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In this year's draft, the Wizards will have the power of choice

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In this year's draft, the Wizards will have the power of choice


CHICAGO — Stone-faced and almost motionless in his seat, Washington Wizards general manager Will Dawkins watched ping-pong balls swirl inside a lottery machine and listened as an NBA executive drew them out, one at a time. The first ball came out after 20 seconds, the next three with 10-second intervals in between. The executive called out the corresponding numbers.

Seven.

Six.

One.

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Five.

“Washington!” another league executive announced in a clear, stern voice.

Dawkins remained motionless. No emotion flashed across his face. Then, NBA president of league operations Byron Spruell said, “The second pick in the 2024 NBA Draft will be made by Washington.”

In that moment, Dawkins’ deadpan expression belied a larger truth: The Wizards had lucked out in this year’s draft lottery almost as much as they could have hoped. Although the Atlanta Hawks won the lottery, at least the Washington front office will control its own destiny after that.

“I think anytime you can get high in a draft, no matter what the draft is, you’re excited,” Dawkins said after he emerged from the secluded drawing room and the lottery’s results had been announced to the public. “You’d love to have (No.) 1 in every single draft. But being at two is a really good spot, and I think we’ll have a lot of options there and be able to do what we need to do.”

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Many mock drafts released immediately after the lottery predicted the Hawks will choose 7-foot-1 big man Alex Sarr up top. Dawkins would not tip his hand on whom he and his fellow Wizards executives would prefer right now, but he added that up to 10 prospects attending the upcoming NBA Draft Combine could receive consideration.

“I would say that there’s a lot of optionality at the top of the draft, and there’s probably not the same level of instant gratification that you can see in year one with some of these rookies,” Dawkins said. “But if you really dive down and have some patience and have a forward-thinking outlook, these players are going to be pretty good players in the NBA a few years from now.”

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Full 2024 NBA Draft order

In addition to Sarr (if he’s still available), possibilities for Washington at No. 2 could include G League Ignite wing/forward Matas Buzelis, Connecticut wing Stephon Castle, Connecticut center Donovan Clingan, Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham, Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht, French wing Zaccharie Risacher, Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard and Serbian point guard Nikola Topić.

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Last year’s draft offered clues on how the Wizards could approach this year. Washington traded up one spot to select 6-foot-8 wing Bilal Coulibaly at seventh overall. Choosing Coulibaly revealed that Dawkins and his fellow executives prioritize positional length, high basketball IQs and strong work ethics. This June, Buzelis, Clingan, Risacher, Sarr and Topić would fit the bill in terms of size.

“Risacher, he’s got a lot of talent, a lot of talent,” Coulibaly said Sunday afternoon. “I played against him, like, two times last year. A great shot-maker. He can create his own shot. Yeah, a really good player.”

Washington, which went 15-67 during the 2023-24 regular-season, remains in the early stages of its rebuild, but that gives the franchise some distinct developmental advantages over some of its rival lottery teams. The Wizards no doubt will hope to compete for the best lottery odds in 2025 and again in 2026. Accordingly, they can afford to devote plenty of playing time next season to whomever they draft with the second and 26th picks. The Wizards also can be extra patient with their young players.

It takes an entire organization to develop a young player, but the greatest responsibility, aside from the player himself, typically rests with the head coach. The Wizards have not made that hire yet, although officials from several rival teams expect the Wizards to choose Brian Keefe, who served last season as the Wizards’ lead assistant coach and, later, as the interim coach.

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Asked about the coaching search, Dawkins answered, “I will tell you that it has started and that we’re working our way through.”

The Wizards almost certainly will make their coaching hire before the draft, which will take place over two nights on June 26-27.

In 2022, Dawkins participated in selecting a player second overall, when the Oklahoma City Thunder chose big man Chet Holmgren. Dawkins was the Thunder’s vice president of basketball operations at the time. That decision worked out pretty well. After Holmgren missed the entire 2022-23 season because of an injury, he finished as the Rookie of the Year runner-up to the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama.

There is no one in this draft who is expected to make as much of a long-term impact as some of the most talented players projected to be available in the next two classes. But in the grand scheme of things, Washington still has to make the most of its opportunity this year.

And having the second-overall pick is a good jumping-off place.

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A lot of work remains for Dawkins, Monumental Basketball president Michael Winger and their staffs. They must conduct draft combine interviews in the upcoming days and host prospects in D.C. for extended get-to-know-you sessions. Dawkins feels the team’s evaluators have a good head start.

“Our scouts work really, really hard,” Dawkins said. “They crisscross the globe. They’ve seen every player that’s in this draft multiple times. So we feel confident. We don’t see international players as more of a challenge. We see (them) as more of an advantage because we try to make sure we see everybody.”

(Photo of Will Dawkins: Kenny Giarla / NBAE via Getty Images)





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Washington

Cyclones name WSU’s Rogers to replace Campbell

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Cyclones name WSU’s Rogers to replace Campbell


Washington State coach Jimmy Rogers has agreed to a six-year deal to become the next coach at Iowa State, the school announced Friday.

Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard moved quickly to replace departing coach Matt Campbell, who agreed to an eight-year deal to take over Penn State on Friday, and landed Rogers, a proven winner at the FCS level who just concluded his first regular season at Washington State.

“Jimmy Rogers is a rising star in college athletics who has very strong ties to the Midwest both as a player and as a coach,” Pollard said in a statement. “He has been on my short-list ever since the first time I met him. He immediately impressed me with his interest in Iowa State University and told me during our first visit several years ago that he wanted to be the next head coach at Iowa State.

“Since our initial meeting, I have stayed in close contact with him and have been very impressed with his work ethic and understanding of what it takes to be successful at Iowa State,” Pollard added. “He is a proven winner who has demonstrated throughout his career that he will fit our culture.”

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Rogers, 38, has a 33-9 record over three seasons as a head coach. He went 6-6 in his debut season at Washington State after overseeing a significant roster rebuild following the departure of coach Jake Dickert to Wake Forest.

“My family and I are excited to be joining the Iowa State University community and the Cyclone football program,” Rogers said in a statement. “Iowa State has been one of the nation’s top programs for the last decade and we look forward to building upon its upward trajectory. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity that Jamie Pollard has given me to lead the Cyclones.”

Rogers previously spent 12 years at South Dakota State and led his alma mater to an FCS national championship in 2023 with a 15-0 season in his first year as the Jackrabbits’ head coach after taking over for longtime coach John Stiegelmeier.

Rogers carried a 29-game win streak into his second year as coach and achieved a No. 3 finish in 2024 with a run to the FCS playoff semifinals and a 12-3 season.

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The Jackrabbits also won the FCS national championship in 2022 after Rogers was elevated to being the team’s sole defensive coordinator, and they played for another FCS title in 2020.

Campbell, the winningest coach in Iowa State history with 72 victories, led the Cyclones to eight winning seasons during his decade at the helm and two appearances in the Big 12 championship game.

The Cyclones went 8-4 this season and are awaiting their bowl selection on Sunday.



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William C. Dudley Named President of Claremont McKenna College

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William C. Dudley Named President of Claremont McKenna College


William C. Dudley, president of Washington and Lee University, has been named the sixth president of Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California. He will complete the current academic year at W&L and begin his new role on July 1, 2026.

In a personal announcement to the W&L community on Dec. 5, President Dudley noted that 2026 would mark his 10th Commencement at Washington and Lee. He praised the students, faculty and staff, noting that “I take pride in leaving Washington and Lee in a strong position, and in knowing that our exceptionally talented students, faculty, and staff will continue to advance our educational mission long after I am gone. Each of you plays a part in making the university the best it can be for current students. And all of you seize opportunities to strengthen the university for future generations. If you do those things every day and take stock once a decade, it is gratifying to consider what we have accomplished.”

Wali Bacdayan, Rector of Washington and Lee’s Board of Trustees, said the Board will engage a nationally recognized search firm to assist the University in conducting a search process that includes input from students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the university. Details on the search will be announced in the coming weeks.

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“Will has been an exceptional leader for Washington and Lee for almost a decade,” said Bacdayan. “From the moment he stepped on campus, he has exhibited a deep appreciation for W&L’s culture and distinctive strengths, which are encapsulated in the strategic plan that he developed in concert with the Board of Trustees and campus community. His commitment to expanding access and affordability was realized through Bill Miller’s extraordinary $132 million gift, which made the university need-blind in undergraduate admissions. He was also instrumental in expanding student opportunities, curricular programs, and campus facilities. Will is leaving W&L in a position of strength, and we are grateful for his dedication and service.”

As president of Washington and Lee, Dudley initiated a comprehensive strategic planning process to build on the university’s strengths while furthering initiatives in support of W&L’s aspiration to be a national model for liberal arts education in the 21st century. In 2024, the University launched the largest fundraising campaign in its history, Leading Lives of Consequence, with a $650 million goal. The campaign has raised over $568 million to date and is ahead of schedule for a successful conclusion in June 2027.

Throughout his tenure at W&L, Dudley prioritized student access, affordability, and opportunity, implementing need-blind undergraduate admissions and boosting enrollment among first-generation, low-income, and rural student populations. The university expanded financial support for faculty-mentored research and study abroad and enhanced its curriculum with new minors in data science, entrepreneurship, legal studies, and arts management, and the creation of the DeLaney Center for the study of Southern race relations, culture, and politics. Critical facilities added to the campus include the Duchossois Athletic and Recreation Center; the new academic building for the Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics; the Lindley Center for Student Wellness; and the Harte Center for Teaching and Learning. Plans are underway for a new Admissions and Financial Aid center, an institutional history museum, and an expanded and renovated science center.

Dudley became the 27th president of Washington and Lee in January 2017, after serving for five years as the provost of his alma mater, Williams College. In that role, he oversaw academic operations, allocated college resources, and helped to establish priorities for Teach It Forward: The Campaign for Williams, which raised more than $750 million.

A respected leader in higher education, Dudley currently serves on the boards of the Annapolis Group of Liberal Arts Colleges, the Associated Colleges of the South, and the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges.  He received a gubernatorial appointment to the board of trustees of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in 2010 and served as the vice-chair in 2015-16.

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Dudley earned a B.A. in mathematics and philosophy, magna cum laude, from Williams College in 1989, where he was captain of the water polo team, a member of the swim team, and the recipient of a Herchel Smith Fellowship to study at Cambridge University from 1989 to 1990. Dudley worked for AES from 1990 to 1992 before pursuing graduate studies at Northwestern University, where he earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. in philosophy.

His scholarship focuses on 19th-century German philosophy. Dudley is the author of two books — “Understanding German Idealism” (2007) and “Hegel, Nietzsche and Philosophy: Thinking Freedom” (2002) — the editor of volumes on Kant and Hegel, and has published numerous scholarly articles. He received fellowships in support of his research from the American Council of Learned Societies and the Humboldt Foundation.

Dudley joined the Williams College faculty in 1998, teaching courses on moral and political philosophy, metaphysics and epistemology, the philosophy and economics of higher education, and the spiritual significance of sports. At W&L, he teaches an annual seminar on virtue ethics and liberal arts education.

“Washington and Lee is an extraordinary university, with tremendous momentum,” said Dudley. “It has been my honor and pleasure to serve as the president. I treasure my relationships with W&L students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents, and I am thankful for the opportunity to be part of this exceptional place.”

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FBI makes arrest in investigation into pipe bombs placed in DC on eve of Jan. 6 riot, AP source says – WTOP News

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FBI makes arrest in investigation into pipe bombs placed in DC on eve of Jan. 6 riot, AP source says – WTOP News


The arrest marks the first time investigators have settled on a suspect in an act that had long vexed law enforcement, spawned a multitude of conspiracy theories and remained an enduring mystery in the shadow of the dark chapter of American history that is the violent Capitol siege.

FILE – Images from an FBI poster seeking a suspect who allegedly placed pipe bombs in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (FBI via AP, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI made an arrest on Thursday in its nearly 5-year-old investigation into who placed pipe bombs in Washington on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.

The arrest marks the first time investigators have settled on a suspect in an act that had long vexed law enforcement, spawned a multitude of conspiracy theories and remained an enduring mystery in the shadow of the dark chapter of American history that is the violent Capitol siege.

The official who described the arrest was not authorized to publicly discuss a case that has not yet been made public and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The arrest took place Thursday morning, and the suspect is a man, the official said. No other details were immediately available, including the charges the man might face.

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The pipe bombs were placed on the evening of Jan. 5, 2021, near the offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees in the District of Columbia. Nobody was hurt before the bombs were rendered safe, but the FBI has said both devices could have been lethal.

In the years since, investigators have sought the public’s help in identifying a shadowy subject seen on surveillance camera even as they struggled to determine answers to basic questions, including the person’s gender and motive and whether the act had a clear connection to the riot at the Capitol a day later when supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the building in a bid to halt the certification of the Republican’s 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Seeking a breakthrough, the FBI last January publicized additional information about the investigation, including an estimate that the suspect was about 5-foot-7, as well as previously unreleased video of the suspect placing one of the bombs.

The bureau had for years struggled to pinpoint a suspect despite hundreds of tips, a review of tens of thousands of video files and a significant number of interviews.

In the absence of harder evidence, Republican lawmakers and right-wing media outlets promoted conspiracy theories about the pipe bombs. House Republicans also criticized security lapses, questioning how law enforcement failed to detect the bombs for 17 hours. Dan Bongino, the current FBI deputy director, floated the possibility last year before being tapped for his job that the act was an “inside job” and involved a “massive cover-up.”

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But since arriving at the FBI in March, he has sought to deliver action to a restive base on the far right by promising that the pipe bombs investigation would be a top priority and defending the bureau’s work.

“We brought in new personnel to take a look at the case, we flew in police officers and detectives working as TFOs (task force officers) to review FBI work, we conducted multiple internal reviews, held countless in person and SVTC meetings with investigative team members, we dramatically increased investigative resources, and we increased the public award for information in the case to utilize crowd-sourcing leads,” he wrote in a long post on X last month.

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© 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.



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