THE INCREASE: Creating a Community that Counts - Rodney Pryor

THE INCREASE: Creating a Community that Counts – Rodney Pryor

By The Increase Feb 3, 2021

Rodney Pryor in 2017 while in college at Georgetown. (Photo by David Hahn/Icon Sportswire via AP Images)

Ajay Mitchell providing playoff spark for OKC Thunder as he seeks to ‘share God’s Word’

By Kevin Mercer May 19, 2026

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell, May 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

The much-anticipated Western Conference Finals between what many consider the NBA’s two best teams tipped off on Monday, and it lived up to all the hype and more.

The No. 2-seeded San Antonio Spurs, led by Victor Wembanyama, outlasted league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, 122-115, in two overtimes in Game 1 to notch a road victory and seize early control of the seven-game series.

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San Antonio battled to a seven-point halftime lead, but a fourth-quarter surge from the Thunder sent the contest to OT tied at 101. The Spurs finally pulled away in the second overtime to cap the instant classic.

The Last 15 Minutes of Game 1: Oklahoma City Thunder vs San Antonio Spurs 🍿🎬 PURE CINEMA pic.twitter.com/1XsgZkXswV

— Not Locked On Fantasy Basketball (@MaarkyBoy) May 19, 2026

Game 1 marked the first real adversity the Thunder have faced in this year’s playoffs. After winning the NBA Finals a season ago for the first time since the franchise has been in Oklahoma City, the Thunder cruised to two four-game sweeps in the first two rounds of these playoffs. OKC dispatched the Phoenix Suns in the first round and the Los Angeles Lakers in the second. Only two of those eight wins came by less than 10 points.

An unexpected star for the Thunder during the team’s dominant run has been 23-year-old second-year guard Ajay Mitchell. The 2024 second-round pick started the last two games of the series with the Suns and each of the four games against the Lakers, and the crafty lefty has performed admirably. He’s averaged 17.1 points, 4.9 assists and 4.0 rebounds so far in these playoffs while shooting 35.1% and providing stout defense in more than 30 minutes per game. Each of those totals is an improvement on his season averages.

In the closeout game against L.A., Mitchell posted a career-high 28 points and a career-high-tying four steals just two days after a 24-point, 10-assist performance in Game 3. His 10 assists tied another career high.

After that Game 3, Gilgeous-Alexander was asked about what the former UC Santa Barbara standout brings to the team.

“He’s a gamer,” SGA said of Mitchell. “Works super hard, never shaken by the moment. He’s just ready for his opportunity and he takes full advantage of it. It might be a shock to the world, but it’s no shock to us. We knew who Ajay Mitchell was the day he stepped foot in the building, and he’s just showing it to the world.”

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Mitchell was born and raised in Belgium until he moved to France at age 17 to advance his basketball career. In France, he played briefly with Wembanyama, who now provides the opposition on Mitchell’s path to a second straight title.

During his postgame press conference after Game 3 against the Lakers, Mitchell was asked to reflect on where basketball has taken him in life.

“It’s been more of just being grateful,” he said. “I think looking back to where I was, looking back to myself as a little kid in Belgium just dreaming of playing in the NBA, and then God putting me in those positions, I just truly feel grateful for those opportunities. I feel like I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder, and every time I step out on the court I just want to prove myself and be a winning player and help my team win.”

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Mitchell writes “All glory to God” in his Instagram bio, and he’s been known to post about faith on the social media platform. In January, he opened up about his journey with His Huddle.

“Faith plays an important role in my basketball career,” he said. “There’s a lot of pressure and stress from basketball, and being able to pray and talk to God about it really helped me throughout the years. Praying and talking to God helps me remind myself of what I’m grateful for.”

Mitchell spent his youth attending church in Belgium, but it wasn’t until his time in college with the Gauchos that a true relationship with God blossomed. Now as a rising NBA star, he wants to use his platform to tell others about all that Christ has done.

“The impact I would like to have is just to be able to share God’s Word,” he told His Huddle. “Understanding that God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins really changed my perspective. It helped me to seek forgiveness from God, and also forgive others.”

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Mitchell wasn’t in the starting lineup for Game 1 against the Spurs on Monday and registered a quiet four points on 2-of-5 shooting with five assists, four rebounds and two steals. He did lead the Thunder bench with 34 minutes played and was +7 on the night.

The Thunder hope he can return to the kind of production he exhibited in the first two rounds of the playoffs as they seek to bounce back in Game 2 in Oklahoma City on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET.

>> Do you know Christ personally? Learn how you can commit your life to Him. <<

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Basketball

‘Follower of Christ’ Josh Hart propels New York Knicks to 2nd straight conference finals

By Kevin Mercer May 11, 2026

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart, May 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Last year at this time, New York erupted as the Knicks advanced to the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in a quarter of a century. The city didn’t have to wait quite as long for its return trip. With a dominant 144-114 win on Sunday in Philadelphia, No. 3-seeded New York capped a convincing four-game sweep of the No. 7-seeded 76ers to become the first team to earn a spot in this year’s conference finals.

The Knicks won the four games by an average of 22.25 points per game, and their 144 points on Sunday were the most in Knicks playoff history (besting the 140 they scored in Game 6 against the Atlanta Hawks last week in the opening round). Including its three wins to close out Atlanta, New York has now won a franchise-record seven straight playoff games.

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In Game 4 against the 76ers, New York held a 43-24 advantage after the opening quarter and never looked back as the home crowd inside Philly’s Xfinity Mobile Arena ceded to Knicks faithful.

Much of New York’s advantage was thanks to a record-setting 3-point barrage (25-of-44 for the game, 57%) — 25 tied the NBA postseason record for most threes in a game, 18 tied the postseason record for most threes in a half (first half), and 11 tied the postseason record for most threes in a quarter (first quarter).

A Knick who made four of those 25 was starting guard Josh Hart.

18 3️⃣s in a half ties an nba playoff record 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SUfw0gtZtZ

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 10, 2026

Overall, Hart scored 17 points, grabbed a team-leading nine rebounds, and tied for the team lead with 29 minutes played. His 17 points were the most he’d scored so far this postseason.

“No relief, no jubilation,” Hart said after the game via ESPN. “Just another step in the process. … Here, it’s business as normal, and we got to make sure we’re locked in and focused.”

The 31-year-old has been in the playoffs each of his four seasons in New York, and he’s hoping that this year he’ll finally walk off the court in celebration rather than defeat. In order to do that, he knows the Knicks can’t be satisfied with simply a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals. They faltered in the conference finals last season.

And as many of his younger teammates follow his veteran leadership on their quest for an NBA championship, Hart himself seeks to follow his Lord and Savior. He declares himself a “Follower of Christ” in his Instagram bio, and he often expresses his faith in Jesus on social media platforms.

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Hart has shared that his favorite music genre is Gospel music, and has celebrated news of a Christian revival across the U.S. He’s also been seen wearing clothing that declares he’s a “Product of Christ” and he’s “Just Here To Give God Glory.”

He seeks to submit all he does to Christ, including his exploits on the basketball court. Two seasons ago, when he managed to play back-to-back complete games in the playoffs, he was asked in the locker room afterward how he did it. He revealed that he relied on Scripture.

“My Lord works in mysterious ways,” he said. “… Today, I felt like I didn’t have it at all. The whole game I was reciting Isaiah 40:29. The weak, He renews strength. That was the biggest thing. He allows you to walk and not faint.”

Hart also prays before games. As the eyes of thousands of fans are on him and his team, he seeks to keep his eyes on his Heavenly Father.

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With the sweep of the 76ers, Hart and the red-hot Knicks are now headed into an extended break as they await their conference finals opponent. The No. 1-seeded Detroit Pistons lead the No. 4-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, 2-1, in the other Eastern Conference semifinal series. Game 4 is Monday.

>> Do you know Christ personally? Learn how you can commit your life to Him. <<

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Basketball

WNBA legend Tina Charles retires after 14 seasons: ‘God has covered my life’

By Cole Claybourn May 6, 2026

Connecticut Sun center Tina Charles, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Vera Nieuwenhuis)

After 14 seasons in the WNBA, eight-time All-Star Tina Charles is retiring as the league’s all-time leading rebounder and second-leading scorer.

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The 37-year-old made the announcement on Tuesday and closes out her career with 8,396 career regular-season points to go along with 4,262 rebounds.

“It was all a dream, that’s the thought that keeps finding me,” she wrote in a statement posted on social media announcing her decision. “That, and deep gratitude. God has covered my life in ways I can’t fully put into words, and by His grace and mercy, I’ve been able to live out something bigger than I ever imagined.”

It was all a dream.. pic.twitter.com/YtComVxYYN

— Tina Charles (@tinacharles31) May 5, 2026

Charles was selected No. 1 overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2010 WNBA Draft and quickly delivered on the hype, earning Rookie of the Year honors before being named league MVP in 2012. Ahead of the 2014 season, she was traded to her hometown team, the New York Liberty, where she spent six seasons and made five All-Star appearances.

Over the course of her career, she also had stints with the Washington Mystics, Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm and Atlanta Dream, before returning to Connecticut for her final season in 2025. Charles was named to the All-WNBA first team five times and the All-Defensive first team once, while also leading the league in rebounding four times and in scoring twice. She helped the U.S. win three Olympic gold medals, and in 2021 she was selected to the WNBA 25th Anniversary Team.

Before turning pro, Charles starred at UConn, leading the Huskies to national championships in 2009 and 2010. As a senior, she swept nearly every major national honor, including AP Player of the Year, John Wooden Player of the Year, USBWA National Player of the Year, and Big East Player of the Year.

“Fifteen years at the professional level and a lifetime of love for this game,” Charles wrote in her post. “I’ve experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows, and I’m thankful for all of it. Through it all, I learned how to show up. When doubt got loud and narratives were written about me, I kept showing up. That’s the New Yorker in me, where resilience is built, not talked about.”

Her bio on X references her faith in God: “His time. His way. His glory.” She’s also been public about her faith in interviews. She told The Ballers Magazine in August 2025 that she accepted Christ through Athletes In Action, and that faith helped her grow in how she was able to handle the mental and physical transition from the college game to the pros.

“My faith is everything for me,” she told the magazine. “Athletes in Action was on our campus and Maya Moore was a part of it. I had another teammate, Kaili McLaren (as well). I went to the camp and I was really able to learn how to make Jesus my motivation for my sport, so just giving thanks to Him for the blessings that I have. Once I accepted Christ — that was in 2009 — every time I took the floor my junior and senior year that’s when I started to turn the corner. I just kept saying to myself: ‘I’m playing for Him. I’m playing for an audience of One.’

“That was my motivation out there. That was the reason why I was going hard. That was the reason why my effort was what it was. That’s why I wanted to get in the gym because it was just my way of glorifying God when I was out there playing. That’s when things started turning for me my last two years at UConn.”

In August 2024, after becoming the WNBA’s second-leading scorer, she gave glory to God in her press conference comments.

“Just a whole bunch of gratitude,” Charles said. “I know this moment is big, but I have to give glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I’m just so much in awe at just how faithful He is … it’s unimaginable, and God just really gets the glory.”

She sat out the 2023 season and thought she was done playing. Not in a great space emotionally or mentally, she wasn’t sure if she still had a place in the league.

“So for me to be here right now, this is really special,” she said in the press conference.

She posted on Instagram at the end of 2023 reflecting on what had been a trying year for her and gave praise to God through it. She also referenced Hebrews 12:11, which says, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

“Trials are apart (sic) of life, but God always provides what we need in order to endure,” Charles wrote. “He sifts & refines us & closes doors to position & put us in our right place. Through the disappointments & losses, God’s purpose in all His choices for us is His glory. His goal is not to inflict pain unnecessarily but to let Christ’s life shine through us in hardship, to stabilize our confidence in God’s goodness, and to strengthen our trust in His loving sovereignty.

“His grace is always sufficient. Remember, it’s not the trial that develops or destroys us, but rather our response to that hardship.”

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Then, in September 2024, after becoming the WNBA’s all-time rebounding and double-double leader, she gave glory to God in her postgame locker room speech after thanking her coaches and teammates.

“I have to give glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” she said. “Last year, my faith is what carried me. My faith is what allowed me to be standing here right now.”

Charles now retires as one of the most decorated players in college and pro basketball history. Perhaps the only thing missing was playing in the WNBA Finals.

“This game gave me everything, and I’ll miss it deeply,” Charles said in her statement. “But my mom always taught me, don’t stop at what you’ve done, keep going toward what you still see. And I still see so much. There are still dreams in my heart waiting to be lived, and I can’t wait to share that journey with you all.”

>> Do you know Christ personally? Learn how you can commit your life to Him. <<

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Detroit Pistons escape elimination in NBA playoffs, key players get ‘aura from Jesus Christ’

By Kevin Mercer May 4, 2026

Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (12) and guard Cade Cunningham (2), May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

As expected, the Detroit Pistons — the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference — have advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs. But not as expected was how difficult it was for them to get there.

The Pistons fell behind three games to one against the No. 8-seeded Orlando Magic in the best-of-seven opening-round series as their offense sputtered against Orlando’s stifling defense. But they turned the tide by beating the Magic at its own game. After twice staving off elimination — including a Game 6 in which Detroit overcame a 24-point second-half deficit and Orlando managed only a season-low 79 points — the Pistons forced a Game 7 back in Detroit on Sunday.

With a raucous crowd eager for its team to advance to the second round for the first time since 2007-08, the Pistons seized control of the game in the second quarter and cruised to a 22-point win, 116-94.

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Incredibly, this was not the first time the Pistons have come back from a 3-1 series deficit to win; they also accomplished the feat in 2003 as a No. 1 seed against these very same Orlando Magic. Those Pistons won their second-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers but subsequently fell to the New Jersey (now Brooklyn) Nets in the Eastern Conference Finals.

These 2025-26 Pistons hope to advance further than the conference finals, and they’re well positioned to do so. Their 60 regular-season wins were the third-most in franchise history, they have home-court advantage in the East, and the No. 2-seeded Boston Celtics were taken out in the first round.

Detroit has been led all season by young superstar point guard Cade Cunningham, and he delivered again on Sunday with a team-high 32 points and 12 assists. The 24-year-old five-year pro averaged 23.9 points, a career-high 9.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game in the regular season. He also swiped a career-high 1.4 steals per game, tied for 15th-best in the league.

Detroit's Motor(CADE) came through in Game 7!

🏎️ 32 PTS
🏎️ 12 AST
🏎️ 2 BLK
🏎️ 4-6 3PM
🏎️ 10-18 FGM

Pistons become the 15th team in NBA history to come back from down 3-1 deficit in a postseason series!

They are BACK in the East Semis for the first time since 2008 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ixxYqyluDF

— NBA (@NBA) May 3, 2026

Cunningham’s production this season led to his second consecutive All-Star selection. At the All-Star Game in February, the 2021 No. 1 overall pick was asked in a press conference about his aura.

“I get my aura from Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior,” he said. “God blessed me with parents that raised me in a way that I wouldn’t trade for the world.”

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Cunningham isn’t the only Piston to have expressed faith in Christ publicly. Savvy veteran Tobias Harris, who added 30 points (5-of-7 on 3-pointers) and nine rebounds on Sunday, has also talked about his faith. In 2021, Harris was a guest speaker during a course to equip Christians worldwide.

“Every day that I wake up understanding how blessed I am, how fortunate I am,” he said during the course, via the The Christian Post. “When I do a lot of the community outreach with the youth, I can easily see the blessings that I’ve had in my life, even as a young kid growing up.”

Later, he spoke about the importance of seeking to root his joy in Jesus.

“I always try to make sure that the workspace that I’m in — the NBA, there’s highs and lows — but I always make sure that I never let the highs and lows truly determine my true happiness as a person,” he said. “… I look at it like if I’m playing basketball in the NBA or if I’m a principal at a school, which is something I would love to do when my career is over, I’m going to find ways to always bring Christ out in my life.”

Tobias Harris in Game 7? OUTSTANDING.

🎯 30 PTS, 5-7 3PM, 11-18 FGM, DET W

Harris and Cade Cunningham become the 11th duo in NBA history to each total 30+ PTS in a Game 7! pic.twitter.com/XmeBjfQKO8

— NBA (@NBA) May 3, 2026

Another Piston who has contributed to the team’s memorable season is Daniss Jenkins, a lightly touted undrafted second-year pro quickly developing a reputation as a knockdown 3-point shooter and intense defensive stopper. In Sunday’s Game 7 victory, Jenkins sparked Detroit with 16 points (4-of-5 on 3-pointers), five assists and three rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench.

Following a similarly impressive performance in the regular season, Jenkins turned his attention to God in an on-court interview.

“This is Sunday. It’s the Lord’s day, baby. It’s the Lord’s day,” he said. “My mama prayed for me today. She said a great prayer. I believe in God and I trust my work.”

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With some of their key players grounded in faith, the Pistons now look to their second-round matchup against the No. 4-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30), which begins on Tuesday. Game 1 from Detroit is set for 7 p.m. ET.

>> Do you know Christ personally? Learn how you can commit your life to Him. <<