Barlow signs with Cumberland Phoenix

Former Washington State and Villanova guard TJ Bamba is transferring to Oregon, The Athletic reported Thursday. Bamba appeared to confirm his move to the Ducks by posting three duck emojis on X. He played three seasons with the Cougars before averaging 10.1 points in 33 starts for the Wildcats in 2023-24. Bamba has averaged 9.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 119 career games (84 starts). The 6-foot-3 New York native is a career 38.0 percent shooter from beyond the arc with 144 made 3-pointers. --Field Level Media

Big East Most Improved Player Desmond Claude has committed to Southern California. Claude, who played in 69 games (35 starts) in two seasons at Xavier, elected to join the Trojans under new head coach Eric Musselman after visiting their campus last weekend. "It honestly felt like a perfect fit from the first call," the 6-foot-6 guard told ESPN on Thursday. "The academic support, basketball resources and basketball vision all seemed custom-made for me. Also, coach Musselman has a proven track record over the past several years of helping big lead guards make the jump to being NBA-ready guards." Claude's scoring average jumped from 4.7 as a freshman to 16.6 as a sophomore. Claude, who made only 23.9 percent of his 3-point tries last season, scored 30 points in his final game for the Musketeers at Georgia in an opening-round loss in the NIT. He led the Big East in scoring during March with 22.8 points per game. In addition to increased scoring, Claude played 33.8 minutes per game and averaged 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists last season. --Field Level Media

Report: Steelers' Justin Fields in mix for returning kicks

Kicker Joey Slye agreed to terms on a contract with the New England Patriots, ESPN reported Thursday. Slye, who was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday, is expected to provide competition for Chad Ryland in New England. Ryland, 24, made just 64 percent of his field-goal attempts (16 of 25) during his rookie season for the Patriots. He was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Slye didn't spend long in Jacksonville, as he signed with the club on March 18. Slye, 28, converted 19 of 24 field goals and 32 of 35 extra points in 17 games for the Washington Commanders last season. He has made 82.3 percent of his field goals and just 88.5 percent of his PATs across five seasons with four teams. --Field Level Media

Is quarterback Justin Fields in the mix for returning kicks with the Pittsburgh Steelers? Special teams coordinator Danny Smith has considered the unorthodox move, Steelers running back Jaylen Warren recently told teammate Cam Heyward's "Not Just Football" podcast. "Our special teams coordinator was talking about Justin Fields being back there," Warren said. "We're like hold up, hold up. We looked at him like, 'Justin Fields is about to be back there?' I don't know. I think it's cool." There is some logic behind the possibility, what with Fields being one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the NFL and the new "return friendly" rules changes being implemented on kickoffs this season. Fields, 25, did not return kicks or punts in college at Georgia (2018) or Ohio State (2019-20). During three seasons in Chicago, he rushed 356 times for 2,220 yards (6.2-yard average) and 14 touchdowns. The Steelers acquired Fields in a March trade with the Bears, in exchange for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Steelers also acquired veteran Russell Wilson this offseason with the anticipation that he will replace Kenny Pickett as the starting quarterback. Pickett was traded to the Eagles in March. It seems unlikely that Pittsburgh would use Fields on special teams, considering the team signed return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson in free agency. Patterson, 33, holds the NFL record with nine kickoff returns for touchdowns and is the league's active leader with 7,989 yards on kick returns. --Field Level Media

The New York Giants on Wednesday signed free agent defensive back David Long Jr., who played for three NFL teams and started for two in 2023. Long, 26, has played primarily cornerback, starting 12 of 66 regular-season games for the Los Angeles Rams (2019-22), Las Vegas Raiders (2023), Carolina Panthers (2023) and Green Bay Packers (2023). He started one game each for the Raiders and Packers. He has 96 career tackles and eight passes defended. The Rams selected him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Michigan. He started in Super Bowl LVI, a 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Long and veteran free-agent signing Jalen Mills are expected to bring experience to a Giants secondary that added safety Tyler Nubin and cornerback Andru Phillips in the draft last weekend. --Field Level Media

Ex-Florida Atlantic star Johnell Davis announced Wednesday that he has committed to Arkansas and new coach John Calipari. Davis posted a picture of himself in an Arkansas uniform with the word COMMITTED on his Instagram page. Davis is also going through the NBA draft process for the second straight season. Last year, he pulled out and returned to Florida Atlantic. One of the top guards in the transfer portal, Davis scored 1,431 career points in four seasons at FAU. He averaged 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and made 132 3-point baskets in 128 games (53 starts). He also accumulated 155 steals. Davis averaged 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 34 games this season for the Owls. He was named American Athletic Conference Co-Player of the Year. Davis emerged as a known commodity late in FAU's epic program-best 35-4 season in 2022-23. The Owls advanced to the Final Four but failed to reach the national title game when San Diego State's Lamont Butler hit a game-ending basket. Davis leaves Florida Atlantic after coach Dusty May departed to become Michigan's new coach. Joining Arkansas earlier this offseason were forward Jonas Aidoo (Tennessee) and Zvonimir Ivisic (Kentucky). Former Wildcats recruits Boogie Fland, Karter Knox and Billy Richmond also have followed Calipari to Arkansas. --Field Level Media