Utah
Where is Alissa Pili projected to be taken in the WNBA draft?
After a successful two-year stint at the University of Utah that included being named the 2023 Pac-12 Player of the Year, Alissa Pili is poised to be selected in the 2024 WNBA draft on Monday.
The Utes’ star forward is expected to be a first-round selection in a draft class that includes big names such as Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese.
Taking a look at the most recent WNBA mock drafts, one team to keep a particular eye on in regards to Pili is the Connecticut Sun. In a survey of seven recent mock drafts, Pili is projected to be taken by the Sun in four mock drafts.
Three of those are with the No. 10 overall pick, while another has Pili slipping to Connecticut with the No. 19 selection in the second round.
Pili also received a couple projections to the Dallas Wings with the No. 9 overall selection. The Wings also have the No. 5 pick.
Here’s where Pili is projected to be picked in seven mock drafts.
ESPN: No. 9, Dallas Wings
Michael Voepel wrote: “Dallas appears to have a solid core, so could Pili add a little more scoring punch? She averaged 21.4 PPG this season and shot 40.4% from 3-point range. There are questions about her defense, but she’s far from the only rookie who will face that.”
Sporting News: No. 10, Connecticut Sun
Gilbert McGregor wrote: “Pili is one of the most unique talents in this year’s draft. With her, she brings floor-spacing ability in addition to an array of moves around the basket.
“Connecticut’s main rotation is set but in the margins, it could use the scoring punch Pili would provide. Defensively, the Sun are strong and principled enough to compensate for Pili’s potential shortcomings.”
NBA Draft Room: No. 9, Dallas Wings
From NBA Draft Room: “Can score in the post or from 3pt land. Has size, strength and skill.”
Bleacher Report: No. 11, New York Liberty
CBS Sports: No. 10, Connecticut Sun
Jack Maloney wrote: “The Sun were ninth in the league in 3-point attempts per game last season, and it lost three of the five players who attempted at least two per game during the winter. Connecticut desperately needs some shooting help, and one player who could fill that role is Pili. There are real questions about how she’ll fare in the pros as an undersized forward, but there’s no debate about her shot. She made 40.4% of her attempts from downtown, including 46.7% on open catch-and-shoot looks.”
The Athletic: No. 10, Connecticut Sun
Sabreena Merchant wrote: “Connecticut doesn’t have obvious needs and none that can be addressed at this point in the draft. The Sun can afford to be more forward-thinking and take the most talented player left, someone who figures out how to score from every area on the court. This is a great landing spot for Pili, who will have to learn how to defend, or simply give more effort on that end, to get on the court in Connecticut.”
Yahoo Sports: No. 19, Connecticut Sun
Jackie Powell wrote: “Some have compared Pili to Sun MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas. Pili has proven that she can score at an efficient level during her two seasons at Utah. Will it translate? Offensively it should be because of Pili’s strength and ability to score against much larger players. She scored 37 points on 15-of-23 shooting against Kamilla Cardoso in December. Where the Thomas comparison isn’t sound is when it comes to Pili’s abilities on defense. She’s not a rim protector, doesn’t use her hands to get steals and has trouble staying in front of quicker guards and wings.
“Pili’s success at the next level could depend on how she’s used. Could she come off the bench in spurts against second units and perform well? That’s a consideration around front offices.”
When is the 2024 WNBA draft?
The 2024 WNBA draft will be held on Monday, April 15 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York.
The draft will be televised on ESPN starting at 5:30 p.m. MDT.
Pili is one of 15 players who will attend the draft in person.
2024 WNBA draft first-round order
1. Indiana Fever.
2. Los Angeles Sparks.
3. Chicago Sky (from Phoenix).
4. Los Angeles Sparks (from Seattle).
5. Dallas Wings (from Chicago).
6. Washington Mystics.
7. Minnesota Lynx.
8. Chicago Sky (from Atlanta, via Los Angeles).
9. Dallas Wings.
10. Connecticut Sun.
11. New York Liberty.
12. Atlanta Dream (from Las Vegas, via Los Angeles).
Utah
Utah man dies of injuries sustained in avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A man died after he was caught in an avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon over the weekend.
A spokesperson for the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Thursday that Kevin Williams, 57, had died.
He, along with one other person, was hospitalized in critical condition after Saturday’s avalanche in the backcountry.
MORE | Big Cottonwood Canyon Avalanche
In an interview with 2News earlier this week, one of Williams’ close friends, Nate Burbidge, described him as a loving family man.
“Kevin’s an amazing guy. He’s always serving, looking for ways that he can connect with others,” Burbidge said.
A GoFundMe was set up to help support Williams’ family.
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Utah
911 recordings detail hours leading up to discovery of Utah girl, mother dead in Las Vegas
CONTENT WARNING: This report discusses suicide and includes descriptions of audio from 911 calls that some viewers may find disturbing.
LAS VEGAS — Exclusively obtained 911 recordings detail the hours leading up to the discovery of an 11-year-old Utah girl and her mother dead inside a Las Vegas hotel room in an apparent murder-suicide.
Addi Smith and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, lived in West Jordan and had traveled to Nevada for the JAMZ cheerleading competition.
The calls show a growing sense of urgency from family members and coaches, and several hours passing before relatives learned what happened.
MORE | Murder-Suicide
Below is a timeline of the key moments, according to dispatch records. All times are Pacific Time.
10:33 a.m. — Call 1
After Addi and her mother failed to appear at the cheerleading competition, Addi’s father and stepmother called dispatch for a welfare check.
Addi and her mother were staying at the Rio hotel. The father told dispatch that hotel security had already attempted contact.
“Security went up and knocked on the door. There’s no answer or response it doesn’t look like they checked out or anything…”
11:18 a.m. and 11:27 a.m. — Calls 2 and 3
As concern grew, Addi’s coach contacted the police two times within minutes.
“We think the child possibly is in imminent danger…”
11:26 a.m. — Call 4
Addi’s stepmother placed another call to dispatch, expressing escalating concern.
“We are extremely concerned we believe that something might have seriously happened.”
She said that Tawnia’s car was still at the hotel.
Police indicated officers were on the way.
2:26 p.m. — Call 5
Nearly three hours after the initial welfare check request, fire personnel were en route to the scene. It appeared they had been in contact with hotel security.
Fire told police that they were responding to a possible suicide.
“They found a note on the door.”
2:35 p.m. — Call 6
Emergency medical personnel at the scene told police they had located two victims.
“It’s going to be gunshot wound to the head for both patients with notes”
A dispatcher responded:
“Oh my goodness that’s not okay.”
2:36 p.m. — Call 7
Moments later, fire personnel relayed their assessment to law enforcement:
“It’s going to be a murder suicide, a juvenile and a mother.”
2:39 p.m. — Call 8
Unaware of what had been discovered, Addi’s father called dispatch again.
“I’m trying to file a missing persons report for my daughter.”
He repeats the details he knows for the second time.
3:13 p.m. — Call 9
Father and stepmother call again seeking information and continue to press for answers.
“We just need some information. There was a room check done around 3:00 we really don’t know where to start with all of this Can we have them call us back immediately?”
Dispatch responded:
“As soon as there’s a free officer, we’ll have them reach out to you.”
4:05 p.m. — Call 10
More than an hour later, Addi’s father was put in contact with the police on the scene. He pleaded for immediate action.
“I need someone there I need someone there looking in that room”
The officer confirmed that they had officers currently in the room.
Addi’s father asks again what they found, if Addi and her mother are there, and if their things were missing.
The officer, who was not on scene, said he had received limited information.
5:23 p.m. — Call 11
Nearly seven hours after the first welfare check request, Addi’s grandmother contacted police, describing conflicting information circulating within the family.
“Some people are telling us that they were able to get in, and they were not in the hotel room, and other people saying they were not able to get in the hotel room, and we need to know”
She repeated the details of the case. Dispatch said officers will call her back once they have more information.
Around 8:00 p.m. — Press Conference
Later that evening, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police held a news conference confirming that Addi and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, were found dead inside the hotel room.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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Utah
Ban on AI glasses in Utah classrooms inches closer to passing
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — AI glasses could allow you to get answers, snap photos, access audio and take phone calls—and now a proposal moving through the legislature would ban the glasses from Utah school classrooms.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Kizzy Guyton Murphy, a mother who accompanied her child’s class on a field trip to the state Capitol on Wednesday. “You can’t see inside what the student is looking at, and it’s just grounds for cheating.”
Mom Tristan Davies Seamons also sees trouble with AI glasses.
“I don’t think they should have any more technology in schools than they currently have,” she said.
Her twin daughters, fourth graders Finley and Grayson, don’t have cell phones yet.
“Not until we’re like 14,” said Grayson, adding they do have Chromebooks in school.
2News sent questions to the Utah State Board of Education:
- Does it have reports of students using AI glasses?
- Does it see cheating and privacy as major concerns?
- Does it support a ban from classrooms?
Matt Winters, USBE AI specialist, said the board has not received reports from school districts of students with AI glasses.
“Local Education Agencies (school districts) have local control over these decisions based on current law and code,” said Winters. “The Board has not taken a position on AI glasses.
MORE | Utah State Legislature:
Some districts across the country have reportedly put restrictions on the glasses in schools.
“I think it should be up to the teachers,” said Briauna Later, another mother who is all for preventing cheating, but senses a ban could leave administrators with tired eyes.
“It’s one more thing for the administration to have to keep track of,” said Later.
The proposal, HB 42, passed the House and cleared a Senate committee on Wednesday.
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