Top prospect Joel Embiid had surgery on the stress fracture in his right foot Friday, and now he waits.
Kyle Turris Predators Jersey . He waits to see how far he falls in the NBA draft Thursday night. He waits to see how long it will be before he can hit the court again. He waits to see how he responds to an injury that has a history of giving NBA big men problems. The Kansas centre, who was in the running to be taken No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers, had two screws inserted into the navicular bone in his right foot at Southern California Orthopedic Institute, according to a release distributed by agent Arn Tellem. "The surgery went very well and Im confident that after appropriate healing he will be able to return to NBA basketball," said Dr. Richard Ferkel, who performed the surgery, said in the release. "Joel tolerated the surgery without difficulty and will begin his rehabilitation in the near future." While it is the same injury that Houston Rockets centre Yao Ming suffered twice and ultimately retired because of, its impossible to say how Embiid will recover this early in the process. Bill Walton also was slowed by the injury, but that was more than 30 years ago while Zydrunas Ilgauskas was able to make a full recovery from his broken navicular bone and resume a long and productive career. It is not immediately clear how long Embiid will be out, with estimations ranging from nine months to a full season depending on how the rehabilitation process goes. The lack of clarity has turned the top of the draft into a crapshoot. Kansas guard Andrew Wiggins and Duke forward Jabari Parker were the two names mentioned most often with Embiid at the top of the draft, with Australian point guard Dante Exum an intriguing, but largely unknown, long-shot possibility. A lithe and super-athletic 7-footer with nimble footwork and a soft shooting touch, Embiid has drawn comparisons to Hakeem Olajuwon and, after an impressive workout in front of NBA teams in California this month, seemed to be distancing himself from Wiggins and Parker in the eyes of many talent evaluators. But the Cavaliers passed on injured Kentucky big man Nerlens Noel with the No. 1 pick last year and are eager to get back into the playoffs after a four-year absence. So taking a chance on an injured Embiid may not be in their plans Thursday night and the Milwaukee Bucks, sitting at No. 2, could also use immediate help as they begin their first season under new ownership. That could drop Embiid to the Philadelphia 76ers, who are preaching patience in the second year of a massive tear-down and rebuild under GM Sam Hinkie. The Sixers acquired Noel, who was recovering from a torn ACL, on draft night last year and sat him out for the entire season. Could they take the same approach for a second straight season? Assuming a full recovery, an Embiid-Noel frontcourt with Michael Carter-Williams running the point could be a dynamic core to get the 76ers back to relevance in the wide open Eastern Conference. After the Sixers at No. 3, the Orlando Magic, Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers all wait in the wings. And so does Embiid.
Mattias Ekholm Predators Jersey . -- D.A. Points was disqualified Friday from the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am for using a training device while waiting to play the 18th hole at Pebble Beach.
Juuse Saros Predators Jersey . With the union re-formed, negotiations with owners will resume Friday on the remaining issues that would be in the collective bargaining agreement, according to a person familiar with the plans.Ahead of her professional mixed martial arts debut in 2007, Canadian Alexis Davis never could have imagined how far fighting would take her. Like many womens MMA pioneers, the Port Colborne, Ont. native didnt think she would get rich by slapping on a pair of four-ounce gloves. She simply wanted to test her skills against a tough opponent. Though her first outing saw her suffer a TKO loss to former Strikeforce champ and current UFC womens bantamweight Sarah Kaufman, Davis fell in love with the thrill of competition. She also knew she had what it took to be a champion. "I remember my first goal," Davis recalled recently. "I was like, Okay, I just want to get a belt. Then I got my first belt — I won a belt in amateur Muay Thai, I got my first jiu jitsu belt and I had my Raging Wolf (womens flyweight) belt. "Now the next step is to get that UFC belt." Following more than seven years competing against the best women fighters in the world — and amassing an impressive 16-5 record, which includes a 3-0 run since joining the UFC — Davis is now set to challenge UFC womens bantamweight titleholder Ronda Rousey in the co-main event of UFC 175 in Las Vegas July 5. As she prepares for the biggest fight of her life, Davis admitted she is still in awe of her journey to the spotlight. "Its been almost surreal for me," Davis said. "Obviously, I just started out like most people — I just kind of did it for fun. I never thought Id be living in California and be fighting for a UFC title. I just enjoyed it so much that I wanted to keep doing it. "Its crazy because Im a girl from a small town in Ontario, Canada and now I have all these huge opportunities. The world has kind of opened to me. I feel like Im almost in a dream world. Im just grateful for how far Ive come in life and the experiences Im able to have." Though Davis can fondly reminisce about her long road to the top, shes hardly standing around enjoying the view. Not only would a victory over Rousey mean bigger paydays, it would also allow her to join the ranks of Carlos Newton and Georges St-Pierre as the sole Canadian UFC champions. Davis said she aims to etch her name in the history books alongside the former welterweight titleholders. "(I was) the first Canadian woman to be signed with the UFC and now the first to fight for a title," Davis said. "The next step is to hopefully be the first one to bring that belt back home. "Tiimes really flying.
Matt Irwin Jersey. To have this opportunity in that short amount of time — and even to just be able to fight for a belt — it doesnt happen too often. I know the division is kind of small, but every single day its growing. Im just trying to live in the moment. This is my moment in time." Of course in order to get the job done, Davis has to become the first fighter to solve the riddle of Rousey. A 2008 Olympic judo bronze medalist and undefeated in MMA, Rousey has looked as unbeatable as any champion on the UFC roster. Early in her career you could pretty much set your watch to her winning via first-round armbar. However, in her last trip to the octagon four months ago, Rousey displayed a new edge to her game by dispatching Sara McMann with a vicious knee to the liver. Davis admitted she isnt completely sure what to expect from Rousey, but said she is ready for wherever the fight may take her. "Rondas progressed as a fighter," Davis said. "Now, I have to deal with a different side of her, too. Shes been working a lot on her standup, which we saw in her last fight with her hands, her footwork and her knees. So Im not quite sure what kind of style were going to see Ronda come out with. You kind of have to be prepared for everything." Though Rousey has made a career of finishing top fighters in violent fashion, Davis presents a tough challenge. A black belt in both Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Japanese Jujutsu, she is arguably the most skilled grappler Rousey has ever faced. Her Muay Thai background was also on full display during her dissection of Liz Carmouche in November. Davis said Rousey has never fought an opponent quite like her. "I feel like Im the most well-rounded fighter shes ever had to deal with," Davis said. "Im comfortable on my feet and Im also comfortable on the ground. "Im pretty much dangerous no matter what. Every single fight my Muay Thai gets better — dangerous kicks, dangerous strikes — along with the ground, as well. She hasnt fought a fighter with as many qualifications as I have. Either way, I think Im going to give her more of a challenge than shes ever had to face before." Davis said she plans to stun the MMA world. "(Fans) should expect complete chaos," Davis said. "Ronda has that style that brings out the best in me, where shes constantly adding pressure and on the attack. Its going to be a very fast-paced, non-stop fight." ' ' '