
Spoelstra: No need to penalize Ball any further
Erik Spoelstra supports no further penalties for LaMelo Ball after flagrant foul.
Joey Spallina was the 3rd overall pick in the 2026 Premier Lacrosse League College Draft, leading five Syracuse Orange players selected for the upcoming season. Other players drafted include Michael Leo, Billy Dwan, Luke Rhoa, and Dante Bowen.
Joey Spallina of the Syracuse Orange is present during an NCAA men's lacrosse game at 1952 Stadium in Princeton, United States, on February 27, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
As they prepare for Senior Day and the final regular season Dome game of their careers, the Syracuse Orange seniors got a chance for some early celebration on Tuesday night during the 2026 Premier Lacrosse League College Draft.
Joey Spallina led a group of five âCuse players who heard their names called to join the professional ranks of the PLL for its upcoming eighth season. Letâs take a look at the full list of Orange moving on to the pros this summer:
It was quite a night for SU, who occupied three of the first 11 selections, four in the first two rounds and five overall, which tied Maryland for most picks by one school.
There was plenty of speculation that Joey was in the mix for the first overall pick by the Utah Archers, or perhaps that Joeyâs dad and California Redwoods General Manager, Joe Spallina, would trade up from his sixth spot to draft his son.
Neither of those things happened, and Joey went third overall to the Whipsnakes after Aidan Maguire and Mikey Weisshaar were taken with the first two picks. Joe was later interviewed on the broadcast and stated that not trading up to select Joey was ânot for a lack of tryingâ, but that a potential deal was never able to materialize. He also commented that it would actually be nice to be able to watch Joeyâs games just as a dad, and not have to also have his GM hat on like he would have if Joey ended up with the Redwoods.
Instead, Joey will join a player he used to look up to patrolling the sideline while his dad coached the Long Island Lizards, Rob Pannell, on attack for the Whipsnakes.
Joe and the Redwoods ended up taking Joeyâs roommate, Michael Leo, with the sixth pick to join their offense as a versatile lefty scoring threat. Joe is very familiar with Leoâs game, not only from watching him play alongside Joey the past four years, but also from coaching him in his club days for Team 91 Long Island.
This is the second straight year that a pair of âCuse teammates were selected in the first round of the same draft after Sammy English and Owen Hiltz were both first-rounders last year. Before that, youâd have to go back to the 2017 MLL draft when Nick Mariano and Sergio Salcido both went in the first round.
Billy Dwan was the third âCuse player taken at 11th overall, and he and Joey will continue to be teammates at the next level with the Whips. Youâve got to figure that Billyâs game translates extremely well to the pro game, given his stick skills on offense and comfort moving up in transition. The smaller field and faster pace of play in the PLL are ideal for his skill set.
Luke Rhoa may have found the best situation of the bunch, getting drafted by the defending champion New York Atlas. Lukeâs two-handed shooting abilities from virtually anywhere on the field should be able to be unleashed even more while playing with two of the best playmakers and distributors in the world in Jeff Teat and Connor Shellenberger. Right off the bat, it certainly feels like weâll be seeing him stepping down into shots all summer long playing within that offense.
Dante Bowen was the surprise, perhaps somewhat, addition to the group when the Redwoods took him in the fourth round. SSDM is such an important position in the fast moving PLL, because every team needs shorties that can act as threats in transition and play both ways. Dante will give the Redwoods an athletic, physical presence on their roster. It was the second Syracuse selection of the night for Joe Spallina, and Dante joins an increasingly Orange California team that also drafted Sammy English and Carter Rice last year.
The disappointment of the night is that Finn Thomson went undrafted in the four-round, 32-pick draft. It was a bit surprising, at least in my opinion, that Finn didnât hear his name called. He is one of the best finishers and crease navigators in the college game, after all. Hopefully heâll get his chance to impress in-person with a tryout invite at some point this summer, though. Finnâs got way too much talent to not see the field in the PLL at some point.
Congratulations to Joey, Michael, Billy, Luke and Dante on this amazing honor!
The PLL season is starting earlier this year, with opening weekend taking place on May 8-9. Let me speak for all of Orange nation when I say, we hope you miss the first few weeks of the season with other obligations!
Five Syracuse Orange players were selected: Joey Spallina, Michael Leo, Billy Dwan, Luke Rhoa, and Dante Bowen.
Joey Spallina was the 3rd overall pick in the 2026 PLL College Draft.
Joey Spallina and Billy Dwan were drafted by the Maryland Whipsnakes, Michael Leo and Dante Bowen by the California Redwoods, and Luke Rhoa by the New York Atlas.
The 2026 PLL College Draft marks a transition for Syracuse players to professional lacrosse, highlighting their achievements and potential in the sport.

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