WITHOUT SHULGA AT VCU ... DOUBTFUL ODOM GOES TO VIRGINIA

 By the way ...

It would not be a stretch to suggest RYAN ODOM owes a 

lot to “bashful” MAX SHULGA who was chosen in the 

second round of the NBA draft by Orlando, acting on behalf 

of the Boston Celtics … for whom the 2024-25 A-10 player 

of the year and playoffs’ MVP should be a welcomed 

addition … On arrival at VCU two years ago, Odom found a 

group of talented but me-first players. Enter Shulga, who 

followed Odom from Utah State … a tough kid who could 

pass and shoot but, most of all, helped Odom turn the Rams 

into a share-the-ball, cohesive winner.

On the day he was introduced as new University of Virginia 

coach, Odom reacted to a throw-away line … ‘I doubt you 

would be here now without Shulga.” … with instant 

agreement. “You are right about that,” Odom siad.

*** Here we thought COOPER FLAGG was making a 

mistake, getting $31 million in NIL money at Duke and still 

opting for the NBA … drafted No. 1 overall … with a four-

year rookie contract for $62.7M through 2028-29 … 

followed by a supermax extension that could result in 

$930M before calling it a career ...And, that does not include 

product endorsements. Ouch! … Wrong again, Jerry.

This is all you have to know what college athletics have 

become … Duke lost its entire starting five in the draft … 

and still rates among the two or three teams to beat for the 

2025-26 NCAA championship. The Blue Devils simply 

went out and bought – yes, PAID – more outstanding 

players.

*** How strange was the first round of the National Hockey 

League draft … when 12 teams did NOT have a pick? … 

Only No. 1 overall (to the New York Islanders), defenseman

 MATTHEW SCHAEFER, is considered a lock to play in 

the NHL right away. He apparently made quite an 

impression during pre-draft interviews … “a young man 

who will be easy to root for a long time,” said former player 

and coach TONY GRANATO on The NHL Network.

The NHL and players’ union agreed to a new four-year 

bargaining agreement  that commissioner GARY 

BETTMAN said covered “everything that was really 

important.” Like teams 

no longer can set a dress code for players before and after 

games. Wonderful! … Surprise! Not. SAM BENNETT

 (Panthers), TRENT FREDERIC (Oilers) and JOHN 

TAVARES (Maple Leafs) all were re-signed by their 

respective teams … despite being among a rather large 

number of free agents-to-be said to be bound for the New 

York Rangers by the Big Apple press.

Until next time ...