While most of the top 2026 recruits have already made their college decision, a few top talents remain undecided ahead of the early signing period.
Giannis Antetokounmpo reportedly to miss 1-2 weeks with 'low grade' groin strain
Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to miss one to two weeks due to a "low-grade" groin strain, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
The Bucks are not required to make anything official until Tuesday, and the team did not practice or meet on Monday. However, coach Doc Rivers did appear on the Bucks' official podcast Courtside and said this (hat tip Eric Nehm of The Athletic):
"I don't know what grade it is, but I know it's not a bad one, so that's good news for us...Probably two weeks he'll be out — hopefully less."
Antetokounmpo had to leave Monday night's game against Phoenix late in the second quarter after injuring his groin on a drive to the rim, though it might have started earlier, coach Doc Rivers said after the game.
"He grabbed his groin, I think in the first quarter, and I asked him right away. He said it was fine," Rivers said, via the Associated Press. "Then I think he grabbed it again and said it was fine. And then on the third time, you know, that's when it happened. But I think it happened before, in my opinion."
Antetokounmpo is playing at an MVP level early in the season, averaging 31.2 points, 10.8 rebounds and 6.8 assists a game, carrying the Bucks early in the season. The concern for the next two weeks is that the Bucks have a -13 net rating when he is off the floor. The Bucks' offense is 21.8 points per 100 possessions better when he is on the court.
Jericho Sims started the second half on Monday with Antetokounmpo out, and both he and Bobby Portis likely see increased run until the Greek Freak returns.
Georgetown’s Vince Iwuchukwu to have a medical procedure
Georgetown center Vince Iwuchukwu needs to have a medical procedure and will be evaluated after six to eight weeks, the school said Tuesday, without giving any specifics about his condition. Iwuchukwu is a 7-foot-1 senior who began his college career as a five-star recruit at Southern California. In July 2022, he collapsed during an informal workout and went into cardiac arrest.
Deion Sanders amid Colorado’s second losing season in 3 years: ‘You got the right man, I promise you, you do’
Giannis Antetokounmpo Groin Strain: Bucks' outlook and fantasy impact
The Milwaukee Bucks suffered a critical loss on Monday, as star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo exited the team's defeat in Cleveland with a right groin injury. Ahead of the team's practice on Tuesday, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said that Giannis would likely be out for two weeks.
BREAKING: Giannis Antetokounmpo injury update via Milwaukee #Bucks HC Doc Rivers.
— ESPN Milwaukee (@ESPNMilwaukee) November 18, 2025
"I don't know what grade it is, but I know it's not a bad one, so that's good news for us...Probably two weeks he'll be out — hopefully less."
(@BucksPlusAudio / https://t.co/ItRlUCq2XN) pic.twitter.com/KFMFmMjLkN
ESPN's Shams Charania reports that the forward has been diagnosed with a low-grade strain. Let's look at how Antetokounmpo's absence will impact the Bucks' rotation and fantasy basketball.
Who will move into the Bucks’ starting lineup?
With Kyle Kuzma (24 percent rostered, Yahoo!) already in the starting lineup, filling that role the last four games, the Bucks will need to turn elsewhere to fill the void. One possibility is that Gary Trent Jr. (seven percent) returns to the lineup after coming off the bench the last three games. As a starter, he's averaging 10.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.3 three-pointers in 28.1 minutes, shooting 37.7 percent from the field and 70.6 percent from the foul line. Trent has primarily been a points and three-pointers option, offering limited value in the other categories.
Another option, if Milwaukee were to go big, would be veteran forward/center Bobby Portis (25 percent). However, like Trent, his fantasy production has been underwhelming this season. Averaging 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.3 three-pointers in 20.9 minutes, this is the least productive that Portis has been since his second season in the NBA (2016-17). However, according to Cleaning the Glass, Portis and starting center Myles Turner have only shared the court for 120 possessions this season. Given that number, Portis' chances of starting may be slim.
Even if he comes off the bench, there will be opportunities for Portis to provide greater value, but fantasy managers can't assume that he'll come through.
How does Giannis’ absence impact the entire rotation?
The gravity that Antetokounmpo has offensively opens things up for the entire team, even with his lack of a reliable perimeter shot. Ryan Rollins (51 percent) has emerged as a fantasy standout this season, sitting just outside the top-50 in nine-cat, per-game value. Turner (97 percent), one of the league's better pick-and-pop big men, will also be impacted by Antetokounmpo's absence. AJ Green (seven percent), who has provided solid three-point value, could be in a challenging spot in terms of delivering consistent value while the Bucks await Giannis' return.
Turner and Rollins are the safest bets to benefit from Giannis' absence, with the latter being the only appealing option who's still available in 12-team leagues. Outside of those two, fantasy managers may be best served taking a patient approach to see how Rivers handles the rotation, or simply looking to other teams to help account for Antetokounmpo's absence.
Cavaliers fined $100,000 for violating league player participation policy
On Nov. 12, the Cleveland Cavaliers were on the front end of a tough back-to-back, playing in Miami on Wednesday night then flying home to Cleveland to host Toronto on Thursday night. Cleveland chose to rest both Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley for the game in Miami, both were healthy scratches.
That cost the Cavaliers $100,000. The NBA announced the fine on Wednesday, saying it was "for violating the league's Player Participation Policy."
The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/m0rZeD5SlW
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) November 18, 2025
That policy states teams cannot rest two healthy star players — defined as having made an All-Star team in the past three years, which both Mobley and Mitchell have done — for the same game. If Cleveland had rested one player against the Heat on Wednesday and one against the Raptors on Thursday, that would have been allowed, but resting both on Wednesday violated the policy (which was created to reduce load management of stars in major games). The first fine for violating the policy is $100,000, a second violation would cost $250,000.
The Cavaliers won the game where they were shorthanded, beating Miami 130-116. They fell to the Raptors at home the next night, in a game where Mitchell and Mobley combined for 38 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists.
Lane Kiffin’s decision now looms over all of college football
LeBron James reportedly 'aiming' to make season debut Tuesday vs. Jazz
All signs are pointing toward LeBron James making his season debut on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. He went through a full practice with the team on Monday and said, "Got to see how the body responds over the next 24 hours-plus." He has been officially listed as "questionable," which is standard for a player returning from injury who is very close to a return.
Now comes a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania that LeBron is "aiming" to make his debut on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena against the Jazz.
Add that to the evidence that Tuesday night will be the night — and once he plays, LeBron will become the first player in league history to reach 23 seasons on the court. By tradition, Lakers' coach J.J. Redick will likely not make anything official until he has to turn in the starting lineup card 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
Starting in August, LeBron began experiencing sciatica on his right side, which caused him to miss all of training camp as well as the first 14 games of the season. Everyone was cautious with his return.
Last season, LeBron averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game, earning Second Team All-NBA honors and an All-Star selection. There have been questions about how LeBron will fit in a more Luka Doncic-centric offense, but the guess here is very well. LeBron is a high IQ player, he sees defenses blitzing and trapping Doncic more to get the ball out of his hands and dare any other Laker on the floor to beat them. That's a much riskier strategy when it's LeBron and Austin Reaves in the 4-on-3 created by doubling Doncic.
We may bet to see what all this looks like tonight.
Trent Grisham accepts Yankees' qualifying offer, returns on one-year deal
Trent Grisham is returning to the Bronx.
After the Yankees extended the qualifying offer to the outfielder, the 28-year-old accepted the $22.025 million deal for the 2026 season on Tuesday.
It was an interesting decision for Grisham. The veteran outfielder has been a solid player in his MLB career, but broke out in 2025 with the Yankees. His 34 homers this season were twice as many as his previous career high (2022 with the Padres) and his 74 RBI were 12 more than his previous high in 2021. It wasn't just his homers and RBI. Grisham set career marks in slugging (.464), hits (116), walks (82) and OPS (.811).
Many believed that Grisham would parlay that performance into a more lucrative deal, but he's choosing to stay with the Yankees.
Now, how does this affect the Yankees' offseason? GM Brian Cashman said that at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas earlier this month that he was "comfortable" extending the qualifying offer to Grisham and paying him the $22 million for one season, but that doesn't preclude him from trying to bring back Cody Bellinger -- who opted out of his Yankees deal after the 2025 season -- or filling the rest of the team's outfield.
"We’re comfortable [extending the qualifying offer to Grisham]. This is a very thin outfield market. If he turns it down, that means the market is flush with teams that have the need," Cashman said at the time. "He had a hell of a year for us, was one of the big reasons we had the level of success we did, and we’d be happy if he accepted and came back."
Grisham's return takes some of the pressure off Cashman to fill out his roster. Aaron Judge is the only everyday outfielder he can trust, but now he can pair the AL MVP with Grisham for 2026.
As for the other outfielder, Cashman will look to bring back Bellinger, but there are also internal options available (Jasson Dominguez/Spencer Jones).
Defensive Lineman Aiden Harris Will be Honored as a 2026 Navy All-American
Defensive Back Allen Evans Will be Honored as a 2026 Navy All-American
Five-Star Tristen Keys Will be Honored as a 2026 Navy All-American
Nebraska Commit Claude Mpouma Will be Honored as a 2026 Navy All-American
NHL Waivers: Flames Claim Beecher, Tomasino Hits The Wire
The Calgary Flames claimed forward Johnny Beecher off NHL waivers from the Boston Bruins, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
In addition, Friedman reported thatPittsburgh Penguins forward Philip Tomasino and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Maxence Guenette were placed on waivers.
With Beecher being a 2019 first-round pick carrying a cheap $900,000 cap hit, it is not necessarily surprising that he was claimed. It is no secret the Flames need help on offense, sitting last in the NHL with 2.10 goals-for per game.
In six games this season with the Bruins, 24-year-old Beecher scored one goal and had a minus-1 rating. Last season, he had three goals and 11 points in 78 games.
Tomasino could very well generate some interest on waivers, as he is also a 2019 first-round pick and is still just 24 years old.
While he has recorded just one assist in nine games this season with the Penguins, he also had 11 goals and 23 points in 50 games for them last season after being acquired from the Nashville Predators. He also had 20 points in 41 games for Nashville in 2023-24.
Teams looking for help on offense could consider taking a chance on Tomasino with a low-risk waiver claim. This is especially so when noting that he has an affordable $1.75-million cap hit.
As for Guenette, he was just acquired by the Flyers from the Ottawa Senators on Monday in exchange for defenseman Dennis Gilbert. He has yet to play a game this season, as he was an RFA before signing a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Flyers following the trade.
Guenette has recorded zero points and a minus-2 rating in eight career NHL games, with his last NHL appearance being during the 2023-24 season with Ottawa.
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Canadiens Send Defender Back To AHL
The Montreal Canadiens have announced that defenseman Marc Del Gaizo has been reassigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket.
Del Gaizo was called up to the Canadiens' NHL roster ahead of their Nov. 17 contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but did not play. Now, he is heading right back to Laval after being scratched for the Canadiens' matchup against the Blue Jackets.
This is not the first time that Del Gaizo has been called up by the Canadiens to serve as an extra defenseman and then sent right back down. The 26-year-old blueliner is also still looking to make his regular-season debut with the Original Six club.
Del Gaizo will now be looking to make an impact after being sent back down to Laval. The Basking Ridge, New Jersey native has played in 11 games this season with Laval, where he has posted four assists, six penalty minutes, and a plus-4 rating.
Les Canadiens ont cédé le défenseur Marc Del Gaizo au Rocket de Laval.
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 18, 2025
The Canadiens have loaned defenseman Marc Del Gaizo to the Laval Rocket. pic.twitter.com/YdBiZPRQXY
Del Gaizo signed with the Canadiens this off-season, ending his time with the Nashville Predators. In 55 games with Nashville over two seasons, he posted two goals, 10 assists, 12 points, 23 penalty minutes, and a minus-1 rating.