Midday Rumble: Shamorie Ponds cut from USA hoops, other quick hits

Shamorie Ponds and Jordan Tucker both were cut from the USA's Under-18 team training camp.

...But at least we got an Instagram pic...

..and a shoutout between basketball buddies ponds and Jordan Tucker, who was a player St. John’s had really wanted for 2017.

[There was a photo, but it was deleted. Trust me! It was there!]

For his part, Jordan Tucker says "Shamorie played good, he's gonna score it" to Zagsblog. Maybe there's a chance to snag Tucker!

Meanwhile, Incoming forward Richard Freudenberg is in New York City.He's not here for summer session (we don't think), because he needs to go back to Germany for their Under-18 FIBA Tournament later this summer.

St. John's women's hoops wing Danaejah Grant has signed with an Austrian team, Vienna’s Flying Foxes SVS Post in the Austrian Women’s Basketball League. She scored nearly 20 points per game last year for Joe Tartamella's squad and was drafted by the Washington Mystics with the 31st pick. But she did not make the opening day roster for the WNBA side.

In baseball, St. John's 2B Ty Blankmeyer, the coach's son, was selected in the 36th round of the MLB draft, following Thomas Hackimer's 4th round selection. Relief pitcher Joey Graziano also signed a free-agent contract.

The two were the only Red Storm players selected in the Draft, down from six last season.

This Bleacher Report slideshow (UGH, SLIDESHOW?) reminds us that there are very few sure-fire NBA players in next year's Big East - Kelan Martin, Jessie Govan and Edmond Sumner are the most intriguing names, while a number of others (like Josh Hart) are longshots to make the NBA, with a lack of quickness or size holding them back.

There's nothing wrong with being like D`Angelo Harrison or Ryan Arcidiacono. But a lack of NBA talent will definitely affect the preseason predictions of the league.

Xaverian coach Jack Alesi, who was an assistant when Chris Mullin played at the Brooklyn school (and who cut him from a sixth grade team), is retiring.

Butler will face Utah, Cincinnati, Vermont and Vanderbilt in their non-conference schedule, released today.

Outside the Big East

So Kentucky forward Derek Willis was arrested while sleeping off some bender on the side of the road next to his car. There's a police dashcam video, too! [h/t CBS Sports]

Pau Gasol is considering freezing his sperm to avoid risks having to do with the Zika virus in Brazil. Though he hasn't committed to playing for Spain.

David Wright is having surgery on his herniated disc in his neck. That’s a pretty serious surgery. He is likely out for the season for the New York Mets, and given some recent decline, the David Wright era may be coming to an end sooner than later.