More Alston takes. This is not a sponsor note, but Richard Hoeg is a law-talking guy with an hour long podcast episode on the NCAA's "slow-motion suicide":

At the Ringer, Rodger Sherman:

Time and time again, the NCAA refuses to budge, even as its position becomes more untenable. They fought NIL to the bitter end, determined to keep athletes from receiving outside money even after it became clear that the NCAA’s side would lose. They fought in the Supreme Court to keep athletes from getting money for academic purchases, even though their argument was clearly legally doomed. The NCAA’s board of governors recently gave president Mark Emmert—a man who has dug in deep to keep the NCAA’s model alive, while also making a lot of other mistakes—a contract extension until 2025. (Like the Supreme Court’s decision, the choice to extend Emmert was also unanimous.) The NCAA remains fatalistically committed to its dying business model. They will happily drown, dragged to the bottom of the ocean with the last pennies they took from this system, rather than share a lifeboat with the athletes who play the games.

At CBS Sports, Matt Norlander:

The decision itself is not surprising. After the appeal for this case was heard in March, the questions and tones of the justices toward NCAA legal counsel indicated an anti-NCAA approach. The belief among the legal experts CBS Sports spoke with was that a 6-3 or perhaps even 7-2 decision in favor of Alston was most likely.

Instead, the NCAA got swept.

[After THE JUMP: Devante Jones floater time]

Devante Jones at the G-League camp. Reports out of it indicate he's doing well, hitting ludicrous floaters and drawing a lot of attention. Highlights:

Jonathan Givony praised his "great defense". Sam Vecenie said he was "awesome" but didn't list him amongst his top contributors at the event because he doesn't know if "15 foot floaters are that sustainable in NBA":

DeVante Jones’ close to the game was incredible. Just totally took over late. IDK if any of the wrong footed 15-foot floater stuff translates, but he was good.

Jones playing well against near-NBA competition level and still getting an indication he should go back to school is Michigan's best-case scenario. Jones pursuing pro options—something he's said he would prefer over Michigan if the NBA is interested enough—would be their worst-case scenario.

Here are Jones and Chaundee Brown in the aftermath of their win:

Once and future transfers.

Meanwhile, yeah! Do it, and by do it I mean don't do it. CBS lists Hunter Dickinson as one of four guys who should take another year in college:

It's a tired truth to most basketball fans by now that centers in the modern NBA need to be able to hoist 3-pointers and defend the pick-and-roll. Dickinson is no exception. He attempted only four 3-pointers this past season -- missing them all -- and will need to improve his lateral quickness and rough assist-to-turnover ratio before he's NBA ready. With the development of an outside shot and improvement of his off-hand around the rim, Dickinson can make himself valuable enough offensively to play through whatever defensive limitations may linger. But until those improvements happen, he'd be better playing for an elite college program than scrapping for playing time at the professional level. -- David Cobb

A return still seems like the most likely outcome here but I'm a little nervous.

Ouch. Michigan's AD projects a 62 million dollar budget deficit this year:

"You will see from our projections last year, we thought we would have about 50% (attendance)," Manuel said during Thursday's meeting. "Boy, was I wrong. ... It turned out to be zero. So that deficit, which was projected to be $26 million, we had actually said we thought it would be somewhere around $80 million, and through the hard work of everyone, we are presenting a $62.9 million deficit this year."

Hockey aside. Chris Heisenberg brings up a potential side effect of NCAA amateurism going by the wayside:

Where it will be interesting for hockey is in two areas. First, the ruling addresses only caps on payment, but its reasoning calls into question rules on amateurism - payments outside of school. Can the NCAA make players ineligible because they prev. were paid, or played pro?

— Chris Heisenberg (@CHeisenberg) June 22, 2021

The NCAA currently makes CHL players ineligible via some convoluted reasoning (you could play with signed players so the CHL is a professional league). The hockey community has fought to protect that even when the NCAA softened its rules about overseas players in other sports. It is possible that there's going to be a lawsuit in the future from a hockey player who played CHL and wants to play college, and that person will win, and then things might get weird.

Desmond auditions. Via Dr. Sap:

So now we know that @DesmondHoward wasn’t just trying to win the Heisman Trophy in 1991 - he was obviously auditioning for a gig on ESPN’s College Gameday! Spot on analysis of FSU, Des. I see you, as well @TimBrando .
Full clip here ⬇️:https://t.co/xKjCb1gtQV pic.twitter.com/le9yoWUMii

— Dr. Sap (@DrSap4UM) June 22, 2021

Anyone want to throw a shoe? Watch Bengals games this fall maybe:

Bengals OC Brian Callahan on 6th-round rookie RB Chris Evans. “He’s got the most natural hands for a running back that I’ve ever been around." https://t.co/bVEqXyiltk

— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) June 22, 2021

If Nico Collins gets 100 targets and Chris Evans eats up wheel routes I'm going to click on basketball recruiting content even harder.

Final rankings. Scott Wheeler released his final NHL draft rankings, which has the usual set of Michigan players in the top ten but also gets down to #100. We've seen the scouting on Owen Power (Wheeler's #1 prospect), Kent Johnson (#2), Matt Beniers (#4), and Luke Hughes(#7), but Michigan has a couple other fringe first-round prospects in this class who are a little less familiar. Dylan Duke (#32) in particular sounds like exactly the kind of guy Michigan can use:

Duke’s a stocky player with a nose for the net who plays bigger than his size, stays on top of pucks when he’s being leaned on, and always seems to be open. There are mixed opinions on how his game will translate, though. I’ve had at least one source say they prefer Duke to Pastujov, and another say they wouldn’t take Duke in the draft’s first two rounds due to worries about his average footspeed. I’m a big believer, though. He plays an impressive 200-foot game, he’s tenacious, he loves to drive the crease and make plays into bodies, he regularly outmuscles bigger opponents, and he’s got quick hands and a wrist shot that can cleanly beat goalies from mid-range. He’s not going to be a one-and-done, or even two-and-done player in college (especially with the depth the Wolverines have, which may mean it takes him some time to get opportunities atop the lineup), but I wouldn’t be surprised if he becomes one of the NCAA’s top forwards as an upperclassman. If he can improve upon his acceleration, that’ll go a long way.

Chicago Steel F Mackie Samoskevich comes in at #27:

His ability with the puck and the speed with which he’s able to execute both rank among the very best in this draft. His feet and hands can both keep up with one another, turning defenders on their heels (and sometimes inside out). There’s a genius to his game that allows him to see plays through layers that others don’t, and then he’s got the finesse needed to feather saucer passes off of his forehand and backhand and execute them. I love the way he moves inside the offensive zone and the high tempo he plays with. And while he’s not a big player, I wouldn’t categorize him as small or weak, with decent strength through the base of his stride that allows him to keep sequences alive.

Forward Tyler Haskins makes Wheeler's honorable mention list, which places him in the 100-170 range and suggests he'll get drafted in the mid to late rounds.

 

Fantilli update. Adam Fantilli finished his first season with the Steel, winning the USHL's playoff MVP award, and now considers his future:

"I want to advance my game in every way possible," he said. "And Chicago is the best spot in the world for me to do that right now." …

In the interest of due diligence, the Toronto native has made a couple of campus visits already, checking out the University of Michigan and the University of North Dakota. Older brother Luca Fantilli, who played defense for the Steel this year, is committed to the Wolverines himself, but Adam also hasn't shut the door on the OHL (the Saginaw Spirit currently own his major junior rights).

Needless to say, wherever he ends up, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Fantilli will be bringing an elite set of tools with him.

"Athletically, he's a freak," said one NHL scout. "He's an NHL body right now. He's big, long, explosive, fast and skilled."

There were some rumors he might accelerate such that he'd spend two years in the OHL or college before getting drafted. Those appear to be dispelled. He'll be back with the Steel for his D-1 year, and it seems like he's leaning towards college. Fingers crossed.

Portillo profiled. The Buffalo News talks Erik Portillo, Sabres draft pick and Michigan's new starting goaltender:

"He's really good," Shields said of Portillo. "I love him as a goalie and a person. He's a gamer. Aside from the fact he has all the physical tools, the things he needs to improve on are all teachable in terms of save selection, skating, his work around the crease, tracking the puck. The things you can't teach -- the competitiveness and ability to not be nervous -- he's got already. ... When you see that in a goalie, it's usually a really good sign. And if you combine that with the fact he's got the size and he's got that fire, it's only a matter of time for him to put it all together. It's not going to take him long."

Etc.: The pandemic is now truly over. Drug tests now too good? Frank Clark can't keep his guns out of sight? The five most efficient WRs in the Big Ten over the last three years… actually nevermind don't find out. A rare New York Times "don't click here."