John Blackwell scored 24 points, Nick Boyd added 22 and No. 23 Wisconsin closed a four-game, season-opening homestand by defeating SIU Edwardsville 94-69 on Monday night. Wisconsin has scored at least 85 points in each of its first four games for the first time since the 1975-76 season. Wisconsin plays its next three games away from Kohl Center as its schedule gets tougher.
Williams and Holloman lead No. 25 NC State past VCU 85-79 in return to Top 25
Darrion Williams scored 28 points, Tre Holloman added 25 and No. North Carolina State marked its first appearance in the national rankings this season by beating VCU 85-79 on Monday night. Matt Able had 12 points off the bench and Ven-Allen Lubin provided 11 points and nine rebounds for the Wolfpack (4-0), who overcame 17 turnovers.
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Victor Wembanyama out with left calf strain, reportedly will be re-evaluated in 2-3 weeks
Victor Wembanyama missed his first game of the season on Sunday due to a sore calf, a condition the Spurs had been playing down (he was wearing a sleeve over his calf postgame, but no walking boot), and the team went out and earned a win over Sacramento without him. San Antonio will need more of that in the next couple of weeks.
An MRI determined that Wembanyama has a strained left calf and the team has listed him as out. Multiple reports have said he is expected to be re-evaluated in 2-3 weeks.
Wembanyama has been a force this season on both ends of the court, playing at a level that gets him mentioned in the early MVP conversation. Wembanyama is averaging 26.2 points a game while shooting 34.5% from beyond the arc (but he has lowered his number of attempted 3s and is getting closer to the basket), plus grabbing 12.9 rebounds and dishing out four assists a night. His 3.6 blocked shots a night leads the league.
When Wembanyama is off the court, the Spurs' defense is 10.8 points per 100 possessions worse. Still, thanks to strong guard play, the Spurs still outscore teams by 1.5 per 100 without him.
Expect just returned De'Aaron Fox to have a couple of big weeks carrying the San Antonio offense, he had 28 points and 11 assists on Sunday. Luke Kornet will move into the starting center slot (he had a solid game against the Kings Sunday with 13 points and 11 boards), and veteran big man Kelly Olynyk also should see more run off the bench.
Wembanyama joins No. 2 pick Dylan Harper in street clothes for the Spurs due to a calf strain. In the wake of what happened with Tyrese Haliburton in the Finals last season — when he tried to play through a sore calf and tore his Achilles — and similar injuries, teams are being far more cautious this season with calf strains.
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Blue Jays could be MLB's biggest offseason wild card, with a potential run at Kyle Tucker
Coming off their first trip to the World Series in over 30 years, the Toronto Blue Jays have plenty of reasons to keep the momentum going into 2026. Not only did Toronto have a strong showing in the World Series despite the defeat, but they now have a roster with postseason experience and a superstar in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who showed he can carry a team in October.
The Blue Jays’ run in 2025 left a mark on an entire country, and the team’s front office is now tasked with putting the Blue Jays back into a position to make another postseason run.
This is why Toronto is the biggest wild card in baseball this season.
Toronto has been a suitor for some of the biggest free agents, finishing as the runner-up for Shohei Ohtani before he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and ending as a finalist for Juan Soto before he signed with the New York Mets.
The Blue Jays have been looking to swim in the deep end of MLB’s payroll pool by signing a major free agent, but with no success. Even without landing Soto or Ohtani, they finished last season fifth in payroll. And fresh off their World Series run, they’re looking like one of the most attractive destinations in baseball, both economically and on the field.
“I think Mark [Shapiro] and Ross [Atkins] have done a tremendous job,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said of Toronto’s top player personnel executives. “And I think going back for us [is] one big thing — probably our largest kind of focal point and biggest goal was to try to create a destination spot where our own players didn't want to leave and where players from other teams wanted to come.
“And I think invariably we find ourselves going up against the Blue Jays a lot in different ways, and they have created that as well. I think they have done a really good job with their facilities, the way they communicate, and how they help get the most out of players.”
High-leverage arms, high priority for the Blue Jays
One of the biggest areas of need for the Blue Jays this offseason is getting help in the back end of their bullpen. Just a year after they signed reliever Jeff Hoffman to a three-year, $33 million deal, Toronto is back on the market for high-leverage arms.
Sources tell Yahoo Sports that the Blue Jays have been one of the more aggressive teams on the market for the offseason’s top relievers, including Devin Williams, Edwin Díaz and Pete Fairbanks. Toronto has already had initial conversations with each of the free agents.
Adding Williams, Fairbanks or Díaz would make the Blue Jays’ bullpen stronger. It remains to be seen if Hoffman would remain Toronto’s closer, move to an eighth-inning role or if the team would go closer by committee.
What to do with Bo Bichette?
While the bullpen is the area the Blue Jays have started to dive into right away, their biggest question is whether they’ll bring back former shortstop and now second baseman Bo Bichette.
He is a homegrown star and came up the same year as Guerrero in 2019. While Vladdy is locked in on a 10-year, $500 million extension, Bichette will have a chance to hit the open market and test his value.
And while the knee injury kept him out most of the postseason, he showed up when it mattered in the World Series, hitting .348 with a homer and a .923 OPS.
Bichette has a strong market this winter as both a second baseman and a shortstop in a weak class for shortstops. And after showing he has the ability to play second base, where he would likely be a stronger defender, his flexibility only helps him.
Could Kyle Tucker make sense as Plan B for Bichette?
When a player is a free agent, that means there’s always a 50% chance of them signing elsewhere. And while having Bichette return to play second base and running it back in 2026 is Toronto’s Plan A, Plan B could also be tantalizing.
Kyle Tucker is the best player on this year’s free-agent market and while the Blue Jays have struck out when it comes to players atop the market, this might be the year they succeed.
Tucker could play either corner in Toronto’s outfield, giving the Jays a strong outfield with Gold Glove winner Daulton Varsho in center field. Addison Barger could play the other corner with Nathan Lukes or shift back to the infield at third base, where he spent a majority of his time in 2025. Ernie Clement showed he could be an elite defender at both third base and second base, so a move wouldn’t be a problem for him either.
The one thing standing in the way of Tucker being the perfect fit for the Blue Jays is outfielder Anthony Santander, who signed a five-year, $92.5 million deal last winter. Santander did not have an inaugural season to remember in Toronto, playing in just 54 games in 2025 due to injury. And when he played, he didn’t play well, hitting a paltry .175 with six homers and 61 strikeouts in 194 at-bats.
Moving Santander is likely impossible at this point for the Blue Jays. And unless they eat a majority of his deal, which teams generally don’t do this early into contracts, he’s going to be on the roster one way or another in 2026.
But if Tucker wants to be a Blue Jay, they have to find a way to make it work. Because there’s no doubt adding that caliber of player to a team that just made a World Series appearance puts Toronto back into a position to be the favorite in the American League next season.
LeBron James practices with Lakers, has yet to decide if he will return to court Tuesday vs. Jazz
LeBron James went through his first full practice with the Lakers, coming off a couple of practices with the franchise's G-League team, but his status for the Lakers' game Tuesday against the Utah Jazz remains "TBD," as Lakers coach J.J. Redick put it.
"Just trying to get back to where I feel like myself again," LeBron said after practice, via the Associated Press. "Got to see how the body responds over the next 24 hours-plus."
The Lakers have the front end of a home-and-home with the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. After that, the Lakers are off until Sunday, when they face the Jazz in Salt Lake City, before returning home to face the Clippers in a critical West Group B NBA Cup game, which you can watch on Nov. 25 on NBC and Peacock.
LeBron said he's feeling good.
"My lungs feel like a newborn baby," LeBron said. "That's the most important thing: I've got to get my lungs back up to a grown man. My voice is already gone (from) one day back barking out calls and assignments and stuff. Got to get my voice working again. Be a lot of tea and rest tonight. Feels good to be out here with the guys. Missed them."
LeBron missed all of training camp as well as the first 14 games of the season due to sciatica on his right side. This started back in August, and from the first days, the plan has been for him to take his time and return to the court in mid-November. This week fits that timeline.
Whenever he does set foot on an NBA court this season, LeBron will set a record as the first player ever to reach 23 seasons in the league. Even without LeBron, the Lakers are 10-4 to start the season, led by a top-10 offense sparked by Luka Doncic playing at an MVP level.
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LeBron James knows there will be a 'feel-out' process when he returns to Lakers
LeBron James said his lungs felt like those of a “newborn baby” and his voice was “already gone” after his first Lakers practice Monday as he moved a step closer toward making his season debut after being sidelined by sciatica.
The Lakers listed James as questionable for Tuesday night against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena, and he sounded as if he was close to playing in his NBA-record 23rd season.
"We got a long time,” said James as he wiped sweat from his face while speaking to reporters. “I mean, we've been taking literally one minute, one hour, one step at a time throughout this whole process. So, see how I feel this afternoon, see how I feel tonight. When I wake up in the morning. ... We'll probably have [a] shootaround [Tuesday]. So, just gotta see how the body responds over the next 24 hours-plus."
LeBron James on how he’s feeling: “My lungs feel like a newborn baby.”
— Thuc Nhi Nguyen (@thucnhi21) November 17, 2025
Says he’s trying to get his conditioning back up and his voice is already shot from yelling at practice, but he was happy to be back. pic.twitter.com/rl6WMAuYmw
James, who will turn 41 next month, was asked how long it took him to become pain-free.
“I wouldn’t take it that far,” James said. “Like I said, if you ever had it, you go about it and you wake up one day and you hope that when you step down from the bed that you don’t feel it. You go to bed at night, and you hope that when you’re in the bed that you don’t feel it. So I’ve been doing pretty good with it as of late. There’s a lot of exercises and a lot of mobility things and a lot of things you can do to help it. So I’m just keeping a positive mindset.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick said it was like having a new player in practice with James on the court.
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James agreed, saying, “Definitely feels new, for sure.”
The Lakers have four days off after Tuesday's game against Utah — including three practice days — before playing the Jazz in Salt Lake City on Sunday.
"One day back, barking out calls and assignments and stuff, getting my voice working again," said James about his first day at practice. "Be a lot of tea and rest tonight."
James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer (42,184 points), admitted he had to mentally adjust to missing the start of a season for the first time in his career.
"It sucks. It definitely sucks,” James said. “Never in my life since I started playing the game of basketball have I ever not started the season — in my life. It's been a mind test, but I'm built for it and it's been putting in the work, both mentally and physically trying to get myself ready to rejoin the team.
"It's just been kind of the same revolving door. Just repetition, repetition, repetition; rehabbing, rehabbing, rehabbing. Just trying to get back where I can feel like myself again. It's great to be out here today."
He's back.
— Thuc Nhi Nguyen (@thucnhi21) November 17, 2025
LeBron James getting up shots at the end of Lakers practice. pic.twitter.com/lOdu78y8x4
James said this wasn’t the first time in his career that he had sciatica.
“I had it two years ago,” he said. “You had it, then you know what the hell it’s about. If you ain’t never had it and people are making jokes about it, I pray you never get it. It’s not fun.”
James practiced with the Lakers’ G League team, the South Bay Lakers, twice last week, getting in some five-on-five work.
"It was great,” James said. “I got cleared to play some five-on-five for the first time since ... hurting my MCL versus Minnesota. And that was the blessing."
The Lakers have gone 10-4 without James. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have led the way as one of the most potent two-way tandems in the early part of the NBA season.
Read more:‘I don’t know’: Lakers’ LeBron James unsure when it comes to future
Doncic leads the NBA in scoring (34.4 points per game) and Reaves is ninth (28.3). Doncic is fifth in assists (8.9) and Reaves is seventh (8.2).
James, who is 50 games away from breaking Robert Parish’s all-time record of most games played in NBA history (1,611), knows he'll have to adjust things when he returns.
“I have to work my way back into it,” James said. “The guys have been going on road trips, shootarounds, flights. So it’s kind of like a kid going to a new school again. Got to learn the guys and everything. So they got some great chemistry. Feeling my way back in and do it organically. It shouldn’t be hard. But it’s definitely a feel-out process.”
Etc.
Redick said all 14 players practiced for the first time this season and that Rui Hachimura (left call soreness) and Marcus Smart (viral illness) will be available to play against the Jazz after sitting out against Milwaukee on Saturday.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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Victor Wembanyama Calf Strain: Spurs' outlook and fantasy impact
San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama missed the team's most recent game with a left calf injury, and he will reportedly miss additional time. On Monday, the team announced that the 7-foot-4 center has been diagnosed with a left calf strain and is expected to be re-evaluated in two to three weeks.
To say that this is a critical blow to the Spurs and to fantasy basketball teams would be an understatement. From a value standpoint, only Denver's Nikola Jokić has been better thus far, with Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander next in line. Where will the Spurs turn to fill the resulting void? And where else can fantasy managers look for reliable value? Let's look at the impact of Wembanyama's absence on fantasy basketball.
Who will replace Wembanyama in the starting lineup?
The answer to this question is straightforward: Luke Kornet (nine percent rostered, Yahoo!). Signed as a free agent this past summer, the 7-foot-2 center started Sunday's win over the Kings and finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, one assist and three blocked shots. Kornet won't provide the three-point or assist value that Wemby brings to the table, but he's worth a look for managers needing a high field-goal percentage, rebounds and blocked shots.
Kelly Olynyk (one percent) played 18 minutes off the bench on Sunday but is only worth a look in the off chance the Spurs were to lose Kornet. Bismack Biyombo (less than one percent) is a non-starter in fantasy; he played the final two minutes of Sunday's game due to the result no longer in question.
Who else will Wembanyama’s absence impact?
The entire Spurs rotation will be impacted, albeit to varying degrees. De'Aaron Fox, who made his season debut on November 8 after missing the start of the season with a hamstring injury, is the player who may see his fantasy value increase the most. Over his last two games, Fox has totaled 52 points and 21 assists, shooting 21-of-42 from the field. In his first three appearances, the point guard attempted 14 shots in each.
The key for fantasy managers who have Fox rostered is that his efficiency remains the same as it has been in the last two games. After totaling 10 assists and 12 turnovers in the two games prior, he only committed six turnovers in the next two.
The efficiency is also key for Stephon Castle, who began the season as the starting point guard and continued to serve as a primary playmaker once Fox was cleared to play. However, the reigning Rookie of the Year exited Sunday's game before halftime with a hip injury and did not return. As long as he isn't out for an extended period, Castle (70 percent) stands to receive a bump to his fantasy value with Wembanyama out.
2025-26 Fantasy Basketball Top 200 Rankings: Wemby injured, Jalen Johnson providing value in Atlanta
The Hawks forward has exceeded the expectations of many fantasy managers this season, especially after Trae Young went down.
Raphielle JohnsonSuppose Castle were to join Wembanyama on the sideline for an extended period. In that case, Julian Champagnie (three percent) is the most likely replacement, as he filled the resulting void to begin the second half on Sunday. Also, he started the season as a starter due to Fox's absence, averaging 10.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.0 three-pointers in that role.
Devin Vassell, who has started all 14 games for the Spurs, is another player who could have the ball in his hands a bit more while the team looks to compensate for Wembanyama's absence. He dished out seven assists in Sunday's victory, but the wing's start to the season has been underwhelming from a fantasy standpoint. Injuries are never good, but Vassell's role becoming more critical could serve as a catalyst for him.
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Ukrainian gives up undisputed heavyweight title status
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Fabio Wardley has been upgraded to WBO heavyweight champion after Oleksandr Usyk elected to relinquish the title – and his undisputed status – rather than defend it against the unbeaten Briton.
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Continue reading...Penguins Top Prospect Is Big Player To Watch
After starting the season injured, Pittsburgh Penguins top prospect Rutger McGroarty kicked off his 2025-26 campaign with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Nov. 15 against the Springfield Thunderbirds. McGroarty certainly started the year off in a solid way, as he scored a goal in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's 3-1 win.
With McGroarty being one of the Penguins' most promising youngsters, seeing him start the year off with a goal is certainly encouraging. They are expecting the 2022 first-round pick to become a big part of their roster in the future, so he is undoubtedly a player to keep a very close eye on now that he is back to being healthy.
If McGroarty can continue to produce offense for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, it very well could lead to him getting called up to Pittsburgh's NHL roster in the near future. Thus, the 21-year-old forward will be looking to stand out down in the AHL from here.
McGroarty completed his first professional season in 2024-25, where he primarily played with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. In 60 games with the AHL squad this past campaign, he recorded 14 goals and 39 points. He also had one goal and three points in eight NHL games with Pittsburgh during the 2024-25 season.
Overall, McGroarty has shown promise, and it will be interesting to see what he can do during his second pro season from here.
Patera & Kämpf To Make Canucks Debuts Against The Panthers
Two players will be making their Vancouver Canucks debuts on Monday against the Florida Panthers. David Kämpf will draw into the lineup while Jiří Patera will start in goal. Kämpf will replace Conor Garland for Vancouver, who is listed as day-to-day after leaving Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Kämpf was signed to a one-year contract on Saturday after the Toronto Maple Leafs terminated his contract. The 30-year-old has plenty of NHL experience with 143 points in 536 games. Kämpf is known as a defensive center who should help the Canucks both on the penalty kill and in the faceoff dot.
As for Patera, Monday will be his first NHL start since March 26, 2024. Over his NHL career, the 26-year-old has posted a 3-3-1 record with a .902 save percentage. As for this season, Patera has played five games in the AHL, posting a 1-2-2 record with the Abbotsford Canucks.
Vancouver will look to earn another two points tomorrow as they take on the Panthers. Last season, the Canucks picked up wins in both meetings, including a 3-2 overtime win in Florida. Puck drop is scheduled for 4:00 pm PT.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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