Connect with us
https://yoursportsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/call-to-1.png

Professional Sports

Blue Jays Make Contract Offer To Anthony Santander

MLB Trade Rumors ranked Santander ninth on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents, and projected the longtime Orioles outfielder for a four-year, MM deal.  Santander and his reps at the Beverly Hills Sports Council have been looking to top that number, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported last month […]

Published

on

Blue Jays Make Contract Offer To Anthony Santander

MLB Trade Rumors ranked Santander ninth on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents, and projected the longtime Orioles outfielder for a four-year, MM deal.  Santander and his reps at the Beverly Hills Sports Council have been looking to top that number, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported last month that Santander is looking for a five-year contract worth at least 0MM.Given how many other notable free agents have landed bigger deals than expected this winter, it isn’t surprising that Santander is aiming high, and he might have some leverage since so many other big bats have already signed elsewhere.  Beyond the Blue Jays and Angels, the Tigers, Red Sox, and Yankees have also been publicly linked to Santander, and it is possible another club or two might be lurking to see how his market develops.
Adding a powerful switch-hitter like Santander would cover multiple needs for the Jays, whose largely right-handed hitting lineup finished 26th in the majors last year in home runs.  Putting Santander behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (who contributed 30 of the Jays’ 156 homers in 2024) in the lineup would give Guerrero some valuable protection, and there’s a ready-made defensive position for Santander in left field.  Since the Blue Jays don’t have a set designated hitter, Santander could get a good chunk of at-bats from the DH spot, which also works since Santander’s outfield defense is average at best.
The Blue Jays’ interest in Anthony Santander is well-known, with Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press even listing the Jays and Angels “as the frontrunners” to sign the All-Star outfielder in a report last week.  Toronto has formalized its pursuit of Santander by making an official contract offer, according to KPRC’s Ari Alexander, though the size and length of the offer isn’t known.
It has been a pretty quiet offseason for the Blue Jays, though not for lack of effort, as the team has been linked to almost every major free agent on the market.  Toronto made aggressive bids for both the top hitter (Juan Soto) and pitcher (Corbin Burnes) available, and reports indicated that the Jays may have outbid the Diamondbacks’ 0MM contract with Burnes, but the right-hander took less money in order to pitch closer to his home in Arizona.  For all of the Jays’ free agent dealings, their only noteworthy deal has been a two-year pact with old friend Yimi Garcia.  Toronto’s other big offseason move to date was a trade with the Guardians that brought second baseman Andres Gimenez and reliever Nick Sandlin into the fold, but Gimenez’s subpar hitting numbers over the last two seasons offers no promise that he’ll help the Blue Jays’ lackluster offense.
Signing Santander would at least quiet the narrative that the Jays are unable to land top free agents, even if the heat on GM Ross Atkins and team president Mark Shapiro won’t really let up unless the Blue Jays turn things around on the field in 2025.  Arguably no team in baseball faces as much short-term pressure as the Jays, since Guerrero and Bo Bichette are both free agents next winter and there isn’t any indication that the club is making any headway in extension talks.  Bringing in Santander on a long-term deal could be viewed as a move to lock a big bat into the lineup even if Guerrero does leave, similar to how the Gimenez trade could be interpreted as a move to shore up the shortstop position if Bichette departs.
One team that doesn’t appear to be in the running for Santander is Houston, as Alexander notes that the Astros are “very unlikely” to dole out the type of contract that would basically ensure that the team stays over the luxury tax threshold.  RosterResource’s current estimate of a 4MM tax number for the Astros already puts them over the 1MM threshold, and there has been speculation that Houston might look to move a contract in order to duck under the line and reset its tax status.  Because the Astros were tax payors in 2024, they also have to give up two 2025 draft picks and MM in international bonus pool money for signing any free agent that rejects a qualifying offer, and Houston already paid those extra penalties to sign Christian Walker.

Professional Sports

UFC Nashville predictions

Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. The UFC returns to Nashville on Saturday, and it’s a classic veteran vs. prospect card. Loaded with familiar names of past-their-prime stars, it’s an interesting betting spot for those […]

Published

on

UFC Nashville predictions

The UFC returns to Nashville on Saturday, and it’s a classic veteran vs. prospect card.

Loaded with familiar names of past-their-prime stars, it’s an interesting betting spot for those looking to partake.

Most of the veterans are massive underdogs, as the sportsbooks suspect that the UFC is setting them up for squash spots.

Just four bouts on the 12-fight card event have odds inside of +200 for the underdog.

Meaning we’re looking at some dominant showings from the favorites on this card.

Below, we break down my favorite bets on the card, beginning at 6 p.m. ET, on ESPN.

UFC Nashville predictions

Derrick Lewis vs. Tallison Teixeira

It’s a tough spot for Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis, as the 40-year-old heavyweight faces an up-and-coming Tallison Teixeira, who has started his career with eight consecutive wins, all in the first round.

Teixeira stands at 6-foot-7 and should use that advantage in the UFC.

But his lack of time inside the ring could be a significant problem for him against a veteran like Lewis.

Teixeira has beaten nobody at the level of Lewis, and the Black Beast has been willing to grapple against average or slightly below average grapplers.

Coming off a knockout of Justin Tafa, Teixeira has the momentum that the UFC would love to piggyback on in a dead heavyweight division.

Teixeira could finish Lewis in the first round, but I’m not willing to bet on that.

Target the fight to start round 2 at +110 on Fanatics Sportsbook, I think Lewis is crafty enough to drag Teixeira into unfamiliar waters and even snag a victory.

PICK: Fight starts round 2 (+110, Fanatics Sportsbook)

Max Griffin vs. Chris Curtis

On the prelims, Chris Curtis faces Max Griffin, and it’s the shortest price Curtis has been in his UFC career.

Coming in as a -325 favorite, he hasn’t been this pricey since he was -500 in 2021, when he was fighting at the regional promotion XMMA.


Max Griffin is a massive underdog to Chris Curtis.
Max Griffin is a massive underdog to Chris Curtis. Zuffa LLC

Griffin is far from a world beater; he’s been around the block at 39 years old, while Curtis is 37.

Curtis will look to pick Griffin apart, and body shots will be the key to success for each fighter, but if Curtis is taken down, he’s going to be in a nightmare situation.

For Griffin, he’ll need to utilize that grappling and avoid striking in the center of the octagon.

The cage will be his friend in the situation, clinch work against the cage, and chained together takedown attempts should wear his opponent down and help him pick up the victory.

Long shot prop alert: Griffin by split decision (+1200) is the bet to target.

PICK: Griffin by split decision (+1200, DraftKings)


Get the lowdown on the Best USA Sports Betting Sites and Apps



UFC 312: Matthews victorious in the octagon.
Jake Matthews is among the best bets to pull an upset this weekend. Zuffa LLC

UFC Nashville full card picks

Derrick Lewis vs. Tallison Teixeira: Fight starts round 2 (+110, Fanatics Sportsbook)

Stephen Thompson vs. Gabriel Bonfim: Thompson moneyline (+310, Caesars Sportsbook)

Calvin Kattar vs. Steve Garcia: Kattar moneyline (+105, BetMGM)

Nate Landwehr vs. Morgan Charriere: Fight ends inside the distance (+110, Bet365)

Vitor Petrino vs. Austen Lane: Petrino by KO/TKO (-230, FanDuel)

Junior Tafa vs. Tuco Tokkos: Over 1.5 rounds (+145, DraftKings)

Jake Matthews vs. Chidi Njokuani: Jake Matthews moneyline (+135, DraftKings)

Max Griffin vs. Chris Curtis: Griffin by split decision (+1200, DraftKings)

Lauren Murphy vs. Eduarda Moura: Pass

Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Valter Walker: Fight goes to decision (+120, Fanatics)

Mitch Ramirez vs. Mike Davis: Pass

Fatima Kline vs. Melissa Martinez: Fight goes the distance (+100, BetMGM)

Why Trust New York Post Betting

Erich Richter is a brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt but he has a black belt in MMA betting. During the football season he’s showcased massive profits at The Post in the player prop market the last two seasons. While constantly betting long shots, his return on investment is 30.15 percent since 2022.

Continue Reading

High School Sports

5

One area to watch on Mark Pope’s Kentucky Wildcats teams this season and future seasons is the frontcourt. How the Wildcats’ frontcourt defends and displays versatility is going to be a key to next season as the Wildcats pursue a ninth national championship. A 5-star prospect in the 2026 class, Miikka Muurinen, has whittled down […]

Published

on

5

One area to watch on Mark Pope’s Kentucky Wildcats teams this season and future seasons is the frontcourt. How the Wildcats’ frontcourt defends and displays versatility is going to be a key to next season as the Wildcats pursue a ninth national championship.

A 5-star prospect in the 2026 class, Miikka Muurinen, has whittled down his list of schools that have offered him to seven. Kentucky is among those seven schools.

ESPN has the 6-foot-10, 185-pound Muurinen listed as the No. 11 player in their ESPN100 for the Class of 2026.

Muurinen is a native of Jarvenpaa, Finland, and he currently stars at Arizona Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona.

Muurinen’s profile on 247 Sports Composite has him listed as the No. 9-ranked player in the country and No. 2 power forward. He is listed as the No. 1 player in Arizona.

Muurinen does not have an official visit to Kentucky scheduled. He only has visits scheduled at Michigan (Sept. 14) and Arkansas (Sept. 20).

If he commits to Kentucky, it would be a great addition to Kentucky’s frontcourt for the 2026-27 season.

Kentucky Reacts

In this week’s Kentucky Reacts survey, the majority of fans voted for Denzel Aberdeen to be UK’s third starter in the backcourt next to Jaland Lowe and Otega Oweh.

This survey was brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook.

Continue Reading

High School Sports

2026 5

Rising senior Miikka Muurinen has included Indiana in his final seven schools. The 6-foot-11 forward from Finland will also consider Arkansas, Duke, Kentucky, Michigan, NC State, and North Carolina going forward. According to the average of the national rankings, Muurinen is the nation’s No. 8 overall prospect and the No. 1 power forward in the […]

Published

on

2026 5

Rising senior Miikka Muurinen has included Indiana in his final seven schools.

The 6-foot-11 forward from Finland will also consider Arkansas, Duke, Kentucky, Michigan, NC State, and North Carolina going forward.

According to the average of the national rankings, Muurinen is the nation’s No. 8 overall prospect and the No. 1 power forward in the 2026 class.

The 5-star attends Compass Prep in Arizona for high school.

Muurinen has already visited Arkansas and Michigan.  The IU staff is working to get him on campus for a visit.

Indiana has been involved with Muurinen since the new staff took over in the spring.  He formally announced an IU offer earlier this week.

Muurinen has not laid out a timeline to announce his college decision.  His junior season high school highlights are below.

For a complete look at all of Indiana’s 2026 targets, GO HERE.

 For complete coverage of IU basketball recruiting, GO HERE.   


The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”

Continue Reading

College Sports

Watch her win! Women's sports watch list

Women’s sports are in the spotlight this month as South Africa’s Banyana Banyana defend their WAFCON title, taking on Africa’s greatest players. With a victory against Ghana already under their belts, we’ll be tuning in to watch them stand up to Tanzania on Friday, 11 July, and Mali on Monday, 14 July. In the meantime, […]

Published

on

Watch her win! Women's sports watch list

Women’s sports are in the spotlight this month as South Africa’s Banyana Banyana defend their WAFCON title, taking on Africa’s greatest players. With a victory against Ghana already under their belts, we’ll be tuning in to watch them stand up to Tanzania on Friday, 11 July, and Mali on Monday, 14 July. In the meantime, women’s football teams are also taking advantage of the Premier League off-season to get their time in the sun, at the Women’s Euros. It’s all live on Showmax Premier League now … but not every day is match day.

If you’re on fire to see women and girls kicking butt and snatching trophies through great teamwork, skill, and the power of will, we have some series and documentaries for you. Press play to see what it takes to become a champion, from the netball court to the race track.

Obstruction Season 1

Breekpunt Season 1

Spinners Season 1

Inside Spinners

Trompoppie Season 1

Reënboogrant Season 1 

Dare Me Season 1

Cheer, Drama, Murder

Makofi Season 1-3

Champions Season 1

Mr Throwback Season 1

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty Season 1-2

Ballers Season 1-5

Edge of the Earth Season 1

Lionesses Part 1 and Lionesses Part 2

Breaking Records the Gerda Steyn Story

The Unbreakable Tatiana Suarez

Black Ferns, a Redemption

Lindsey Vonn The Final Season

Angel City Season 1

The Fastest Woman on Earth

Unstoppable: The Rebecca Nagel Story

Shine

Hero starts with her

Netball

Obstruction Season 1

Obstruction on Showmax

Sports drama from Thembakuye Madlala, the creator of Showmax Original series Youngins. Seventeen-year-old Zenokuhle (Luyanda Zuma) has big dreams of making the Gauteng provincial netball team. But getting around her opponents on the court is child’s play compared to overcoming the obstacles in her everyday life, starting with her mom, Thandiwe (Bukamina Cebekhulu), who’s decided to uproot them and transfer Zenokuhle to a new school with a lacklustre netball team. While Zenokuhle blames her mom, her dad Mandla’s (Menzi Biyela) gambling addiction might be the root of the family’s troubles.

Tennis

Breekpunt Season 1

When 18-year-old Ashleigh Joshua (Spinners and Wyfie star Chelsea Thomas) sets her sights on becoming an international tennis champion, her mom Rozlynne (Lorcia Cooper Kumalo) and dad Dwayne (Sherman Faro) are more inclined to douse her dreams in cold water, than to cheer her on. There’s a strong message that “this is not for the likes of you”. But as Ashleigh’s talent shines, smart, ambitious Rozlynne faces a tough choice whether to stand up for her daughter, and stand up to her husband. Breekpunt’s tennis advisors included Pieter Becker, director of the High Performance Tennis Academy. 

Spinning

Spinners Season 1

We’re not talking about those spin cycle classes at the gym, we’re talking about extreme motorsport street car stunt performers. One of the drivers grabbing the Red Bull by the horns is Amber (Chelsea Thomas), the best young woman Spinner in The Hills. Her character is based on real-life driver Kayla Olifant, who was Chelsea’s stunt driver – especially for death-defying moves like her “suicide slide” in which she hangs backwards out of her driver’s side window, with her hair nearly touching the ground while her car drives in perfect circles. Don’t tell the insurance; we’d like to keep our woman driver discounts.

Also watch: For an inside look at Spinners’ stunts and more, watch the making-of doccie, Inside Spinners.

Cheerleading

Trompoppie Season 1

In the Showmax Original murder-mystery series Trompoppie, the rich Patterson family take shy, ambitious gymnast Luna (Melissa Myburgh) under their wing believing that she has the star quality to boost their daughter Zanne’s (Celeste Loots) Deacon College cheerleading squad to the next level. But when Zanne goes missing during Luna’s top secret initiation ceremony, everyone’s lacquered claws point at the new girl. If you’re a cheer-lover, this is unmissable. Aside from having backgrounds in dance and gymnastics, the cast trained and ate like real trompoppies for months – and Jane de Wet (Valerie) was a real-life cheerleader for the DHL Stormers and the IPL in India, while Maite Rakabe (Tracy) was a stunt performer on the movie The Woman King. 

Reënboogrant Season 1 

In this Showmax Original series inspired by Louise van Niekerk’s young adult novels, Hoërskool Reënboogrant Rhinos cheerleader Shani Brink (Minke Marais) has big dreams of translating her skills on the squad to a career in modelling or being an actress. Performance is performance. But she’s surrounded by mean girl frenemies looking to topple her off the pyramid – like rich girl Rachelle Labuschagne (Marelee Ferreira), and jealous social media terror Tina Swanepoel (Cara Kruger). And if you’ve seen Shani going “one one and two” at cheerleader practice, you know she’s not quite ready to step it up like a Trompoppie. 

Dare Me Season 1

American cheerleader drama series based on Megan Abbott’s novel of the same name. Sutton Grove High School’s cheerleading squad takes a dark turn after they get a new coach, Colette French (Willa Fitzgerald), who starts making drastic changes like body shaming the girls, demoting squad captain Beth Cassidy (Marlo Kelly), and elevating Beth’s quiet best friend, Addy (Herizen Guardiola). On the surface and on the field it’s all smiles and chummy togetherness, but underneath, it seems all too easy to turn young women’s competitive natures against one another. When your power structure is a pyramid, everyone wants to be on top. 

Also watch: The murder-mystery movie Cheer, Drama, Murder

Boxing

Makofi Season 1-3

Makofi on Showmax

Zambian boxing drama. Women can dish it out and take it! Anna (Chimwemwe Zulu) a passionate young boxer, inherits her dad’s Makofi Boxing Club after he dies in front of her in the middle of a match. Despite fierce opposition from the woman who used to be her greatest supporter – her mom, Izukanji (Yoko Chimanja) – hordes of haters including her sister Kalumba (Chacha Cottan), and the fact that her dad’s business partner Joe (Philip J Ngabwe) might be fighting dirty, Anna gets her gloves up and fights for her dreams at home and in the ring. And in doing so, she opens a space in the ring for women like her.

Sidelined!

Women might not be on the field, but they’re calling the shots behind the scenes in these series: 

Champions Season 1: Sne Modise (Jo-Anne Reyneke) takes charge of her family’s business – Soshanguve Giants Football Club.

Mr Throwback Season 1: Kimberly (Ego Nwodim) runs (real-life) basketball star Stephen Curry’s documentary film production company, Curry Up and Wait Productions, in this comedy series.

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty Season 1-2: Claire Rothman (Gaby Hoffmann) is the first and only woman managing a major sports arena, the Forum, while Jeanie Buss (Hadley Robinson), daughter of LA Lakers owner Jerry Buss (John C Reilly), Jerry’s mom and bookkeeper Jessie Buss (Sally Field), marketing guru Linda Zafrani (Molly Gordon), and Laker Girls cheerleader head choreographer Paula Abdul (Carina Conti) rattle some cages as they try to make themselves heard above men’s egos in the business.

Ballers Season 1-5: High-profile sports journalist Tracy Legette (Arielle Kebbel) knows all the NFL’s darkest secrets and has the players’ best interests in mind in Seasons 1, 2 and 5 of this comedy-drama about the business of American Football.

Doccies

Edge of the Earth Season 1: HBO documentary miniseries on elite athletes taking part in extreme sports expeditions. Look out for mountaineer and free climber Emily Harrington, snowboarder Elena Hight, and canoeist Nouria Newman. 

Lionesses Part 1 and Lionesses Part 2: A behind-the-scenes documentary on the England women’s football team’s 2022 UEFA victory, and how they overcame massive obstacles including attitudes that sidelined them while the lion’s share of resources went to the men’s team.

Breaking Records the Gerda Steyn Story: Documentary on the South African ultramarathon runner and multiple-time Two Oceans and Comrades Marathon winner, following her 2024 running season. 

The Unbreakable Tatiana Suarez: Her story reads like the script for Million Dollar Baby, but MMA athlete Tatiana overcame a broken neck during the 2012 Summer Olympics, and cancer, to come back and win the 2023 season of reality series The Ultimate Fighter.

Black Ferns, a Redemption: Documentary tracing the rise of the New Zealand women’s rugby team the Black Ferns, from underdogs status to winning the 2021 Rugby World Cup.

Lindsey Vonn The Final Season: This gripping documentary follows 34-year-old downhill skiing champion Lindsey Vonn as a 2019 knee injury derails her plan to break the career record set by Sweden’s Ingemar Stenmark for most World Cup wins (86). 

Angel City Season 1: A three-part docuseries about the origins of Angel City Football Club, a Los Angeles-based professional women’s soccer team whose financial backers include Uzo Aduba, Jessica Chastain, America Ferrera, Jennifer Garner, Eva Longoria and Natalie Portman.

The Fastest Woman on Earth: HBO documentary on Jessi Combs, the racing driver, metal fabricator and Mythbusters Host, on a mission to break the women’s land speed record – set at 825 km/h by Kitty O’Neil in 1976 – and then to top her own record. 

Unstoppable: The Rebecca Nagel Story: In 2014 Rebecca Nagel lost the use of her legs in a car accident. But on 18 June 2022, Rebecca became the first-ever woman to complete a half marathon trail event. This South African documentary joins her on the trail.

Shine: Documentary. Nigerian sports journalist Tracy Chapele-Ugo is one of four fans in Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania and Ghana, who are going above and beyond to make football more enjoyable for others in their local community.

Continue Reading

College Sports

Temple's 'Cops vs. Campers' basketball game shows community policing on the court

[embedded content] Video Production: Matt Petrillo On a sweltering summer Tuesday morning, Temple Police Officer Jacob Sastre rushed a basketball down the court and threw a layup, adding two points in a friendly pickup game between Temple’s Department of Public Safety (TUDPS) and North Philadelphia campers. “Community engagement is essential to our mission at Temple […]

Published

on

Temple's 'Cops vs. Campers' basketball game shows community policing on the court

Video Production:
Matt Petrillo

On a sweltering summer Tuesday morning, Temple Police Officer Jacob Sastre rushed a basketball down the court and threw a layup, adding two points in a friendly pickup game between Temple’s Department of Public Safety (TUDPS) and North Philadelphia campers.

“Community engagement is essential to our mission at Temple Public Safety. It’s important that children who live here in North Philadelphia see us not only as police officers, but also as mentors, allies and friends so they know that we care about them,” said Jennifer Griffin, Temple University’s chief of police and vice president for public safety. 

The spirited game happened on the brand new basketball court at Tanner G. Duckrey Public School, just off Temple’s campus in North Philadelphia, as children and police officers alike cheered from the sidelines.

“Police like to have fun, just like the children do,” Griffin said. 

Police Officer Leroy Wimberly said community policing is about building relationships that go beyond emergency calls, adding that the competition emphasized teamwork and connection. 

“Police work means getting involved in the community and being a part of the community,” Wimberly said. 

At halftime, officers handed out water bottles and chatted with the kids about school, sports and summer plans. 
In the end, it was the campers who took home the win, edging out the officers in a close 22-19 finish. As a reward, the young athletes received commemorative Temple basketballs, water ice and Temple T-shirts. 

The children also took with them bragging rights.

Rian Williams-Jackson recently graduated from Duckrey School and is now preparing for high school with hopes of going to Temple for dentistry. 

“They have a great program and it’s my dream to be a Temple Owl,” said Williams-Jackson.

The game wasn’t without lighthearted smack-talk. 

“Good luck, but the police are going to lose by 40 points,” Williams-Jackson said before the game started.

“Community policing is about being visible, showing up for our youth and reminding our entire community that we’re here for them,” Griffin said.
The basketball game is part of TUDPS’ ongoing community engagement efforts. Recently, Temple police painted a playground at Duckrey School. They also collected books for a local bookstore and provided lunches to a nearby shelter. 

Looking ahead, TUDPS is planning several events to engage with Temple students when they return to campus in the fall. Check out TUDPS’ full calendar of events here
 

Continue Reading

College Sports

Scouting Report

The 2026 recruiting class for the Michigan men’s basketball team is currently a party of one, with Danish center Marcus Moller committing on Tuesday. Today, we’ll break down what we know about Moller, go in-depth on his game and project what his role could be at Michigan. What we know so far At 7-foot-3, Moller […]

Published

on

Scouting Report

The 2026 recruiting class for the Michigan men’s basketball team is currently a party of one, with Danish center Marcus Moller committing on Tuesday.

Today, we’ll break down what we know about Moller, go in-depth on his game and project what his role could be at Michigan.

What we know so far

At 7-foot-3, Moller is one of the most intriguing international prospects in the class. Moller is unranked at the moment, which is common for international recruits more than a year away from debuting in college basketball. He took a visit to Ann Arbor last month, and also took trips to SMU, Colorado State and Oklahoma State before choosing the Wolverines.

Moller represented Denmark at the 2024 FIBA U18 EuroBasket and at the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers. In 2024 — the larger sample size of games — Moller averaged 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.7 blocks per game, while shooting 55.4 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three.

In an interview with 247Sports’ Travis Barnham, it sounds like the pitch May made to Moller was similar to the pitches made to Danny Wolf, Morez Johnson Jr., and Patrick Liburd — at Michigan, you can improve as a player and expand your game.

“Coach May will put me in situations where I’ll be in a top program and I’ll be pushed to grow every day,” Moller said. “We share visions in regards to my development, and together we will elevate my game to the next level. He will push me to become the best version of myself as a basketball player as well as a person. His focus on the person and not just the basketball player builds a healthy environment for growth.”

Scouting Report

The biggest critique scouts often have for young bigs — who often undergo one or two massive growth spurts from ages 13-16 — is their footwork and fluidity. Oftentimes, young bigs can look like Bambi on an icy pond; they’re aware of their long legs, but they’re still working through how to move smoothly. This can be tough in a sport like basketball where the game moves fast and you’re constantly asked to multitask and process what’s happening around you quickly.

Moller showcases good footwork for his lanky frame on both ends of the floor, making it appears he’s conquered the growing pains young bigs often go through. He runs the floor well in transition, has a good feel in the pick-and-roll, and executes help-side and drop coverage well on defense.

In the EuroBasket qualifiers earlier this year, Moller was often playing against players that had 5-10 years of age on him. Like a younger brother dragged along with older kids in the neighborhood, playing against more experienced guys will only help him in the long run.

Moller is a good cutter who has a decent feel for where to rotate in the lane on drives. He’s an obvious lob threat who can finish effective drives. He’s also a good offensive rebounder who crashes the glass with tenacity and keeps the ball high for easy finishes; boxing him out is going to be challenging, even in a conference known for its size in the Big Ten.

Perhaps what’s most intriguing about Moller is his shooting touch. He’s closer to Vlad Goldin than Danny Wolf in terms of his comfort level shooting the three, but he did knock down threes as a pick-and-pop player when he didn’t roll to the rim. Looking at his mid-range makes, he has good touch on his jump shot.

Defensively, Moller is a good rim protector who can often block shots without getting more than a few inches off the ground. He also does a good job contesting shots without fouling, a skill that can take years for big men to master.

Like most young 7-footers, Moller has a skinny frame, but that can be worked on in a college strength program. He also doesn’t shy away from contact, which is always a great sign.

Moller’s future outlook on Michigan’s roster

Trying to predict what any college basketball roster will look like a year from now is like trying to predict the weather a year from now. That said, I like to think of young big men like cornerbacks in football — you can never have too many of them, even if some of them are developmental projects.

That may be what Moller is for Michigan. At worst, he’s a backup that you have to game plan for due to his size. At best, he could be a go-to player who finishes around the rim, racks up double-doubles and competes with the 7-footers that Matt Painter seems to be obsessed with at Purdue.

In terms of the short-term frontcourt needs, Yaxel Lendeborg and Will Tschetter each only have one year of eligibility. Meanwhile, Morez Johnson, Aday Mara and Malick Kordel all have multiple years of eligibility, but you can’t always count on them being in Ann Arbor more than one season with the transfer portal being a thing.

Moller can compete against some of those bigs in practice and can continue to grow his game. Seeing how Wolf improved his draft stock significantly likely piqued Moller’s interest in Michigan, and if that’s a dream May can sell to recruits and execute development-wise, Michigan can become the premier destination for young big men.

What are your first impressions of Moller, and what do you think his future has in store at Michigan? Let us know in the comments.

Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending