AP Sports SummaryBrief at 11:53 p.m. EDT

By The Associated Press
Updated: April 25, 2025 - 4:06 AM
Published: April 24, 2025 - 4:00 AM

Cam Ward goes No. 1, Travis Hunter 2nd and Shedeur Sanders not picked in 1st round of NFL draft

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Cam Ward went from zero-star recruit to No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. Travis Hunter cost Jacksonville a premium. Jaxson Dart was selected before Shedeur Sanders. While Ward, Hunter and Abdul Carter went 1-2-3 as expected, Sanders wasn’t picked at all in the first round. Sanders was passed over by every team that had a need for a potential franchise quarterback, even though some draft analysts had him rated higher than Ward. The New York Giants had two chances to take Sanders and went with Penn State edge rusher Carter with the No. 3 pick, bolstering an already strong pass rush. The Giants then moved back into the first round and selected Dart, a quarterback from Ole Miss, at No. 25.

Shedeur Sanders is still on NFL draft boards after QB-needy teams pass on him in 1st round

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Shedeur Sanders is still on the board. The New York Giants passed on the former Colorado quarterback with the No. 3 pick in the NFL draft. So did Las Vegas, the New York Jets, New Orleans and Pittsburgh, four teams seemingly in need of signal callers. How far will Sanders fall now? He definitely will be available when the second round begins Friday. There was some thought a team would trade into the bottom end of the first round and grab Sanders. But no one did. Concerns about Sanders’ arm strength have become an issue in recent weeks, although his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, laughed at that notion.

A stunner in Jacksonville: Jaguars trade up to land 2-way star Travis Hunter in the NFL draft

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars traded up three spots to select Heisman Trophy winner and two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft. The Jaguars gave up four picks to land one of the most intriguing NFL prospects in draft history and set the tone for a new regime that features first-time general manager James Gladstone, first-time head coach Liam Coen and first-time executive vice president Tony Boselli. Now, they have the first two-way player in franchise lore.

Towns scores 31, Brunson has 30 and Knicks beat Pistons 118-116 for a 2-1 lead in series

DETROIT (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns scored 31 points, Jalen Brunson had 30 and the New York Knicks held on for a 118-116 win over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round series. OG Anunoby added 22 points for New York. Game 4 is on Sunday in Detroit. The Pistons have lost eight straight home playoff games since 2008, pulling within one of an NBA record set by Philadelphia from 1968 to 1971. When Detroit won at New York in Game 2, the franchise ended a league-record, 15-playoff game losing streak to take home-court advantage, but the Knicks snatched it back.

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant exits playoff game vs Thunder with left hip contusion after hard fall

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis guard Ja Morant was knocked out of the Grizzlies’ playoff game against Oklahoma City on Thursday night with a left hip contusion after taking a hard fall under the basket late in the first half. Morant went down hard with just over three minutes remaining in the half and was ruled out for the remainder of the game early in the second half after not joining the team at the start of the third quarter. Memphis was on a fast break after a Thunder turnover. Scotty Pippen was driving to the basket when he dropped the ball off to Morant at the rim. Luguentz Dort, who was stumbling at the time, fell into Morant while he was in the air, sending the Morant crashing to the floor.

USC basketball recruit Alijah Arenas injured in LA car crash

LOS ANGELES (AP) — University of Southern California basketball recruit Alijah Arenas has been involved in a vehicle accident. The university’s men’s basketball coach called for prayers for Arenas and his family in a Thursday social media post. Arenas is a Los Angeles high school basketball star and the son of former NBA player Gilbert Arenas. The Los Angeles Police Department says officers responded shortly before 5 a.m. to a single-vehicle collision in the San Fernando Valley. Police said an 18-year-old was transported to the hospital in stable condition. Multiple news outlets including the Los Angeles Times and ESPN said Arenas was the driver, citing sources.

Cleveland’s Evan Mobley wins NBA Defensive Player of the Year award

Evan Mobley said his goal coming into the season with the Cleveland Cavaliers was to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. He got it done. The Cavs consider Mobley to be their best defensive player, and the league thought even more highly of him. Mobley held off fellow finalists Dyson Daniels of Atlanta and Draymond Green of Golden State for the award, the results being announced Thursday night in a broadcast on TNT.

Celtics list Tatum as doubtful for Game 3, Mazzulla tells radio station wrist bruise is ‘severe’

Jayson Tatum remains listed as doubtful for the Boston Celtics, meaning the reigning NBA champions do not expect him to play Friday when they visit the Orlando Magic in Game 3 of an Eastern Conference first-round series. Tatum is dealing with a bone bruise in his right wrist, an injury suffered on a hard fall after getting fouled in Game 1 of the series. Tatum did not play in Game 2, when the Celtics prevailed for a 2-0 series lead.

Schmidt scores again, Bobrovsky has 19 saves as Panthers beat Lightning 2-0 for 2-0 series lead

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Nate Schmidt scored his third goal in two games, Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 19 shots and the Florida Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round playoff series. Sam Bennett added an empty-netter with 4 seconds left. Bobrovsky got his fourth career playoff shutout, and his first since Game 1 of last year’s Stanley Cup final against Edmonton. Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 21 saves for Tampa Bay. Game 3 of the best-of-seven series will be Saturday at Sunrise.

Barkov misses final 10 minutes of Panthers’ win after taking hit from Lightning’s Hagel

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Florida captain Aleksander Barkov missed the final 10:09 of the Panthers’ win in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round series at Tampa Bay on Thursday night, after taking a hit from the Lightning’s Brandon Hagel. Barkov remained down on one knee briefly after the hit, then skated off and went to the Panthers’ locker room. He did not return and after the game, Panthers coach Paul Maurice had no update on Barkov’s condition. Hagel drew a 5-minute major for interference on the play.