Makings of greatness? | Sports Daily Newsletter

There’s a decent chance that the top overall pick in the next NHL draft is playing right now for the Penn State Nittany Lions.

And if the Flyers keep playing as poorly as they’ve been lately, there’s a chance they’ll be able to draft him.

Gavin McKenna, 18, is an immensely talented prospect from the Yukon who is starting to live up to the hype as a Penn State freshman. He has racked up seven goals and seven assists in the last eight Nittany Lions games.

Penn State coach Guy Gadowsky sees the makings of greatness: “He’s extremely quick. He thinks the game differently. And you can see when there are drills that are game-specific, he uses time and space in a very unique way. … When you think [he’s] out of time and space, he manipulates it, and that’s what is really amazing to watch.”

NHL scouts have been watching for a long time. The Flyers, losers of 11 of their last 13 games, might have a shot at landing McKenna. According to Tankathon, they have a 7.4% chance of landing the first or second pick in the draft lottery. If they land him, maybe they can start over. Again.

— Jim Swan, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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❓Who was the best first-round pick ever in Philadelphia sports? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

The 76ers are without Paul George for 25 games. So what comes next? Well, aside from two months without one of their most versatile players, there is also the trade deadline, a moment for the Sixers to reset and prepare for life without George.

The Sixers do have an easier path to get under the luxury tax now that they will be awarded a $5.9 million tax variance as the forward serves his unpaid suspension. But there is still the on-court product, which can be improved at the deadline as well. The Inquirer’s Gina Mizell took a look at the team’s most movable contracts, an exercise that provides a glimpse into the Sixers’ opportunity to succeed on both counts.

The Sixers extended their winning streak to four games with a 128-113 win over the Clippers behind a career night from Dominick Barlow.

Sean Couturier ranks third in franchise history in games played, 10th in assists, 12th in points, and was the Selke Trophy winner in 2020. Not too shabby.

But the veteran forward can’t get anything going at the moment, as Couturier has just five points since the turn of the year, and has not scored a goal in 27 games. Even more frustrating for him, he’s getting the chances, as evidenced by various analytic metrics.

Demoted to the fourth line, the captain is hoping that “getting back to the basics” will help him finally find a breakthrough.

Upon signing with the Phillies as a free agent in 2024, Whit Merrifield figured he would get regular at-bats at multiple positions.

It didn’t work out that way.

Surely, then, Merrifield could relate to the deterioration of Nick Castellanos’ relationship with manager Rob Thomson last season over playing time, the fallout of which will lead the Phillies to trade or release Castellanos before spring training.

Merrifield, who retired last season, recently joined Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast, to discuss that topic and more.

The Eagles will have some holes that need filling when the NFL draft arrives in April. The team’s scouting staff got a closer look at top prospects over the last two weeks at workouts for the East-West Shrine Bowl and the Senior Bowl. Our Devin Jackson covered all the action. He offers an in-depth look at the all-star game process and gives his take on several players who could fit in with the Eagles.

Quick, name the last Pro Bowl that had relevance for Eagles fans. How about the 2014 version, when Nick Foles was named offensive MVP? It was still played in Honolulu then, and the game still resembled tackle football. These days, the Pro Bowl is a flag football game, which is relevant because the sport will make its debut at the 2028 Olympics.

The game will be played in San Francisco tonight at 8 (ESPN), with a seven-on-seven format and five Eagles slated for action. Two former Eagles, DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick, will serve as offensive coordinators. Who’s in for the Birds? Olivia Reiner has all the details here.

This shouldn’t need to be said, but the Sixers aren’t going to trade VJ Edgecombe for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Nor should they. Which also shouldn’t need to be said.

To understand Edgecombe’s immense present and future value, you have to watch him on the court. It’s incredibly rare for a 20-year-old rookie to average 35.6 minutes per night for a team that is six games over .500 and has a legitimate chance to make a playoff run. It’s even rarer for said rookie to do it with the maturity and grace that Edgecombe exhibits at both ends of the court. And it’s rarer still for a rookie to possess that veteran-level basketball IQ while also possessing such an electric athletic upside. More from David Murphy.

Who was the first 76er to be named NBA rookie of the year? First with the correct answer here will be featured in the newsletter.

A) Hal Greer

B) Allen Iverson

C) Charles Barkley

D) Jerry Stackhouse

We asked: What’s your reaction to Paul George’s suspension? Among your responses:

Same old Sixers. They have been cursed throughout the “Process.” Just as they were jelling as a team, news of the suspension. Is Paul George finished? Were the supplements needed to keep his body from breaking down? Hard to get excited about the playoffs. — Bob C.

Find a place to trade him. If he is that stupid to take illegal drugs, who needs him. Has never helped. — Jim C.

... I think George got off lightly with a 25-game suspension. There are no excuses for any of the players who get caught. They all know the rules. ... The rules are what they are and anyone (Philly athletes included) should be suspended and fined when caught. — Everett S.

I’m flabbergasted and extremely disappointed! With the sizable financial resources he has along with the vast medical resources available to him through the team and players association, it is unconscionable that he wasn’t aware of the consequences of what he was putting into his body. To us mere mortals the NBA fine is almost unthinkable, but will have zero bearing on his lifestyle. Unfortunately, this won’t be the last time we hear a similar story. — Jim V.

My reaction is the same as when they signed him. Why are the Sixers paying multi-millions of dollars to someone who never plays? Honestly, when it comes to dedicated professional athletes who give it their all every night, the NBA has become a disgrace. How it continues to function is beyond amazing. — Bob A.

If it was doping, then it’s both insulting and frankly suspicious how quickly he *and the organization* played up the open-shut case look. ... So I’ll say it, considering all the other malarkey this franchise has put us through in modern times, I’m just praying that there wasn’t involvement from team representatives ... — D.W.S

Paul George has a mental health problem and the NBA gets to decide which of those drugs are in his best interest. Did this not happen to the Phillies over drugs last year? Do the employees of these organizations also have to adhere to these policies? Certainly not. ... — Richard C.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Greg Finberg, Keith Pompey, Gina Mizell, Gabriela Carroll, Scott Lauber, Devin Jackson, Olivia Reiner, Ariel Simpson, and David Murphy.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Thank you for reading our newsletter. Bella will be back to bring you Sports Daily on Wednesday. — Jim