Huge development as Richard Hughes secures deal for forward

June 14, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

Liverpool has become renowned as one of the finest finishing schools for young talent around.

The progress made by Rio Ngumoha - and to a lesser extent Trey Nyoni - pays testament to that. Both are well established in and around the outgoing Premier League champions’ first-team squad with Ngumoha, 17, recently making his England debut.

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The danger for the club around underage talents is that they can end up being lured away before securing professional deals. A move for Vincent Joseph - for example - has now been mooted and Liverpool will be devastated to lose him.

But they have managed to secure what has been described as a “huge development” in tying down Joshua Abe to his scholar deal.

Joshua Abe deal is a huge development

Abe, 15, has been with Liverpool since the age of 4 - progressing steadily through the age groups. Last season he even made it to UEFA Youth League level - as well as featuring prominently for the club’s Under-18 Premier League side.

The winger’s injury suffered in March ended his season early - leading to fears he’d been seen in a Liverpool shirt for the final time.

Real Madrid rolled out the red carpet for the England U16 international while Manchester City’s interest was deemed the strongest among all top-flight clubs.

Liverpool however won the race for Abe - who has already spent time in and around the club’s first-team ranks. And now the Liverpool Echo is reporting that Abe’s signature is a massive boost for the Reds.

Joshua Abe set for place on preseason tour

“Liverpool's ability to fend off interest from Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United for Joshua Abe has been viewed as a huge development,” the report reads.

Once he fully recovers from his leg injury it would appear that Abe will be integrated into the first-team setup.

With so many senior players out of the start of preseason owing to their participation at the ongoing FIFA World Cup he will be given a chance to stake his claim over the summer months.

“Liverpool have now allocated a senior squad number for Abe, meaning the teenager will wear the No.40 during the Reds' pre-season tour of the United States this summer.

“It's a huge opportunity for Abe to acquaint himself with the first-team setup.” Ngumoha debuted for the seniors aged only 16 and with Abe due to celebrate his birthday next month he could soon follow suit.

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NBA mock draft 2026: Who should OKC Thunder select with No. 12 pick?

June 14, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

The OKC Thunder has three picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, which will be from June 23-24.

OKC owns picks No. 12 (via the Los Angeles Clippers), No. 17 (via the Philadelphia 76ers) and No. 37 (via the Dallas Mavericks). It's looking to add to a roster that reached the Western Conference Finals this past season.

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There's a chance that the Thunder doesn't use all three picks since roster spots are limited. It could package some to move up in the draft or trade for future picks.

But in this article, we'll look at five prospects OKC could select with pick No. 12:

Who should Thunder select with No. 12 pick in 2026 NBA Draft?

Nate Ament, Tennessee

Ament fits a player prototype that every team is looking for. He's a 6-foot-10 forward with a 6-11.5 wingspan, and he's a capable ball handler and shooter. Of course, his game still needs to be polished. The 19-year-old wasn't efficient in his lone season at Tennessee, going 39.9% from the field and 33.3% from deep, and he isn't a very aggressive finisher around the rim. But OKC develops young talent as well as any team in the NBA, and it could have a gem on its hands if it can maximize Ament's potential.

Aday Mara, Michigan

Mara is another prospect with elite measurements. He's a 7-3 center who boasts a 7-6 wingspan and a 9-9 standing reach. That alone is enough to get a team's attention, especially an OKC team that just had its hands full defending San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama. And while Mara could certainly help in that matchup with his rim protecting and rebounding, there's also an impressive level of skill to his game. He has good floor vision and passing skills at his position. Mara still needs to get stronger and be more physical, but the potential is there.

Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

OKC's wings are really guards who can size up defensively, from Lu Dort to Jalen Williams to Alex Caruso. It could use someone with more traditional size, and Lendeborg could be that guy. He's a 6-9 forward with a 7-3.25 wingspan, and he can defend multiple positions. Lendeborg is also a great connecting piece on offense, capable of making passes and spacing the floor. He even shot 52.9% from 3-point range in his last 11 college games. Lendeborg is 23, but that shouldn't deter an OKC team that has plenty of young talent. He's someone who could plug in and play right away.

Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan

Johnson is another intriguing Michigan product. He's a bit undersized as a 6-9 forward/center, but he makes up for that with a 7-3.5 wingspan. He also has a valuable combination of speed and strength, making him a switchable defender. Johnson is mostly a play finisher on offense. He's a rim runner and a putback pro, which helped him shoot 62.3% from the field as a sophomore last season. Johnson is still working on extending his range and reading the floor better with his passes, but his defensive versatility and energy would make him a good fit in OKC.

Hannes Steinbach, Washington

Steinbach is a bruising big man who averaged 11.8 rebounds as a freshman last season, which led all Division I players. He's immovable down low, and that also helps him finish around the rim with good efficiency. But Steinbach isn't all brute force. He has solid mobility, good touch and even some upside as a floor spacer. The latter will be a key part of his development, along with becoming a better rim protector. Still, his work on the glass could help an OKC team that has struggled in that department, and his offensive skills at that size are promising.

Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Who should OKC Thunder select with No. 12 pick in 2026 NBA Draft?

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Nine-year-old Australian girl on holiday in Pakistan shot dead in case of mistaken identity

June 14, 2026 · The Independent

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