OKLAHOMA CITY – Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle knows the coaching business inside-out.

Not only as a head coach in the NBA for 25 years but also as president of the National Basketball Coaches Association, which represents and supports the league’s coaches.

Carlisle wasn’t sure what to believe when news broke that the New York Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau on June 3.

“When I first saw it, I thought it was one of those fake AI (artificial intelligence) things. No way. There’s no way possible,” Carlisle said June 4, the day before Game 1 of the NBA Finals between Indiana and Oklahoma City.

In five seasons with the Knicks, Thibodeau, 67, went 226-174 and led the Knicks to the playoffs four times, including an Eastern Conference finals appearance this season, marking the first time in 25 seasons the Knicks advanced to the East finals.

“I get asked frequently about these things,” Carlisle said. “I always say shocked. Sometimes you get numb and you’re not shocked. The Knicks have such a unique situation with so much attention and such a large fan base and such a worldwide following, it’s one of the most difficult jobs to take. The guys that have been most successful, Red Holzman, Pat Riley, Jeff Van Gundy, Rick Pitino had a short run but a very effective run.

“There were a lot of lean years. Thibs went in there and changed so much. So, you look at all that, then what happened yesterday.”

Carlisle is confident Thibodeau, the Coach of the Year in 2010-2011 and 2020-21, will return to the NBA when he wants. Of the past seven Coach of the Year winners, just Cleveland’s Kenny Atkinson (2024-25) and Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault (2023-24) remain with the same team. Mike Budenholzer, Nick Nurse, Thibodeau, Monty Williams and Mike Brown were all dismissed.

“Teams and ownership can make these decisions unilaterally, and it’s their right to do that,” Carlisle said. “So, Tom will certainly be fine. I don’t think he’s going to have any problem finding his next job. It’s just going to depend on when he’s ready to jump back in again.”

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final looked like it might head to a second overtime, then the Florida Panthers’ Tomas Nosek put the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty.

Star Leon Draisaitl scored at 19:29 to give the Edmonton Oilers a 4-3 victory and 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven championship series. Edmonton didn’t win in last season’s series until Game 4 of an eventual seven-game loss.

Panthers coach Paul Maurice called it a tough break and addressed how he would help Nosek bounce back.

‘Make sure he doesn’t eat alone tonight, that he’s got a lot of people sitting at his table reminding him of how good he’s been to us,’ Maurice said.

Maurice brought Nosek into the lineup when he changed up the fourth line after the Panthers lost the first two games against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He said the Panthers wouldn’t have survived the second round without Nosek’s contributions.

‘It’s going to be tough when he’s going to eat that (penalty) for a day, but from his penalty kill to that line, really changed the flow of that Toronto series, we’re going to remind him of that a whole bunch of times before the puck drops,’ Maurice said.

Said Brad Marchand: ‘That stuff happens in the game of hockey. It’s a bad break. He’s been a great player for us all year, all playoffs.’

Oilers coach defends goal challenge

Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch’s challenge of Sam Bennett’s first goal initially cost Edmonton before the team rallied.

He challenged for goalie interference but the officials said Bennett was tripped into goalie Stuart Skinner. Edmonton got a delay of game penalty and Brad Marchand scored on the power play as Florida turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead.

Knoblauch said he based the challenge on how he has seen goaltender interference being called.

‘If that play happened again, I’ll challenge it,’ he said.

Said Bennett: ‘I knew I didn’t just fall. There was contact. I still haven’t really seen it (the replay). Those can go either way.’

Texas softball needed one swing of the bat to come away with a win in Game 1 of the national championship series against Texas Tech on Wednesday.

Longhorns catcher Reese Atwood came up to bat with runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Texas trailed 1-0. Texas Tech and ace pitcher NiJaree Canady opted to intentionally walk Atwood, however, Canady’s pitch in a 3-0 count got too much plate, and Atwood roped a single into left field to give Texas a 2-1 lead, which stood.

The pitch was a brutal mistake for the Red Raiders, as Canady was having no issues with Texas’ lineup until leaving a pitch meant to be out of the strike zone over the plate. Longhorns pitcher Teagan Kavan was also outstanding, allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts.

Atwood’s first hit at the 2025 WCWS came at a perfect time, and Texas moves one win away from its first national title in program history.

Here are the highlights from Texas’ 2-1 win over Texas Tech on Wednesday:

Texas vs Texas Tech softball highlights

Texas vs Texas Tech softball live score

This section will be updated

Texas vs Texas Tech softball live updates

This section will be updated

Texas wins Game 1

Reese Atwood’s two-run single is enough to win it, as Teagan Kavan shuts the door in the top of the seventh to secure Texas’ 2-1 win.

Kavan goes seven innings, allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts.

Reese Atwood gives Texas 2-1 lead

Wow, Texas Tech opts to intentionally walk Texas’ best hitter in Reese Atwood with two outs and two runners on base, but Atwood swings anyway and drives in two runners on a single to left field.

What a swing from Atwood, who gives Texas a 2-1 lead. Texas’ social media account also threw some shade at the umpires in its post of Atwood’s swing.

Texas puts runners on 1st and 3rd base with 2 outs

Texas puts runners on first and third after Kayden Henry and Mia Scott hit back-to-back singles with two outs.

NiJaree Canady up to 5 strikeouts

NiJaree Canady is now through five scoreless innings, allowing only one hit on five strikeouts. She is dealing against the Longhorns.

Victoria Hunter nearly hits game-tying home run

Texas designated player Victoria Hunter blasts a pitch from NiJaree Canady over the left-field fence, but the ball narrowly falls left of the foul pole. That ball was crushed, but unfortunately for Texas was not in fair territory.

Texas Tech takes 1-0 lead

An obstruction and an error come back to haunt Texas, as Mihyia Davis bloops a single into shallow right field that scores Logan Halleman from second base.

Texas Tech leads 1-0 after the controversial call.

Texas Tech gets runner in scoring position

Logan Halleman reaches first base with one out after an infield error by Kaydee Bennett before Halleman then appears to get thrown out at second base by catcher Reese Atwood. Halleman got to stay at second, however, as the umpiring crew found there was obstruction on the tag attempt.

Texas Tech with a runner in scoring position with two outs in the top of the fifth inning.

3-up, 3-down for Canady

NiJaree Canady sets Texas down in order once again, raising her strikeout total to four on the night. Canady has been nails through four innings.

Bailey Lindemuth also made a nice play on a groundball in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Pitchers’ duel in full force

Teagan Kavan and NiJaree Canady have been sensational so far, as the game is still tied at 0-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. Kavan has allowed two hits with two strikeouts and Canady has allowed one hit with three strikeouts.

One run for either team might be enough for a win at this rate.

ESPN broadcast honors Geri Ann Glasco

Former Georgia and Oregon softball player Geri Ann Glasco, the son of Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco, was coached by now-Texas coach Mike White with the Ducks. Geri Ann tragically died in a car accident in 2019, which was set to be her first year on Glasco’s staff at Louisiana.

Now, her former coach and dad are facing off for a national title.

Patrick Mahomes sends gift to Texas Tech softball

Three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes is giving back to his alma mater, as he sent a gift to Texas Tech softball that included a letterman jacket and Adidas shoes. Mahomes and the Red Raiders are both sponsored by the sports brand.

NiJaree Canady works around walk in 2nd inning

NiJaree Canady hits Katie Stewart with a pitch but forces three outs on balls in play to get out of the second inning. Canady has faced seven hitters through two innings.

Texas Tech also goes 1-2-3

No issues for Teagan Kavan to start the second inning, as she forces two groundouts and a flyout. Both pitchers for Texas and Texas Tech look good so far.

Texas goes 1-2-3 in 1st inning

NiJaree Canady gets a groundout and two strikeouts for an easy first inning, as she only needed 12 pitches.

Texas gets out of jam

Mia Scott fields a groundball and fires home, getting out the lead runner before NiJaree Canady is thrown out by the catcher at first base to complete the 5-2-3 double play.

Teagan Kavan then gets an inning-ending groundout, getting out of the early jam. Texas Tech squanders its opportunity.

Texas Tech with runners on first and third

Hailey Toney follows up with another single, putting runners on first and third base with no outs. Texas Tech with an early scoring chance in the top of the first inning.

Texas Tech with leadoff single

Nice start for Texas Tech, as leadoff Mihyia Davis swings at the first pitch and ropes a single into left field. We’re underway from Oklahoma City.

Texas-Texas Tech starting pitchers

As expected, Texas is starting Teagan Kavan and Texas Tech is starting NiJaree Canady in the circle. It’s a rematch from their regular season matchup that went nine innings and ended with a 2-1 Texas win.

Texas softball lineup

RF Ashton Maloney
CF Kayden Henry
3B Mia Scott
C Reese Atwood
1B Joley Mitchell
LF Katie Stewart
SS Leighann Goode
DP Victoria Hunter
2B Kaydee Bennett

Texas Tech softball lineup

CF Mihyia Davis
SS Hailey Toney
1B Lauren Allred
P NiJaree Canady
2B Alexa Langeliers
RF Alana Johnson
LF Demi Elder
C Victoria Valdez
3B Bailey Lindemuth

What time does Texas vs Texas Tech softball start?

Time: 8 p.m. ET
Date: Wednesday, June 4
Location: Devon Park (Oklahoma City)

First pitch for Game 1 of the WCWS finals is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET from Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

What TV channel is Texas vs Texas Tech softball on today?

TV channel: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+

Game 1 of the national championship series between Texas and Texas Tech will air live on ESPN, with streaming options on the ESPN app (with a cable login) and ESPN+, the latter of which serves as the network’s streaming service.

WCWS schedule

Wednesday, June 4: Texas vs. Texas Tech | 8 p.m. | ESPN (ESPN+)
Thursday, June 5: Texas vs. Texas Tech | 8 p.m. | ESPN (ESPN+)
Friday, June 6: Texas vs. Texas Tech | 8 p.m. | ESPN (ESPN+) *

* If necessary

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.

The 2025 Masters winner spoke for the first time Wednesday about his failed driver test at last month’s PGA Championship and defended his decision to skip speaking with reporters throughout the major tournament. McIlroy said during a pre-tournament news conference at the PGA Tour’s RBC Canadian Open outside Toronto that part of his silence was due to being ‘pretty annoyed’ only his failed driver test was leaked to the public and not also Scottie Scheffler, according to Golfweek.

Scheffler later revealed he also was ruled to have had a non-conforming driver during PGA Championship week.

“I was a little pissed off because I knew that Scottie’s driver had failed on Monday, but my name was the one that was leaked. It was supposed to stay confidential. Two members of the media were the ones that leaked it,’ McIlroy said. ‘I didn’t want to get up there and say something that I regretted, either, because there’s a lot of people that — I’m trying to protect Scottie. I don’t want to mention his name. I’m trying to protect TaylorMade. I’m trying to protect the USGA, PGA of America, myself. I just didn’t want to get up there and say something that I regretted at the time. With Scottie’s stuff, that’s not my information to share. I knew that that had happened, but that’s not on me to share that, and I felt that process is supposed to be kept confidential, and it wasn’t for whatever reason. That’s why I was pretty annoyed at that.”

McIlroy had a disappointing showing at the 2025 PGA Championship on the heels of becoming just the sixth golfer in history to complete the sport’s career grand slam. He finished in a tie for 47th (+3) and was never in contention after shooting a 74 in the first round. The RBC Canadian Open, which begins with first-round action on Thursday, is McIlroy’s first PGA Tour event since the PGA Championship.

But it was McIlroy’s cold shoulder to reporters throughout the second major of the year that became as much the story as his performance. In explaining why he chose to do that, McIlroy called the PGA Championship ‘a bit of a weird week.’

He played poorly and wanted to practice after the first round, rather than speak with reporters. The second day of the tournament ended late and he wanted to get back to see his daughter, Poppy, before she went to bed. His tee time on Saturday got delayed from the morning to the afternoon and he felt too tired to speak with reporters afterwards.

‘Then Sunday, I just wanted to get on the plane and go back to Florida,’ McIlroy said.

“From a responsibility standpoint, look, I understand, but if we all wanted to, we could all bypass you guys … and we could go on social media and we could talk about our round and do it our own way,” McIlroy added, addressing reporters and the PGA Tour media policy. “We understand that that’s not ideal for you guys and there’s a bigger dynamic at play here, and I talk to you guys and I talk to the media a lot.’

‘I think there should be an understanding that this is a two-way street,’ he continued, ‘and as much as we need to speak to you guys, we understand the benefit that comes from you being here and giving us the platform and everything else. So I understand that. But again, I’ve been beating this drum for a long time. If they want to make it mandatory, that’s fine, but in our rules it says that it’s not, and until the day that that’s maybe written into the regulations, you’re going to have guys skip from time to time, and that’s well within our rights.”

McIlroy also declined to speak with reporters after he blew a late lead with bogeys on three of the final four holes at the 2024 U.S. Open. His silence at the PGA Championship comes after a similar discussion emerged when Collin Morikawa declined to hold a session with reporters after he finished in second place at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March.

Though Morikawa took criticism from golfers-turned-commentators like Brandel Chamblee and Rocco Mediate, McIlroy came to his defense. McIlroy is slated to play in the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club beginning June 12 after his appearance at the RBC Canadian Open this week.

The NBA’s 3-point shot has enemies.

Too many 3s, they say. The shot is ruining the game, they say.

And those critics of the 3-point shot found ammunition in the Eastern Conference semifinals of this season’s playoffs when the Boston Celtics attempted 60 3-pointers and missed 45 against the New York Knicks. The guffawing ignored the fact that Boston’s 3-point shooting was instrumental in its 2023-24 championship season and in its 61-21 record this season.

Regardless of your aesthetic view of how basketball should be played and what it should look like, the 3-point shot has turned divisive but remains vital to winning championships.

Of the past 15 champions, 13 were either top 10 in 3s made per game or top 10 in 3-point percentage. Nine were in the top 10 in both categories during the regular season, including last season’s Celtics. They were No. 1 in makes per game and No. 2 in percentage and outscored Dallas 210-144 on 3-pointers in a five-game Finals series.

How important has the 3-point shot become? Two decades ago, teams averaged 15.8 3-point attempts and 5.6 makes per game and shot 35.6% on 3s. This season, teams attempted 37.6 3s and made 13.5 per game and shot 36%. Five players including Golden State’s Steph Curry and Boston’s Jayson Tatum shot at least 10 3s per game in 2024-25.

“The fact now that you can’t play in this league unless you can shoot, that even 7-footers have to be able to shoot these days and have to be able to shoot at long range, I actually think that’s a beautiful thing,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said at All-Star Weekend in February.

Live by the 3-pointer, die by the 3-pointer

How important has the 3-point shot become?

In 2010, the Los Angeles Lakers were 13th in 3s made per game at 6.5 during the regular season. During their run to the championship, they were fourth in 3s made per game at 6.8 and 11th in percentage at 33%.

The 3-point shot will play a significant role in the outcome of the Finals. If you can’t make enough 3s, you can’t win today.

“I’ll say this about the 3-point line and the volume, the plus has been, and I think you’ve seen a lot of that this season in particular, it lets and allows teams to always think they’re never out of big deficits,” Basketball Hall of Famer Reggie Miller said when asked by USA TODAY Sports. “We saw some incredible comebacks this year, teams being down 20, 24, 28 points and teams being able to get back in the ballgame strictly enforced by that 3-point line.”

Look at the moments the 3-point shot has provided in the past six weeks:

Golden State’s Buddy Hield made 9-of-11 3s in a Game 7 victory against Houston in the first round.
The Pacers’ comeback from 17 down in the fourth quarter against New York included 7-of-8 on 3s in the final 4:45 of regulation in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton’s 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter led to a 120-119 victory against Cleveland in Game 2 of the East semifinals.
Minnesota set a franchise record for made 3s in a playoff game with 21 against the Lakers in Game 1 of the first round.
Aaron Gordon made a 3-pointer with 3.6 seconds left, giving Denver a 121-119 victory over Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Why has the shot become divisive? Critics complain it has taken a lopsided influence on games, rendered low-post play unfashionable, led to stagnant offense with too many players hovering at the 3-point line and created too many bad shots from players who shouldn’t be taking 3s.

In a paper presented at the influential MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, two Syracuse University professors posited that a  ‘dispremium’ has been placed on 3-point shots and that the value of a 2-point shot is greater than the value of a 3-pointer when taking into account foul shots and some players should be taking fewer 3s.

Kirk Goldsberry, the author of “Sprawlball,” a former executive with San Antonio and now a professor, has analyzed shot selection and location and recently posted a suggestion on social media: Eliminate corner 3s.

Others have suggested giving defenders leeway to play more physical behind the 3-point line.

The topic has reached the highest level of the league office. Silver and key participants in the league’s basketball operations staff, including president of league operations Byron Spruell and executive vice president of strategy and analytics Evan Wasch, are monitoring.

Silver and his staff give thoughtful consideration to how the game is played, how it is viewed and the entertainment value, but there are not signs major changes are coming.

“I’ve also learned, having been around this game for a long time, not to overreact,” Silver said. “I do think it’s a beautiful game. … I’m never going to say there isn’t room for improvement. We’ll continue to look at it and study it, but I am happy with the state of the game right now.”

Steph Curry and his 3-pointer revolutionized the NBA

The shot’s influence is undeniable.

Curry’s 3-point shooting has revolutionized basketball. The Warriors have won four titles since 2015, Curry is the game’s all-time leader in made 3-pointers, has demonstrated that a 38-foot shot is a good shot – for some players – and has delivered some of the game’s biggest and best highlights.

If fans are so put off by the shot, tell that to the thousands who show up early to watch Curry go through his pregame shooting routine.

“Steph Curry without the 3, he’s not Steph Curry,” TV analyst and former NBA coach Stan Van Gundy said. “I think it’s been great.”

Curry gets a kick out of the debate. During the 2015 Finals between Golden State and Cleveland, then-ABC analyst and former Warriors coach Mark Jackson said Curry was hurting the game at large with not just his 3-point shooting but the distance from which he attempted shots. Jackson said he saw too many young kids in the gym trying to shoot 3s without proper form and from too far away.

“That impact is pretty surreal to me just because that’s the way that I’ve seen the game since I was a kid,” Curry said. “I love expanding my range, but even more, I love the work that goes into earning and deserving that confidence.

“That’s the message that I preach all the time is I want everybody to be inspired, if you love basketball, to be able to shoot and get better and stretch your range and shoot 5-, 10 feet outside the 3-point line, I would love you to be inspired to do that, but you’ve also got to work at it, too.’

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

Colorado freshman quarterback Julian ‘JuJu’ Lewis doesn’t turn 18 years old until September and still needs to add more beef to a body that weighs less than 200 pounds. But he’s already in the middle of the biggest storyline of the season for his new head coach, Deion Sanders.

As a top recruit out of Carrollton, Georgia, Lewis also has a business agent, his own branded line of merchandise and an ownership stake in a company that aims to democratize name, image and likeness deals for college players (NIL).

In many ways, this makes him the poster child of this wild new era of college sports. His father even makes sure he knows his roles.

 “He’s always reminding me that I have two jobs: QB and entrepreneur,” Lewis said.

Lewis agreed to discuss these dual ambitions in an email interview with USA TODAY Sports. Both roles are being boosted by a company that he partly owns called Fanstake, where fans can pay to lure recruits to their favorite college teams by contributing to their NIL deals.

By the end of June, Lewis said he plans to announce at least three other equity deals besides Fanstake and will have four other active NIL deals before the season. Beyond that, Lewis hopes to win the battle to replace Shedeur Sanders as CU’s next starting quarterback and then use Fanstake as a tool to lure top recruits to Colorado.

The goal is to seize all of these opportunities in Boulder, where the spotlight will include at least four CU games on ESPN or Fox in the first month of the season, but with no guarantee that Lewis will play in any of them.

Lewis part of battle to replace Shedeur Sanders

After Lewis signed with Colorado Dec. 4, Liberty transfer quarterback Kaidon Salter committed to CU two weeks later with one season of college eligibility remaining.

Did Lewis know when he committed to CU that the Buffaloes would bring in another QB for 2025?

Might he split time with Salter this season or consider redshirting?

The interview was edited for clarity and length and was arranged through the company.

∎ USA TODAY Sports: Before you committed and signed with CU late last year, did you know CU might later bring in a transfer QB? 

“Coach Prime runs this like an NFL team,” Lewis said. “Plus every program in college football is always going to try and get better and have depth at every position. You can’t even prepare for the season without enough QBs on the roster.”

∎ What did CU say about maybe bringing in another QB before you signed with CU?

“CU is about development and competition,” Lewis said. “The only thing I was looking for as a recruit was to be coached by great coaches and have an opportunity to compete as a freshman. I’ve been competing for QB jobs since I was 7. I joined a team at 10 that already had a QB, I competed every day against the guy who was there, and we ended up winning the Battle Youth National Championship that season and I threw 70 touchdown passes.”

Lewis also provided a reminder that he competed for the starting job in high school, too, where he played for the Carrollton Trojans in Georgia.

“Carrollton had kids who grew up wanting to be Trojans and I moved there,” Lewis said. “I wasn’t recruited by (coach) Joey King or asked to come. I made a decision to go and compete at the end of 7th grade. Then, going into 9th grade, I had to compete again for the varsity job. I’m not the kid who was ever handed jobs. My story is different. People just see the results and assume I’ve had some easy path. Other guys’ dads coached teams, and they were automatically the QB (when Lewis was younger). My dad took me to the hardest coaches and toughest programs, and I always had to earn it. Anything different and this wouldn’t be my story.”

∎ Do you see CU picking one QB to go with in the fall season or maybe playing at least two on a situational basis because you have different styles? 

“Coach Prime and Coach (Pat) Shurmur are going to put me in the best position to develop and our team in the best position to win. I have total faith in that. And I’ve got a lot of work to do in a little bit of time, so I’m ready when my coaches say I’m ready.”

∎ Do you plan to add a certain amount of weight as some new players do out of high school? 

“I’ve gained 15lbs since January,” Lewis wrote. “I’ll probably put on whatever I can add before we get into pads and that will be what it is for this season.”

Lewis is now up to 198 pounds on his 6-foot-1 frame. He normally would be headed into his senior season of high school in 2025, but he reclassified to start college a year earlier.

∎ How is your NIL business going and how important is that to your college career? 

‘I’m blessed to be a part of this era in college and high school sports,’ Lewis replied. ‘There are thousands of great athletes who came before us who didn’t have the opportunities today. NIL has nothing to do with my college career; football and NIL are two very separate things. Football is my priority. I have a responsibility to myself, my teammates, and my university to become the best player that I can be. NIL is going well, I’m thankful for the opportunities that I have. My dad and my team have done a really good job creating opportunities for me.’

How Lewis plans to use company to boost CU roster

∎ How did you get involved with Fanstake and what appealed to you about it?

‘When I heard about Fanstake, I was immediately interested because it allows players to help each other and their potential programs. At the end of the day we all want to win, and that’s not possible without great teammates around you. The thought of fans being able to support their team and future players during the recruiting process is what made it a ‘no brainer’ for me.’

Lewis also said he looks forward to “using them next portal season to bring in players to join us at CU.”

One way he could do this is by encouraging CU fans to contribute money toward luring a player on Fanstake. The company started in November and already has more than 20,000 users, according to Greg Glass, the company’s co-founder.

One example shows how Fanstake works. Five-star basketball prospect Nate Ament was wooed by Louisville fans who crowdfunded a combined $88,000 on Fanstake for him if he signed with the Cardinals. He instead decided to sign with Tennessee, whose fans had pledged only about $13,000.

The Louisville fans who put money down for Ament got their money returned since Ament signed with a different team. The $13,000 from Tennessee fans instead goes toward Ament’s sponsorship deal with Fanstake.

“It helps democratize this landscape a little bit because even if you can’t write a half-million-dollar check, you can get 100,000 fans to write $10 checks, or whatever it might be,” Glass told USA TODAY Sports.

Fanstake partnered with Lewis after he made his decision to commit to the Buffaloes. The deal appealed to him, Glass said, because it was a way to bring in more talent to Boulder.

“He wanted to make sure it wasn’t just his NIL, but that he had a squad around him that was going to be secure,” Glass said.

The ‘last thing’ Julian Lewis is worried about

Lewis still made it clear where his NIL endeavors fit into his decision to join the Buffs after previously committing to play at Southern California.

∎ Was NIL part of your decision to go to CU?

‘No it wasn’t,’ Lewis replied. ‘It really came down to where I wanted to live and the opportunity to follow Shedeur who everyone knew was leaving for the NFL.’

∎ NIL is part of some players’ decisions to stay at a particular school. Would it be for you going forward? If so, how? 

‘That’s the last thing I’m worried about, right,’ Lewis replied. ‘I’m a Buff.’

∎ Because of your youth compared to Kaidon Salter’s experience, some have wondered if you might be a candidate to redshirt this year. Nothing has been decided about that. But would you be open to that if it was ever suggested to you? 

‘I’m going to compete everyday and prepare for my freshman season,’ he stated.

∎ What are your plans this summer?

‘I will be in Boulder for the summer, taking classes and working out.’

∎ By chance do you go back to The Sink in Boulder to have the JuJu burger that the restaurant named after you? 

‘No not yet.’

∎ For those who don’t know, how did you get the nickname “JuJu”? 

‘My older sister started calling me JuJu when I was like 3.’

Colorado opens the season Aug. 29 against Georgia Tech in a home game on ESPN.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

In the NBA playoffs, the outcome often rests on the underrated.

Certainly, the performances of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton will be scrutinized and big games can propel their respective teams to victories. But it’s often the role players, sometimes off the bench, erupting on a scoring streak or clamping down on defense, who can make the difference between winning and losing.

Think Steve Kerr’s nine points off the bench for the Chicago Bulls — seven of which came in the fourth quarter — in the closeout Game 6 of the 1997 Finals, including the game-winning, 14-foot jumper with 5 seconds to play. Think Andre Iguodala winning Most Valuable Player of the 2015 NBA Finals for the Golden State Warriors, despite being a sixth man for most of the series.

Now, not every role player will win MVP, but steady contributions, in a series with two deep teams, will go a long way.

Here’s a look at three under-the-radar players for the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers who could make the difference between winning and losing in the 2025 NBA Finals:

Oklahoma City Thunder

Alex Caruso, guard

He gives them incredible defensive versatility off the bench, as he’s capable of guarding any position on the floor. This postseason, he has been tasked with defending Nuggets center Nikola Jokić and Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards. Plus, when he’s on the floor, the Thunder can go to an incredibly small lineup — with Caruso serving as the center — which could come in handy against a quick and athletic Pacers team.

Kenrich Williams, forward

He was essentially out of the rotation in the first and second rounds of the playoffs, but Williams provided energy and offense in limited minutes off the bench during the Western Conference finals. In the five games of that series, Williams played just 47:42 and posted a +32 in plus-minus. Known affectionately as Kenny Hustle, Williams is a quintessential spark off the bench whose effort — tipping rebounds to teammates and saving loose balls — often doesn’t appear in box scores.

Luguentz Dort, guard

Though Dort is a starter, he’s the fourth- or fifth-best offensive option on the unit, on a similar level as center Isaiah Hartenstein. But Dort, who is persistent and physical, will likely be the primary defender on Tyrese Haliburton. Using his hands to slow the players he defends, Dort can easily frustrate opposing guards into mistakes or foul trouble. This is exactly the type of matchup that he gets up for.

Indiana Pacers

Bennedict Mathurin, forward

When the Pacers need a scoring lift off the bench, it’s usually Mathurin who provides it. Though he struggled in the first three games of the Eastern Conference finals, Mathurin played with intention and force in Games 4 and 5. He attacked and drew contact, often getting Knicks guards into foul trouble. And when he got to the line, he was lethal, draining all but one of his 29 attempts from the stripe in the series. Indiana will need his scoring off the bench with the second unit.

T.J. McConnell, guard

Speaking of the second unit, Haliburton’s backup will need to step up, too. McConnell is a 33-year-old veteran whose game is often deliberate, but he provides high energy, scoring from the mid-range and play-making out of the point guard spot. He rarely plays more than 20 minutes a game, but McConnell will play a massive part in making sure the Pacers don’t fall behind when Haliburton gets a rest.

Thomas Bryant and Tony Bradley, centers

The Thunder have excellent height in their starting lineup with Chet Holmgren and Hartenstein, a pair of 7-footers looming in the frontcourt. Bryant, who flushed 3-of-4 attempts from 3 in the Game 6 clincher in the Eastern Conference finals, played because Bradley was nursing a hip injury. Given OKC’s height, this could be a series where Bryant and Bradley both play, even if Bradley isn’t a full go.

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