It finally appeared as if Othmann was building on momentum at the NHL level. After a hot stretch in the American Hockey League with the Hartford Wolf Pack, Othmann was called up and played in 10 consecutive games for the New York Rangers.
Sullivan was also giving the 23-year-old forward more opportunity, playing him in a third-line role while also slotting him on the second power-play unit.
In the Rangers’ final game leading into the Olympic break, Othmann was scratched out of the lineup.
At first thought, the wide sentiment was that Othmann was scratched due to CBA rules regarding his eligibility to be assigned back to Hartford during the Olympic break.
However, Mike Sullivan made abundantly clear that this wasn’t his reasoning for holding him out of the lineup.
Sullivan also didn’t shy away from the fact that Othmann’s play hasn’t necessarily met up to his standards thus far.
“I think there are elements of his game that have to continue to improve in order for him to establish himself as an NHL player,” Sullivan said of Othmann.
In 16 NHL games this season, Othmann has recorded just one point despite his slightly increased role.
As of right now, Othmann still hasn’t been sent down to the AHL, but it’s still entirely possible he does before the Rangers resume play on Feb. 26.
With the Rangers in the process of “retooling” the roster and more trades likely in the pipeline, Othmann should get another opportunity in the NHL this season.
There’s still a level of trust that Othmann has yet to build with Sullivan that may hold him back from earning a permanent spot in the lineup, even despite the Rangers’ emphasis to give young players a chance.
“You're still trying to earn, and you're still trying to build a little bit of trust from the coaching staff,” Othmann said. “I'm still trying to build trust. I'm still trying to learn.”
MADRID (AP) — Real Sociedad won 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao in a Basque Country derby in the first leg of the semifinals of Copa del Rey on Wednesday.
Beñat Turrientes scored the winning goal from close range in the 62nd minute at San Mames Stadium. The return leg will be in March.
Sociedad, playing in its third straight Copa semifinal, is trying to reach the final for the first time since it won the competition in 2019-20 for its third title.
Athletic, playing in its sixth Copa semifinal in seven seasons, won the title in 2024 against Mallorca, and was runner-up to Barcelona in 2020-21 and to Sociedad in 2019-20.
Athletic hasn't won in its last four matches against Sociedad after having won two in a row. It has 24 Copa trophies, behind only the 32 of Barcelona. Real Madrid is third in the list, with 20 Copa titles.
On Thursday, Atletico Madrid hosts defending champion Barcelona in the first leg of their semifinal. Barcelona has reached the Copa’s last four in four straight seasons. Atletico is in the semifinals for the third straight season, having last reached the final when it won the competition in 2019-20.
Athletic made it to the semifinals thanks to Iñaki Williams's winner six minutes into stoppage time in a 2-1 at Valencia. Sociedad made it to the last four by winning 3-2 at Alaves.
Burnley were dead and buried. Trailing 2-0 to the £48m striker Jørgen Strand Larsen’s first goals for Crystal Palace after half an hour, it looked inevitable that Scott Parker’s side would match their club‑record 17-match winless run in the top flight that dates all the way back to 1890.
Yet after all the misery since their last victory in October, everything changed in the space of seven scintillating minutes just before half-time. Burnley hit back through Hannibal Mejbri, Jaidon Anthony and an own goal from Jefferson Lerma to record only a second away win of the season since being promoted. It keeps alive their slim hopes of survival, although Parker will know it will take several more results like this to conjure up the greatest of escapes.
Manchester City’s week is moving along sweetly, this win closing the gap to three points to Arsenal, who travel to Brentford on Thursday. On Sunday, they defeated Liverpool at Anfield, on Wednesday they downed Fulham at home to reel off a 20th consecutive victory against them.
The rosiest moment for the title challengers was Erling Haaland’s 39th‑minute strike, a first in the competition from open play in nine games, though more concerning was his removal at the break, when City led 3-0.
A calf injury earlier in the season bumped Victor Wembanyama down the NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds boards, but Wemby has rebounded to regain to the top spot. DPOY odds boards show Wemby with a -280 price to win the coveted award. Chet Holmgren (+270) is still firmly in the mix.
Find more NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds and analysis below.
🏀 NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds
Below is a look at NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds. San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama (-280) is the current favorite.
Here are some trends to keep in mind when betting on NBA DPOY:
This is historically a big man's trophy. 18 of the past 21 winners, and 33 of the 43 overall, have been centers or power forwards. This includes last year's winner, power forward Evan Mobley.
No DPOY winner's team has ever missed the playoffs.
NBA Defensive Player of the Year history
Year
NBA DPOY winner
2024-25
Evan Mobley
2023-24
Rudy Gobert
2022-23
Jaren Jackson Jr.
2021-22
Marcus Smart
2020-21
Rudy Gobert
2019-20
Giannis Antetokounmpo
2018-19
Rudy Gobert
2017-18
Rudy Gobert
2016-17
Draymond Green
2015-16
Kawhi Leonard
2014-15
Kawhi Leonard
2013-14
Joakim Noah
2012-13
Marc Gasol
2011-12
Tyson Chandler
2010-11
Dwight Howard
2009-10
Dwight Howard
2008-09
Dwight Howard
2007-08
Kevin Garnett
2006-07
Marcus Camby
2005-06
Ben Wallace
2004-05
Ben Wallace
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
TORONTO, CANADA - FEBRUARY 5: Anfernee Simons #2 of the Chicago Bulls dribbles up court during the second half of their NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on February 5, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Chicago Bulls (24-29) at Boston Celtics (34-19) Wednesday, February 11, 2026 7:30 PM ET Regular Season Game #54, Home Game #27 TV: NBCSB, Chicago Sports Network, NBA-LP Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 104.3 The Score, Sirius XM TD Garden
The Celtics host the Chicago Bulls for the third, and final, game between them this season. The Celtics won the first game in Boston 115-101 on January 5. They lost the second game 114-111 in Chicago on January 24. The Celtics won the series 3-1 last season. The Bulls haven’t won the season series with the Celtics since 2020-21. The Celtics have won 8 of the last 10 games against the Bulls. The Celtics are 138-111 overall all time against the Bulls and they are 79-40 in games played in Boston.
The Bulls didn’t change much in the off season, but they made 7 trades at the trade deadline so this Bulls team is very different from the one the Celtics faced in January. They traded Nikola Vucevic to Boston for Anfernee Simons. They traded Emanuel Miller for Dario Saric, who they traded with Kevin Huerter for Jaden Ivey and Mike Conley. They traded Conley and Coby White for Collin Sexton and Ousmene Dieng. They traded Dieng for Nick Richards. They traded Dalen Terry for Guerschon Yabusele. They traded Ayo Dosunmo and Julian Phillips for Leonard Miller and Rob Dillingham.
The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 5.5 games behind 1st place Detroit. By virtue of the Knicks loss to the Pacers, the Celtics are half a game ahead of 3rd place New York, 1.5 games ahead of 4th place Cleveland, 2.5 games ahead of 5th place Toronto, 4 games ahead of 6th place Philadelphia and 5.5 games ahead of 7th place Orlando. The Celtics are 23-13 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 17-9 at home and 7-3 in their last 10 games. They lost their last game after winning the previous 5 games.
The Bulls are 11th in the East. They are 16 games behind 1st place Detroit, 6.5 games behind 6th place Philadelphia, 3.5 games behind 8th place Miami and 1 game behind 10th place Charlotte. They are 1.5 games ahead of 12th place Milwaukee. They are 16-21 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 9-18 on the road and 2-8 in their last 10 games. They have lost their last 5 games.
This is the 3rd game of a 3 game home stand. They beat Miami in come from behind thriller in the first game and lost the 2nd game in a lackluster effort against the Knicks on Super Bowl Sunday. This game takes them into the All Star Break. After the break, they will head out on a 4 game Western road trip through Golden State, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix, and Denver.
This is the Bulls final game before the All Star break also. After the break, they will have a 7 game home stand where they will host Toronto, Detroit, New York, Charlotte, Portland, Milwaukee and Oklahoma City. After the home stand, they head out on a 5 game Western road trip through Phoenix, Sacramento, Golden State, the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.
For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum remains out as he rehabs from the Achilles tear he suffered in last year’s playoffs against the Knicks. Sam Hauser missed Monday’s game due to lower-back spasms and is available for this game. Neemias Queta is also available after being probable due to a sprained ankle. I would guess that Baylor Scheierman would get the start at shooting guard unless Joe goes with the double bigs again.
For the Bulls, Zach Collins (toe) and Noa Essengue (shoulder) are both listed as out. Josh Giddey is doubtful for this game with a hamstring injury and will likely sit out his 8th straight game. Tre Jones is also doubtful for this game with a hamstring injury and will miss his 11th straight game. Jalen Smith is also doubtful for this game and is expected to miss his 3rd straight game with a calf injury. Isaac Okoro is questionable due to knee soreness.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Anfernee Simons
Derrick White | Getty ImagesAnfernee Simons | Getty Images
Celtics Reserves Payton Pritchard Hugo Gonzalez Luka Garza Amare Williams Nikola Vucevic Jordan Walsh 2-Way Players Ron Harper, Jr Max Shulga John Tonje
Injuries/Out Jayson Tatum (Achilles) out Neemias Queta (ankle) available Sam Hauser (back) available Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Bulls Reserves Rob Dillingham Leonard Miller Nick Richards Collin Sexton Patrick Williams
2-Way Players Yuki Kawamura Mac McClung Lachlin Olbrich Injuries/Out Zach Collina (toe) out Noa Essengue (shoulder) out Josh Giddey (hamstring) doubtful Tre Jones (hamstring) doubtful Jalen Smith (calf) doubtful Isaac Okoro (knee) questionable Head Coach Billy Donovan
Key Matchups Derrick White vs Anfernee Simons Simons returns to the TD Garden where just a week ago , he was playing for the Celtics. He is averaging 14.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting 44.4% from the field and 39.1% from beyond the arc. In his last game with the Bulls on Monday, he finished with 23 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 block while shooting 58.8% from the field and 22.2% from beyond the arc. Hopefully he gets a nice welcome from the Celtics fans and then forgets how to play basketball.
Sam Hauser vs Matas Buzelis Buzelis is averaging 15.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field and 37.0% from beyond the arc. In the first 2 games against the Celtics, he averaged 20 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1 block while shooting 56% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to defend him well as he can get hot and put up points quickly. Honorable Mention Payton Pritchard vs Collin Sexton Sexton is a key player off the bench for the Bulls as Pritchard is key for the Celtics off the bench. Sexton is averaging 14.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 48.2% from the field and 38.3% from beyond the arc. He is coming off a game where he finished with 21 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal while shooting 38.9% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. Pritchard struggled in Sunday’s game and he rarely struggles 2 games in a row.
Keys to the Game Defense – Defense is always a key to winning. The Celtics are 10th in the league with a defensive rating of 112.7. The Bulls are 26th with a defensive rating of 117.4. The Bulls are 19th with an offensive rating of 113.6 while the Celtics are 2nd with an offensive rating of 120.0. The Celtics need to get a strong defensive effort from every player on the court and they need to make defense a priority for all 48 minutes with no slacking off. The Celtics need to guard the 3 point line as the Bulls attempt 40.1 threes per game (7th) and they make 14.7 threes per game (7th). The Celtics also need to defend the Bulls in the paint as they are 5th with 52.6 points in the paint per game.
Rebound – The Celtics must box out and crash the boards. They can’t score without the ball and it will take extra effort on their part to beat the Bulls on the boards. The Celtics are averaging 45.4 rebounds per game, which is 8th in the league. The Bulls are averaging 44.9 rebounds per game, which is 11th. The Celtics have to put out more effort to get to the rebounds before the Bulls and give themselves extra possessions and limit those possessions for the Bulls. Don’t Underestimate – The Bulls have a lot of new faces on their team and are working on building chemistry with their new players. They also will likely be missing 5 players and have lost their last 5 games and 8 of their last 10 games. However, the Celtics can’t underestimate them and expect to come into the game and coast to a win. They need to Play hard and stay focused and not expect to win without putting in the effort.
Three Point Shooting – The Celtics often shoot 3s at a historic rate but there are times when their shots just aren’t falling, like against the Knicks on Sunday. In that game, the Celtics shot just 7-41 (17%) from beyond the arc. The Celtics are 2nd in the league, taking 43.1 threes per game. The Bulls are 7th, taking 40.1 threes per game. The Celtics need to focus on taking good shots and they need to move the ball so as to get open shots. If the 3s aren’t falling, as they weren’t on Sunday, they need to get to the basket or take mid-range shots.
X-Factors Bounce Back at Home – The Celtics are at home and will have the crowd behind them to give them extra motivation. This is the final game before the All Star break and the Celtics should want to go into the break with a win to bounce back from that terrible game against the Knicks . The Bulls have all the distractions of playing on the road including travel, staying in hotels, playing in front of a hostile crowd and on an unfamiliar court.
Officiating – The officiating is always an x-factor. Sometimes a crew will call the game tight and blow a whistle on every play. Other times they will let them play and let the game get physical. Sometimes they will favor one team over the other and other times they will call it even. Sometimes they are just bad. The Celtics need to adjust to the way the game is called and not let missed calls or bad calls affect their focus. If the calls go against them, they just need to play harder to make up for them and not waste time arguing with the officials.
The Cincinnati Reds officially reunited with Eugenio Suárez last week, adding the proven slugger to the lineup that the entire baseball world knew they needed. Whether or not he’ll play the position he’s played almost every day for the last ten years remains to be seen, but his bat will be in the lineup in some form or fashion most every time the Reds suit up.
The addition of Suárez wasn’t perfect, per se. Spencer Steer and Sal Stewart and Ke’Bryan Hayes and JJ Bleday will all see their paths to 700 PA impacted because of it, as this roster has beaucoup moving parts and nary a truly ‘established’ position player at one everyday spot outside of Elly De La Cruz. That’s perfectly fine, though, because a) said flexibility of the rest of the roster and b) the inevitability that some folks penciled-in now will miss some time for something.
The same can be said for the starting rotation at the moment, really. The impact of full seasons from Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder (and Brandon Williamson and Julian Aguiar) should, in theory, have every bit the boost of impact as bringing in Suárez offensively. That’s four starting options already, and that’s on top of Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, and Brady Singer – a cadre that’s the envy of every franchise in the sport right now.
The old rule of chucking the ball from the mound still holds true, regardless – you can never have too much pitching depth. Just last year, for instance, the Reds had every single one of those names within the organization as well and still needed Nick Martinez to throw 165.2 IP (and make 26 starts). They still needed to trade for Zack Littell at the deadline and hand him 10 starts. Chase Petty and Carson Spiers each started twice, and the club nutured the return of veteran Wade Miley into a trio of appearances (and a pair of starts himself).
It’s Miley, in particular, that prompted this post. This time a year ago he was a veteran familiar with the staff and the club, a guy working his way through some things – injuries, age, rust – and leaned into signing with a club where there was both familiarity and upside. He was a bargain-bin veteran, a reclamation project, a potential ‘flip’ or ‘lightning in a bottle’ candidate – he was every single catch-phrase we’ve come to learn as Reds fans, though this time he was precisely that without being someone on who they had to lean.
For years, a guy like that would’ve been brought in and been thrust into a key role as soon as physically possible, even if that was despite not being physically capable. Though things didn’t go swimmingly for Wade last year, the fact is that the Reds got him for depth, didn’t need him in any real urgency, and spent their money on a little lottery ticket that didn’t have to hit big for them to have a chance at the postseason.
That’s the one real thing I do not yet see in Reds camp this year. They haven’t brought in anyone from outside the organization who has done it before, done it well, not done it recently, but maybe, just maybe, could be tweaked in a way that would unlock their ability to do it again. It wouldn’t need to be on Opening Day, per se. It wouldn’t need to be throwing 6 innings every fifth day right away, either. Ideally, it could be in a fashion akin to Martinez last year – a guy who can be a reliever and good at it, or slide into the rotation and chomp innings when the situation comes up.
Anyone who fits that role and is still on the market right now most definitely has their flaws. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be unsigned, nor would we be talking about them as if they were only really to be leaned upon in a break glass in case of emergency scenario – or, unless they came into camp and showed they’d figured out what had put them so down in the first place and threw their way right back into the discussion.
There is one name out there that has kept popping into my head that ticks a lot of these boxes, though.
He’s twice been an All Star, won a World Series, and twice finished in the Top 10 of Cy Young Award voting. He’s also had major elbow surgery, missed a year, and pitched to just a 5.10 ERA (5.62 FIP) with a trio of franchises in his most recent two seasons. Still just 31 years old, he also grew up a Reds fan in Reds Country, and even was part of Derek Johnson’s final recruiting class at Vanderbilt before Johnson moved to the pro ranks to coach – a class that included the likes of Carson Fulmer, Matt Olson, and Dansby Swanson, among others.
That guy is Lexington, Kentucky’s own Walker Buehler.
Now, I do not know if his camp is holding out for a guaranteed spot in some team’s starting rotation. I do not know if he and his agent have priced themselves out of what remains of Cincinnati’s budget. I do also realize those ugly stats I’ve mentioned since he had TJ and missed the 2023 season, and that his average fastball velocity in 2025 (94.1 mph) was down from the upper 96 mph territory it sat during his heyday before surgery.
I also do not know if he’s willing to wait into the season to see what teams get smashed by the injury bug and suddenly need him more than they do now.
What I do know, though, is that he’s pretty much exactly the kind of guy that would be nice to have around if, say, Williamson and Aguiar – both coming off their own Tommy John surgeries – don’t come back exactly the way they were before just yet. He’d be the kind of guy you’d like Johnson to work with and maybe, just maybe, rediscover enough form to take innings off Burns and Lowder to keep them fresh down the stretch. And while you hope he’d come in off the heap and land running the way Dan Straily did back in the day, he’d come into the team this time in a way more like Miley in that if it simply didn’t work out both sides could move on without denting the roster too badly at all.
We’ve reached the point of the offseason where some team is going to do it, and rightfully so. It sure does make a lot of sense for that club to be the Reds.
NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA fined Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye and Timberwolves big man Naz Reid $35,000 apiece on Wednesday for their roles in a jersey-grabbing tussle.
Both players were given technical fouls and ejected with 11:52 left in the fourth quarter Monday after Gueye pushed Reid from behind, drawing a foul. Reid approached Gueye, the players grabbed each other’s jerseys and struggled before being separated by officials, coaches and teammates.
Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie tore the heart out of England’s much-vaunted middle order on Wednesday as the West Indies won by 30 runs in their T20 World Cup clash in Mumbai.
NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — The International Tennis Hall of Fame said on Wednesday that Roger Federer’s induction ceremony sold out in two minutes — even after the Hall added thousands more tickets for an outdoor watch party.
“As a small but historic venue, our capacity is limited,” the Hall posted on social media.
The Hall said it anticipated the excitement about the first man to win 20 Grand Slam singles titles, who will be inducted in the Newport-based shrine on Aug. 29 along with broadcaster Mary Carillo. In addition to the 900 tickets originally available for the induction ceremony, the Hall will open its 3,600-seat stadium for a watch party.
Even so, the 4,500 tickets were gone within two minutes, Hall spokeswoman Megan Erbes said.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 2: Miles Mikolas #39 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Athletics in the first inning at Busch Stadium on September 2, 2025 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, the Washington Nationals have made a free agent signing. It is not exactly a sexy addition, but according to Jake Mintz of Yahoo Sports the Nats have signed Miles Mikolas. The 37 year old Mikolas had been with the St. Louis Cardinals since 2018. At his peak, he was a solid mid rotation starter but now he is a true innings eater.
Nats are signing veteran SP Miles Mikolas, sources tell Yahoo Sports.
This is not going to be a pretty season for the Nats pitching staff, and they need bodies to soak up innings. That is exactly what Mikolas can do. Mikolas has thrown at least 155 innings every season since 2022, and has made at least 31 starts every year in that time. The results have not been amazing in that time, with a 4.51 ERA over the last four years, but he takes the ball every fifth day.
After a disastrous 2024, where Mikolas posted a 5.35 ERA, he bounced back slightly in 2025. He posted a 4.84 ERA in 31 starts last year. Mikolas is a control first starter. He has walked less than two batters per 9 innings for his career. That allows him to go deep into games and give his team a chance to win. Since 2022, he is tied for the second most starts by a pitcher.
Mikolas, 37, had a 4.84 in 31 starts for the Cardinals last year. He's tied for the second most starts in MLB over the last four seasons.
Nats now have a second player older than their new manager, Blake Butera.
This is obviously not a flashy addition, and I think there were more interesting innings eating options available. However, he can be a mentor for the young pitchers and take the ball every fifth day. I cannot say I am exactly excited by this news, but I understand the appeal I guess.
Maybe Simon Mathews can do something to help him out, but old dogs like this do not really learn new tricks. One potential option could be to just really trim his 4-seam fastball usage, but he does not really have a standout secondary pitch either. This really is just the epitome of an innings eater.
Mikolas actually does have some history with the Nats. Back in the 2019 playoffs, he and Juan Soto had a bit of a feud over the Soto shuffle. Mikolas was not a fan of the move, and when he got Soto out, he grabbed his crotch as retribution. So, there is that.
I am not a massive fan of this move because I do not see any real upside, but someone has to eat those innings. With Mikolas in the fold, I wonder how the rotation will look. Before his addition, the rotation consisted of Cade Cavalli, Josiah Gray, Brad Lord, Jake Irvin and Foster Griffin. It will be interesting to see which one of those five get the boot.
Lord was much more effective in a relief role last season, so that could be the plan. Gray’s spot will be dependent on how he looks this spring. He has missed a lot of time due to injury and we will have to see what his stuff looks like. In a rotation full of question marks, the Nats now have a proven commodity in Miles Mikolas.
Nathan Flewelling, C 19 | L/R | 6’2” | 200 A | .229/.393/.336 (126 wRC+) 439 PA, 6 HR, 9 SB, 20.3% BB, 27.6% K A+ | 22 PA, 4 H, 5 BB, 6 K
The 94th overall pick from 2024, Flewelling made his debut at 18 years young and caught a full season (75 C, 26 DH), plus a five game cup of coffee (3 C, 2 DH). Taking the longview, he could grow into 50-60 grade power with 50 grade defense, which makes him one to follow. His plus zone awareness at the plate offsets his lagging contact, and most importantly for the position his ability to call games and frame pitches are already plus. A strong season with the bat at High-A could vault him into Top-100 consideration.
Rank
Player
Position
Votes
Total
Percentage
Last Season
1
Carson Williams
SS
14
25
56%
1
2
Brody Hopkins
RHP
19
25
76%
8
3
Jacob Melton
OF
14
28
50%
NA
4
Theo Gillen
OF
14
26
54%
13
5
Ty Johnson
RHP
12
25
48%
15
6
Daniel Pierce
SS
13
23
57%
NA
7
Jadher Areinamo
INF
15
28
54%
NA
8
TJ Nichols
RHP
13
28
46%
NR
9
Michael Forret
RHP
8
33
24%
NA
10
Santiago Suarez
RHP
11
30
37%
16
11
Anderson Brito
RHP
7
28
25%
NA
12
Xavier Isaac
1B
9
28
32%
3
13
Caden Bodine
C
10
25
40%
NA
14
Brendan Summerhill
OF
11
27
41%
NA
15
Slater de Brun
OF
10
25
40%
NA
16
Nathan Flewelling
C
8
26
31%
NR
Made a judgement call in Testers and am adding Cooper Flemming from the 2025 draft. It would be helpful for folks to add votes in Testers if you have an opinion on the next candidate profile! And remember, if you don’t see who you want to vote for, put them in Others.
Candidates
Jackson Baumeister, RHP 23 | 6’4” | 224 AA | 4.62 ERA, 4.15 FIP (15 GS) 62.1 IP, 19.5% K, 9.6% BB AFL | 6 ER (1 HR), 9.0 IP (4 G, 3 GS), 10 K, 9 BB
A shoulder injury derailed what should have been Baumeister’s coming out party, as his previously plus breaking ball was expected to carve up Double-A. After a tough start to the year and two months on the sidelines, Baumeister returned in August and salvaged the season with a brilliant finish. The tough luck continued, however, in the Arizona Fall League, where a line drive struck him in the head, but he escaped without significant injury. Currently, Baumeister has taken on a fastball/slutter profile, with a slow curve in his back pocket, and has shown teachability and pitchability over the years. The former Seminole currently thrives on his frequently used major league fastball that may be better challenged by a promotion to Triple-A.
Homer Bush Jr. 24 | R/R | 6’3” | 215 AA | .301/.375/.360 (122 wRC+) 546 PA, 0 HR, 57 SB, 8.8% BB, 17.9% K
Acquired in the 2024 Jason Adam trade, the starting center fielder at Double-A passed the test of advanced pitching, but just barely. He lacks in-game power due to a lack of use of his lower half in his swing, and he whiffed more often than you can for long term success with a low-power approach. His calling cards are Rays-grade defense and plus-speed, having notably swiped 57 bags in back-to-back seasons.
Cooper Flemming, SS 19 | L/R | 6’3” | 190
One of the best high school bats in the 2025 draft, Flemming surprisingly fell into the Rays laps in the second round. He has a too-quiet swing that lacks the load necessary to hit for power, but he’s historically compensated for that with a high contact rate that would have rated him as first round material if his defense projected to stick. The Rays were able to convince him to forgo an education at Vanderbilt by going above slot ($2.3m, Comp-A money).
Brailer Guerrero, OF 20 | L/R | 6’1” | 215 A | 249.338/.399 (119 wRC+) 222 PA, 6 HR, 9 SB, 11.3% BB, 29.3% K AFL | 2 H, 0 HR, 2 SB, 3 BB, 16 K, 29 PA
Good news: the $3.7 million 2023 signee made the leap out of the complex league in his final teenage season. Bad News: He was injured yet again, with hamstring and knee injuries limiting him to 51 games for Charleston. The Rays tried to make up for lost time with an aggressive assignment to the AFL that resulted in only two hits in 29 plate appearances. He makes loud contact from a quick, quiet swing which he pre-loads by reaching back for even more power. He appears to make early decisions to swing, leading to a bit extra whiffs against anything off-speed, but that could easily clear up with some consistent playing time.
Harrison entered the season as Baseball America’s top pitcher in the system thanks to a cleaned up delivery and high heat. He ran into some bumps in the road by running up his pitch count against batters, but he still made it over 100 innings in 22 starts. A power pitcher through and through, his hard slider flirts with cutter classification and could evolve into two distinct pitches down the road. It will be interesting to see how his change up plays as he’s challenged at higher levels, but for now he has premium stuff and the upside of a rotation anchor. (video)
OF Victor Mesa Jr. 24 | L/L | 5’11” | 195 AAA (MIA) | .301/.368/.510 (136 wRC+) 171 PA, 7 HR, 4 SB, 9.9% BB, 16.4% K MLB (MIA) | 6 H (1 HR), 5 BB, 5 K (81 wRC+) 38 PA
This Cuban power bat already made his major league debut with Miami last year after bouncing back from a spring hamstring injury, and was dealt to the Rays in February. He profiles as a fourth outfielder but has an option remaining, so the organization may send him down for regular playing time and one last chance for something more in development. If not, he’s a center field capable on defense, which goes a long way for a platoon bat. In the running for the nicest guy in baseball.
Morgan continued to hit without power in 2025, a great discouragement for some evaluators, but his present 50-grade hit tool and feel for the zone allow a major league projection. He continued his improved, quieter two-strike approach in 2025 that built on his success retooling his swing in the AFL last year. The Rays gave Morgan 14 starts in Left Field last season, and Baseball America called the defense “playable,” but his value is tied to his plus-plus defense at First.
Acquired in the Arozarena trade, Smith became the prince who was promised, a five tool athlete with a strong bat, good face, and a preternatural glove in center field. That promise unraveled a bit in 2025, with his strikeout rate rocketing nine percent and his power stroke faltering after facing harder velocities in High-A, causing both his hit and power grades to drop into the 40’s. It was a full transformation into a “center field” profile, but with his ceiling that’s not a compliment. He plays with a fire, but the dip in contact rate left some evaluators feeling burned.
Taylor entered 2025 as a top-100 prospect after demolishing High-A (154 wRC+), and left 2025 as an afterthought on prospect lists, although he was selected as an Arizona Fall League “Fall Star” in between, where he worked to keep his chase rate low and his hard hit rate high. The juice must have been worth the squeeze, as the Rays have elected to invite Taylor to major league Spring Training this year.
Jose Urbina, RHP 20 | 6’3” | 180 A | 2.05 ERA, 3.58 FIP, 92.1 IP (19 GS), 26.4% K, 8.2% BB A+ | 2 ER (2 HR), 4.0 IP (1 GS), 5 K, 0 BB
Good pitchers grow and adjust, and Urbina has done that consistently at an age young for his level. Physically he has grown in strength, sitting at 96 with the fastball after flashing high octane in 2024, and technically he has grown, refining his dialed up slider and his two-plane curveball into complementary pitches — which lack plus command but are thrown with feel. He shouldered a starter’s workload at 19, and was awarded one additional start at High-A, where he allowed two solo shots and struck out five. Overall, the age, body, and body of work have him on the trajectory of top prospect lists in the near future.
NBC and Peacock will have coverage of the State Farm 3-Point Contest, the Kia Shooting Stars and the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday and the Stripes vs. World All-Star Game on Sunday.
The four-team mini-tournament is an annual showcase of the NBA's best young talent during All-Star Weekend.
NBA Rising Stars format explained
NBA assistant coaches determined the pool of 21 NBA players, with each team submitting one ballot with rankings of rookies and sophomores.
The top 10 rookies and top 10 sophomores earned spots, according to the point totals. The final spot was awarded to the higher-scoring player among the 11th-ranked finishers in each class (there is one more sophomore than rookie based on total points).
Hall of Fame players Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady each drafted a team of seven players. The fourth team, which is coached by current NBC Sports analyst Austin Rivers, will be comprised of G League Rising Stars.
An assistant coach from one of the NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs will be named head coach for each of the four Rising Stars teams, working alongside the honorary coaches.
In the tournament, Team Melo will face Team Austin at 9 p.m. ET, followed by Team Vince vs. Team T-Mac at 9:55 p.m. ET. The winners will meet in the championship.
In each semifinal game, the winner is the first team to reach or surpass 40 points. The championship game will be won by the first team to reach or surpass 25 points.
Teams, players in NBA Rising Stars
Team Melo
Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)
Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets)
Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs)
Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs)
Jeremiah Fears (New Orleans Pelicans)
Donovan Clingan (Portland Trail Blazers)
Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto Raptors)
Team T-Mac
Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)
Kel’el Ware (Miami Heat)
Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards)
Alex Sarr (Washington Wizards)
Ajay Mitchell (Oklahoma City Thunder, out with an injury)
David Jones Garcia (Austin Spurs) [injured, will not play*]
Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (San Diego Clippers)
Alijah Martin (Raptors 905)
Tristen Newton (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
Yang Hansen (Rip City Remix)
Mac McClung (Chicago Bulls)
NBA Rising Stars history
Formerly known as the Rising Stars Challenge, the event has been around since 1994, starting with solely rookies. Second-year players were added in 2000, and G League players joined in 2022.
The NBA Rising Stars has been through multiple formats before its current mini-tournament.
What other NBA events are on NBC and Peacock for All-Star Weekend?
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC and Bravo hits for whatever suits your mood.
NBA on NBC 2025-26 schedule:
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
As the NBA prepares to break for its annual All-Star weekend festivities, a pair of players are climbing the MVP ladder with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined.
Nikola Jokić returned from injury just in time to remain eligible for the 65-game minimum required for end-of-season awards consideration. Since rejoining the Nuggets, he’s averaging 24.2 points, 12.7 rebounds and 9.2 assists.
In the Eastern Conference, Cade Cunningham has the Pistons surging. Detroit currently owns the second-best record in the league and holds a 5.5-game lead for the No. 1 seed over the Celtics. Detroit hasn’t lost consecutive games since Dec. 28.
Using FTN’s new NBA StatsHub, let’s take a closer look at this year’s NBA MVP race, and whether Jokić, Cunningham or another dark horse can challenge Gilgeous-Alexander’s bid for a second consecutive Michael Jordan Trophy.
How to Win NBA MVP
There is a clear historical blueprint for winning NBA MVP. Three primary criteria have consistently defined the award in the last decade:
Top-3 playoff seed
Top-3 in Value Over Replacement Player
Top-3 in Win Shares
Currently, SGA is the only player meeting all three benchmarks this season. However, he suffered an abdominal injury earlier this month, and his status coming out of the All-Star break remains uncertain.
In recent years, the NBA has added a minimum-playing-time requirement — players must appear in at least 65 games to be eligible for end-of-season honors. Gilgeous-Alexander’s absence does not appear likely to jeopardize that threshold, but it has nonetheless created an opening for other candidates to strengthen their cases.
Let’s take a look at the leading contenders for MVP.
2025-2026 NBA MVP Candidates
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-220 MVP Odds)
VORP: 2nd Win Shares: 1st Playoff Seed: 1st
Prior to getting injured, SGA looked like the runaway favorite to win his second consecutive MVP award. At the time of his injury, he ranked second in the NBA in scoring, and the Thunder owned the league’s best record at 38-11.
Among players averaging at least 10 shot attempts per game, only Jokić and Kevin Durant have a better Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation. The Thunder have been 10.8 points better per 100 possessions with Gilgeous-Alexander on the court this season – a reflection of the undeniable value he brings to Oklahoma City.
Nikola Jokić (+300 MVP Odds)
VORP: 1st
Win Shares: 2nd
Playoff Seed: 4th
The primary case against Nikola Jokić has nothing to do with his on-court production. He currently leads the NBA in VORP and ranks second in Win Shares. The Nuggets have been 15.7 points better per 100 possessions with him on the floor – the strongest on/off differential among the leading MVP candidates.
Jokić also stands out across FTN’s NBA StatsHub metrics, leading the league in:
The biggest obstacle for Jokić to overcome is the league’s 65-game eligibility threshold. He’s already missed 16 games – 2 additional absences would render him ineligible for end-of-season honors, regardless of how impressive his per-game production has been.
Denver faces a demanding stretch following the All-Star break, including six back-to-backs and four instances of three games in four nights. It could be a challenge for the Nuggets to effectively manage his workload while also keeping him eligible for MVP.
Cade Cunningham (+2000 MVP Odds)
VORP: 7th
Win Shares: 14th
Playoff Seed: 1st
Cunningham has emerged as the clear face of the top-seeded Pistons, and that team success has elevated him into this year’s MVP conversation. However, he would represent a significant historical outlier if he were to win the award with his current statistical profile.
Entering play Wednesday, Cunningham ranks seventh in VORP and 14th in Win Shares. Over the past decade, only two players have won MVP while finishing outside the top three in Win Shares – Joel Embiid finished fourth in 2023 and Russell Westbrook was fifth in 2017.
Cunningham has undeniably been a difference-maker for Detroit, as evidenced by the Pistons’ +6.5 Net Rating with him on the floor this season. He also ranks second in the NBA in assists per game. Those are impressive numbers, but they have not historically been enough to earn MVP honors.
Luka Dončić (+2000 MVP Odds)
VORP: 4th
Win Shares: 15th
Playoff Seed: 5th
Luka Dončić is putting together another excellent campaign, but several factors are working against him in the MVP race. Most notably, he’s already missed 11 games for the Lakers, and that number of absences could increase to 12 if his bothersome hamstring keeps him from playing Thursday against the Mavericks.
Team success could also be a limiting factor for his candidacy. The Lakers are currently the 5 seed in a crowded Western Conference playoff picture, with the Spurs, Rockets, Nuggets, Timberwolves and Suns also contending for the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds.
Similar to Cunningham, Dončić ranks outside the top 10 in Win Shares this season, too – historically, a difficult position from which to secure MVP honors.
Tyrese Maxey (+5000 MVP Odds)
VORP: 3rd Win Shares: 3rd Playoff Seed: 6th
If there is one player who may be overlooked in this year’s MVP race, it’s Tyrese Maxey. Joel Embiid did not exceed 30 minutes in any of Philadelphia’s first 23 games, yet Maxey kept the team competitive during that stretch, guiding the 76ers to a 13-10 SU record.
MVP voting is often influenced by perception and narrative as much as it is by true production, which could work against Maxey. Many pundits still view Philadelphia as Embiid’s team, especially with Embiid returning to a normal workload of late.
However, Maxey ranks third in VORP and third in Win Shares as of this writing – elite benchmarks that typically align with serious MVP consideration. One primary obstacle in his way is the fact that Philadelphia currently is the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Historically, MVP winners come from a top-three seed. The 76ers are only 3 games behind the Knicks in the loss column for the 3-seed as of Wednesday, with a head-to-head matchup on tap for later in the day. Maxey is certainly a longshot to steal MVP honors this season, but neither Gilgeous-Alexander nor Jokic are a guarantee to meet the 65-game minimum requirement and there isn’t another standout in this year’s field of competitors. Maxey is certainly a longshot, but his path to MVP is more likely than his current betting odds suggest.
The Takeaway
This year’s MVP race is likely to hinge on availability. If both Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokić reach the league’s 65-game minimum, the field effectively arrows to those two candidates. If only one clears the eligibility threshold, that player would become the overwhelming favorite to win the award.
Should neither meet the requirement, the race becomes far more fluid, with no clear front-runner between Cunningham, Dončić and Maxey. Dončić stands out in FTN’s Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation metric, while Maxey has arguably provided the most consistent value to his team. Cunningham, meanwhile, has Detroit positioned atop the Eastern Conference, giving him a compelling team-success case.
As the All-Star break ends and the stretch run begins, this year’s MVP race is far from over.
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Mike Sullivan Holds The Keys To U.S. Men's Hockey Olympic Roster The time has finally come for Mike Sullivan.
