Three-star tight end Josh Moore of Olathe (Kansas) North narrowed down his list to six schools and Ohio State made the cut. Joining the Buckeyes on Moore's list are Kansas, Oklahoma, Florida State, Auburn and Missouri.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State missed on its top 2015 tight end target last week when Chris Clark of Avon (Conn.) Old Farms committed to Michigan. 

The Buckeyes, however, have now made the most recent cut for Olathe (Kansas) North tight end Josh Moore, who narrowed his list down to six programs Thursday night. 

Kansas, Oklahoma, Florida State, Auburn and Missouri join Ohio State on Moore's list. 

Rated by Rivals.com a three-star prospect, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Moore had 15 offers before narrowing his list, including ones from Iowa State, Kansas State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas Tech. 

Moore has not yet visited Columbus, but he's expected to take an official visit to Ohio State before coming to a college decision. 

Jason Kipnis' mad dash around the bases in the 13 inning Tuesday night didn't end in an inside-the-park home run, but it did count as a triple. So perhaps that will trigger the missing power from Kipnis' swing.

SEATTLE, Wash. – File this under "it seemed like a good idea at the time."

In the 13^th inning Tuesday night of the Indians most entertaining game of the season, Jason Kipnis sent a 2-1 pitch from Matt Stites off the center field wall at Chase Field.

This was a good thing for a couple of reasons.

The Indians and Diamondbacks were tied, 8-8, and threatening to play into eternity. Anything Kipnis could do to move things to a conclusion was welcomed. Statistically, the extra base hit was just the fourth for Kipnis since he came off the disabled list on May 28 following a right oblique injury so it represented personal growth as well.

Just as Kipnis was making the turn at first for a routine double, things turned strange.

The ball bounced off the wall, hit center fielder Ender Inciarte in the head and started rolling down the warning track toward left field. What was unfolding was an off-shoot of Carlos Martinez's famous ricochet home-run off Jose Canseco's head at old Cleveland Stadium on May 26, 1993, but alas such historic moments in sports are once in a lifetime events.

"After it hit him in the back of the head, it caromed off to the left and I couldn't see it for a while," said Kipnis. "When it got away from him, it immediately became a possibility to go inside-the-park (homer)."

Third base coach Mike Sarbaugh, with two out, certainly felt that way. Sarbaugh started waving Kipnis home right after he made the turn at second.

"I thought it was great call by Sarbie to go for it right there," said Kipnis. "Especially in an extra inning game when you're trying to get a run. It's going to take two good throws to get you."

Three things happened as Kipnis hit third base.

Inciarte and shortstop Didi Gregorius made the two good relay throws that Kipnis feared. Kipnis, meanwhile, didn't run out of gas, but his needle was on E.

"We thought it would be a bang-bang play and maybe we score on a bad throw," said Kipnis. "I had no idea Gregorius could throw like that. The ball was waiting for me when I got there."

As for having engine problems between third and home, Kipnis looked at the reporter questioning him and said, "I felt like you jumped on my back."

Kipnis tried to beat catcher Miguel Montero's tag with a head-first slide, but he was still out by plenty. He rolled over on his back on home plate and just rested there for a while.

"That wasn't a slide, it was a collapse," said Kipnis with a smile. "I asked the ump (Mike Everitt) if I could lay there for another minute before the pitcher was ready. He said take your time.

"That was like 2 in the morning for us back in Cleveland. We'd already played 13 innings. So the body wasn't running as fast as before. Hey, they had to make two good relay throws, they did it and got me out."

The Indians lost that game, 9-8, in 14 innings. Kipnis provided three of their 14 hits. In Thursday's 6-1 win over the Diamondbacks, Kipnis had two more hits, both doubles.

Kipnis is hitting .267 (28-for-105) with five doubles, one triple, no homers and 10 RBI since coming off the DL.

"I've had good and bad days since I've come back," he said. "I still haven't been able to feel locked in at the plate like I was last year for a lot of times.

"I'm still battling that. It's not pitchers. It's literally my swing. It's just not doing what my eyes and head are telling it to do."

Kipnis said everything is in its proper place regarding his swing except for one element.

"I'm seeing the right pitches and swinging at them," he said. "I'm just not making contact. It's just something with my swing that's causing me to be short through the strike zone instead of long through it.

"Usually when I'm long through the strike zone, I have a lot of time to hit the ball. Now I'm only in the zone for a split second so there's not a lot of time to make contact."

Manager Terry Francona said Kipnis is still searching for his rhythm at the plate.

"When I've been around Kip, he'll get hot and then he'll really get hot," said Francona. "He hasn't done that yet, but he will."

Kipnis said his swing hasn't been restricted because of the oblique injury, which kept him out of the lineup for a month.

"There are days when it takes a little longer to loosen up and I'll feel it now and then," said Kipnis. "But it's not preventing me from having success. It's not a crutch I can use.

"At this point I'm healthy enough to do what I can usually do on a baseball field."

Kipnis enters the Seattle series on Friday night hitting .251 (50-for-199) with just 15 extra base hits. Four of those 15 extra base hits have come in the last two games, but he has not homered since April 21.

"The oblique has nothing to do with the power," said Kipnis. "The power is still there, but if you don't hit the ball, it can't go anywhere."

Broken nose: Class AA Akron shortstop Francisco Lindor suffered a broken nose Wednesday when he was hit by a bad-hop grounder at Canal Park. He'll miss seven to 10 days.

Cavalier fans at the team's draft party were pleased with the team's selection of Andrew Wiggins with the No. 1 pick.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – A crowd of 11,201 fans filled most of the lower-bowl seats of The Q and erupted into a piercing roar when the Cavs selected Andrew Wiggins with the first pick in the NBA Draft.

Color analyst Austin Carr -- himself a former No. 1 pick, from 1971 – remained clear in what he thought about Wiggins.

"I like the pick," he said. "It fits the system we're running. He plays defense, and he's a rotation guy. And we need solid rotation guys, guys who can play every night."

Kids shot baskets and season-ticket holders milled about food and drink stations, waiting for the draft to be broadcast Thursday night on the Jumbotron. Fans donned their favorite current and former players' jerseys: Irving, Varejao, Waiters, Ilgauskas, O'Neal and Thompson were all spotted throughout the arena.

Maurice Hines, a 35-year-old retail sales manager from Cleveland, put his choice on a poster he proudly hoisted: "Wiggins or Bust."

"He's the best athlete in the draft," said Hines, who added he likes the length of the 6-8, 200-pound forward from Kansas. "If you want to win, you have to play defense. We need a guy who can play defense."

The irony: Hines is a Duke fan who likes Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski, who coached Jabari Parker. Parker was selected minutes later as the No. 2 pick by the Milwaukee Bucks.

Hines also looked optimistically to the future with LeBron James opting out of his contract with the Miami Heat.

"I think every pick they (Cavs) make is to position themselves to try to get LeBron," he said. "You can be upset all you want, but you get the best guy. It only makes sense to try to get him."

As for his poster, Hines said he didn't have an idea of what to write "until I had the marker in my hands."

And then he held it high when Wiggins' name was called.

About that coat: Wiggins' sports coat was the talk of the draft, although not all of the talk was complimentary. It stood out ... and that was the idea.

"This is Waraire Boswell," Wiggins said, recognizing the tailor. "He customized this suit for me. But a style by Brandon Williams. We just wanted to do something really different to just stand out and try to win on both points -- stylish points and become No. 1.''

Boswell -- who also has dressed LeBron James, Blake Griffin and Chris Bosh for the draft -- told Women's Wear Daily that the white rose print usually is reserved for European royalty.

"It's super-exclusive, and we were told it was for when royals vacation or go to a country club," Boswell said. "It's a European bird's-eye fabric. I guarantee no one will have anything even close to what he's wearing."

Bill Self, who coached Wiggins at Kansas, said it was a statement: "That tells you a little bit about him and how confident he is. A lot of guys shy away from that. He didn't shy away from it."

Champagne buddies? One Cleveland rookie already was congratulating another Thursday evening. Just hours after the Cavaliers selected Andrew Wiggins with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, Browns' first-round pick Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) Tweeted his welcome: "A

WIGGINS!!! Welcome to the city my brother and congratulations @22wiggins

#CavsSZN."

Touching moment: Emotions ran high when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced that the NBA selected Baylor's Isaiah Austin as a draft pick. Austin was a draft hopeful whose career ended suddenly when he was diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome, a genetic disorder that will end his playing career. The diagnosis was made in the last week and Silver said he wanted Austin to have the chance to realize his dream of walking across the stage as a draft pick. The crowd gave him a long standing ovation. Austin was obviously touched.

"For Commissioner Adam Silver to even invite me here was a tremendous blessing, and it just shows how much class that man has," Austin said. "I have so much respect for him and the NBA, and I'm thankful that I'm in this position today.

"It's really been a tough week for me, and it's really been rough. I've just had a tremendous amount of support from everybody around the world, really, telling me that they're praying for me and everything. I can't thank them enough. Every single person that has reached out, I really give my gratitude to them. It was one of the greatest moments of my life, something I'll never forget.

"I love this game of basketball so much. It's really changed my life. To be blessed to play this game for as long as I did, I'm just thankful. I've really had time to sit down and think a little bit, and God has truly blessed me because He could have continued to let me play basketball, but instead He saved my life."

Playing the best: Jabari Parker was asked about playing with LeBron James:

"I'd rather play against a player like LeBron," Parker said to GQ. "The great players always have that one older player, that one vet they competed against who was older. The preparation that I'd need to compete against a guy like that would make me better."

Clothes make the man: Kentucky's Julius Randle on the worst draft suit of all time: "LeBron had a pretty bad draft suit. Remember the all white? [Laughs.] That was pretty bad. Wesley Johnson had a pretty terrible suit, too. It's crazy how style changes. Look at Russ's draft suit compared to the way he dresses now."

Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart wore a blue suit to honor his brother. "My oldest brother passed away from cancer when I was younger," Smart told GQ. "His favorite color was blue. And my favorite color was blue. The stylist asked me what I wanted and all I told her was, 'Make it blue.'"

Plain Dealer reporters Marc Bona, Mary Schmitt Boyer and Jodie Valade contributed to this report.

The conference had its most first-round draft picks in 24 years on Thursday night.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Big Ten produced its deepest NBA Draft in 24 years on Thursday with five players taken in the first round, all in the first 21 picks.

Michigan's Nik Stauskas went to Sacramento at No. 8, Indiana's Noah Vonleh went No. 9 to Charlotte, Michigan State's Adreian Payne was picked at No. 15 by Atlanta, Gary Harris of Michigan State went at No. 19, picked by Chicago and immediately traded to Denver, and Michigan's Mitch McGary went No. 21 to Oklahoma City.

This was the first time the Big Ten had that many first-round draft picks since 1990, when five players went in the first 16 picks of the first round: Kendall Gill of Illinois (5), Minnesota's Willie Burton (9), Rumeal Robinson of Michigan (10), Loy Vaught of Michigan (13) and Terry Mills of Michigan (16).

The Big Ten had more players taken higher last year, when the league had four first-round picks as Indiana teammates Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller went No. 2 and No. 4, Michigan's Trey Burke went at No. 9 and Michigan's Tim Hardway Jr. went No. 24.

The Big Ten also had a big draft in 2007 when three Ohio State players went in the first round, with Greg Oden at No. 1, Mike Conley Jr. at No. 4 and Daequan Cook at No. 21. Wisconsin's Alando Tucker was the fourth first-round pick for the conference that year at No. 29.

But having five players from three schools taken within the first 21 picks showed a depth and balance of talent that was also apparent on the court this season as the Big Ten proved to be as competitive as any league in the nation.

The record for Big Ten first-rounders was set in 1980 when six conference players went. That group was led by Purdue's Joe Barry Carroll as the No. 1 pick, Minnesota's Kevin McHale and Ohio State's Kelvin Ransey. 

The Big Ten has had nine players taken in the first round in the last two years. In the previous five years, the league had eight first-rounders.

Two other Big Ten players were taken in the second round, with Michigan's Glenn Robinson III going to Minnesota at No. 40 and Iowa's Roy Deyvn Marble taken by Denver at No. 56.

Neither Aaron Craft nor LaQuinton Ross from Ohio State was drafted, ending the Buckeyes' streak of having a player drafted at seven years.

It was basketball season all over again inside The Q Arena Thursday as fans attended the 2014 Cavaliers Draft Party full of team spirit.

CLEVELAND, Ohio –It was basketball season all over again inside The Q Arena Thursday as fans attended the 2014 Cavaliers Draft Party full of team spirit. 

Everyone came dressed in wine and gold and the energy was on fire. We caught up with fans before the decision was made and it was a close tie between Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker. In the end, Wiggins was chosen as the Cavs' number one pick in the first round of the NBA Draft. The crowd went wild when the name was announced as seen in the video above. 

The Main Event: Cavaliers Draft Party

The 411: Before the big decision was made, family and friends were entertained with live music from local band Skinny Moo. They could also shoot some hoops on the arena floor where Moondog, Cavaliers Girls and many more greeted them.   

 

Tweets by @Kristel_CLE

The Kansas star's suit gets as much response as his selection by the Cavs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Andrew Wiggins already has made a statement and he hasn't played a second in the NBA.

That was quite a suit.

The Cavaliers made the Kansas forward the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft on Thursday. Here's what Plain Dealer Cavs beat writer Mary Schmitt Boyer has to say about Wiggins:

The 6-foot-8, 197-pound Wiggins, 19, averaged 17.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists in his freshman season for Kansas. A tremendous athlete who showed a willingness to defend, he needs to work on being more aggressive more often.

And while there will be debate over the next several days on whether Wiggins is the right pick, his fashion sense is generating plenty of arguments as well. Cavs GM David Griffin joked he almost reconsidered selecting Wiggins when he saw the black jacket with a white flower print.

Jokes began circulating on social media about the suit, with some comparing it to the outfits worn by Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short in the 1986 comedy film "Three Amigos". The joke drew a response from Martin:

You gotta have the hat. RT @BiGGCAiN24: @jemelehill Who wore it better pic.twitter.com/bCfxs9X8qH @SteveMartinToGo or @22wiggins??

— Steve Martin (@SteveMartinToGo) June 27, 2014

See below for some responses to the Cavs' selection of Wiggins and to the top pick's choice of attire.

Joe Harris is a career 41 percent shooter from 3-point range in four years with Virginia.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scribbles in my Cavs notebook:

1. The Cavs second-rounder Joe Harris fits into what General Manager David Griffin is trying to build -- players whose skills are needed. Top pick Andrew Wiggins should deliver the athleticism the Cavs need at small forward. Then there's Harris, a 6-foot-6 wing player from Virginia. He has one obvious NBA skill -- shooting the ball. Harris shot exactly 40 percent from 3-point range this season, and it's 41 percent for his four-year career in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

2. Even more important to the Cavs is that Harris is a "low usage" player. He doesn't need to handle the ball often to be effective. He is very good at moving without the ball -- running around screens to create open shots. He is a "catch-and-shoot" player, meaning just that -- he catches and shoots the ball, and does it quickly.

3. The Cavs need long-range shooters. They will add more as this is one of Griffin's main pursuits in the off-season. Harris is a good first step in that direction. He averaged 12 points last season. He went to the free throw line only three times per game, so don't expect much driving to the basket.

4. Now consider this: Only 15-of-30 second rounders last season even played in the NBA. In general, it's about 20-of-30 play in the league. Very few become starters. Houston's Chandler Parsons and Sacramento's Isaiah Thomas are two recent exceptions.

5. When the Cavs thought they could end up drafting 8-12th, they were very interested in Doug McDermott. The Creighton forward went to the Bulls.

6. It's not that the Cavs (or Bulls) think McDermott will be a star. But a guy who shot .526 from the field (.449 on 3-pointers) is very attractive, especially as he averaged 26.7 points. The Bulls might get rid of Mike Dunleavy, who will be 34 on September 15. He also is an outside shooter, who averaged 11.7 points and shot .430 (.380 on 3-pointers). Dunleavy will make $3.3 million next season.

7. Remember, the Cavs may have at least $25 million in salary cap room. It could be more. That will give them the freedom to pick up veterans such as Dunleavy.

8. I really like Julius Randle, who was picked by the Lakers at No. 7. He does have some foot problems, but the Kentucky big man has excellent inside moves.

9. Joel Embiid (broken foot, back trouble) to the Sixers at No. 3. After taking Nerlens Noel last season, he missed all year after ACL surgery. He might be healthy next season, but he  has to prove it.  Chicago's Derrick Rose had ACL surgery. He played only 39 games in 2012-13, and followed that with only 10 games in 2013-14. Maybe all this works for the Sixers, but I wouldn't bet on it.

10. Bruno Caboclo is supposed to be the "Kevin Durant of Brazil." He went No. 20 to Toronto. But it's supposed to take him a few years to become a viable NBA player. It took the real Kevin Durant only a few minutes to become a star. Some of these comparisons are ridiculous.

11. A very good pick for the Suns is T.J. Warren, a small forward and scoring machine from N.C. State. Warren is not a conventional outside shooter, but he has a ton of drives and mid-range runners that translate into points. He should be very productive Coach Jeff Hornacek, whose team averaged 105 points last season.

The Washington Senators star is rehabbing an injured thumb.

Third baseman Ronny Rodriguez went 4-for-4 and scored two runs and shortstop Tony Wolters delivered a timely two-run single as the RubberDucks rallied to defeat the Harrisburg Senators, 6-4, in a Class AA Eastern League game Thursday at Akron.

Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, on a rehab assignment with Harrisburg, went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, a run scored and a strikeout while playing right field. Harper is recovering from a torn ligament in his left thumb and was removed from the game in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The RubberDucks (46-33) were behind, 3-0, entering the bottom of the third inning. An RBI single from Senators first baseman Kevin Keyes gave the Senators a 1-0 lead in the first, then an RBI single from infielder Matt Skole and a sacrifice fly from Keyes in the third inning increased the lead to 3-0.

The RubberDucks started the third by loading the bases against Harrisburg starter Paolo Espino with no one out. A sacrifice fly from center fielder Tyler Naquin brought in catcher Jake Lowery, who had walked. Wolters walked to reload the bases.

Infielder Joe Wendle brought in Rodriguez with a sacrifice fly, then infielder Bryan LaHair singled to Harper in right field to drive in Jordan Smith.

The Senators took a 4-3 lead in the sixth on an RBI single by catcher Brian Jeroloman.

Rodriguez started another RubberDucks rally in the seventh, beginning the inning with a bunt single. Smith followed with a double, moving Rodriguez to third, and Naquin walked to load the bases. Wolters then singled to give the RubberDucks a 5-4 lead.

An RBI single by Smith in the bottom of the eighth gave closer Shawn Armstrong an insurance run as he earned his 11th save of the season.

RubberDucks starter Gabriel Arias gave up four runs on six hits in 5-2/3 innings. He had four walks and two strikeouts. Reliever Jordan Cooper (6-1, 4.19) pitched 1-1/3 scoreless innings to get the win. 

Notes: Friday night is Used Car Giveaway night at Canal Park in Akron. It's also Scout Sleepover night: Registered Scouts and troop leaders can spend the night at the ballpark after the game. There also will be a fireworks display after the game. The game against Harrisburg begins at 7:05 p.m.

Watch slideshow as Andrew Wiggins talks with media in Cleveland via conference call after the Cleveland Cavaliers selected him first in the 2014 NBA Draft.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Kansas 6-foot-8 guard Andrew Wiggins with the first overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Last year, Wiggins set a Jayhawks freshman record with 17.1 points per game.  He also averaged 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 44.8%.

Selected Big 12 Freshman of the Year and First-Team All- League, Wiggins was the first player from Kansas to break the 40-point barrier since 1991 when he scored 41 points at West Virginia.

In 2013 while at Huntington Prep in West Virginia, Wiggins was named the Gatorade Athlete of the Year across all high school sports.

Wiggins, 19,  joins Anthony Bennett and Tristan Thompson as Canadians on the Cavs roster.

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

A complete list of all 60 selections in Thursday's 2014 NBA draft.

2014 NBA Draft 1st-round board. (William Perlman/The Star-Ledger) 

The 2014 NBA draft is in the books after a busy night of watching teams swap picks and players swap hats. Sixty draft picks and a host of trades give teams and fans plenty to digest between now and the start of the season.

Here's a recap and analysis of each draft pick as it happened Thursday night:

>> Round 1

No. 1 - Cleveland Cavaliers
The Pick: Andrew Wiggins, SG, Kansas

In a major departure from last year, when they surprised just about everyone by selecting Anthony Bennett with the No. 1 pick, the Cavaliers take the player most pundits agreed they should (after news of Joel Embiid's foot injury surfaced, that is) in Wiggins. The Canadian phenom is still raw, but he boasts off-the-charts athleticism and almost unlimited potential -- the very definition of a "high-ceiling player." Fans in Cleveland are going to have a hard time bashing the Cavs for this one.

Thankful for this opportunity that the @cavs have given me. Being the #1 pick has been my dream since a kid ! #canadastandup #vaughancity

-- andrew wiggins (@22wiggins) June 27, 2014

No. 2 - Milwaukee Bucks
The Pick: Jabari Parker, SF, Duke

Parker brings instant offense to a Bucks team that finished with the worst record in the NBA last season. Ownership has expressed a desire to avoid a long rebuilding process, and Parker is probably the most NBA-ready prospect in the draft. While his offensive game is polished, it's his suspect defense that will need significant improvement in the pros.

No. 3 - Philadelphia 76ers
The Pick: Joel Embiid, C, Kansas

Philadelphia pulls off the first surprise of the draft -- sort of. Before doctors discovered a stress fracture in Embiid's foot during the pre-draft process, he was considered a shoo-in to go No. 1 overall to Cleveland. After the injury, Embiid (who only recently recovered from a back injury) looks like a major risk. So, the Sixers are either getting a huge steal here, or a huge bust.

Hello Philly!!!! This is my real "Just got drafted" face. Couldnt be happier to be a 76er!!! pic.twitter.com/asA5nGBRUD

-- Joel-Hans Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) June 27, 2014

No. 4 - Orlando Magic
The Pick: Aaron Gordon, PF, Arizona

Gordon comes off the board earlier than most expected as the Magic opt to go with athleticism and defense. Gordon's offensive game is limited mostly to dunks and transition buckets, but his defense is superb and he has plenty of room to grow.

No. 5 - Utah Jazz
The Pick: Dante Exum, PG, Australia

Utah must be thrilled to land Exum here. The consensus top point guard in the draft was frequently mocked to go in the top 3 picks. NBA general managers haven't seen much of Exum, but his height (6-foot-6) and length give him to potential to be a lockdown defender and a backcourt star for the Jazz.

No. 6 - Boston Celtics
The Pick: Marcus Smart, PG, Oklahoma State

An offensive-minded point guard, Smart should be a strong complement to veteran Rajon Rondo in the Boston backcourt. Smart averaged 18 points per game for Oklahoma State last season, but comes with some red flags due to a history of spotty behavior.

No. 7 - Los Angeles Lakers
The Pick: Julius Randle, PF, Kentucky

Another one-and-done player, Randle raised his stock significantly during Kentucky's run to the national championship game last season. Some wonder whether he has the height at 6-foot-9 to dominant in the post, but there's no question he gives the Lakers a skilled back-to-the-basket banger with considerable offensive potential.

No. 8 - Sacramento Kings
The Pick: Nik Stauskas, SG, Michigan

The Kings acquire a consistent perimeter threat in the former Wolverines sharpshooter. Stauskas averaged 17.5 points per game for Michigan last season while displaying a surprising handle and ability to create his own shot. Initially projected as a late lottery selection, his stock has steadily risen throughout the draft process.

No. 9 - Charlotte Hornets
The Pick: Noah Vonleh, PF, Indiana

Vonleh had been projected as high as No. 3 to Philadelphia, but instead falls into Charlotte's lap with the ninth pick. Vonleh has good size at 6-foot-10 and 247 pounds, and gives the Hornets another young big man to pair with second-year player Cody Zeller.

No. 10 - Orlando Magic (via trade with Philadelphia 76ers)
The Pick: Elfrid Payton, PG, Louisiana-Lafayette

The small-school point guard is ticketed for Orlando pending a proposed trade with the 76ers. Much like Exum, Payton has excellent height (6-foot-4) and length for a backcourt player, and he excels at putting the ball on the floor.

Details on the Sixers-Magic trade, swapping Elfrid Payton and Dario Saric. pic.twitter.com/fdTEgf24XJ

-- NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 27, 2014

No. 11 - Chicago Bulls (via trade with Denver Nuggets)
The Pick: Doug McDermott, SF, Creighton

Dougie McBuckets has his NBA home! There is much debate about how McDermott's collegiate scoring prowess will translate to the NBA game, but any player who ranks fifth on the NCAA's all-time scoring list has the offensive skill to be an effective pro. Plus, as the son of a basketball coach, the Bulls can be sure they're getting a player with a deep understanding of the game. 

No. 12 - Philadelphia 76ers (via trade with Orlando Magic)
The Pick: Dario Saric, PF, Croatia

The Orlando Magic select Saric, the 6-foot-10 Croatian sensation who recently signed to play in Turkey. Saric will reportedly be shipped to Philadelphia in exchange for No. 10 pick Elfrid Payton, and the Sixers will likely have to wait at least two years to bring Saric to the NBA.

No. 13 - Minnesota Timberwolves
The Pick: Zach LaVine, PG, UCLA

LaVine's numbers with the Bruins last season (9.4 points, 1.8 assists per game), were a bit pedestrian, but his physical tools make NBA teams salivate. He'll be a project for the Timberwolves, but the gamble could pay off in a big way of LaVine's game develops.

No. 14 - Phoenix Suns
The Pick: T.J. Warren, SF, NC State

In Warren, the Suns get a scorer plain and simple. The All-American poured in 24.9 points per game for the Wolfpack last season and averaged 18.5 over his two seasons at NC State. He'll add even more punch to an already high-scoring Phoenix team.

No. 15 - Atlanta Hawks
The Pick: Adreian Payne, PF, Michigan State

Payne is exceedingly athletic for a big man and has a sneaky good 3-point shot. He had up-and-down freshman and sophomore seasons but very productive junior and senior campaigns. A high-energy player, Payne can be a stopper on defense and get to the rim on the offensive end.

No. 16 - Denver Nuggets (via trade with Chicago Bulls)
The Pick: Jusef Nurkic, C, Bosnia

At just 19 years old, Nurkic will likely spend some more time overseas before making his way to the NBA. He is very strong and has nice touch for a center but needs to develop athleticism and stay healthy to have an impact. Nurkic fits the mold for the Nuggets, who have a recent tradition of developing players overseas.

No. 17 - Boston Celtics 
The Pick: James Young, SF, Kentucky

Young is an elite scorer with the ability to cause havoc in the lane with his penetration. His perimeter shooting is still developing, but at just 18 years old, Young has plenty of years to develop and has the toughness to be a good fit for Danny Ainge's Celtics.

No. 18 - Phoenix Suns
The Pick: Tyler Ennis, PG, Syracuse

Ennis is a steady floor general with potentially elite true point guard skills. He is a solid shooter and made a habit of saving Syracuse's bacon by knocking down clutch shots last season. Ennis' skill set will be more valuable when he improves his consistency from 3-point range, opening up the floor to let him better facilitate for his teammates.

No. 19 - Denver Nuggets (via trade with Chicago Bulls)
The Pick: Gary Harris, SG, Michigan State

The Nuggets look like geniuses drafting Harris at No. 19 after many draft projections had Harris going to Denver at No. 11. Harris is a prototypical product of Spartans coach Tom Izzo. Very strong and physical and with a top-flight motor, Harris could be a solid contributor in Denver right away. The Nuggets will be feeling especially lucky if Harris can improve his shooting range.

No. 20 - Toronto Raptors
The Pick: Bruno Caboclo, SF, Brazil

ESPN's Fran Fraschilla tabbed Caboclo as a player with the upside to be the Brazilian Kevin Durant a few years down the line. Largely unknown, Caboclo is a long-term investment for the Raptors, who aren't looking for immediate impact-makers after proving they're already capable of winning their division last season.

No. 21 - Oklahoma City Thunder
The Pick: Mitch McGary, PF, Michigan

Back issues limited him to just eight games last season at Michigan, but McGary could fill the Thunder's need for a steady interior scorer. McGary has surprising athleticism for a big man but needs to develop a post game to be a starter in the NBA. He was essentially forced to enter the draft after receiving a one-year suspension from the NCAA for failing a drug test.

No. 22 - Memphis Grizzlies
The Pick: Jordan Adams, SG, UCLA

A natural scorer, Adams overcomes average athleticism with great finishing ability and steady shooting from range. Adams averaged 17.4 points per game and 2.6 steals as a sophomore at UCLA. Improved defense will help Adams stay on the floor at the NBA level.

No. 23 - Utah Jazz
The Pick: Rodney Hood, SG, Duke

A sharp-shooter from range, Hood needs to develop as a defender and rebounder but is an exciting addition to the Jazz, who finished 29th in the league in scoring. Hood started his college career at Mississippi State before transferring to Duke, where he was an immediate team captain and on-court leader.

No. 24 - Miami Heat (via proposed trade with Charlotte Hornets)
The Pick: Shabazz Napier, PG, UConn

Napier was the spark plug that guided the Huskies to an NCAA championship last season as the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player. He has the skill and basketball IQ to be an immediate contributor in Miami, where the Heat lacked a consistent point guard last season. Napier is a great all-around guard with the scoring ability to create his own shot.

No. 25 - Houston Rockets
The Pick: Clint Capela, PF, Switzerland

Measurables and raw ability make Capela a potential starter in Houston in three or four years. Capela will develop outside the NBA, where the Rockets will hope he improves his jump shooting and overall strength. Excellent around the rim at both ends of the floor, Capela could be an elite big man down the road.

No. 26 - Charlotte Hornets (via proposed trade with Miami Heat)
The Pick: P.J. Hairston, SG, North Carolina

Hairston becomes the first NBA D-League player to be drafted in the first round after his North Carolina career was cut short for disciplinary reasons. He is a very strong shooter, especially from range, and might have been a lottery pick if not for off-the-court issues.

No. 27 - Phoenix Suns
The Pick: Bogdan Bogdanovic, SG, Serbia

Bogdanovic gives the Suns another scorer whenever he makes it to the NBA. He is a good shooter with above-average ball-handling skills and a knack for picking the opponent's pocket.

No. 28 - Los Angeles Clippers
The Pick: C.J. Wilcox, SG, Washington

As an offensive specialist, Wilcox averaged 18.3 points per game on 45 percent shooting last season at Washington. A high basketball IQ and tenacity on the defensive end make him a potential steady role-player in Los Angeles.

No. 29 - Oklahoma City Thunder
The Pick: Josh Huestis, SF, Stanford

Huestis is a top-notch defender who figures to match up against the opponent's top scorer most nights. He has an improved jump shot but will make most of his impact on defense.

No. 30 - San Antonio Spurs
The Pick: Kyle Anderson, SF, UCLA

The third UCLA player drafted in the first round, Anderson is an exceptional passer with game-changing court vision and perimeter shooting. He lacks elite athleticism but makes great use of his learned skills.

>> Round 2

No. 31 - Milwaukee Bucks
The Pick: Damien Inglis, SF, France

A great athlete with an NBA-ready body, Inglis needs to improve his shooting to be a factor for the Bucks.

No. 32 - Philadelphia 76ers
The Pick: K.J. McDaniels, SF, Clemson

The ACC Defensive Player of the Year, McDaniels was a force on the defensive end and in transition at Clemson. He has the ability to be a defensive specialist in the NBA.

No. 33 - Cleveland Cavaliers
The Pick: Joe Harris, SG, Virginia

Harris is a solid spot-up shooter and will also make an impact on defense. He has great shooting range and is an overall efficient scorer.

No. 34 - New York Knicks
The Pick: Cleanthony Early, SF, Wichita State

Believed by many to be a first-round talent, Early could be a big scorer for the Knicks as a rookie -- especially if Carmelo Anthony finds a new home before next season.

No. 35 - Utah Jazz
The Pick: Jarnell Stokes, PF, Tennessee

Stokes is an accomplished scorer in the low-post and is a great rebounder, especially consider an undersized frame.

No. 36 - Milwaukee Bucks
The Pick: Johnny O'Bryant, PF, LSU

Inconsistency during his college career hurt O'Bryant's draft stock, but excellent rebounding skills and a developing perimeter game give the Bucks a player with plenty of upside.

No. 37 - Toronto Raptors
The Pick: DeAndre Daniels, SF, UConn

Daniels had a coming-out party during the NCAA Tournament with good all-around scoring ability. He needs to add strength and settle into a position at the NBA level.

No. 38 - Detroit Pistons
The Pick: Spencer Dinwiddie, PG, Colorado

A true point guard, Dinwiddie was a first round talent that fell in the draft because of a season-ending injury. Excellent ball-handling skills make Dinwiddie a potential starter in the NBA.

No. 39 - Philadelphia 76ers
The Pick: Jerami Grant, SF, Syracyse

Grant will make his biggest impact in the NBA at the rim on both ends of the floor. Improved shooting helped his draft stock but further improvement will give him the opportunity to earn more minutes.

No. 40 - Minnesota Timberwolves
The Pick: Glenn Robinson III, SF, Michigan

A high basketball IQ and outstanding athletic ability give Robinson a chance to develop into a steady player at the NBA level.

No. 41 - Denver Nuggets
The Pick: Nikola Jokic, PF, Serbia

The Nuggets draft yet another overseas player in Jokic, who is a great shooter with excellent on-court instincts.

No. 42 - Houston Rockets
The Pick: Nick Johnson, SG, Arizona

Extremely athletic for a two-guard, Johnson has the tools to be an impact shooter and defender. He figures to be a good fit in Houston in an offense facilitated by James Harden.

No. 43 - Atlanta Hawks
The Pick: Walter Tavares, C, Cape Verde

A potential first-rounder, Tavares has a massive wingspan and huge hands. He is very raw offensively after picking up basketball at 18 years old, but at 7-foot-3, Tavares is built for success in the NBA.

No. 44 - Brooklyn Nets (via proposed trade with Minnesota Timberwolves)
The Pick: Markel Brown, SG, Oklahoma State

Brown is an explosive guard who plays bigger than his frame. He and Marcus Smart combined to be a dangerous backcourt at Oklahoma State.

No. 45 - Charlotte Hornets
The Pick: Dwight Powell, PF, Stanford

With good range and surprisingly good ball-handling skills, Powell has the skills to be a versatile power forward in the NBA.

No. 46 - Washington Wizards
The Pick: Jordan Clarkson, PG, Missouri

A productive guard at Missouri, Clarkson needs to improve his jump shooting before making an impact for the Wizards.

No. 47 - New Orleans Pelicans (via proposed trade with Philadelphia 76ers)
The Pick: Russ Smith, PG, Louisville

A national champion in 2013, Smith is a dynamic scorer with the ability to get to the rim and the free-throw line. He will begin his professional career in New Orleans after a draft-day trade.

No. 48 - Milwaukee Bucks
The Pick: Lamar Patterson, SG, Pittsburgh

Good size and passing ability give Patterson the potential to be a consistent role-player for the Bucks. 

No. 49 - Chicago Bulls
The Pick: Cameron Bairstow, PF, New Mexico

Bairstow has played a lot of international basketball and is a great shooter for his size. He needs to improve his range and make the most of his minutes.

No. 50 - Phoenix Suns
The Pick: Alec Brown, C, Wisconsin - Green Bay

An experienced 7-footer, Brown averaged 15.6 points and 3.2 blocks per game as a senior.

No. 51 - New York Knicks
The Pick: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, SF, D-League

The older brother of Bucks fan-favorite Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis is very raw but projects as an exceptional defender with the ability to finish at the rim.

No. 52 - Philadelphia 76ers
The Pick: Vasilije Micic, PG, Serbia

A true point guard, Micic has prototypical size for his position and is recognized for his creativity and steady three-point shooting.

No. 53 - Minnesota Timberwolves
The Pick: Alessandro Gentile, SF, Italy

Gentile is a potential wing scorer but needs to improve his shot selection and consistency to earn NBA minutes.

No. 54 - Philadelphia 76ers
The Pick: Nemanja Dangubic, SG, Serbia

Explosive and persistent on the defensive end, Dangubic won't play in the NBA until he develops a better scoring repertoire.

No. 55 - Charlotte Hornets (via proposed trade with Miami Heat)
The Pick: Semaj Christon, PG,  Xavier

Christon is an accomplished scorer that can earn minutes at the next level with improved ball-handling and three-point shooting.

No. 56 - Denver Nuggets
The Pick: Roy Devyn Marble, SF, Iowa

A versatile wing player, Marble will need to develop his skill set before making an impact. Natural scoring ability and a strong motor make him a coachable asset.

No. 57 - Indiana Pacers
The Pick: Louis Labeyrie, C, France

With an undersized frame for a center, Labeyrie will need time to develop into a potential impact player for the Pacers.

No. 58 - San Antonio Spurs
The Pick: Jordan McRae, SG, Tennessee

One of the oldest players in the draft class, McRae is an improved three-point shooter that made his biggest strides late in his college career.

No. 59 - Toronto Raptors
The Pick: Xavier Thames, PG, San Diego State

An outstanding defender, Thames needs to bulk up to fit in as a two-guard for the Raptors.

No. 60 - San Antonio Spurs
The Pick: Cory Jefferson, PF, Baylor

With the final pick of the draft, the Spurs pick an athlete they can groom into a defensive role-player with scoring above-average ability.

Neither Aaron Craft nor LaQuinton Ross was selected in the NBA Draft on Thursday night.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- This time, the streak wasn't saved.

Ohio State's seven-year run of seeing a player taken in the NBA Draft was halted on Thursday night, as senior point guard Aaron Craft and junior forward LaQuinton Ross both went undrafted. Last year, Deshaun Thomas kept the streak alive when he was drafted with the No. 58 overall pick late in the second round by San Antonio.

But as Ohio State coach Thad Matta said on Wednesday, going undrafted may not be such a bad thing for Craft and Ross. Both will take a shot as undrafted free agents in the NBA, with the freedom to choose the team with which they'd like to try to make it. If they don't, both are expected to wind up playing overseas. That's what Thomas ended up doing even after he was drafted, playing in France last season.

Craft left Ohio State after a productive four-year career as a major contributor, but he was never an offensive star, and his defense at the point guard spot wasn't enough for a team to call his name.

Ross left school early after leading the Buckeyes in scoring as a junior, but he was always ticketed as a player expected to leave school for the pros before his senior season. Some may criticize him for leaving school to be undrafted, but it felt like leaving made sense for Ross, and he will have a chance to make a living playing basketball somewhere. The surprise was that with his professional career on the line, he showed up out of the shape for the NBA Draft Combine and overall didn't seem to put his best foot forward in what amounted to his job interviews for his chosen career.

The Buckeyes will have several seniors who will try to prove this season they deserve to be taken in the 2015 draft, in Sam Thompson, Shannon Scott and newcomer fifth-year senior Anthony Lee. Incoming freshman D'Angelo Russell could also be in the draft next year with a big freshman season, though he might be more likely as a two-year college player before taking his NBA shot.

Overall for the Big Ten it was a successful draft, after the Buckeyes carried the league in the draft for a few years. Five Big Ten players were taken in the first round, the most since 1990. Two other Big Ten players were taken in the second round, with Michigan's Glenn Robinson III going to Minnesota at No. 40 and Iowa's Roy Deyvn Marble taken by Denver at No. 56.

From 2007 to 2010, there were nine Big Ten players taken in the first round, and six of them were Buckeyes.

Now in the last two years, there have been nine first-rounders from the Big Ten, and none of them were Buckeyes. 

Not the end of me just watch!!

— LaQuinton Ross (@qross2011) June 27, 2014

Gee, 27, has played for the Cavs since being signed as a free agent in December 2010.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavaliers have traded small forward Alonzo Gee to the Charlotte Hornets for Stanford power forward Dwight Powell, the 45th pick in the NBA Draft on Thursday, and veteran center Brendan Haywood, according to the Associated Press.

The AP says it learned of the deal through an unnamed source. It reportedly has not yet been approved by the NBA.

Gee, 27, has played for the Cavs since being signed as a free agent in December 2010. During four seasons with the Cavs he averaged 8.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 25.4 minutes per game.

Before joining the Cavs, he played with the Washington Wizards and San Antonio Spurs.

The 7-0, 268-pound Haywood, 34, was drafted by the Cavs in the first round (20th overall) in 2001, but was immediately traded to the Orlando Magic for Michael Doleac. Haywood was then traded to the Washington Wizards.

Haywood played nine seasons in Washington and three seasons in Dallas. He spent one season in Charlotte. He has averaged 6.9 points and 6.1 rebounds for his career.

The 6-11 Powell averaged 14 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, the AP reports.

Wiggins is an athletic two-way player who will actually play defense and provide real help. And, despite last year, immediate help is what you expect from the No. 1 pick in the draft of course.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio – Nothing is certain with the top pick in the NBA Draft, as the Cavaliers have proven repeatedly ever since the can't-miss pick of LeBron James in 2003. With their selection Thursday night of Andrew Wiggins from Kansas at the head of Class of 2014, the perennially rebuilding team made the pick it almost had to make.

The Cavs listened to trade offers until the five-minute time limit to make the pick  was almost up. Wiggins is a potentially exciting force at small forward who can defend almost any position, much like Shawn Marion, who captivated Cavaliers general manager David Griffin when Griffin was an assistant in Phoenix.

This is a rare quality on a Cavaliers team that defended inattentively and ineffectively last season, except for those occasions when they descended to a thoroughly insulting effort at it.

As for Wiggins' Canadian heritage, or the "Anthony Bennett Blight," Steve Nash was a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player out of Canada. The Cavs' Tristan Thompson, another Canadian, has been almost a double-double guy on bad Cavs teams. And maybe Bennett's gears will mesh too, eh?

Perhaps the top big man available, Joel Embiid of Kansas, will prove to have the biggest impact in the draft. Embiid went third to Philadelphia. But since he has an injury history that includes a past stress fracture in the lower back and a current broken foot, there is also the chance he will be Bill Walton or Greg Oden.

Former Cavalier Zydrunas Ilgauskas overcame a potentially career-ending series of foot injuries, but why see if Embiid could be No. 2 on the rehab list?

As for Jabari Parker, taken second by Milwaukee, just the whiff of allegations (denied by Parker) that he tanked his Cavs workout because he didn't want to play here brings a ripe odor with it. A second Duke player with diva tendencies to go with Kyrie Irving might have been one too many.

The Cavs' Griffin lauded Wiggins' "fast-twitch muscles and lateral mobility," saying he was "quick off his feet."

This is the result of a gene pool that includes Wiggins' father, former NBA player Mitchell Wiggins, and his mother, former Canadian national record-holding sprinter Marita Payne-Williams.

When his selection was announced in Brooklyn, Wiggins appeared on the stage, clad in a memorable velvet coat that seemed to depict with its white embroidery flowers and leaves. Possibly it was a tribute to June bustin' out all over.

Clothes don't make the man, and neither did Wiggins' one-and-done college career. He had entered Kansas with buzz that was not at LeBron level, but was prominent in the hype-o-sphere, anyway.

Being the first player selected in a draft that was not quite all it was forecast to be  is still not bad. Wiggins could be a big reward for a Cavs team that had only a 1.7 percent to win the draft lottery.

The trouble with the Cavs starts when the lottery's ping pong balls stop. If the team's pure, dumb luck in the bounce of the ping pong balls could have been transferred to the Ping Pong Diplomacy that thawed relations between the United States and China in 1971, people in Shanghai and Beijing would be speaking English today and barking as they say, "Here we go, Brownies!"

The Cavaliers have had three No. 1 draft choices in the past four years. The first two were Irving and Bennett. Or, as they say, the somewhat underachieving and the thus far seriously over-rated. They have also had two No. 4's (Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson) and, after a trade, a No. 17 (Cody Zeller.)

Want to see a franchise doing little with a lot of opportunity? The Cavaliers are a team resented by other NBA rivals, who thought the Lottery Dynasty here did not deserve such crazy luck.

But Wiggins is who they took most recently with it, and if it wasn't exactly a slam dunk, it was still a  high percentage shot.

The Indians are paying Nick Swisher $15 million this season. And that isn't even the most concerning part.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians are paying Nick Swisher $15 million this season. And that isn't even the most concerning part.

Cleveland will hand Swisher $15 million in 2015 and $15 million more in 2016. Should he amass 550 plate appearances in 2016 and pass a physical, the Indians will be on the hook for $14 million more in 2017. At that point, Swisher will be in his age-36 season.

As a 33-year-old, Swisher is batting .196 with a .326 slugging percentage. He is averaging one home run for every 45 at-bats. He averaged one home run for every 20.7 at-bats over the previous 10 years of his career.

Since returning from the disabled list less than three weeks ago, Swisher has collected five hits in 39 at-bats (.128 average). He has yet to draw a walk and has whiffed 19 times. His .128 on-base percentage is glaring.

Swisher was the odd man out of the lineup on Tuesday and Wednesday, when the Indians were without the use of the designated hitter while playing in a National League park in Arizona. He'll return to the lineup for this weekend's series in Seattle, but then the Indians return to Interleague action in Los Angeles for three games.

What can the Indians do with Swisher? Given his lucrative contract and lack of production, he likely cannot be traded. He'll remain on the roster for the foreseeable future, since Major League Baseball doesn't have an amnesty clause, as the NBA does. Here are the options the club has:

Status quo
Ryan Raburn has struggled at the plate all season. Mike Aviles is needed to spare the team's infielders. Jason Giambi has suffered (wink, wink) one nagging injury after another this year. So, the Indians don't exactly have anyone pushing for the playing time that Swisher has received. Jesus Aguilar could be summoned from Triple-A, but the Indians would have to commit to him playing every day so as not to stunt his development.

If the best way for Swisher to shake his slump is for him to hit his way out, then Francona will continue to pencil him into the lineup. Francona can be a bit stubborn with his veterans -- he admitted as much -- as evidenced by Carlos Santana remaining in the No. 4 spot in the order during his extreme funk earlier this season.

Make him a wealthy benchwarmer
At some juncture in the season, the Indians will run out of time. No longer will they be able to afford to trot a .196 average to the plate four times a game. Perhaps that time has already arrived. It would make Swisher's future even murkier, but at some point, Francona and general manager Chris Antonetti have to wonder if splitting Swisher's at-bats between others would be more worthwhile. Swisher might turn it around, but do the Indians have the luxury of time to wait for it to happen? It did with Santana, but he never looked as lost at the plate as Swisher does now. And even when Santana couldn't find holes in the defense, he still accumulated walks.

Make him co-governor of Bro-hio
Progressive Field has an entire area of its stands dedicated to Swisher. If the hitting thing continues to flounder, he could watch from Section 117 with the actual man dubbed the "Governor of Brohio."

Few athletes have the Olympics-and-NBA family background of the Cavaliers' top draftee Andrew Wiggins. Watch video

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio –- Gene pools can be both shallow and deep.

The Cavaliers top draft pick, Andrew Wiggins, the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, has a gene pool made up of the contributions of an Olympic silver medalist sprinter, Canadian Marita Payne-Wiggins on his mother's side, and a former NBA player, Mitchell Wiggins on his father's.

Depth-wise, it might take a while to get to the bottom of such a rich inheritance.

While the carryover in technique between straight-line, 100 meters sprinting and basketball with its zigs and zags might not be that obvious, despite the example of championship college point guard/disgraced Olympian Marion Jones, it is clearer in Payne-Wiggins, who ran the 200 and 400.

She won silver medals in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, the one boycotted by the old Soviet bloc, in both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.

Wiggins never watched his mother sprint in competition, unlike former Ohio State point guard Mike Conley Jr., now a front-line guard with the Memphis Grizzlies. The younger Conley used to throw himself into the high jump pads after meets or while his father, Mike Sr., an Olympic gold medalist in the triple jump, did his lonely workouts. 

It is easy to imagine the athletic inheritance from Andrew Wiggins' father because father and son played the same sport. Asked about his mother's side, the younger Wiggins quickly listed his powerful legs, his jumping ability and his metabolism -– "I can eat anything I want," he said -– as attributes from her.

Actually, like the Conleys, the real benefit might have come in the parental emphasis on training and coping with pressure. No pressure in sports is greater than putting your dreams on the line on a once-every-four-years stage like the Olympics.

Because the triple jump is an episodic event with plenty of down time between jumps, Conley's father stressed maintaining focus.

Payne-Wiggins went more for maintaining intensity.

"I told him, 'Train hard. I was hungry,'" Wiggins' mother said.

This is certainly a switch from what many NBA players have heard much of their lives as they come to regard themselves as incomparable gifts to the game.

Biomechanically, balance and foot placement matter a great deal on the curves of the 200 and 400. These requirements might lend themselves more readily to basketball, too.

Wiggins' mother, however, dwells more on the preparation.

"In basketball, Andrew is using his arms, his agility and speed," she said Friday. "A lot of training that we did in track and field -- the harness running (against resistance.) skipping, what we did every day of our lives -- they do on the court in basketball in training."

Many athletes skip in training, both to get their central nervous systems firing and to coordinate arm swing and leg movement with their foot strikes. The springiness the drills develop can help a player with the stride of a man 6-8, like the 19-year-old Wiggins, cover a lot of ground.

Out of this mix of technique and genetics comes Wiggins' shocking 44-inch vertical jump. Everyone more securely tethered by gravity's bonds is free to gawk.

The components of basketball excellence depend in many ways on explosiveness, or the application of maximum muscular oomph in the elapsed time of a hummingbird's wing twitch. Explosiveness is invaluable in jumping, cutting, faking, spinning and a lot of other things that led to the old NBA slogan "Where amazing happens."

Great athletes are naturals, in some ways. But even great gifts can be improved. Among the drills that helped Andrew Wiggins enjoy the air up there was "A and B skipping."

Without going through the whole alphabet of track and field workouts, Wiggins' mother said, "If you've seen slow motion film of how horses run, the leg extension in their strides, it's similar to that."

Wiggins' mother has seen the view from an Olympic medal podium. Faster, higher, stronger, the Olympics motto, is something she lived.

"I tell him. 'You're not the best in the world. Other people are better. You have to work hard for what you want,'" Payne-Wiggins said.

A stunning vertical is great. But it often comes down to how well a man is grounded.

Watch as No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins is introduced by the Cavs.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Andrew Wiggins, the No. 1 selection by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2014 NBA Draft took the stage with General Manager David Griffin and new Head Coach David Blatt as he was introduced during a press conference at Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Last year, Wiggins set a Kansas freshman record with an average of 17.1 points per game.  He also averaged 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 44.8%.

Selected Big 12 Freshman of the Year and First-Team All- League, the 6-foot-8 guard was the first player from Kansas to break the 40-point barrier since 1991 when he scored 41 points at West Virginia.

In 2013 while at Huntington Prep in West Virginia, Wiggins was named the Gatorade Athlete of the Year across all high school sports.

Wiggins comes from an athletic family.  His father, Mitchell played six season in the NBA with the Bulls, Rockets and 76ers.  His mother, Marita, was an Olympics track star for Canada in 1984 and 1988.

Wiggins, 19,  joins Anthony Bennett Tristan Thompson as native Canadians on the Cavs' roster.

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam was unhappy with Johnny Manziel's money phone video, and instructed the staff to tell him to tone it down, per ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns owner Jimmy Haslam wasn't happy with Johnny Manziel's money phone video, and the club has told him to tone it down, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Friday on NFL Insiders.

In the video, Manziel, barely able to keep his eyes open, pretends a stack of cash is his phone and shouts into it, 'I can't hear you! I have too much money in my f------ hand!'  

"It did not sit well with the owner Jimmy Haslam, who did instruct his staff to at least have a talk with Johnny about being more savvy as he deals with social media," Mort said on ESPN Insiders. "We know you're young. We know you're single. Joe Montana himself said that Bill Walsh pulled him aside, and that was before the age of social media. Johnny Manziel has been told to tone it down, and to watch what goes up on social media."

Manziel was asked specifically Friday morning at a Play 60 youth clinic here if the Browns had told him to tone down the partying, and he said no.

"I don't think I'm doing anything wrong,'' Manziel said. "I'm going out. Everybody goes out on the weekends and enjoys their life and lives their life and just for them, they don't have people that when they walk into a place pull out their phones and all they want to do is follow me around and record everything, so my situation is unique and different and now more than ever I've seen that it's an every weekend thing wherever I'm at, whether it's here in Cleveland on a weekend, or in Dallas or anywhere on a weekend people want to record what I'm doing because they think it's a story.

"Everybody goes out and has fun. I'm not doing anything that's putting myself in a harmful situation. I'm not doing anything that's putting my team or jeopardizing what I do here throughout the week, or what I'm looking forward to doing this season.''

Manziel has been criticized by dozens of big-name former players for his weekend antics, including Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith, Warren Moon and Joe Montana. Smith was the most critical, warning Manziel that his partying would be a "short career lifestyle'' if he continues at this pace.

"I'm not going to change who I am for anybody,'' Manziel said. "I'm growing up and continuing to learn from my mistakes and trying not to make the same ones over and over again, but am I going to live in a shell or am I just going to hide from everybody and not do anything? I don't think that's the way I should live my life and I'm not going to do it.

"I'm here, I'm very committed to football. I'm committed to my job, but on the weekends, I'm going to enjoy my time off. We deserve it. We work hard here. We've worked hard since the draft. We worked hard to get drafted and put ourselves in a good position at the Combine, even after that, working to stay in shape. I am going to enjoy my time off. I'm very about football and very about my job, which doesn't get reported  or won't get reported, but I am going to enjoy my time off. That's I think what everybody else does and that's what I should do.''

He declined to comment in the money phone video, saying it was "in the past.''

Kansas coach Bill Self thinks Cavaliers fans are going to adore No. 1 draft pick Andrew Wiggins.

BROOKLYN, New York -- Kansas coach Bill Self was surrounded by reporters after the Cavaliers made Andrew Wiggins the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft on Thursday, and he could not say enough good things about the young star who spent just one year in his program.

"People make comparisons to Kobe [Bryant] and Michael [Jordan] and Tracy [McGrady],'' Self said. "I just think he's the first Andrew. He's a phenomenal athlete. He has an infectious smile, great personality. He's a team-first guy. He's a guy, when his skill set catches up to his athletic ability, you're going to be talking about one of the premier wings in the league. And I don't think that will take long. I'm really excited for him. You can't have a better person in your program.

"Here's a guy that, in my world, the way I see it, is more ready to deal with off-the-court things and the pressures that go along with being a No. 1 pick because his whole life he's dealt with the expectations and the hype. Even at Kansas, he's the cover of Sports Illustrated and hasn't made a basket. The hype around him, comparing him to LeBron [James], that's not fair. There's only one of those. But, hopefully, there's just going to be one of Wiggins.''

So Cavs fans will love him. But can he play?

"If Cleveland fans have any question about him, have them pull up his vertical leap he did at the combine [actually a private workout],'' said Self, who sees Wiggins as a shooting guard who is tall enough at 6-foot-8 to defend small forwards but offensively skilled enough to handle the shooting guard role. "He's 3.1 percent body fat. He's a great teammate and he wants to win.

"He's can play 82 games. He's not a roller-coaster emotionally. He's rock solid and stable. The NBA is full of phenomenal athletes, but there won't be anybody who has a better first step or second jump. He's one of those guys.''

Like Cavs general manager David Griffin, who visited Self at Kansas before the draft, Self raved about Wiggins' defensive prowess, which separated him from the other potential No. 1 pick -- Duke forward Jabari Parker.

"He can guard the ball as well as anybody I've had,'' Self said. "He's got to improve positioning and some things off the ball, but that can be taught.

"He'll be a premier defender on the ball. He's got to get stronger. He's got to learn how to take shortcuts defensively and play angles, but from a raw talent standpoint, he can guard anybody.''

Johnny Manziel met the media for the last time before training camp begins in late July. Thank goodness for that, Bud Shaw writes in his "Spin" column.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Pretty soon the Johnny Manziel conversation will turn toward whether he can take NFL hits and live to Tweet about it.

Will he look to escape the pocket just because he can, as he often seemed to do at Texas A&M?

How quickly does he release the ball against a defense camouflaged to confuse him?

When the Browns made the move from Brandon Weeden to Brian Hoyer last season, they traded the slowest release time in the NFL for the fastest.

Along with Hoyer's accuracy – not so much in the Minnesota game – the pace of the offense was the most noticeable upgrade.

Hoyer not only picked up the pace. The entire huddle seemed uplifted.

Was that specific to him? We'll find out.

There were glimpses of the same elevated spirit under Jason Campbell but as he settled in, exposing his warts, the same sinking feeling crept in.

Pretty soon we'll have some indication if Manziel is as sure of himself in the huddle and in the locker room as he is in saying he won't change the way he lives his life for "anybody."

(My guess is that doesn't include Jimmy Haslam, rumored -- in an ESPN report Friday -- to have sent word that Manziel should "tone it down" away from Berea.)

Weeden came into the league older and already married. Remember when we theorized that having experienced another professional sport (baseball) would help him handle the expectations that go with being paid to play a sport?

Then in his first game against Philadelphia, he looked as if he spent five minutes studying the game plan. Interceptions and indecision ruled the day.

Weeden admitted he didn't know what he didn't know about preparation in the NFL. Does Manziel?

The internet report citing a New England scouting profile on him suggested he didn't put in much extra work at Texas A&M (And if it's on the internet you know it must be true).

Did the Browns draft him because they got glowing reports on his work ethic? Because they loved his creativity?

Because they saw him as a value pick at No. 22 after twice considering trading up for other players (Zach Martin, Brandin Cooks)?

Soon, he'll get to show they were smart to bet on him. This time next month, when the Browns go to training camp, we will begin to get important answers about Manziel.

We'll know if he's a quick read, if he can make the transition to becoming primarily a pocket passer with great escapability, or whether he'll spend his rookie year running a special Manziel package in Kyle Shanahan's offense.

We'll know whether Jon Gruden raved about him for all the right reasons or because Jon Gruden raves about every quarterback coming out of college (including Brandon Weeden, by the way).

A month from now we'll know much more about Johnny Manziel. About important things that matter to what happens to the Browns in 2014.

Pretty soon we'll be talking football with a side of Johnny. Not the persona of Johnny Football as the main off-season course. That's gone stone-cold stale.

Pretty soon.

Just not soon enough.

But, hey, if it simply brings a five or six month break from talking about inflatable swans, Ace of Spades and money phones it will be well worth the wait.

For more Bud Shaw, read "Spinoffs" and "You Said It."

After struggling to hit home runs for most of the season, the Seattle Mariners are in the midst of a power surge.

SEATTLE (AP) -- After struggling to hit home runs for most of the season, the Seattle Mariners are in the midst of a power surge.

They'll look to keep it going Friday night against the Cleveland Indians' Trevor Bauer, who fell victim to the long ball in his previous start.

The game between the Indians and Mariners will be played at 10:10 p.m. It can be seen on SportsTime Ohio. It can also be heard on WTAM 1100 and 100.7 WMMS.

Seattle (42-37) had won eight of 10 prior to Wednesday's 5-4 loss to Boston as Hisashi Iwakuma was charged with all five runs in four-plus innings.

However, Mike Zunino and Kyle Seager each homered for the second straight game, and the Mariners have hit 11 in their last six. They ranked 24th in baseball prior to that stretch with 55 home runs in their first 73 contests.

Zunino has homered in four of his last five games, while Seager is 16 for 27 (.593) over his last seven home contests with 15 RBIs, though he's batting .267 on the year.

"He (Seager) knows what he's doing at the plate," manager Lloyd McClendon told MLB's official website. "But I probably expect a little bit more than you guys (the media). I think there's big room for improvement, and he's doing a nice job and he's swing the bat, he's hitting some home runs, he's driving in some runs, but I've been around the game a long time and Kyle Seager is not a .260 hitter."

Bauer (2-3, 4.40 ERA) surrendered three home runs for the first time in his career Saturday, allowing four runs over 6 1-3 innings in 5-4, 10-inning loss to Detroit. He had yielded one homer in his four previous starts, spanning 24 1-3 innings.

"He made some mistakes and paid for them," manager Terry Francona said.

Bauer has still yet to win a road start in his career, going 0-4 with a 7.53 ERA in seven games.

Seattle will counter with Chris Young (6-4, 3.23), who has won four of his last five starts at Safeco Field and is 3-2 with a 2.80 ERA over his last six overall.

Young retired the first 12 batters he faced at Kansas City on Saturday before yielding a solo shot for the only run against him in seven innings. He allowed three hits in a 2-1 win, but didn't get a decision.

He threw two-hit ball over eight shutout innings to win his lone start against the Indians nearly nine years ago with Texas.

Cleveland (38-40) has lost nine of 14 and snapped a four-game skid Wednesday with a 6-1 win at Arizona. Michael Brantley and Yan Gomes both homered, while Michael Bourn tripled twice.

"We didn't score in bunches, but scored one and then we scored two," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "We kept after it. I thought we had good at-bats throughout the lineup."

Brantley is batting .458 over his last 13 games with nine RBIs while Gomes is 11 for 27 during a seven-game hitting streak and 8 for 17 with three homers in his last four versus Seattle. Bourn, who is 8 for 23 in his last five games, is 3 for 7 off Young.

Cleveland took five of seven meetings last year while averaging 5.9 runs per game.