Sam Connon

Content @DKNetwork + @DraftKings | Past: @FastballFN, @FN_AllBruins, @dailybruin, @BruinReport, @PatsCountryFN, @BleavNetwork, @AP_Top25 MBB Voter | UCLA 21

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

Happy to announce that I am now part of the content team at @DraftKings / @DKNetwork!

I'm really looking forward to working with an amazing collection of writers, editors and researchers at one of the biggest brands in sports. Thanks to everyone who made it possible!

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

Everyone knows that Russo Brothers always come in pairs.

For every Wario, there must also be a Waluigi…

[dom nero @dominicknero]

disney is set to unveil an entirely new russo brother before the start of q4. early reports are saying that he is physically larger and more “morally grey” than anthony and joe. insiders say “he’s their wario”. more info to come Source: deadline

[Kris Rhim @krisrhim1]

Former Chargers RB Joshua Kelley wrote, directed and self-financed two short films this summer, one of which stars a former Chargers teammate.

"Once we're done playing, it's scary. I just wanted to show athletes that it's possible to pivot and do your thing." - Kelley
https://t.co/1AswgoIhO9

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

@bylucaevans Congrats, Luca!

[DraftKings Network @DKNetwork]

✍️ @SamConnon breaks down the best NFC North bets for the 2026-27 season:
https://t.co/uj2tJDkooH

[DraftKings Network @DKNetwork]

Ben Johnson's first season in Chicago was a huge success, and @SamConnon has high-praise for the future 👀

[Kevin Durant @KDTrey5]

I remember asking assistant coach Mo Cheeks, what’s harder to do? Workout after practice or before?? I only asked cuz by time I would get to the gym, Russ was already done in the morning and I usually got mine in after practice. Mo like, “coming in before practice is probably harder”…since then, it’s been my routine….a lot of people looked at the emotions on the court and thought Russ was loud, nah to me, he was quiet and methodical. He lead by example and once the lights were bright, he let everything out and experienced pure freedom. It was inspiring as his teammate and everywhere I went, I seen it inspire people from all walks of life, crazy thing is, he didn’t say much, he just showed up. For 18 years. This basketball life is sacred to us as professionals, what we put into that court means everything. Some of us wish we could go back and do things with a little more intent and some can just wipe their hands and be satisfied with the time spent. Who u gonna be? We know what zero was on…keep inspiring in the next phase of life champ. I don’t care what happens, can’t erase what it was…The first YNs, finals run in our early 20s, all star games, seeing each other get injured and bounce back, the bus rides, plane rides, card games, jokes and arguments, the whole thing, memorable!! …to the whole Westbrook family, Nina, the kids, mama Westbrook, big Russ, Ray, Donnell, everybody from luezinger high and ucla and many more that I’m forgettin, much love and Congratulations on a iconic career.

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

@ByJeffPratt @DKNetwork

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

Rutschman was 2-for-3 on onside kicks that season. He was also First Team All-State as a kicker his senior year of high school, when he hit a state-record 63-yard field goal.

Somebody get Mike Vrabel on the phone, I think Andy Borregales might have some competition.

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

Before he ever played an inning of college baseball, Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman was the starting kickoff specialist for Oregon State.

Here he is recovering his own onside kick against Boise State in 2016.

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

“We gotta call it like it is”

*proceeds to offer up the most extreme possible hypothetical that has never happened before*

[Awful Announcing @awfulannouncing]

"What if an NBA player decided to transition to playing in the WNBA? How elite would they be? How great would they be? We gotta put stuff in its proper perspective and call it like it is" - Stephen A. Smith on SiriusXM

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

Jaime Jaquez Jr. did all of this…

- Took UCLA to a Final Four
- Made 3 All-Pac-12 Teams
- Won Pac-12 POTY
- Consensus All-American
- 1st round NBA Draft pick
- Finished 4th in ROTY
- Finished 2nd in 6MOTY

…and notable basketball media members still spell his name “Jacquez.”

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

*THE* UCLA Bruins men’s basketball team is coming to the one and only Champaign, IL, next season?

[Ben Bolch @calpostbbolch]

UCLA men's basketball announced Big Ten games for next season: 2 each against USC, Oregon & Washington + home games against Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State & Wisconsin. Road: Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue & Rutgers

[UCLA Beach VB @uclabeachvb]

QUEENS OF THE BEACH! 👑 👑 👑

The Bruins are the 2026 NCAA Beach Volleyball champions!

#GoBruins | #ChampionsMadeHere

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

UCLA guard Donovan Dent not earning an invite to either the NBA Draft Combine or the G League Combine feels…weird?

[Jonathan Givony @DraftExpress]

Sources: G League Combine invite list (44 players, alphabetical, subject to change):

Michael Ajayi — Butler
Alijah Arenas — USC
Donovan Atwell — Texas Tech
Nate Bittle — Oregon
Elliot Cadeau — Michigan
Rafael Castro — George Washington
Zach Cleveland — Liberty
Jacob Cofie — USC
M.J. Collins Jr. — Utah State
Quadir Copeland — NC State
Melvin Council Jr. — Kansas
Tucker DeVries — Indiana
Tre Donaldson — Miami (FL)
Reynan dos Santos — Mexico City (G League)
Malique Ewin — Arkansas
Jamal Fuller — Long Island
Isiah Harwell — Houston
Jaden Henley — Grand Canyon
Bryce Hopkins — St. John's
Graham Ike — Gonzaga
Kasen Jennings — Appalachian State
Trey Kaufman-Renn — Purdue
Keba Keita — BYU
Kobe Knox — South Carolina
Xaivian Lee — Florida
Malique Lewis — SE Melbourne (Australia)
Tamin Lipsey — Iowa State
Fletcher Loyer — Purdue
Aidan Mahaney — Santa Barbara
Robert McCray V — Florida State
Boopie Miller — SMU
Mark Mitchell Jr. — Missouri
Paulius Murauskas — Saint Mary's
Jaron Pierre Jr. — SMU
Kowacie Reeves Jr. — Georgia Tech
Jaylin Sellers — Providence
Markhi Strickland — North Dakota State
Aiden Tobiason — Temple
Seth Trimble — North Carolina
Cade Tyson — Minnesota
Ernest Udeh Jr. — Miami (FL)
Lamar Wilkerson — Indiana
Darrion Williams — NC State
Noam Yaacov — Oostende (Belgium)

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

Our greatest scientific minds do not understand it, but I trust we will make a breakthrough before the end of the century.

[Benjamin Royer @thebenroyer]

Jackie Robinson Stadium is in Westwood — AKA, in Los Angeles.

And yet, it is the coldest stadium in the country.

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

UCLA got three clips from their R64 win over UCF into One Shining Moment 2026.

[NCAA March Madness @MarchMadnessMBB]

ONE SHINING MOMENT 🙌

#MarchMadness

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

My first beat at the @dailybruin was covering @UCLAWBB back during the 2017-18 season. I covered the team on-and-off for the next six years.

So satisfying to see this program win its first NCAA championship, a real full-circle moment.

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

Does Mick Cronin deserve criticism for not being able to retain Aday Mara? To some extent, sure – hard to know exactly what happened BTS in the portal era, but it was certainly a devastating loss.

But criticizing Cronin’s use of Mara on the court? THAT is revisionist history.

[Aaron Torres @Aaron_Torres]

Aday Mara had 10, 6 and 5 in 20 minutes of play in the NCAA Tournament last year.

The talent was always there, and anyone trying to claim there's some weird revisionist history on Aday Mara is an idiot.

UCLA misused him. Period.

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

@Aaron_Torres Which is all to say, Mara produced at a very similar rate across the board in his last year at UCLA compared to this year at Michigan. He’s just playing slightly more because his conditioning has improved, plus people are noticing him more because he’s been on a better team.

[Sam Connon @SamConnon]

@Aaron_Torres Mara went from 29.6 points, 18.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 7.4 blocks per 100 poss. in 24-25 to 29.4 points, 16.4 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 6.3 blocks in 25-26. PER went from 28.8 to 26.7, USG went from 24.8% to 23.4%, WS/40 went from .222 to .227. TRB% and BLK% down, TOV% up.