Atlantic Division teams look internationally for help in NBA draft

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Atlantic Division teams look internationally for help in NBA draft

2025-06-27 10:30 Last Updated At：10:40

The Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division was expected to have a lot of activity in free agency this summer.

The NBA draft provided an early glimpse at just how serious its teams are about building rosters to be contenders at the top of the conference next season.

The Boston Celtics' four-year reign atop the division is in jeopardy in 2025-26 as the 2024 NBA champions begin the season without star Jayson Tatum following Achilles tendon surgery, and after Celtics jettisoned core players Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in salary cost-cutting moves.

It made the first round of the NBA draft the first opportunity for another team to stake their claim to being the pride of the division.

The Philadelphia 76ers had the highest pick of any Atlantic team and used it to get a defensive stalwart in Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe third overall. They followed that up early in the second round Thursday by picking up Auburn All-American Johni Broome.

The Brooklyn Nets were one of the most active teams, using each of the five picks they owned when the first round opened. They used a chunk of them to acquire players who have experience overseas, starting with BYU’s Egor Demin, originally from Russia, at No. 8.

The Celtics also looked internationally for their first-round pick, taking Spain’s Hugo González 28th overall in the first round.

The New York Knicks, who eliminated Boston in the conference semifinals, didn’t have a first-round pick after trading their 2025 first-round pick to the Nets as part of the Mikal Bridges trade.

Needs: An athletic player to pair with a core led by Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Who they drafted: Edgecombe at No. 3, Broome at No. 35.

NBA comparisons: Known for his defensive prowess, Edgecombe is a sneaky good scorer, which is reminiscent of Boston’s Derrick White.

Needs: It’s shaping up to be a busy offseason for the Nets, who are loaded with salary cap space to go after some veteran players. But they entered the draft with a need for offensive creativity, firepower and rebounding.

Who they drafted: The Nets’ picks had a very international flavor. After Demin, they added Nolan Traoré out of France at No. 19 and Germany’s Ben Saraf at No. 26. They also received the rights to swingman Drake Powell, who was selected 22nd overall. The Nets ended the first round taking Michigan forward Danny Wolf at No. 27. They selected Arkansas' Adou Thiero 36th overall and traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers.

NBA comparisons: Demin is a lengthy scorer like Chicago's Josh Giddey. Traoré’s passing ability has shades of John Wall. Saraf’s multi-faceted ability on the court is like that of Manu Ginobili. Powell’s game is reminiscent of Cleveland’s Isaac Okoro, but with a lot more explosiveness. Wolf has been compared to Kelly Olynyk.

Needs: The best available talent to team up with Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, with the goal of getting the Raptors back into the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Size or outside shooting were among several notable needs.

Who they drafted: The Raptors took South Carolina sophomore Collin Murray-Boyles with the ninth pick. The 6-foot-7 forward is a physical defender and rebounder — he was one of five SEC players last season to average at least 15 points and five rebounds per game. Besides Jakob Poeltl, Toronto didn’t have a dependable rim protector on the roster. Murray-Boyles might fit that bill. In the second round they added Florida guard Alijah Martin with the 39th overall pick.

NBA comparisons: The ESPN broadcast of the draft noted the striking physical similarities shared by Murray-Boyles and four-time All-Star Draymond Green — their height, weight and wingspan are virtually identical. While comparisons to an NBA Defensive Player of the Year may be tough to live up to, Murray-Boyles does offer a mix of the same skillset as Green, a shot-blocker and rebounder who can also pile up steals.

Needs: After trading Porzingis in a move to get under the second luxury tax apron, and with Luke Kornet and Al Horford both free agents, Boston entered the draft in need of a big man. They also needed some guard depth after trading Holiday.

Who they drafted: González from Spain’s Real Madrid. Boston opened the second round by trading the 32nd overall pick to Orlando in exchange for four second-rounders, including two on Thursday. The Celtics used them to grab Kentucky’s Amari Williams at No. 46 and Virginia Commonwealth's Max Shulga at No. 57.

NBA comparisons: González won’t wow as a scorer, but he improved in each of his three seasons as a pro in Spain. He’s been described in the mold of Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Needs: Wing depth to fill out their rotation.

Who they drafted: The Knicks took Nevada wing Kobe Sanders with the 50th overall pick Thursday, which they previously acquired from Memphis. That pick was swapped with the Los Angeles Clippers, who chose French forward Mohamed Diawara for the Knicks at No. 51. New York’s own 2025 second-round pick was rescinded as a penalty from the NBA for tampering during Jalen Brunson’s free agency signing in 2022.

AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney, AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston and freelancer Ian Harrison contributed to this report.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

Asia rings in 2026 and Australia is defiant after its worst mass shooting

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Auckland was the first major city to ring in 2026 with a fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, followed by a defiant celebration in Australia in the aftermath of its worst mass shooting.

South Pacific countries were the first to bid farewell to 2025. Clocks stuck midnight in Auckland 18 hours before the famous ball drop in New York’s Times Square. The five-minute display involved 3,500 fireworks.

Australia’s east coast welcomed 2026 two hours after New Zealand. In Sydney, the country's largest city, celebrations were held under the pall of Australia’s worst mass shooting in almost 30 years. Two gunmen targeted a Hannukah celebration at Bondi Beach on Dec. 14, killing 15 and wounding 40.

A heavy police presence monitored the thousands who thronged to the waterfront to watch a fireworks show centered on the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Many officers openly carried rapid-fire rifles, a first for the annual event.

An hour before midnight, the massacre victims were commemorated with a minute of silence while images of a menorah were projected on the bridge pylons. The crowd was invited to show solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns urged Sydney residents not to stay away through fear, saying extremists would interpret smaller crowds at New Year’s Eve festivities as a victory.

“We have to show defiance in the face of this terrible crime and say that we’re not going to be cowered by this kind of terrorism,” he said.

In Indonesia, one of Australia’s nearest neighbors, cities scaled back festivities as a gesture of solidarity with communities devastated by floods and landslides that struck parts of Sumatra island a month ago, claiming more than 1,100 lives.

The capital, Jakarta, was not ringing in 2026 with its usual fanfare, choosing subdued celebrations with a program centered on prayers for victims, city Gov. Pramono Anung said last week.

Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin urged residents of one of Indonesia’s largest cities to forgo parties, calling for prayer and reflection. "Empathy and restraint are more meaningful than fireworks and crowds,” he said.

Concerts and fireworks on Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali were canceled and replaced with a cultural arts event featuring traditional dances.

Hong Kong, too, was ringing in 2026 without the usual spectacle in the sky over iconic Victoria Harbor, after a massive fire in November killed at least 161 people.

The facades of eight landmarks were turning into giant countdown clocks presenting a three-minute light show at midnight.

Many parts of Asia welcome the new year by observing age-old traditions.

In Japan, crowds were gathering at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo for a bell striking at midnight. In the South Korean capital, Seoul, a bell tolling and countdown ceremony were being held at the Bosingak Pavilion.

Tourists and Berliners alike marked the end of 2025 by enjoying snowfall, taking selfies and making snowmen in front of the German capital's cathedral and the iconic Brandenburg Gate. The Berlin TV Tower was nearly invisible thanks to the falling flakes and fog.

Greece and Cyprus were ringing in 2026 by turning down the volume, replacing traditional fireworks with low-noise pyrotechnics, light shows and drone displays in capital cities. Low-noise fireworks avoid the explosive bursts that generate the loud cracks of traditional displays.

Officials in the countries said the change is intended to make celebrations more welcoming for children and pets, particularly animals sensitive to loud noise.

Police in New York City will have additional anti-terrorism measures at the Times Square ball drop, with “mobile screening teams” in search of suspicious activity. It is not in response to a specific threat, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

After the ball drops in Times Square, it will rise once again, sparking in red, white and blue, to mark the country’s upcoming 250th birthday celebration. It will be one of several patriotic flourishes throughout the night, organizers said.

Zohran Mamdani will take office as mayor at the start of 2026. Two swearing-in ceremonies are planned, starting with a private ceremonial event around midnight in an old subway station.

Saaliq reported from New Delhi, India. Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.