Kim English reportedly will not be joining Mike Malone's coaching staff at North Carolina after all.

According to multiple reports, including Pete Thamel, the former Providence men's basketball coach informed UNC officials on Sunday, April 19 that he is not pursuing an assistant position with the Tar Heels.

REQUIRED READING: The NCAA idea that could reshape college sports: 'It's not a tweak, it's a structural shift'

English had accepted a position on the former Denver Nuggets' head coach's staff last week and even arrived on campus and began working on the staff, according to On3. English joined the staff after three seasons with Providence, where he posted a 48-52 record.

He was fired by the Friars at the end of the 2025-26 season on March 13 after a season-ending loss to St. John’s in the Big East Tournament. Providence went 21-14 in his first season but then struggled each of the last two years.

Before taking the role with the Friars, English spent two seasons as the head coach at George Mason and coached under Rick Barnes as an assistant at Tennessee from 2019 and 2021.

English played for Missouri basketball for four seasons, where he averaged 11.1 points and three rebounds per game, earning Third-Team All-Big 12 honors twice. He was selected with the No. 44 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Following a three-year playing career — which included stints overseas — English transitioned to a coaching career.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kim English reportedly decides not to pursue UNC basketball assistant role

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The New York Knicks took Game 1 by double-digit points, but the Atlanta Hawks will look to respond when the teams meet again at Madison Square Garden for Game 2. 

Dyson Daniels has done it all for Atlanta, and my Hawks vs. Knicks predictions expect he'll easily clear the Over on a modest combo prop.

Here are my best free NBA picks from the Mecca on Monday, April 20.

Hawks vs Knicks prediction

Hawks vs Knicks best bet: Dyson Daniels Over 11.5 rebounds + assists (-120)

Dyson Daniels enjoyed a second straight productive season with the Atlanta Hawks, averaging 33.2 minutes and career highs of 6.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists across 76 appearances.

Daniels’ season average of 12.7 rebounds + assists will easily clear his combo line for Game 2, so a baseline performance will get the job done. Daniels ended the season with 12+ rebounds + assists in three straight and four of his last five. He finished with 20 in Game 1 against the New York Knicks.

The do-it-all Australian cleared his combo line in 48 of 76 games, good for 63.2%. His implied probability to clear it again means his odds should be priced closer to -170 than -120, offering solid value.

Daniels finished the regular season as Atlanta’s third-leading rebounder and second-leading facilitator. His 6.8 rebounds per game ranked third among guards.

The Hawks also shot nearly 3.5% worse in Game 1 than they did during the season, so Daniels could be due for a few more assists if his teammates convert open looks.

In four games against New York (regular and postseason), Daniels finished with assist + rebound totals of 20, 15, 14, and 17. He easily topped 11.5 in all four games, and he’ll need to be at his best to help his team compete for a win with the series heading back home.

Hawks vs Knicks same-game parlay

I picked the Hawks to cover the same 5.5-point spread in Game 1, and they lost by 11. I’m not deterred, as Atlanta has a clear path to making this one more competitive.

The Hawks were a putrid 12 of 19 from the charity stripe, falling well below their season average of 77.4%. New York hit 25 of 30 free throws, and Atlanta can do a better job at limiting opportunities there. The Hawks went 18-8 ATS between the All-Star break and the end of the season, and I expect them to keep this one close as they look to avoid a 2-0 hole.

The Hawks and Knicks faced off four times this season, finishing with combined game totals of 215, 213, 210, and 253. Game 1 finished just a bucket shy of hitting the Over, and I’m betting on that extra bucket in Game 2.

Atlanta’s shooting was off, as the team hit just 44% of their field-goal attempts, and leading scorer Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished with only 17 points on a miserable 6-for-17 shooting. A slightly more efficient offensive attack from the visitors should push this one to hit the Over.

Hawks vs Knicks SGP

• Dyson Daniels Over 11.5 rebounds + assists
• Hawks +5.5
• Over 217

Our "from downtown" SGP: Garden Buckets

Jalen Brunson has been at his best at home, averaging 27 at Madison Square Garden and 25.1 at all other venues. He’s averaged 29 points in four matchups with the Hawks. 

Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 25 points in Game 1, and he went for 21 and 36 in two other matchups with Atlanta this season. He’s got a size advantage against the Hawks’ undersized frontcourt.

Alexander-Walker averaged a career-best 20.8 points per game this season and scored 20+ in 46 of 78 appearances. NAW reached that scoring total in 24 of 39 road games, and I expect a bounce-back performance after his inefficient Game 1.

CJ McCollum finished with a team-high 26 points in Game 1, and in 76 games between the Wizards and Hawks, he scored 18+ points 40 times.

Hawks vs Knicks SGP

• Over 217
• Jalen Brunson Over 28.5 points
• Karl-Anthony Towns Over 20.5 points
• Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 19.5 points
• CJ McCollum Over 17.5 points

Hawks vs Knicks odds for Game 2

• Spread: Hawks +5.5 (-110) | Knicks -5.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Hawks +190 | Knicks -230
• Over/Under: Over 217 (-110) | Under 217 (-110)

Hawks vs Knicks betting trend to know

The Atlanta Hawks have hit the Moneyline in 31 of their last 50 games (+14.55 Units / 12% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. Knicks.

How to watch Hawks vs Knicks Game 2

Hawks vs Knicks latest injuries

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Before the season, Kingston Flemings asked Houston assistant Hollis Price what it would take to be on the walls of the Cougars' practice gym. Price said he needed to be an All-American.

Fast forward a few months later and Flemings secured that goal of one day seeing his face up on the walls at Houston, after finishing off the best season by a true freshman in Houston history. The second-team All-American is now taking the next step in his career, declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft on Sunday, April 19.

Flemings, a projected top-five pick in USA TODAY's latest NBA mock draft, said it was a tough decision to go one-and-done in college, especially after Houston's loss to Illinois in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. After taking some time off following the Cougars' 65-55 loss, he made the unsurprising decision to take the next step.

REQUIRED READING: NBA mock draft 10.0: First-round projections before 2026 playoffs begin

"Obviously it was a hard decision whether to come back and play with my boys, take it one more year and try to go get the (national championship)," he said. "But this opportunity doesn’t come all the time. … Had to make the right decision, for sure.”

The former five-star recruit per 247Sports' Composite rankings could be the highest-selected player under coach Kelvin Sampson during his Houston tenure, with the feat currently held by Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker, who was selected No. 8 overall in 2023 after his true freshman season.

Despite the Cougars' recent success with seven Sweet 16 appearances and two Final Fours since 2019, Houston has only produced four NBA draft picks under Sampson, with Flemings easily possessing the highest ceiling of any Cougar under one of college basketball's best coaches.

There was no better choice for Flemings, though, and he credits his development with choosing Houston.

“I think it was the perfect place for me," he said. "Coach Sampson’s the perfect coach for me. Just coming into the year, I just tried to prove everyone right that recruited me, and just did whatever I could to win. I’m grateful for my decision.

"... If you want to win, if you want to become a better man, better player, everything like that, choose Houston. It’s not going to be easy, but every single day you come in here, you try to get better and you’ll get better in every single way.”

Flemings averaged 16.1 points with 4.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game this season, starting all 37 of Houston's games. He also shot 38.7% from 3-point range and was a pesky defender, averaging 1.5 steals per contest.

He made national headlines after exploding for 42 points and six assists in a 90-86 loss to Texas Tech in January, cementing himself as one of the best true freshmen in a loaded NBA draft class that includes numerous one-and-done prospects. USA TODAY projects nine of the first 10 picks to be true freshmen.

"Coming into this year, I wanted to be one of the best freshmen and I think I proved that," Flemings said.

In the coming weeks, Flemings plans on training his 3-point shot, his floater and improving his handle, aiming to dribble lower and tighter to prepare for NBA defenders.

He's also bringing the hard-nosed Houston mindset to the next level.

“I think (I'm) just a winner and someone that teammates like to play with," Flemings said. "Not going to be a bad guy for the team or a cancer. Someone the team’s going to love and a winner.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kingston Flemings details NBA draft decision in exclusive interview

After Game 1 at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks' first-round series with the Atlanta Hawks does not lack playoff intensity.

Saturday's 113-102 New York win saw Knicks captain Jalen Brunson outduel CJ McCollum, who took issue with his technical foul after a kick to Brunson's midsection during a shot at the third quarter's 1:40 mark and the Hawks facing a 57-55 deficit.

"I shot a jumper and Jalen thought we were at a Broadway show," McCollum said after Saturday's game. "He acted it out until they reviewed it. It's a normal jump shot, nothing there -- unnecessary, and I look forward to getting my $2,500 (fine) back."

Brunson told reporters after the Knicks' Sunday practice that he has "no reaction" to McCollum's postgame comments.

"I didn't see it," New York coach Mike Brown said Sunday of McCollum's postgame comments. "A lot of guys are going to say a lot of things throughout the course of the playoffs. So, whatever people want to say, that's up to them."

Brunson's game-high 28 points edged McCollum's 26, combining with Knicks co-star Karl-Anthony Towns to lead a full team effort for third-seeded New York against sixth-seeded Atlanta.

"We've just got to be ready for them," Brunson said Sunday, referencing Monday's 8 p.m. tipoff for Game 2. "You just know that teams usually bounce back after a loss, and so we've got to be ready to up our intensity, up our physicality and just be ready to match theirs. They're a good team, they're well-coached and they're going to be ready to go."

The Knicks seek a 2-0 lead at the Garden before the best-of-seven set goes to Atlanta for Thursday's 7 p.m. Game 3.

"It's one of those things you have to be there and experience it to really understand it," New York wing Josh Hart said of MSG's postseason energy Sunday. "Obviously, regular season's always fun, it's always cool. And I was talking to (Yankees right-hander) Cam Schlittler (Saturday) about it -- playoffs in New York is different. The vibe is different. Everything is heightened in the Garden and, obviously, for them at Yankee Stadium. You've got to experience it, man -- the energy, the passion, the love, it's crazy."

The college basketball offseason is well underway with the transfer portal in full swing. Here are a few important dates that the Kentucky Wildcats will follow throughout the spring and summer:

Tuesday, April 21: Transfer portal entry window closes

The transfer portal window has been shortened to 2 weeks, limiting the time players have to decide whether to enter the portal. This deadline only applies to players entering the portal. Players who are already in can still take visits and commit after this date.

Friday, April 24 (11:59 PM ET): NBA Draft Early Entry Deadline

This is when we’ll know who will keep testing the NBA Draft waters for several more weeks. Outside of Malachi Moreno and Jayden Quaintance, no other Wildcat appears likely to test the draft waters

Thursday, April 30: Recruiting period ends

This is the final day of the April recruiting period, both for high school prospects and transfer portal players. From April 10 through April 30, programs are allowed to host both on-and off-campus visits. A quiet period begins Friday, May 1, and runs through Saturday, May 9, during which no off-campus in-person recruiting contact is permitted.

May 8-10, Chicago, Illinois: NBA G-League Combine

This is when we could see Otega Oweh get a chance to boost his stock and hopefully earn an invite to the NBA Combine.

May 10, Chicago, Illinois: NBA Draft Lottery

May 10-17, Chicago, Illinois: NBA Draft Combine

May 27 (11:59 PM ET): NCAA Early Entry Withdrawal Deadline

This will be the deadline for Malachi Moreno and others to withdraw from the draft if they want to remain in college basketball.

June 13 (5:00 PM ET): NBA Early Withdrawal Deadline

This is the NBA’s deadline to withdraw or stay in the draft.

June 23, Brooklyn, New York (8:00 PM ET): 2026 NBA Draft First Round

Assuming Jayden Quaintance remains in the draft, expect this to be the night his name is called.

June 24, Brooklyn, New York (8:00 PM ET): 2026 NBA Draft- Second Round

If Oweh can have a good pre-draft process, there’s a chance he will hear his name called toward the end of this night. That is, so long as he doesn’t try to make a push for a fifth season of college basketball.

July 9-19, Las Vegas, Nevada: NBA Summer League

This is when we’ll likely get a chance to see Otega Oweh and other former Cats look to show what they’re made of and hopefully earn a spot on an NBA roster.

Yeah, I don’t know what I expected.

The Sixers got crushed 123-91 in Game 1 by the Boston Celtics Sunday afternoon, falling down 1-0 in the series.

Tyrese Maxey was unable to pull a rabbit out of the hat, leading the Sixers with 21 points shooting 8-of-20 from the floor along with eight assists. Paul George put up 17 points on 4-of-8 shooting along with four rebounds, one assist and two turnovers.

VJ Edgecombe had his moments in his first playoff game, going for 13 points shooting 6-of-16 from the floor with three rebounds and three assists. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 26.

Joel Embiid (appendectomy surgery recovery) was the only player unable to suit up due to injury.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

• The Sixers came out chucking — their first three shots of the game were all from behind the arc, but only one of those fell and it was banked off the glass. Adem Bona got the start at center but got a very quick hook after picking up two fouls with a turnover in the process. The Sixers were also able to draw two quick fouls on Neemias Queta though once Maxey and George were able to find space to drive.
• It would take just about flawless basketball to get a win and that’s not how the Sixers came out. George had two rough turnovers while Andre Drummond committed a bad loose ball foul after a rare stop. The Celtics ripped off a 14-2 run to get out to a comfortable lead. Nick Nurse opted to go small with Dominick Barlow at the five when Drummond picked up his second, the only positive being the moving screen wasn’t absurdly upgraded to a flagrant.
• All of this was secondary though to the Sixers inability to score. Maxey did as good of a job as he could being asked to make something magical happen off the dribble every possession. It took nine minutes of game time for someone other than Maxey or George score, and 10 minutes for a different Sixer to make a field goal. Jayson Tatum made a couple of baskets then found Jordan Walsh in transition to give the Celtics a 15-point lead after one.

Second Quarter

• George made a quick four free throws out of five. Justin Edwards ended the three-point drought and followed that up with an and-1. He couldn’t convert that free throw and the Sixers still couldn’t make much progress. Drummond checked back in, but with Luka Garza drawing him out to the perimeter, the Sixers had no interior presence.
• The frustration for Philly culminated in Drummond getting T’d up as the Celtics pushed their lead to 20. The struggles at center continued as Bona missed two putback bunnies in a row at point-blank range. Not only could they not buy a jumper to fall but they kept leaving points on the table at the line with Kelly Oubre Jr. becoming the latest Sixer unable to convert an and-1. The Sixers shot 12-of-18 from the line in the half.
• Forget flawless play, the Sixers just weren’t able to get out of their own way. Edgecombe converted a rare and-1 then the Sixers retained possession their next trip down the floor with the ball going off the Celtics. They immediately turned the ball over trying to throw an inbounds pass from the baseline to half court. A small positive is that Edgecombe got a couple floaters to go in the quarter after a very quiet start. He nailed a turnaround to pull the Sixers within 18 at the half.

Third Quarter

• The Sixers finally got a couple bounces to go their way with a couple of baskets followed by an unsuccessful Celtics challenge. A missed layup from Oubre led to Boston being able to respond, but the Sixers were able to get those points back and prevent another run.

• Another poorly-timed turnover helped the Celtics snatch momentum right back. They had gotten a stop down 15 and Maxey was leaking out ahead of the defense. Drummond’s outlet pass didn’t have enough on it and Brown intercepted it. Two Boston threes later and the reeling Sixers called a timeout. They missed two midrange looks coming out of the timeout while Brown and Tatum each got an easy basket at the rim to cap off a 10-0 run.
• A good example of execution being the difference was the offensive rebounding numbers vs. second-chance points. The Sixers pulled more down through three quarters, having 11 offensive rebounds to just four for Boston, but second-chance points were in Boston’s favor 12-10. Each one of those points felt back breaking with the Sixers fighting tooth and nail for every basket. They trailed by 24 going into the fourth.

Fourth Quarter

• Quentin Grimes taking and making his first two shots of the game didn’t stop the Celtics from taking their first 30-point lead of the night. The amount of wide open layups the Sixers missed was staggering as Barlow became the latest to do so. To this point in the game they were shooting 55% at the rim, which Cleaning the Glass puts in the 12th percentile across the league.
• It didn’t take very long into the quarter for the white flag to be raised. Both teams shut down their stars, with Trendon Watford and Dalen Terry checking in for the first time. Edwards made the best case for minutes in this series as the only bench player to hit shots, and even he finished this game 3-of-9 from the field. The Celtics fans mocked the “We want Boston” chants towards the end of the game to put the cherry on this crap sundae.