the stadium is sill here, remaining as a sporting mecca.”

Ikuro Tanaka, a club official for the J. League’s Kawasaki Frontale, the current designated administrator for the stadium (Tanaka is the stadium manager), said many of the football players and young Frontale players who practice at the stadium don’t know much about what happened in the past, including 10.19. But he wants them to understand that they were given the place today based on its history.

“We need to inherit the legacy,” Tanaka said. “When you ask people what reminds them of Kawasaki, many would still say here. We almost feel like we want to make this a world heritage site.”

The Saturday event was the second held to recollect the legacy of the stadium and 10.19. Tanaka said that the organizers would like to hold it once a year or so going forward.

LeBron James: First Cleveland Cavaliers player to score 20,000 points

LeBron James has more than double the points of the next Cavaliers player

LeBron James became the first player to score 20,000 points for the Cleveland Cavaliers when the NBA champions beat Oklahoma Thunder 107-91.

The 32-year-old scored 25 points on Sunday to pass the milestone in his 10th season with the Cavaliers.

He now has twice as many points as Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who is second on the team's all-time list with 10,616.

James, who also played for Miami Heat, is eighth on the NBA all-time list with 27,938 career points.

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NBA Plays of the Week: Steph Curry's half-court buzzer-beater

Elsewhere the Atlanta Hawks needed four periods of over-time to beat New York Knicks 142-139.

The game lasted for more than four hours, after the teams were tied after 48 minutes and then played periods of five minutes until there was a winner.

Hawk's Paul Millsap played 60 minutes, including 35 consecutive minutes, to finish with 37 points.

The Hawks joked on Twitter about the length of the game

Former Padres pitching star Randy Jones battling throat cancer

SAN DIEGO – Former MLB star Randy Jones, the 1976 National League Cy Young Award winner, revealed Thursday on the San Diego Padres’ website that he is fighting throat cancer.

The 67-year-old left-hander said he was diagnosed with the disease in November and began chemotherapy and radiation treatments in mid-December.

“I feel positive,” Jones said. “They caught it early. It’s all in the throat and not in the lymph nodes. I’m beating this thing.”

Jones, whose jersey number 35 has been retired by the Padres, played for San Diego from 1973-80 then played his last two major league seasons for the New York Mets.

Doctors told Jones his cancer was linked to using tobacco.

“I chewed as a player,” Jones said. “I smoked cigars most of my adult life. I started dipping eight or nine years ago. There’s a link, it’s all related. But I’m lucky because I’ve been told this is a low-risk cancer. It’s in my throat, right above my vocal chords.

“It’s a tough grind, but I have to get it done. Food right now tastes terrible. I’ve lost 10 pounds. But I’m following orders. They tell me what to do and I do it. I’m on a ‘keep it simple, stupid’ program. I just say yes to all orders.”

The sinkerball specialist went 20-9 and led the National League with a 2.24 ERA in 1975, then went 22-14 with a 2.74 ERA in 1976 to earn the Cy Young Award. But he injured his left arm in his 40th and final start of the campaign and never regained his All-Star form.

Matsui’s wife gives birth to second son

NEW YORK – Hideki Matsui’s wife gave birth to the couple’s second son earlier this month, the former New York Yankee confirmed Thursday.

“He’s doing really well,” Matsui said of his newborn at his New York residence.

Matsui’s first son was born in 2013, a year after the slugger retired as a player. He has been a special adviser to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman since 2015 and is also a roving hitting instructor for the team’s farmhands.

Mariners to retire Martinez’s number

Edgar Martinez speaks during a news conference on Tuesday in Seattle. | AP

SEATTLE – As Edgar Martinez’s candidacy for the baseball Hall of Fame began gaining more traction, the Seattle Mariners ownership started discussions of whether it was time to consider giving Martinez the ultimate honor from the franchise.

When he made a significant jump in the Hall of Fame voting this year, trending toward potential induction, it became an easy decision to decide it was time to retire Martinez’s No. 11.

Seattle team President Kevin Mather announced Tuesday that Martinez’s number will be retired on Aug. 12 as part of a weekend celebration. He will become just the second player in club history to have his number retired, joining Ken Griffey Jr., whose No. 24 was retired by the club last year after Griffey’s Hall of Fame induction.

Even though Cooperstown is still just a possibility for Martinez, the club decided now was the right time even if it meant special approval from ownership.

“I was surprised. I knew that the Mariners had these policies about retiring numbers and I didn’t expect it, so I was surprised,” Martinez said.

The Mariners have strict guidelines for number retirement that allow for the honor only if a player has been elected to the Hall of Fame or has come close to election. Griffey was — and should have been — the first Mariners player to have his number retired. And it makes sense for Martinez to be the second, especially after receiving nearly 59 percent of the vote in Hall of Fame balloting this year.

The Mariners also hope — however ceremonial — that the number retirement may boost Martinez’s Hall of Fame chances. Last week, Martinez was named on 58.6 percent of ballots when results of Hall of Fame voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America were announced. It was a major jump that set the stage for Martinez to potentially become the first player who was primarily a designated hitter to be voted into the Hall of Fame.

Martinez has two years of eligibility remaining on the ballot.

“It was a conversation that we had and then when the (Hall of Fame) vote came out, it was a relatively quick call,” Mather said. “Our board of directors had to approve it and it was a relatively easy answer once he got over 50 percent.”

No player aside from Griffey connected with Seattle like Martinez. While Griffey was the undisputed star of baseball for most of the 1990s, Martinez was nearly his equal while hitting in the same lineup. The difference is while Griffey was Seattle’s first star, Martinez was the star that never left.

He spent all 18 of his major league seasons with the Mariners and returned during the summer of 2015 as the club’s hitting coach. He is regarded as one of the best right-handed hitters of his generation, finishing his career with a .312 batting average with 309 career home runs and 1,219 career RBIs. He added a .418 on-base percentage and .515 slugging percentage to his other batting numbers and twice led the American League in batting average and doubles.

“That will be special to see my number is going to be next to Junior’s, one of the greatest players to __play the game . . . also next to the great Jackie Robinson,” Martinez said. “That’s amazing. That’s something I never could expect looking back at my career.”

Carp’s Tanaka fills out Japan squad

Hiroshima Carp infielder Kosuke Tanaka was named as the 28th and final player in Japan’s World Baseball Classic squad, the team announced Saturday.

Last season, the 27-year-old shortstop played every inning of all 143 regular-season games for Central League champion Hiroshima.

He was the MVP of the CL Climax Series after going 10-for-12 with a homer and four RBIs in four games against the Yokohama BayStars.

Tanaka hit .265 with 13 home runs and 28 stolen bases from the leadoff spot during the regular season.

British Basketball League and WBBL: Watch live on the BBC

The Sheffield Sharks finished the 2015-2016 BBL season in style, winning the play-off title

The BBC will show 32 British Basketball League (BBL) and Women's British Basketball League (WBBL) games live on the BBC Sport website and app this season.

As well as online, all three BBL and WBBL finals days - the Cup (15 January), the Trophy (19 March) and the Play-off finals (14 May) - will also be shown on the Red Button.

The website and app will broadcast all the league matches in addition to the cup finals, while coverage will also be available on selected connected TVs.

In total, eight WBBL regular season games will be shown.

• Feature: BBL is 'UK's best-kept sporting secret'

List of live games

Date	Time	Competition	Home team		Away team	Highlights
Fri 2 Dec	19:45	BBL	Worcester Wolves	v	Bristol Flyers	Five best shots as Wolves thrash Flyers
Fri 9 Dec	17:00	WBBL	Leicester Riders	v	Manchester Mystics	Five best shots as Mystics beat the riders
Fri 9 Dec	19:45	BBL	Leicester Riders	v	Newcastle Eagles	Five best shots as Eagles beat Riders
Fri 16 Dec	19:30	BBL	Sheffield Sharks	v	Leeds Force	Five best shots as Sharks beat Force
Fri 30 Dec	19:30	BBL	Glasgow Rocks	v	Cheshire Phoenix	Five best shots as Phoenix beat Rocks
Fri 6 Jan	19:30	BBL Trophy	Worcester Wolves	v	Sheffield Sharks	Five best shots as Wolves beat the Sharks
Sun 15 Jan	12:00	WBBL Cup Final	Manchester Mystics	v	Nottingham Wildcats	WBBL Cup Final Highlights
Sun 15 Jan	15:30	BBL Cup Final	Newcastle Eagles	v	Glasgow Rocks	BBL Cup Final Highlights
Fri 20 Jan	19:30	BBL	Newcastle Eagles	v	Worcester Wolves	Setty scores stunner as Wolves beat Eagles
Fri 27 Jan	17:00	WBBL	Barking Abbey	v	Oaklands Wolves	Coverage Details
Fri 27 Jan	19:30	BBL	London Lions	v	Bristol Flyers	Coverage Details
Fri 3 Feb	19:30	BBL	Glasgow Rocks	v	Leicester Riders
Fri 10 Feb	19:30	BBL	Worcester Wolves	v	Manchester Giants
Fri 17 Feb	17:00	WBBL	Sevenoaks Suns	v	Cardiff Met Archers
Fri 17 Feb	19:30	BBL	Surrey Scorchers	v	Plymouth Raiders
Fri 24 Feb	19:30	BBL Trophy SF	TBC	v	TBC
Fri 3 Mar	19:30	BBL	Cheshire Phoenix	v	Leeds Force
Fri 10 Mar	19:30	BBL	Manchester Giants	v	Surrey Scorchers
Sun 19 Mar	12:00	WBBL Trophy Final	TBC	v	TBC
Sun 19 Mar	15:00	BBL Trophy Final	TBC	v	TBC
Fri 24 Mar	19:30	BBL	Plymouth Raiders	v	Bristol Flyers
Fri 31 Mar	17:00	WBBL	Sheffield Hatters	v	Nottingham Wildcats
Fri 31 Mar	19:30	BBL	Sheffield Sharks	v	Glasgow Rocks
Fri 7 Apr	19:30	BBL	TBC	v	TBC
Fri 14 Apr	19:30	BBL	TBC	v	TBC
Fri 21 Apr	17:30	WBBL	TBC	v	TBC
Fri 21 Apr	19:30	BBL	TBC	v	TBC
Sun 14 May	14:15	WBBL Play-Off Final	TBC	v	TBC
Sun 14 May	16:30	BBL Play-Off Final	TBC	v	TBC

Leicester Riders (in red) won two of last season's titles - the Trophy and the Championship.

Follow #theBBL and #theWBBL across social media channels to keep up to date with all the latest news from both leagues.

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Slugger Lee returns to Lotte Giants

SEOUL – Former Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and Seattle Mariners slugger Lee Dae-ho has rejoined his former South Korean club the Lotte Giants after one season in the major leagues, the Yonhap News Agency reported Tuesday.

Lee, the 2015 Japan Series MVP with the Hawks before moving to the majors, has signed for Lotte on a four-year deal worth 15 billion won (roughly US$12.9 million).

The 34-year-old native of Busan played with Lotte, his hometown team, for 11 seasons, before stints in Japan and in the United States.

“I worked hard to realize my dream of playing in the United States, and my last wish was to come back and win a championship with the Lotte Giants,” Yonhap quoted Lee as saying in a club statement.

“I can’t wait to see the fans again. I’d like to thank the team for recognizing my value.”

Yomiuri’s Yoh will not play for Taiwan at WBC

Daikan Yoh (right) poses for photos with Giants manager Yoshinobu Takahashi during his introductory news conference on Dec. 19. | KYODO

Yomiuri Giants outfielder Daikan Yoh of Taiwan has said he will not represent his national team at the World Baseball Classic in March, a source close to the matter said Wednesday.

The 30-year-old, who joined Yomiuri in the offseason as a domestic free agent, had been discussing the matter with the Giants, whose officials apparently expressed their wish for him to focus on preparing for the regular season in Japan in his first year with the team.

In the first round of the WBC, Taiwan is set to __play against South Korea, Netherlands and Israel in Pool A in Seoul.

“I want to first build up my body so it will be resistant to injuries,” said Yoh, who trained at the Giants Stadium in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Yoh joined the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in 2006, as a first-round draft pick out of high school in Japan, and went on to become a four-time Golden Glove-winning central fielder while claiming the Pacific League stolen bases title in 2013.

Japan, Taiwan, South Korea to play in new tournament

Nippon Professional Baseball on Monday announced a new three-way tournament involving the Japan, Taiwan and South Korea national teams on Nov. 16-19 at Tokyo Dome.

The three teams will __play a round-robin before the top two face off in the final of what will be called the Asia Championship. The official NPB ball will be used, and the tiebreak rule will be applied in extra innings.

The competition is for players under 24 or those who are in their third year or less as NPB seeks to nurture young talent toward the 2020 Tokyo Games. Each team will be allowed three overage players.

The tournament, held in conjunction with the China Professional Baseball League and Korean Baseball Organization, is scheduled to be held for a second time in 2021.

Japan fills out team for World Baseball Classic

Samurai Japan skipper Hiroki Kokubo speaks to the media at a news conference on Tuesday. | KAZ NAGATSUKA

Samurai Japan mostly filled out its roster for the 2017 World Baseball Classic on Tuesday, adding eight players, but no major leaguers, to the 19 names released in December.

The new players bring the roster up to 27, leaving one spot to be filled.

“My tension has been rising and my head is full of ideas of how I should use the players we announced today,” Japan manager Hiroki Kokubo said. “In the past we’ve had to think over and over again about how to maximize our lineup, especially as it pertains to the pitchers.

“We are going to have to __play as many as eight games in 10 days, and we have had discussions about how to achieve balance with our starters and relievers. As for the position players, most of them we’ve used previously, so we didn’t have much trouble with the selections, aside from a few instances.”

Six of the additions were pitchers. Perhaps the most notable was Hanshin Tigers starter Shintaro Fujinami, who had a down year in 2016 but is usually mentioned as one of Japan’s top young talents. Fujinami was 7-11 with a 3.25 ERA in 2016 for the Tigers, striking out 176 in 169 innings.

Other new additions were Ayumu Ishikawa (Chiba Lotte Marines), left-handed Toshiya Okada (Chunichi Dragons), Yoshihisa Hirano (Orix Buffaloes), Kodai Senga (Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks) and Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles lefty Yuki Matsui.

Yomiuri Giants catcher Seiji Kobayashi was also added, as was Dragons outfielder Ryosuke Hirata.

Currently, Japan’s lone MLB player will be Houston Astros outfielder Norichika Aoki.

“He told early us early on he’d __play for us no matter the situation,” Kokubo said. “We would like him to impart what he has learned from his experience to his teammates.”

Japan had multiple MLB stars on its roster in 2006 and 2009 (Aoki was part of both teams), when it won the first two WBC titles. The 2013 team, which lost to Puerto Rico in the semifinals, had no major league players.

Japan figures to have a solid team even without MLB stars. The pitching staff is headlined by Shohei Otani of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters and Giants ace Tomoyuki Sugano. Ishikawa and the Eagles’ Takahiro Norimoto will be in the mix as starters, while Hirano and Matsui could get closing duties.

“We chose 13 pitchers who can pitch more innings and pitch as relievers, so now we’re just hoping we don’t have any injuries,” Kokubo said. “We believe our defense, including pitching, will be our strength.”

Kokubo also noted he was focusing on Otani, a threat both on the mound and at the plate, as a pitcher.

“We’re going to talk to manager (Hideki) Kuriyama and Nippon Ham regarding the possibility of letting him play as a hitter,” Kokubo said. “He might be either a pinch hitter or a designated hitter. But we want him to focus on his main role as a starting pitcher first, and pitch as many innings as possible and hold down his opponents.”

The Japanese team has two All-Stars to choose from at second base in the Tokyo Yakult Swallows’ Tetsuto Yamada, one of Japan’s top hitters, and defensive dynamo Ryosuke Kikuchi of the Hiroshima Carp. The team experimented with both in the lineup by trying out Yamada at third base during practices and for an exhibition game in November.

“Yamada will exclusively play at second base,” Kokubo said. “Kikuchi could play at shortstop and third base in emergency situations.

Kokubo also has a decision to make at the cleanup spot, where the Fighters’ Sho Nakata and the Yokohama BayStars’ Yoshitomo Tsutsugo are prime candidates.

“Nakata showed he plays well in big moments during the Premier 12,” Kokubo said. “He especially came through with runners on base. Tsutsugo has clearly developed over the past few years and it’ll be important that he can hit to the opposite field on the international stage.”

Japan is in Pool A with Australia, China and Cuba for the first round of the WBC, which will take place at Tokyo Dome. The Japanese open against Cuba on March 7. The team will face Australia on March 8, and China on March 10.

Staff writer Kaz Nagatsuka contributed to this report.

Famed slugger Rhodes could face long road to Hall

Although he was one of the most productive foreign imports to grace Japanese pro ball, it seems there is little chance Tuffy Rhodes will be inducted into Japan’s Baseball Hall of Fame anytime soon.

In 2001, Rhodes became the second player after legendary slugger Sadaharu Oh to hit 55 home runs in a season. And though he didn’t break Oh’s record, Rhodes accomplished his milestone in the heat of a pennant race, while Oh’s team was well out of it when he hit 55 in 1964.

Rhodes was Pacific League MVP that year and earned seven Best Nine awards during 13 seasons spent with the Kintetsu Buffaloes, Yomiuri Giants and Orix Buffaloes. In 2001, he scored a PL-record 137 runs, six shy of Hall of Famer Makoto Kozuru’s NPB mark set in the 1950 expansion season.

Rhodes has drawn some support from the 300-plus veteran reporters who vote on players division candidates. Rhodes first appeared on the ballot for the 2015 Hall class and received a healthy 25.6 percent, with 75 percent needed for induction. But since then, his support level has barely budged. When the most recent results were announced on Monday, Rhodes received 36.6 percent of the 333 valid votes cast.

Is Rhodes qualified for the Hall of Fame? In terms of the length and quality of his Japanese career, he is. There are 18 men eligible for the Hall with as much or more career value (as measured by analyst Bill James’ Win Shares) who are not yet enshrined. Only one of those, former Hanshin Tigers third baseman Masayuki Kakefu, had 10 seasons as impressive as Rhodes’ best 10. The other 17, including this year’s runner-up Kazuyoshi Tatsunami, just had longer careers.

In this year’s results, Rhodes needed 250 votes to get in but only got 122. Four players who attracted less attention three years ago, pitcher Yoshinori Sato and middle infielders Kenjiro Nomura, Masahiro Kawai and Tatsunami, have all shot ahead of Rhodes in the voting.

Tatsunami this year was named on 65.2 percent of the ballots. That may be a good sign, but a year ago he was neck and neck with new inductee Tsutomu Ito at around 50 percent and failed to build much support despite no new strong candidates. That will change a year from now.

When the players division’s committee meets in November to select next year’s candidates, they will have all players who finished their careers in 2012 to choose from, including overqualified outfielder Tomoaki Kanemoto, current Samurai Japan skipper Hiroki Kokubo and former major league catcher Kenji Jojima. Kanemoto is a good bet to be elected in his first year of eligibility.

The committee’s real choice will be whether or not to add Yomiuri Giants and New York Yankees star Hideki Matsui, who last played in 2012, but officially retired after signing a ceremonial one-day contract in 2013. Like Kanemoto, Matsui should be an automatic first-ballot selection who will take votes away from candidates like Rhodes, Tatsunami, Kokubo and Jojima.

Although this year’s players division inductee, Ito, was clearly qualified with 10 Best Nine Awards and 11 Golden Gloves, it’s hard to argue the other five guys who got more votes than Rhodes are stronger candidates. After all, Rhodes won seven Best Nines, the other combined to win six.

If there is an “X” factor, it may be defense. Although Rhodes was a center fielder, he never won a Golden Glove. The position players now getting more support were middle infielders, with at least one Golden Glove each. That may be an issue since the last three position players to enter the Hall had each won 10 or more.

Rhodes may still be the best candidate currently on the ballot, but his lack of early support suggests he may need time for voters to consider the weight of his offense — and good timing — to get in before he drops off the players division ballot in 2029. After that his candidacy will be in the hands of the experts, and that is an even longer road.

In terms of career quality for a slugger who reached base a lot, Rhodes is comparable to Hall of Famers Noboru Aota and Futoshi Nakanishi, who both played in the 1950s, and Atsushi Nagaike — who is still looking to get in.

Nagaike was a two-time PL MVP and seven-time Best Nine winner for the Hankyu Braves’ dynasty of the 1960s and 1970s. He is still out because old rules prohibited active coaches and managers from being elected. Those rules made it impossible to consider the best players soon after they retired, and the Hall is having a hard time catching up with many well-qualified players vying for attention in the experts division.

Nagaike’s candidature is on the decline after he was on 13.4 percent of this year’s ballots, and it is hard to see him ever making it. And if Rhodes fails to win election through the players division before time runs out on him in 209, experts division limbo will be in the cards for him.

Royals’ Ventura killed in car crash

Yordano Ventura pitches for the Royals during Game 3 of the World Series on Oct. 30, 2015, in New York. Ventura was killed in a car crash in the Dominican Republic on Sunday. | REUTERS

KANSAS CITY – Yordano Ventura quit school as a teenager so he could begin working a construction job to help his family make ends meet, laboring day after day in the hot sun of the Dominican Republic.

It was a chance tryout with the Kansas City Royals that changed the trajectory of his life.

He wowed scouts with an electrifying fastball, the best they had seen in years, and a confident demeanor that bordered on brash and arrogant. And both of those traits served him well as he rocketed to the major leagues, helped the Royals win a long-awaited World Series championship in 2015, and became one of the most popular players in a city that embraced baseball one again.

Ventura, whose nickname “Ace” fit so perfectly, died Sunday in a car crash on a stretch of highway near the town of San Adrian in his native Dominican Republic. He was 25.

“Our team and our organization is hurting deeply,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. “It’s certainly something that puts everything into strong perspective, and challenges us all to never grow tired or weary or cease to do what is right, and loving others. Nobody is guaranteed tomorrow.

“We loved Yordano,” Moore said. “We loved his heart, we loved who he was as a teammate, a friend. He was somebody that challenged us all and made us better and I’m going to miss him.”

Highway patrol spokesman Jacobo Mateo said Ventura died on a stretch of highway 64 km northwest of Santo Domingo, the nation’s capital. Mateo did not say whether Ventura was driving.

He’s the second young star pitcher to die in past four months. Marlins ace Jose Fernandez was 24 when he was killed along with two other men in a boating accident near Miami Beach in late September.

Also Sunday, former major league infielder Andy Marte died in a separate car accident in the Dominican Republic. Metropolitan traffic authorities said he died about 153 km north of the capital.

“I was traveling to the airport this morning and I got a phone call wanting to know if I’d heard about Yordano, and I thought they meant Marte,” Moore said. “My first thought was, ‘Were they together?’

“Then shortly afterwards, I got a call from Major League Baseball confirming this tragedy.”

The Dominican Republic has the second-highest traffic-related death rate in the world — officials there believe alcohol, speed and a blatant disregard for traffic laws are to blame. Oscar Taveras, Jose Oliva, Rufino Linares and Jose Uribe are among players who have died in crashes in the country.

It wasn’t known whether Ventura had been drinking or speeding at the time of his accident.

Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez, a fellow Dominican whom Ventura called his hero, posted pictures of Ventura and Marte on Twitter and said, “Guys, the only way we can pay tribute to you, is by reflecting on the adjustments we all have to make in this game called life.”

Moore speaks frequently with Latin American players about dangers of returning home, including driving on the perilous roads.

“I’m more intentional about it to the point where it probably goes in one ear and out the other,” Moore said, “but we’re constantly discussing these things.”

The Royals lowered flags at Kauffman Stadium to half-staff Sunday, and displayed Ventura’s photograph on the large, crown-shaped scoreboard in centerfield of the empty ballpark. Fans were leaving flowers, hats and other mementos within hours of learning of his death.

Royals teammates learned the news in a text chain and took to Twitter to share their sorrow.

“I love you my brother. I’m in disbelief and don’t know what to say,” first baseman Eric Hosmer said.

Third baseman Mike Moustakas also expressed disbelief, tweeting: “I love you Ace. I don’t know what to say other than I’m going to miss you a lot. RIP ACE.”

Before his start in Game 6 of the 2014 World Series, Ventura paid tribute to Taveras, his close friend and countryman who had been killed days earlier in a car accident in the Dominican Republic. Ventura wrote “RIP O.T #18” on his hat and also wrote messages on his glove, cleats and the mound before shutting out San Francisco for seven innings in a win.

“If he was still here, I would for sure be talking to him, and Oscar would be very happy for me,” Ventura said afterward. “Oscar was a very humble guy and very likable, and I’m going to miss him a lot.”

Ventura signed a $23 million, five-year deal with the Royals shortly before he started on opening day in 2015. He then helped them bounce back from their loss to the Giants in Game 7 by returning to the World Series and beating the New York Mets in five games for their first crown since 1985.

The right-hander went 11-12 with a 4.45 ERA last season, and his fiery demeanor was never more evident than when he hit Orioles star Manny Machado with a fastball to trigger a brawl. Ventura was suspended nine games for the pitch, though it was cut to eight on appeal.

In a surreal coincidence, the 33-year-old Marte played his final game in the big leagues for Arizona on Aug. 6, 2014. Ventura started that game for Kansas City.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Andy Marte and Yordano Ventura,” players’ union executive Tony Clark said. “It’s never easy to lose a member of our fraternity, and there are no words to describe the feeling of losing two young men in the prime of their lives. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families, friends, teammates and fans throughout the United States and Latin America.”

Moore said he spoke to Miami general manager Mike Hill early Sunday, in part because Moore admired the grace and heart in which the Marlins organization dealt with Fernandez’s death.

It wasn’t certain whether Fernandez was driving the boat when it crashed on Sept. 25. He had a blood-alcohol content level of 0.147, above Florida’s legal limit of 0.08, according to autopsy reports released by the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office.

“That was one of the first things that came to mind when I began to figure out how we were going to process this,” Moore said. “Mike was able to provide some insight. Just give me some comfort, really.”

Ventura wound up pitching his entire career for the Royals, going 38-31 with a 3.89 ERA.

Late slugger Daryl Spencer brought passion, pride, power to Hankyu Braves

The Baseball Bullet-In this week remembers Daryl Spencer, the former Hankyu Braves slugger who died Jan. 2 in Wichita, Kansas, at the age of 88.

Spencer was one of the 1960s-era Americans, most of them ex-major leaguers, who played in Japan. That group included George Altman, Gene Bacque, Don Blasingame, Jack Bloomfield, Kent Hadley, Marty Keough, Willie Kirkland, Arturo Lopez, Jim Marshall, Joe Stanka and eventual Cooperstown Hall of Famer Larry Doby and one-time National League MVP Don Newcombe.

Those guys played even before my time in this country, but I got to see Spencer in action — at least for one at-bat — in the twilight of his career, and I do mean twilight. It was in 1971, he was 43 years old, overweight and no longer a starting player. He was Hankyu’s first-base coach but was also on the active roster and occasionally used as a pinch hitter by then-Braves manager Yukio Nishimoto.

In a game against the lowly Nishitetsu Lions at Heiwadai Stadium in Fukuoka, Hankyu was trailing by a run but had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the ninth inning. Nishimoto called Spencer off the coaching lines and sent him to the plate with the hope the burly right-handed hitter would deliver the result necessary to at least tie the game.

A walk or a sacrifice fly would have done that, and a hit would have put the Braves ahead. A grand slam homer would have put Hankyu in a great position to win. Instead, Spencer grounded into a tailor-made double play, short to second to first, and the game was lost. As he crossed first base, the fierce competitor vented his frustration by slamming his helmet to the ground.

That one plate appearance is not indicative of Spencer’s long playing career, however. He broke in with the New York Giants in 1952, and I can remember as a youngster seeing him __play in Gotham, in the Polo Grounds with the likes of Willie Mays 60 years ago. In 1958, after the team moved to the West Coast, it was Spencer who hit the first home run in the history of the San Francisco Giants at Seals Stadium and the first major league homer in the Pacific time zone.

He later played with the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds through 1963, then headed for Japan where he became one of the Pacific League’s leading long-ball hitters. His rivalry with Nankai Hawks superstar catcher Katsuya Nomura, seven years his junior, and their intense battles for the P.L. home run title, have been well documented in author Robert Whiting’s books about Japanese baseball.

The iconic 1965 photo of Spencer, standing in the batter’s box holding his bat by the barrel and knowing he is going to be walked, rather than being given a chance to hit one out and close the gap on Nomura for the league home-run lead, is well remembered by anyone who saw it. Spencer hit 38 that year; Nomura 42.

Spencer’s reduced chances for winning that home-run crown became zero when he was forced to miss the final 11 games of that season with a broken leg sustained when he was riding his small motorcycle from home to the train station in Kobe, and he was hit by a delivery truck. Nomura won the Triple Crown.

He also gained a reputation as one who changed Japanese baseball with his aggressive play. On one occasion, he slid hard into a fielder at second base to break up a double play, and the game was halted for a half-hour while umpires tried to determine if what the American did was permissible under the rules.

Spencer’s career in Japan was split. It covered seven seasons and began in 1964, that golden year of the Tokyo Olympics and the opening of the first shinkansen service on the Tokaido Line linking Tokyo and Osaka. That was also the baseball season when Sadaharu Oh slammed 55 homers for the Yomiuri Giants, Bacque won 29 games for the Hanshin Tigers, and Stanka racked up a 26-7 record for the Nankai Hawks.

Spencer played through the 1968 season, took two years off and returned to Hankyu as a player-coach in 1971, retiring for good following the 1972 campaign.

Originally a shortstop when he broke in with New York, he played mostly at first base for Hankyu during those days which pre-dated the designated hitter rule. It was also an era when the 12 Japanese pro teams were allowed to hire only two foreign players.

In a dozen major league seasons, Spencer hit 105 homers and compiled a batting average of .244. Over his seven years with Hankyu, he batted .275 with 152 home runs. Following his permanent retirement from the game, he returned to his Wichita hometown and became a beer distributor.

He also managed the Coors of Kansas ballclub and was inducted into the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame and the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.

Spencer was invited back to Tokyo, along with Bacque, Blazer and Stanka in 1984 as part of a celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of Japan’s first professional baseball team, the Yomiuri Giants, in 1934.

They returned again in 1991 to take part in a pair of old-timers games pitting former outstanding foreign players against Japanese members of the Meikyukai Golden Players Club, renewing friendships with one-time teammates and opponents. Spencer was also in the Kansai area in 1989, the year after the Hankyu Braves club was sold to Orix.

Despite his disappointment at not being given a fair chance to win a home run title back in the ’60s, Spencer said it was always good to return to Japan and he had always been treated well by the Japanese — especially Hankyu — fans.

Those who saw him __play in Japan a half-century ago will remember him as an important contributor to the growth of Japanese baseball in its earlier days.

Contact Wayne Graczyk at: Wayne@JapanBall.com

Darvish rules out playing in World Baseball Classic

DALLAS – Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish said Friday he is healthy and looking forward to the new season, but confirmed he will __play no part in the World Baseball Classic in March with the Japan national team.

After undergoing Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow in March 2015, Darvish returned to the mound for the top team in late May last year.

“My body is in good shape and I am really looking forward to it (the new season),” said Darvish, who is in the final year of his six-year contract with the Rangers.

The Rangers said in December they were against allowing Darvish to take part in the WBC and the pitcher admitted himself that he did not want to take any risks so soon after coming back from surgery.

The 30-year-old appeared in 17 games this past season, posting a 7-5 record and an ERA of 3.41.

In 2009, Darvish helped Japan win the WBC title for the second time in as many tournaments but did not take part in the event in 2013 because he wanted to prepare for the regular season.

“It’s not much about my contract, but coming back from Tommy John surgery,” Darvish said through his interpreter at the Rangers’ winter banquet Friday night. “This will be my second year to see how my body reacts and how much I can do to prove how good of a pitcher I am. That’s what I’m looking forward to.”

Darvish is 46-32 with a 3.29 ERA in 100 career starts for Texas, he missed all of the 2015 season because of the surgery and didn’t pitch for the Rangers last season until May 28.

In his first AL Division Series start last October, he gave up a career-worst four homers. Three of them were in the same inning of a 5-3 loss to Toronto in Game 2 of the best-of-five series that the Blue Jays swept.

“I would love to pitch in that kind of situation again this year,” Darvish said. “And I would like to pitch very well.”

Darvish said he just started throwing again and feels “really good.”

Texas spent more than two years scouting Darvish and getting to know him personally before committing more than $107 million to get him. On top of his guaranteed $56 million contract, the Rangers had to pay in the old system a massive $51,703,411 posting bid to the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.

Hawks extend manager Kudo’s contract through 2019

FUKUOKA – The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks have handed manager Kimiyasu Kudo a renewed contract through 2019, the Pacific League club announced on Friday.

Kudo, who is in the final year of his three-year deal this season, steered SoftBank to the 2015 Japan Series title in his first year as manager after taking over from Koji Akiyama.

The Hawks led the PL in the first half of last season, but ran out of steam and finished second as the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters were crowned champions.

“I am thankful to the team for giving me a long three-year span to build the team,” Kudo said in a club statement.

“I want to work with coaches to nurture and strengthen players so that the Hawks can still be a strong team five, 10 years down the line.”

Steve Kerr mocks Sean Spicer with 'alternative facts' about Magic playing career

Warriors coach Steve Kerr (Getty Images)

Does Steve Kerr have political jokes? You better believe Steve Kerr has political jokes.

Prior to the Warriors-Magic game Sunday afternoon, the Golden State coach was introduced to the Amway Center crowd as a "former Magic star." Kerr played 47 games for the Magic during the 1993-94 season, averaging 2.6 points per game. It was a funny remark to start the game by Magic PA announcer Paul Porter, but it also gave Kerr an opening to take a shot at White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.

Spicer received a heavy amount of criticism after he attacked the media for accurately reporting the size of crowds at President Donald Trump's inauguration on Friday. President Trump's counselor Kellyanne Conway then defended Spicer's use of what she called "alternative facts" — or as they should be known, "definitely not facts" — during her Sunday appearance on "Meet the Press."

Kerr decided to take the "alternative facts" strategy and apply it to his brief time in Orlando.

"Sean Spicer will be talking about my Magic career any second now," Kerr said after the Warriors' 118-98 victory. "14,000 points. Greatest player in Magic history."

Steve Kerr on his in unmemorable, short Magic career: "Sean Spicer will be talking about my career any second. 14,000 points." pic.twitter.com/XvvuUfKoNW

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 22, 2017

In the spirit of "alternative facts," I declare the Warriors have never blown a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals and hope to win their third straight title this season. Period.

Bucks punish Jabari Parker for violating team rule

Jabari Parker (Getty Images)

After Jabari Parker revealed details of a Bucks locker room meeting Friday, his teammates decided he should not start Saturday's game.

So Parker came off the bench for the first time Saturday in Milwaukee's 109-97 loss to the Heat. Rookie Thon Maker started in his place, although Parker came off the bench to score 16 points and grab seven rebounds.

It was the Bucks' fifth-straight loss.

ESPN.com reported that Parker violated a team rule on locker room confidentiality after Friday's loss to the Magic. Parker told reporters during the postgame media conference that the team had held a locker room meeting and he had vented his frustration.

"I spoke up for the first time, and it didn't go my way," Parker told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel after the game. "I was getting thrashed, but hey, as long as I give them another perspective, I did my job."

Bucks coach Jason Kidd did not specify which team rule Parker had broken, but praised his young forward for doing a great job off the bench against the Heat.

Parker didn't want to share details of the incident or his punishment, telling reporters after Saturday's game, "It was a challenge. I tried to stay as positive as possible."

2017 NBA Draft prospect rankings 2.0: Who's the safest pick in this class?

The 2017 NBA Draft season is heating up as we're coming down to the end of non-conference play. And overall, as scouts have gotten a chance to see this freshman class in college for the first time, the results have been highly positive.

This top-30 big board features 17 freshmen, including the top eight players and 12 of the top 14. This class is that loaded with talent, not only at the top end but also in terms of depth. Obviously, it's unlikely that all of these players will declare, but with many of them looking like success stories, the 2017 draft is shaping up to be one of the strongest in recent memory. Just as we expected coming into the year. 

Slide right through this list for Sporting News NBA Draft expert Sam Vecenie's breakdown of the top 30 prospects entering colleges' winter break.

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Fultz has moved to the No. 1 spot on most teams’ boards, and for good reason. At a time when complete offensive lead guards are more valuable than ever, Fultz represents a potential successor in that category. On that end of the floor, there’s really nothing he can’t do right now. He’s a good athlete, he’s as creative a guard as we’ve seen enter the draft since D’Angelo Russell, he shoots the basketball, he handles it well, and at 6-4 with a 6-10 wingspan he has the size and length dimensions to be successful with a wide variety of players in the backcourt.

Fultz needs to show some improvement on the defensive end, but I wouldn’t expect Washington’s struggles to give teams pause when looking at Fultz’s NBA prospects.

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Even though Tatum has played just three games for Duke, there’s a comfortability level with him from scouts that there simply isn’t for many others in this draft due to his maturity both on and off the floor. Tatum is among the most polished offensive forwards to enter the draft since Kevin Durant in 2007, with the ability to create space for shots in a wide variety of ways. He’s also a good athlete that has shown the ability to defend quite a few different player types already in his time at Duke. 

Scouts still would like to see Tatum get the rim a bit more often in the halfcourt, as well as continue to get more comfortable shooting the 3. Overall, it’s tough to see Tatum falling out of the top five unless further injury befalls him.

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After a couple of misfires to star the year, Jackson has been awesome. He’s averaging 21 points, nine rebounds, and five assists per 40 while shoot 53 percent from the field. He combines that with stellar defense and the ability to both play on and off of the ball. He continues to be the player that would look least out of place if you plopped him into an NBA game tomorrow due to his versatility, motor, and athleticism.

Given that and the dearth of wings in the NBA right now, Jackson should continue to be a highly sought-after commodity on draft night. One concern though: He’s still only shooting 24 percent from beyond the arc.

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This is where things get a bit more wide open. Isaac has been tremendous thus far in his freshman season at Florida State, tossing up 23 points and 12 rebounds per 40 minutes on a 68.2 true shooting percentage. He’s shooting it well from distance, has shown off some improved athleticism to pair with a stronger frame, and is defending at a relatively high level for a first-year player. At 6-10 with a 9-foot-plus standing reach, the sky is the limit for a perimeter player like Isaac if his body and explosiveness continues to fill out.

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The next three players are point guards, and to be honest you could probably put their names in a hat right now and pick them out. All three have All-Star level ability, starting with Fox — the best two way player of the bunch.

Fox is averaging 15 points, seven assists, and five rebounds per game while also possibly being the toughest defender at the point of attack in college basketball, as Lonzo Ball learned when the two squared off. He needs to improve his jump shot considerably, as he’s hitting just 14 percent of his 3s, but the rest of his game is already at an NBA level.

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Ball sits right behind Fox at No. 6 right now. Fox got the better of their one-on-one matchup, but Ball’s UCLA picked up the win over the Wildcats in large part due to the culture of unselfishness that Ball has created in Westwood. Currently, Ball is second in the NCAA in assists per game at 8.8 while also tossing up 15 points per game on a ridiculous 69.2 true-shooting percentage.

There are still some individual concerns here: his 20 percent turnover rate is striking, the jump shot off of the dribble could have some issues, and his on-ball defense could occasionally be a problem. Overall though, the positives far outweigh the negatives, and Ball probably ends up going somewhere in the top-10, with the potential to get into the top-five.

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Smith rounds out the trio of elite point guards. Athletically, no one else compares to his explosiveness both in terms of first-step and leaping ability. But something has been off thus far for Smith. His overall effort on defense hasn’t been great after showing well there in high school. His efficiency is sitting at a paltry 51.4 percent, and he isn’t shooting well from both inside and out.

My guess is that Smith looks much better with the additions of Omer Yurtseven and Maverick Rowan back into the lineup for the Wolfpack, but thus far Smith has been the least impressive of the four elite collegiate point guards. The fact that I still think he’s worth a top-half of the lottery pick says a lot about his talent level.

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Giles still has yet to play this season, although is expected to before Christmas. As long as he’s 100 percent healthy, it makes sense for Giles to play in order to try to consolidate his draft stock and remind people how incredible he can be when on the floor. Beyond that though, we’ll wait until he plays for further comment.

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You really only have to look at the Hoosiers’ loss to Fort Wayne to find the stellar impact Anunoby makes on defense. Anunoby barely played in that game due to a stomach bug, and the team really struggled without him.

As the NBA continues to go toward positionless wings and switching defenses, Anunoby profiles as the best defensive prospect in this class due to his ability to guard a wide variety of players. His ability to hit shots also should help him get on the floor earlier as a floor spacer.

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Ntilikina has been a tough scout so far this season due to his playing out of position with Strasbourg. The long, 6-foot-6 point guard is mostly playing off the ball, which allows him to really let loose defensively and cause problems for opposing teams. 

His jumper also looks a bit more confident, even if he’s still not taking a ton of attempts. It’ll be interesting to see him compete in the upcoming U18 tournament in Europe, where he should play on the ball a bit more. 

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Monk has been terrific in the early month of the NBA season. He’s ironed out his shot selection, which has led to more consistent results in his shooting percentages. He’s also shown a solid ability to get into the midrange for pull-up jumpers, which is a lethal weapon for him. 

Two concerns going forward: he’s still a 6-3 player with short arms, meaning defensively, he might be resigned to playing against point guards most of the time. Second, he’s still not a creative ball-handler that can get all the way to the rim. That’s the difference between him becoming a top option on offense for teams or becoming a J.R. Smith-type that hits consistently hits shots as a fourth option.

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Markkanen is a legitimate 7-footer who can hit shots from deep and create both at the mid-and-half-post. He’s also got the ball-handling ability to attack a closeout. That’s incredibly valuable, as is the versatility he’s shown this season to play the 3, 4, and 5 for Arizona. The Finnish center does what’s asked of him.

There are some defensive concerns here due to his lack of length and explosiveness, and that might ultimately hinder the kind of players you want to pair him with in the frontcourt. But seven-footers with high skill levels, high motors, and shot-making ability tend to go high. Markkanen won’t change that.

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Right now, Adebayo does everything well beyond score efficiently against size. He’s a killer rebounder, blocks shots, defends well on the perimeter against both big and small players, plus sets screens well. That’s the makings of a tremendous role player in the NBA — the kind of big man in the Taj Gibson mold that gets paid extremely well on second and third contracts. I’m not sure he has the upside that many thought he would coming into the year, but Adebayo has shown a lot of little things that will excite many teams.

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Bridges is a bit out of place at Michigan State as a star that has to create everything for them offensively right now. He’s not that kind of shooter, doesn’t have that kind of ball-handling ability, and his overall length leaves some questions on the defensive end. But he is an elite athlete even by NBA standards, moves extremely well off of the ball and has a high motor. There’s a place for that in NBA lineups if he can continue to develop his perimeter skills over the next couple of years.

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Ferguson hasn’t been the highest usage player for Adelaide over in the NBL, but he’s filled in seamlessly in a way that it can often be difficult to do for American kids playing professionally overseas. He’s turning himself into an elite shooter off of the catch, plus has legitimate NBA Dunk Contest-type of athleticism.

Most important, his defense has been great. Ferguson will be in the mix for the lottery when he returns from his trip.

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Count me as still a fan of what Allen brings to the table. The 6-4 combo guard is a tremendous athlete that can get up for a ferocious dunk. He’s also got a lot more wiggle off of the dribble than you’d expect, and his shooting has been great for two years now. The defense is a concern, but Allen still looks to be a solid NBA player in some capacity.

Kulboka is currently playing in second-division Germany right now and largely dominating competition over the last month. He’s a 6-9 wing/forward combo who has put up 20.1 points per game over his last seven with terrific shooting rates. If he keeps knocking down 3s and showing the ability to attack off of the dribble at the U18 this month, Kulboka should rise into this range for most NBA teams.

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Rabb has mostly been the same player this season for Cal, which is neither a good nor bad thing. On the plus side, Rabb is a really polished player on both ends who knows how to use his length to rebound, defend, and score inside. On the downside, he hasn’t really added a jumper yet to his arsenal, and his athleticism isn’t elite. Rabb should be an NBA player in some capacity due to his mature game, but without those factors he probably profiles best as a backup.

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Yurtseven will return this week to play his first game for NC State after being suspended to start the year. He’s a polished 18-year-old offensive center who should pair nicely with Dennis Smith. But beyond that, we’ll wait to see him get some game action before going too in-depth. 

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Hartenstein will also be playing in the U18 in Europe this month, which will give scouts a chance to see him in more extended minutes than he currently has seen for Zalgiris. The 18-year-old big man has an extremely high skill level and will be expected to be one of the best prospects in attendance.

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Kurucs missed the first month of the season after knee surgery but has been pretty terrific since returning for Barcelona’s B-team. His overall polish is quite strong, as he’s capable of defending a wide variety of players because of his quickness. He can also attack close-outs, and his jumper has been solid thus far. He’ll have a chance to rise up the board throughout the year.

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Speaking of rising up the board, Kennard has been the biggest riser so far this season. If voting were held today, the 6-foot-6 wing would be a first-team All-American, as he’s improved across the board in the offseason. The two biggest places that have led to his development as a hyper-efficient 20-point-per-game scorer? First, his body has improved to where he looks much stronger. He’s capable of absorbing contact and finishing inside of 15-feet now, as seen by his 62.1 shooting percentage from two-point range. Also, Kennard has really tightened his handle, allowing his head fakes and shoulder feints to create more space for him against good defenders.

Add these skills with elite shooter, elite basketball IQ, terrific vision, and the ability to legitimately make passes? Kennard profiles as the kind of efficient offensive weapon that every team could, at the very least, use off of the bench in the NBA, even if the defense never totally shows up. 

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Leaf has been probably the best under-the-radar freshman this season, scoring nearly 18 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and dishing out nearly three assists per game. I broke down his game in a bit more detail after the 6-foot-10 stretch four dominated Kentucky in Rupp Arena. 

MORE: Why Leaf could join class of elite stretch-fours

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Williams is another player that I have broken down in more detail already. The 6-10 pogo stick with a 7-foot-5 wingspan has already made his presence felt on defense. His per-40 numbers of 21 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks are ridiculous, and he should continue to grow as his role improves throughout the season.

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Hart is the leader in the clubhouse for the National Player of the Year award, as he’s improved in every capacity in his final season. He’s a better ball-handler, he’s shooting it well from deep, and he’s become more aggressive. Add that to already-stellar defense that allows him to guard most players one through three, and Hart is profiling as this draft’s version of Malcolm Brogdon — a senior who gets drafted later than he should, then has an immediate impact in the NBA. 

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Bryant continues to be a good but flawed NBA prospect. On one hand, he’s hitting nearly 38 percent of his 3s. His interior defense has also improved a bit from last season. However, the lack of lateral quickness is going to cause him a ton of issues at the next level, and I’m not sure that I buy him as this level of shooter when he’s forced to step back into NBA range. Still, He’s big, he’s long, he runs the floor exceedingly well, and his motor never quits. That’s worth a first-rounder.

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Mushidi has been okay in what has been a rather large step up in competition for him in the ABA and Champions League this season. Currently, he has a sub-10 PER to pair with only a 51.9 true-shooting percentage, but he’s also putting up nearly 10 points per game. For an 18-year-old, that’s not bad playing against professionals on a night-in, night-out basis. 

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Allen has been one of the few disappointments of this freshman class, but it hasn’t been entirely his fault. The Longhorns have no point guards to get him the ball, so his offensive production has struggled along. But still, the defense hasn’t been quite as strong as expected, and his overall floor game needs some work. He’ll get there, I think, but it might take a couple of years.

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Diallo is among the toughest players to peg right now, which comes as no surprise given his status as a potential 2017 prospect. On one hand, the prep player could absolutely use a year's worth of seasoning in college in order to improve his feel for the game and jump shot. On the other hand, it's hard to see an elite 6-5 athlete with a 6-10 wingspan like him falling out of the first round.

He's a perfect fit in an NBA where teams need positionally versatile wing players more than ever. But he'd be a major project, one who probably would not pay dividends for the first two years of his rookie deal. That's something of a non-starter for many teams. Plus, Diallo has given something of a mixed record at scouting events this fall, excelling at some and performing averagely at others. If NBA teams had Diallo anywhere from No. 15 to No. 60 on their board at this early stage, I wouldn't blame them. I've basically cut that difference here.

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Bradley’s been a really, really good freshman thus far. He’s averaging 21 points and 15 rebounds per 40 minutes for North Carolina, and is getting to the line over 10 times per 40. If he would have enough minutes played, he’d lead the country in offensive rebounding rate at 23.5. You’d like to see him block more shots due to his length, and he’s not the most explosive athlete right now, but Bradley’s production has been undeniable in the early going, and points to a player who should probably see a bit more time as ACC play gets ramped up. 

NEXT 10 ON THE BIG BOARD: Borisa Simanic, Edmond Sumner, Jonathan Jeanne, Marques Bolden, Jawun Evans, Tyler Lydon, Johnathan Motley, Monte Morris, Jaron Blossomgame, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk.