The Rock Chalkboard

What will Gradey Dick bring to Lawrence?
The 6-foot-7, 195-pound small forward from Wichita (Kan.) is Kansas' second commitment of the 2022 class joining four-star prospect Kyle Cuffe. Dick chose the Jayhawks over finalists Alabama, Baylor, Florida, Illinois, Oklahoma State, Purdue and Texas Tech.

247Sports expert breaks down new KU basketball commit Gradey Dick
From that perspective, Dick will have somewhat of an advantage. He plays for a Sunrise Christian team that features other top talent in Brown, five-star 2021 point guard Kennedy Chandler and four-star 2021 forward (and KU signee) Zach Clemence. Sunrise has played games on national television and against top competition, including an overtime win at Montverde Academy, the No. 1-ranked program in the country.

KU basketball 'can get a lot out of' UTEP game, Bill Self says
Bill Self had a delicate line to walk. The KU basketball coach didn't want his team to be punished, so to speak, for getting all its games in during the regular season. The Big 12 slate had left an extra week at the end of the year for makeup games, something the No. 13 Jayhawks (18-8, 12-6 Big 12) did not need after wrapping up their conference slate on Saturday.

What 4-star 2022 SF Gradey Dick said about committing to KU basketball
"We just really clicked," Dick told 247Sports. "I can really see him being my coach. It is nice to have a coach like that and to be able to play how you really want to play."

The importance of KU basketball landing new 2022 commit Gradey Dick
KU basketball landed its second 2022 commitment on Wednesday, adding four-star wing Gradey Dick to the fold. Dick announced the news Wednesday evening, telling 247Sports the Jayhawks "were the most genuine" of the schools that recruited him.

Four-star junior Gradey Dick goes with the Jayhawks
“I’ve known in my gut for a while kind of where I want to go so if I knew and didn’t think my mind was going to change, I didn’t see any reason to wait," Dick told 247Sports. "I’m going to Kansas.”

Bryce Thompson gaining confidence, comfort as postseason nears
Thompson is typically one of the first subs off the bench, and he has played at least 15 minutes in five of the team's last six games. He scored 11 points, one off a season-high, in a loss at Texas on Feb. 23. In that game, he played 20 minutes, eight off his career-best (28 minutes vs. Gonzaga).

Bits o Chalk

Major League Baseball to have annual Lou Gehrig Day on June 2
Major League Baseball will hold a sportwide Lou Gehrig Day starting this season, honoring the Hall of Fame New York Yankees first baseman whose grace and courage fighting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis inspired a group of those affected by the disease to make June 2 synonymous with him.

Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert blast officiating of Utah Jazz games
"First off, you know, give the 76ers credit. They played a hard game. Joel [Embiid] did what he does, and at the end of the day, they're a good team. We competed. But it's tough. It's tough to go out there and see how we fight and compete, and to have a game like that taken from us," Mitchell said following Wednesday night's contest.

Syracuse's Jim Boeheim derides reporter over height, credibility following win over Clemson
"But if I'd played Jesse and Kadary, we'd probably be 22-2 now," Boeheim said after Wednesday's win. "I just didn't see that. Couldn't figure it out by myself after 45 years. I need a reporter to figure that out ... who has never played basketball and is 5-foot-2."

Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid states case for defensive hardware in all-around gem vs. Utah Jazz
"As we saw tonight, it looks like I was very, very scared of him," Embiid said, his voice dripping in sarcasm. "So, yeah, keep talking.

Brooklyn Nets' James Harden gets mixed response from fans in return to Houston
"As far as playing in Houston, a lot of mixed emotions for the fans, but I knew that was going to happen," Harden said. "I just wanted to come out here and give them a show."

Eraser Dust

The best fast food fish sandwiches, ranked
Last month, when I was lucky enough to be one of the first to try the new Popeyes Cajun Flounder Sandwich, I realized that many of you also enjoy your annual voyage on the batter-dipped, fishy seas. So I set out to try every fish sandwich on today’s fast food market over the course of 10 days or so. A feast of the seven fishes, if you will. (Quick note: Chick-fil-A’s fish sandwich isn’t coming back this year, and we only included national—or mostly national—chains in our ranking.) Below, you’ll find the sandwiches ranked in order from best to worst, with a whole lot of fishy speculation in between.

How to Read a Room Service Menu Like an NBA Veteran - The Ringer
Whether a player is choosing from that (often prepackaged) spread or thumbing through the menu in their room after a late flight in, they find themselves parsing the hotel kitchen for the best choices available. Some prioritize lean, healthy foods; others, taste. Some stick to a regimented diet; others prefer to wander. In the tradition of Washingtonian’s dormant “How to Read a Menu Like a Food Critic” series, this is a guide of how to read a room service menu like an NBA veteran.

"Embarrassed" Cuomo apologizes for "pain I've caused," but says he won't resign as New York's governor - CBS News
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that he won't resign from office amid growing calls for him to step down over sexual harassment allegations. After a third woman came forward to allege inappropriate conduct, the governor said during a press conference he felt "embarrassed" for the "pain I've caused" and pledged to cooperate with an investigation led by the state attorney general.

Officials Put ‘Unusual’ Limits on D.C. National Guard Before Riot, Commander Says - The New York Times
Pentagon officials placed “unusual” restrictions on the D.C. National Guard before the Capitol riot, its commander told senators on Wednesday, saying the military leaders’ fears of a repeat of aggressive tactics used during racial justice protests last year slowed decision-making and squandered time as the violence by a pro-Trump mob escalated.

Elaine Chao Used DOT Resources For Personal Errands, Family Business, IG Report Says : NPR
In her time as former President Donald Trump's Transportation Secretary, Elaine Chao repeatedly used her position and agency staff to help family members that run a shipping business with ties to China, in potential violation of federal ethics laws, according to an inspector general report.

Kenan Thompson Says This "SNL" Guest Made The Cast "Uncomfortable"
The week after West was on the show, cast member Pete Davidson was featured in the "Weekend Update" segment, where he described West’s behavior as "one of the worst, most awkward things" he’d ever seen in the studio. And for a star who almost joined the cast, check out Jennifer Aniston Reveals the Real Reason She Rejected SNL.

In Myanmar Protests, Women Are on the Front Lines - The New York Times
Ma Kyal Sin loved taekwondo, spicy food and a good red lipstick. She adopted the English name Angel, and her father hugged her goodbye when she went out on the streets of Mandalay, in central Myanmar, to join the crowds peacefully protesting the recent seizure of power by the military.

The black T-shirt that Ms. Kyal Sin wore to the protest on Wednesday carried a simple message: “Everything will be OK.”

Roadmap to Reopening - Flathead Beacon
How to reopen schools? A “roadmap” to five-day-a-week in-person learning? In the Flathead Valley, that’s a road already well traveled. Buildings have been open and school has been in session for almost every student who has wanted it in Northwest Montana for the entire 2020-21 school year.

Kings of Leon Will Be the First Band to Release an Album as an NFT - Rolling Stone
A quick rundown: NFTs are a type of cryptocurrency, but instead of holding money, they can hold assets like art, tickets, and music. NFTs operate on a blockchain, which is a publicly accessible and transparent network — meaning anyone can see the details of any NFT transaction. Computers involved in the transactions become part of the network, which keeps updating and can’t be hacked due its nature as many-headed hydra. In the case of NFTs, their value becomes subjective and therefore fluctuates, kind of like stocks. (To learn more about the subject, read Rolling Stone‘s guide to crypto in music.)