OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Cotie McMahon scored a career-high 39 points to surpass 2,000 for her career and No. 17 Mississippi beat No. 21 Tennessee 94-81 on Tuesday night.
Ole Miss (21-6, 8-4 Southeastern Conference) never trailed and held a double-digit lead for the entire second half. McMahon's jumper gave the Rebels a 25-point lead with 1:51 left in the third quarter.
McMahon has 2,038 career points, is the fourth player in program history to surpass 2,000 and the first since Angel Baker (2022-23).
Latasha Lattimore recorded her fourth consecutive double-double and sixth this season, finishing with 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Rebels. Christeen Iwuala chipped in with 16 points and Tianna Thompson scored 12.
Talaysia Cooper scored a season-best 30 points on 12-of-26 shooting to lead Tennessee (16-8, 8-4). Lauren Hurst added 16 points off the bench.
McMahon had 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the first half to help Ole Miss build a 44-33 halftime advantage. Iwuala scored 12 first-half points for the Rebels. Cooper scored nine points to pace the Lady Vols.
The matchup was rescheduled from Jan. 26 due to winter weather. The Lady Vols entered having won nine of the last 10 games in the series.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 22: Thomas Bryant #3 of the Cleveland Cavaliers guards Mason Plumlee #22 of the Charlotte Hornets during the second quarter at Rocket Arena on December 22, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs are adding some depth to their front court. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Spurs signed veteran center Mason Plumlee to a 10-day contract.
The 35-year-old center will join the team after the Spurs opened up a roster spot by waiving Jeremy Sochan last week. Plumlee started the season with the Charlotte Hornets, but played in only 14 games, averaging 1.9 points and 2.9 rebounds. He last appeared in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 22. The 13-year veteran has averaged 7.9 points and 6.6 rebounds over his career. This will be Plumlee’s eighth NBA team, but he is most known for his time with the Brooklyn Nets and Denver Nuggets.
Plumlee adds some needed depth and a veteran presence to San Antonio’s locker room. The move closely mirrors what the Spurs did last season by signing Bismack Biyombo, although with less desperation. A healthy Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet likely leave Plumlee out of the rotation, but he’s another break-in-case-of-emergency option to go alongside Biyombo and Kelly Olynyk.
Plumlee is best known for his passing and IQ from the center position. He’s averaged 2.4 assists for his career, making quick reads off handoffs and in the short roll. He’s a solid pick-and-roll player due to his strength and IQ. In his prime, he was a good athlete who could contest shots and run the rim for dunks. He doesn’t thrive as a shooter or finisher inside and isn’t well-regarded as a rim protector. More than anything, he’s another big body on a cheap deal who can step in and play spot minutes if the Spurs are shorthanded.
It remains to be seen if Plumlee sticks around for the Spurs’ end-of-the-season run for the playoffs. San Antonio can sign him to a full deal once his 10-day contract is up.
Golden State Warriors superstar guard Stephen Curry hears the chatter wondering how long he'll continue his NBA career.
However, the 37-year-old 3-point specialist isn't feeding into that type of talk and says he hasn't given any thought about it in his 17th season.
Curry told People Magazine that he's "not really putting too much pressure on that."
"Thinking about the end robs you of the now,” Curry said. “I’m enjoying the journey of competing and all the work that goes into it. Hopefully that carries me a long way.”
He has shown zero signs of slowing down. Curry has averaged 27.2 points on 46.8/39.1/93.1 shooting splits in 39 games during the 2025-26 regular season.
However, he's faced minor setbacks this season. Curry just recently missed the All-Star Game and the two previous games for the Warriors as he nurses soreness in his right knee.
The Warriors remain eighth in the Western Conference standings at 29-26. If the postseason began today, they would have a play-in game for the No. 7 playoff spot against the Phoenix Suns.
With the Warriors still hanging in contention and Curry as competitive as they come, there is no retirement in the near future.
"I’ll declare itself, whenever the time comes to call it quits, which I don’t think is anytime soon,” Curry told People.
Curry was drafted by the Warriors with the seventh pick of the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft. He since has become a 12-time All-star, four-time NBA champion. two-time league MVP, a Finals MVP and an Olympic gold medalist.
He is arguably the greatest NBA 3-point shooter ever and was named to the NBA's 75th anniversary team.
One thing's for sure: He's playing next season.
Curry signed a one-year, $62.59 million veteran contract extension with Golden State through the 2026-27 season.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 30: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors drives past Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns during the game at Footprint Center on November 30, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 113-105. 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 Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to February Daily Topics at Golden State of Mind. A question (almost) every day this month to give the community a prompt to talk about!
The Golden State Warriors entered the NBA All-Star break with a record of 29-26, which is good for eighth place in the Western Conference standings. And the advanced stats agree with that assessment: the Warriors’ garbage-time adjusted net rating of +1.9 is seventh in the conference.
That, of course, doesn’t tell the whole story. The seven teams ahead of Golden State — and most of the teams behind them — return from the break with their top pieces intact. The same can’t be said for the Dubs. Jimmy Butler III will not suit up for the Warriors again this season, and the team is just 6-11 when he doesn’t play, compared to 23-15 when he does.
On the brighter side, Steph Curry is expected to return from injury when the Warriors get back in action on Thursday night against the Boston Celtics, and the team is hoping to debut Kristaps Porziņģis as well. But, in returning to the glass-half-empty side, Curry has been dealing with a few lingering ailments this year, while Porziņģis has dealt with injuries every year of his career — counting this season, he’s averaged just 47.1 games played over his 11 seasons in the NBA (which includes missing an entire year due to injury).
The Warriors will spend the rest of the year jockeying for position, though they seem unlikely to move much in the standings. It’s almost guaranteed that they won’t fall out of the playoff race: currently they stand a whopping eight games ahead of the first team out, and that team (the Memphis Grizzlies) just hit the reset and rebuild buttons at the deadline. They could fall down a spot or two to one of the lesser play-in positions — they’re just 2.5 games ahead of both the Portland Trail Blazers and LA Clippers.
Moving up seems less likely, but it’s possible, too, if the Dubs get hot or one of the teams ahead of them craters for one reason or another. The first play-in team, the Phoenix Suns, is three games ahead of Golden State. The final teams in the guaranteed playoff spots, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers, are 4.5 games ahead of the Dubs.
So how high can the Warriors rise, and how far can they fall? For me, the answer is boring: I think they’re stuck in the play-in tournament. I could see them rising one spot to have the top seed in the tourney, or falling to the last spot.
What range of outcomes do you see for the Warriors?
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Robert McCray V scored 18 of his 27 points in the second half, Alex Steen had 13 points and eight rebounds, and Florida State rallied in the second half to beat Boston College 80-72 on Tuesday night.
Florida State trailed by 14 points, 59-45, with 11 minutes remaining before making 11 of its final 14 shots.
Lajae Jones grabbed an offensive rebound and put it in with 2:33 remaining in the second half to give Florida State its first lead, 70-68, since it was 8-5. Then Chauncey Wiggins added a 3-pointer and McCray made a driving layup to make it 75-70 with 50 seconds left.
It was Florida State's largest comeback victory since a 16-point reversal against Wake Forest on Feb. 12, 2025.
Wiggins finished with 11 points and Jones added 10 for Florida State (13-13, 6-7 ACC), which was coming off a 92-point performance against Virginia Tech.
Fred Payne scored 22 points for Boston College (9-17, 2-11) which was looking for its first ACC road win in over two years. Luka Toews and Chase Forte each scored 14 points and Aidan Shaw had 10 points.
Payne and Forte combined to go 6 of 7 from 3-point range, with three makes apiece, in the first half to help Boston College take a 42-32 lead at the break. Toews added two makes from distance as the Eagles went 8 of 12 by halftime.
Boston College finished 11 of 24 from 3-point range.
Up next
Boston College: Continues the road trip at SMU on Saturday.
FSU: Goes on the road to play Clemson on Saturday.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - FEBRUARY 11: Jaren Jackson Jr., #20 of the Utah Jazz talks with assistant coach Scott Morrison during warmups before their game against the Sacramento Kings at the Delta Center on February 11, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A letter written by the hand of General William Culvahouse Hardy, dated Wednesday, February 18, 2026, C.E.
This war is not what it used to be. The times have changed faster than anyone could have predicted, and suddenly, nothing feels familiar. I now hardly remember the taste of defeat. The comfort of pre-emptively waving the white flag. The release of screaming into the face of Private George. I gaze upon a stranger’s face in the reflection of the pools as I bathe and stiffen my lip; none wish to see a grown man cry, and certainly fewer wish to see tears on the face of their leader. The war has changed us all, and I can’t say all has been for the better.
The newest batch of recruits has changed everything. Such potent might may allow us to win battle after battle, but at the cost of the war. In response, our war room has employed many a strategem, some of which may have our nation under investigation for war crimes when this is all said and done. May God have mercy, whatever the end.
A letter written by the hand of Private Walker Ross Kessler, dated Wednesday, February 3, 2026, C.E.
My darling, I fear I may never see the sun rise upon your beautiful face once again. I became horribly injured on the battlefield, yet my commanding officer refuses to approve my leave. I wouldn’t approve your cowardice, even if you had Miss America waiting for you back home, he told me once. The irony is lost on him.
I see my closest friends placed on the front lines of our wars, even as the strongest and savviest fall back prematurely. Such tactics will have our nation under tremendous scrutiny, I have no doubt.
The Great Tank Race of 2026 was one of scandal. One of turmoil. And most importantly, one where the powers of the NBA enacted unthinkable legislation to punish the participants employing unforeseen, and incredibly drastic measures. They say all is fair in love and war, but when the former is lost, what is one to make of the latter?
In the camp of the Utah Jazz, wartime placed a considerable financial burden on the already weak economy of their relatively minuscule nation. A $500,000 fine for war crimes was punishment enough, but losing the respect of one’s neighbors was another. In those days, Utah had become synonymous with an oft-employed, but deeply disagreeable practice known as tanking. Though their execution was extreme, there was no doubt that the nation of Jazz was far from the only guilty party in this national struggle.
Friendless and desperate to find a stable foothold, Utah held its ground in the face of opposition.
NBA Tanking Standings: Post All-Star Weekend
1- (+2) Sacramento Kings (12-44)
Kings.
2- (+2) Washington Wizards (14-39) -3.5 GB
We have an entirely new hierarchy in the Tank Race, and the Washington Wizards have officially returned to their rightful place as equal statistical partners for the number one pick. It’s all about ping pong balls, and in the race for plastic, the Wizards now have a 14.0% chance of picking first overall. Trading for and immediately deactivating Anthony Davis was a brilliant move for a team that feels no pressure to compete for a spot in the Play-In. The same can be said about Trae Young, who is still “being evaluated”. Something tells me the next evaluation won’t be good news for those itching to see Young take the floor for the first time as a Wizard.
It’s worth noting that Washington finished last season in this exact position, just behind the league-worst (but tank-best!) Utah Jazz, and still managed to tumble all the way down to the sixth pick. As good as Tre Johnson is, he is not Cooper Flagg, and the same could be said about the disparity between picks 1-4 and picks 5-10 this season.
3- (-1) New Orleans Pelicans (15-41) -3.0 GB
Nobody is a bigger fan of the New Orleans Pelicans than the Atlanta Hawks this season. Sure, trading to grab Derik Queen in the late lottery was a stroke of genius in the short term, but this team is still 14.0% stakeh0lders in odds for the number one pick, and they don’t have the rights to their own draft pick.
Look, I love me a Baby Jokic (Jokic lite? Diet Joke?) as much as the next guy, but if I’m Atlanta, I am far more excited about the prospects of drafting a player in the top three with a draft class as loaded at the top as this one. There are three legitimate number-one caliber players this season, and for Hawks fans in attendance, I don’t mean another Zaccharie Risacher.
For a while there, it seemed as if Indiana would run away with the tanking crown. They had won just six games at our second check-in and sat comfortably at the head of the tank.
Yet, they stumbled. In slow motion and with an agonizing amount of time to marinate in one’s own demise, the Pacers shunned the perfect strategy for installing complementary talent around the injured Tyrese Haliburton, and have begun to fall down the stairs to the tanking pantheon. They have a record of 9-9 since the previous volume of The Great Tank Race, and that could prove fatal on lottery night. Our tank commanders have been stripped of their valor, and I can hardly look.
Then again, the lottery is probably staged anyway, so who knows if they’ll find their way back to the number one pick in one way or another.
5- (+0) Brooklyn Nets (15-38) -4.5 GB
So, the Brooklyn Nets managed to pick five first-rounders last season, betting on playmaking and positional versatility, and that somehow managed to pan out in a remarkably satisfying way for Nets fans. Egor Demin is freaking awesome, Danny Wolf and Drake Powell are quickly becoming icons, Nolan Traore has been electric since Thomas parted ways with the team, and Ben Saraf is… eh. They drafted five rookies in the first round. They can’t all be winners.
Cam Thomas, the Wicked Witch of the Nets, is officially out of the picture and down the barrel of Giannis’ longing gaze, and the young and free Nets are free to frolic as they please.
Giannis Antetokounmpo looks at Cam Thomas like a scrumptious snack after he hits the dagger 38-footer
The acquisition of Jaren Jackson Jr has made the Utah Jazz too good to tank, and everybody knows it. They have a winning record with JJJ on their roster, and not even locking him out of the fourth quarter could keep the wave of good vibes from washing up W’s.
Not to be insensitive, but finding a tumor in JJJ’s knee may have been the best-case scenario for the Jazz, who desperately don’t want to win their way lower than the ninth pick, conveying their first-round pick to (you guessed it) Oklahoma City, and striking out on one of the most apparently stacked draft classes ever. The tumor is benign, but Jackson will be on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.
This team will be dangerous and competitive in 2026-27, but the top priority is retaining this year’s pick. Now the question becomes, how does Utah keep Lauri Markkanen from wringing more wins out of the surging Jazz?
7- (+2) Dallas Mavericks (19-35) -8.0 GB
Here comes Dallas, barreling down the tanking trail. The Mavs have won zero games in their last nine attempts, and have clearly shifted gears after winning four straight prior to that nine-game skid. Cooper Flagg is everything that Dallas could have hoped he’d become (but then again, so was Luka Doncic), yet the Mavericks are staying on target, determined not to fall out of contention.
And they’re doing a scary good job.
8- (N/A) Memphis Grizzlies (20-33)
The scenes in the Memphis front office must have been very reminiscent of Michael Scott sharing the news that their branch would soon be downsized. It’s over, they declared in unison. We are screwed.
Clearly, having hit their ceiling with Morant, JJJ, and Bane, Memphis had nowhere to go. Burning the remains of a lost civilization was all Memphis could do, so that’s exactly what they’ve done. They’re holding a fire sale, and everything must go.
We’ll wish the departed Jazzmen luck in their professional careers — specifically Clayton and Hendricks, whom we hope pan out into great players. In the meantime, Memphis is going to be very bad before they can become any good.
Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 13: Stephon Castle #5 of Team Melo dribbles the ball during the game against Team Austin during the Rising Stars Game as part of the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend on Friday, February 13, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
All-Star Weekend has wrapped up, and the basketball world is still talking about the San Antonio Spurs. Much of the narrative around the All-Star Game was that Victor Wembanyama set the tone from an intensity standpoint, improving the game for the better.
But he wasn’t the only Spur to star at All-Star Weekend. De’Aaron Fox hit a game-winning three-pointer in the All-Star Game, Dylan Harper hit a game-winner over his brother in the Rising Stars Challenge, and Carter Bryant soared to a runner-up finish in the Dunk Contest.
Before the weekend, we polled readers on who would put on the best performance, and unsurprisingly, they nailed it. Wembanyama may have won the ASG MVP if Team World performed better. Mitch Johnson won’t get a lot of flowers for coaching Team Stripes, which lost in the championship game, but who knows if Kawhi Leonard goes on that 31-point tear if Johnson hadn’t been there to keep him in the game. It makes you think! Either way, the most successful event of the weekend had three Spurs involved in big moments.
Harper and Castle had their moments in the Rising Stars challenge, but it felt like Harper came away as a real winner from the weekend. His highlight against Ron Harper Jr. was hilarious. Ron Harper Sr. missing a layup in the Shooting Stars Challenge was funny, too. And all of the behind-the-scenes footage of Harper made it seem like he got to chum it up with some of the league’s best.
San Antonio could have had even more representation at the event, according to readers. 77% of respondents said that Castle was snubbed for the All-Star game. Castle is averaging 16.5 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds while shooting 46.4% from the field and 28.8% from three. Those aren’t quite All-Star stats, but once you figure in his defensive impact and the role he plays on a 38-16 team, it’s hard to deny that he has been one of the most important players in the NBA.
Castle’s time is coming. He’s improved in just about every statistical category since his rookie season. He’s developing into a legitimate two-way force who can make plays for others and get to the basket at will. We’re still waiting on the 2024 NBA Draft class’s first all-star. Castle could reach that height before the rest of the draftees.
The Spurs now head into the stretch run of the season as the playoffs rapidly approach. They not only have a shot at home court advantage in the first two rounds, but could even secure the one-seed if they go on a hot streak to end the season.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves finalized their cost-cutting move with point guard Mike Conley by signing the 19th-year veteran on Wednesday, two weeks after trading him away.
Conley was first sent in a three-team deal to the Chicago Bulls, who then packaged him with Coby White in a swap with the Charlotte Hornets the following day. The day after that, Conley was waived.
Being traded twice made Conley eligible to rejoin the Timberwolves, who were thus able to sign him to a minimum contract after lowering their luxury tax bill beneath the first apron by jettisoning his original salary. Getting under the first apron and the rules around it allowed the Timberwolves the salary cap flexibility to acquire guard Ayo Dosunmu in a separate deal with the Bulls.
Conley's production and playing time have dwindled this season, but he has long been a revered presence on the team for his leadership, savvy and experience. He's a four-time winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award and a two-time teammate of the year honoree by the league.
The Timberwolves (34-22) are in sixth place in the Western Conference. They host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday in their first game after the All-Star break
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 29: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays against Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on November 29, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The future of LeBron James remains as uncertain as ever as Los Angeles Lakers’ governor Jeanie Buss sounds doubtful the King will be returning next season, according to Alex Sherman of CNBC. Either because of retirement or choosing to play for another team (potentially his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers?).
“Never say never, but you know, he certainly hasn’t given us an indication,” Buss said. “He’s earned the right to decide how his career will go, and you know, he continues to impress.”
James, to this point, has kept his cards close to his vest. He’s refused to give any hint as to where he’ll be playing next season, or if he’ll be playing at all. This is a can that he keeps kicking down the road. Naturally, that means the next few months are going to be a never-ending cycle of speculation.
So, buckle up.
It only makes sense that in all of this chaos, the Cleveland Cavaliers are repeatedly found at the center of it.
Can anyone come up with a better ending to LeBron’s historic career than returning home for one final championship run? Another title in Cleveland would be more valuable than winning anywhere else. It’s the type of thing that sounds too perfect.
But the stars are alligned. The Cavs have dug themselves out of another rebuilding process and could, hypothetically, add James back into the mix on a minimum contract. Whether or not James would agree to that is another story. The point is, it’s possible.
Still, LA is not out of the picture. Sure, they’ve made Luka Doncic the new cornerstone of their franchise and have largely put James on the back burner (at least, aesthetically). But the Lakers are still reportedly open to having James back next season. I’d imagine all 30 NBA teams would welcome James, but you get the point.
“If James wants to play a 24th season, he would be welcomed back in LA. Pelinka declared before the start of this season that he would love it if James retired a Laker, and that sentiment was meant to reflect a 2026 retirement or a 2027 retirement, if James intends to extend his career.”via ESPN
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton feels his Yankees career is lacking.
“It’s definitely incomplete,” he said Tuesday ahead of his ninth season in pinstripes. “The point of being a Yankee is being a champion.”
Now 36 and entering the final two guaranteed seasons of a $325 million, 13-year contract he signed with the Miami Marlins, Stanton has gone on the injured list in seven consecutive seasons but has been a force when healthy.
“I’m good. Ready to go,” Stanton maintained. “As I said before, it’s not going anywhere. It’s always going to be maintenance, but it didn’t hinder me from any work.”
He said the preparation is “a lot of hold, strengthening, make sure I’m able to maintain holding and swinging with power and throwing.”
A five-time All-Star and the 2017 NL MVP, Stanton has a .258 average with 453 homers — most among active players — and 1,169 RBIs in 16 big league seasons. He is key component in the Yankees batting order.
“With us over the last couple of years (having) become more and more left-handed, his presence in the middle is just really big,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It’s like having that guy lingering there, that’s Big G in the middle.”
Stanton had 38 homers with 100 RBIs in his first season with New York in 2018 but missed 266 of 708 games over the next five seasons because of a series of strains of right biceps, right knee, left hamstring (twice) and left quadriceps along with right ankle inflammation and left Achilles tendinitis.
Noticeably slimmer in 2024, he limited his lost time to 28 games for a strained left hamstring. Stanton finished with 27 homers and 72 RBIs in 114 games and added seven homers and 16 RBIs in 14 postseason games.
He isn’t thinking about career stats.
“Numbers like the next one and the next one is good for now,” he said. “Those numbers, 500 or what not, is the same as we’re going to win the World Series right now. You got each day to do work and prove and do something positive.”
Stanton is owed $64 million in guaranteed money by the Yankees: $29 million this year, $25 million in 2027 and a $10 million buyout of a $25 million club option for 2028. He comes at a discount because the Marlins owe the Yankees $30 million to offset part of what remains in his contract: $5 million each on July 1 and Oct. 1 in 2026, 2027 and 2028.
However, his salary for purposes of the Yankees’ luxury tax payroll is $25 million and since New York is likely to pay the top tax rate of 110%, he adds $27.5 million to the team’s tax bill.
Teammates look to Stanton for succinct tips before they bat.
“He just processes things really well and really gains from the things he sees: the experience, the times he faces a pitcher, how he processes that and puts it to use in future at-bats against guys,” Boone said. “I think he knows himself incredibly well as a hitter, but his presence with just the makeup of our club is huge.”
Volpe hopes to return in April
Shortstop Anthony Volpe won’t be ready for the March 25 opener but hopes to return in April following surgery on Oct. 14 to repair the labrum in his left shoulder.
He started a hitting progression Monday with dry swings — no ball involved — and hopes to advance soon to hitting off a tee and soft toss.
“My body’s ready to go defensively and running, so the hitting will be what we work through next, and judging on how everything’s gone so far, I’m just excited,” he said.
Volpe hurt the shoulder on May 3. He returned to the lineup two days later but struggled for much of the season. He had a pair of cortisone shots and hit .212 with 19 homers and a career-high 72 RBIs. He went 1 for 15 with 11 strikeouts in the AL Division Series loss to Toronto, making an out in his last 13 at-bats.
Volpe’s surgery was more extensive than had been expected following an MRI.
“When I woke up from the surgery and we went through everything, we kind of had an idea of what the best case and what the worst case and everything in between would have been, so I wasn’t shocked” he said. “I was just more excited and in pain and motivated.”
Looking back, his left shoulder and side didn’t feel like his right after the injury. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said following the surgery that Volpe could start hitting in four months but couldn’t dive on the shoulder for six months.
“The first half rehabbing was tough. It felt like rock bottom as far as physically,” Volpe said. “Probably at the turn of the New Year is when I really started to feel good and I started to do stuff, baseball activity.”
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 30: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers brings the ball up court during the third quarter against the Boston Celtics at Rocket Arena on November 30, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 117-115. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Donovan Mitchell is having the best season of his career. If the rest of the league hasn’t noticed yet, at least Mitchell himself and one of his teammates certainly have.
What am I talking about? Well, The Athletic released their latest player poll, conducted over All-Star weekend. In the survey, they asked, “Who is the best player in the NBA?” to which Mitchell received the third most votes, behind only Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and tied with Luka Doncic.
That would make Mitchell not only the best player in the Eastern Conference according to his peers, but also the best American player in the league.
But there’s one catch. And it’s a big one.
The Athletic only polled 18 players for this specific question. Jokic received six votes, SGA three, while Luka and Mitchell received two.
So who voted for Mitchell?
Well… Mitchell voted for himself. Telling The Athletic’s Joe Vardon, “Come on, Joe, I gotta say me, always.”
The other vote? Mitchell’s teammate Jaylon Tyson, who was also at All-Star weekend competing in the Rising Stars challenge. I have to respect a teammate who rides or dies for the other.
This means we can’t really take anything from this poll. Something tells me the voters were a little biased.
Either way, Mitchell deserves some recognition. He’s averaging 29 points and 5.9 assists per game while carrying the Cavaliers through a rough start to the season. Now he’s catapulting his team back into the mix as Eastern Conference contenders and is meshing nicely with his new backcourt partner, James Harden.
The Athletic polled more than 30 players who were in Los Angeles. The full anonymous results of that poll can be found here. Other questions from the survey include “Who has the best player podcast?” and “What’s the biggest problem facing the league today?”
Legendary Nuggets coach and Brooklyn native Doug Moe died Tuesday at the age of 87.
Moe spent a decade coaching in Denver, during the franchise’s most successful time period, while having coached in San Antonio and Philadelphia. Moe had a successful career on the court as well, earning three All-Star nods in the ABA from 1968 to 1970 and won a championship with the Oakland Oaks in 1969.
Moe grew up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn and recalled playing at Foster Park in an article published by the New York Times in 1984. He credited spending his youth playing basketball in the borough for his understanding of the game.
Nuggets head coach Doug Moe pleads with his team during a timeout in the closing seconds of a NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets in May 1986. AP
”After school and on Saturdays, we would play there until dark,” Moe said. ”I would play against guys a lot older and they would beat the heck out of me. But I learned a lot.”
The Nuggets described Moe as a “one-of-a-kind leader and person who spearheaded one of the most successful and exciting decades in Nuggets history.”
Moe served as head coach with the Nuggets from 1980-1990 and won 432 games, the franchise record for most wins until Michael Malone broke it in 2024. The Nuggets made the postseason in nine straight years during his tenure as head coach.
“He will forever be loved and remembered by Nuggets fans and his banner commemorating his 432 career victories as head coach will hang in the rafters to forever honor his incredible legacy,” the team said in a statement. “The organization’s thoughts are with Doug’s wife Jane, his son David and all of his family and loved ones who are hurting in this moment.”
Moe got his coaching start as an assistant under his former University of North Carolina teammate Larry Brown in 1972 when he was the coach of the ABA Carolina Cougars.
Nuggets head coach Doug Moe, center, directs his team from the bench during an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns on April 21, 1982. AP
The Brooklyn native received his first head coaching job in 1976 with the Spurs, where Moe spent the next four seasons before taking the Nuggets job.
After his dismissal in 1990, Moe’s next coaching gig didn’t come until 1992 during a brief stint as the head coach of the 76ers. He would return to Denver in the early 2000s as a special consultant and assistant coach from 2002-2008.
“It’s a sad day in Denver,” former Nuggets player Bill Hanzlik wrote on X. “Just learned one of the Absolute Best, Doug Moe has passed away peacefully holding the hand of his wife Jane Moe this morning. God Bless you BIG STIFF from your No Hoper Hanz.”
When it rains, it pours. For Frank Vatrano, it might as well have been hailing. Entering the first season of a three-year extension that he signed just over a year ago with the Ducks, Vatrano was set to play for Joel Quenneville again. Quenneville was someone Vatrano knew previously from playing under him with the Florida Panthers. Vatrano was also coming off his third consecutive 40-point season, with his tenure as a Duck being the most productive of his career.
However, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Vatrano in 2025-26. He’s having his worst statistical season by far since becoming a full-time NHLer, relegated to the fourth line and barely accumulating any special teams minutes. His average time on ice (12:21) is the lowest it’s been since the 2021-22 season, when he was playing for the Panthers.
To further exacerbate things, Vatrano suffered a shoulder injury on Dec. 27 against the Los Angeles Kings after his skate got caught in the ice and he slammed into the boards. He did not return to the game and the Ducks announced on Dec. 31 that Vatrano would be out for approximately six weeks due to a shoulder fracture.
Dec 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA;Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) is defended by Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) as he handles the puck in the first period at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
“My immediate reaction was, ‘Am I paralyzed?’ I went in pretty (dangerously) there. I went in neck-first, and you’re always taught as a kid when you're going into the boards neck-first that you don't go in (with your head bent down), you kind of just bail, and that's what I did. I bailed and I let my shoulder take the blunt of it. I'm lucky I was taught that at a young age, because I don't know where I would have been if I didn't know how to protect myself from the injury that I had. It could have been a lot worse.”
The Ducks have gone 9-8-1 in the 18 games that Vatrano has missed, equalizing their seven-game losing streak with a subsequent seven-game winning streak. They finished out the pre-Olympic break portion of the season with two consecutive wins.
“I think the whole league has gone through it this year, with losing streaks and whatnot,” Vatrano said. “We crawled our way out of it, it was a team effort to crawl out of it. We didn't like the way that we were playing. I think we were playing too high-risk. I think we sharpened some things up defensively. We know we could score goals, but we want to keep the puck out of the net, so I think we've been doing a good job at that. We've been playing very hard defensively and just overall being a tough team to play against.”
Dec 7, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) on a drive against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images
“No one ever wants to watch from up top (in the press box), but I think when you watch from up top, you can kind of see the game in a whole different perspective. Things are kind of slowed down up there. You see the plays develop and you put that in your mind when you're out there on the ice. You have extra plays to make and you have extra time, so you definitely benefit from that side of things.”
The Olympic break has given Vatrano ample time to rehab his injury without missing more games than he would have during a normal NHL season. While coming out of the break could feel like a mental reset on his season, he prefers to think of ways he can positively impact the team, even if his individual performance hasn’t been up to his standard.
“When things aren't going well, sometimes other things happen. That seems like that's what happened to me. When things aren't going well on the ice, then you either get hurt or something happens. You never really want to take a reset. You always want to be able to help the team, regardless of how the season's going for you. You want to feel (like you’re) a part of the group and help them go forward. To take the positive out of it, it's kind of time for me to sit back and work on my game a little bit and try to get back a little bit.”
Nov 8, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) celebrates with team mates after scoring a goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
“Frankie gives us hard work, gives us an honest effort,” Quenneville said. “One of the guys (who is) well-liked (and gives us) enthusiasm. Whether it was his shot or his production, it's been off a little bit, and I think that he needs to get himself feeling good and getting that some confidence in his game and with the puck on his stick, go from there.”
With Vatrano and Leo Carlsson (Morel-Lavallée lesion) back in the fold, this is the closest the Ducks have been to full health since training camp. Quenneville will have plenty of options to choose from when crafting his lineups moving forward.
