Just when you thought the Lakers’ jerseys couldn’t get worse, Nike unveiled maybe the worst version of them yet.
The team’s jerseys have been trending in the wrong direction for some time now, whether because of the design or the shift toward highlighter yellow instead of gold. But Nike hit a new low on Wednesday.
At an event on Tuesday, new alternate “Specter” jerseys were debuted for the upcoming NBA season, including the Lakers’, which looks awful.
These are offensive to the history of the game, not celebrating it.
The only hope is that the Lakers take the approach they did two seasons ago and just boycott these jerseys. Back then, they ditched the jerseys because they kept losing in them. Let’s just get ahead of things now and assume these jerseys are so bad, no one could possibly win in them.
Genuinely, when’s the last time the Lakers have had a jersey released and the reaction was positive? It feels like each season, we go further and further down the path of terrible jerseys.
The Mavericks forever shaped their franchise when they shocked the sports world by trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis in February 2025. Nearly everyone questioned it. Mavericks fans protested the move. General manager Nico Harrison was fired in November 2025.
Trump added his two cents Wednesday while speaking at the Mavericks' home, the American Airlines Center in Dallas, saying that it has a case to be among the worst sports trades of all time.
"I must tell you, I don't understand the trade. That trade is... What do I know about basketball? I would say that it's not going to go down as the greatest trade in the history of sports, it might go down as the worst trade in the history of sports," Trump said.
Trump: This is a big Dallas Mavericks team, which is going to be hopefully good. I must tell you, I don't understand the trade. That trade is not good. What do I know about basketball? Was it Luka? Maybe we can redo that trade? I redo deals all the time. pic.twitter.com/bNjGhUXiCU
Do you ever stretch out on the Earth, gaze at the pinpricked majesty of the Lite-Brite night sky, and take a moment to consider your place in the universe? Ponder the scope of existence. Observe the celestial bodies that pierce the outer reaches of the void and flicker a message of awareness in our direction.
The Earth is a satellite of observation. A clump of something, floating and whirling through the stretching expanses of the infinite.
From our point of view, our Sun, the source of Earth’s warmth and life, appears much larger than the specks of light that break out across the night sky’s pubescent, acne-riddled firmament. We understand, of course, that the Sun is not larger than the average star for the same reasons we understand that the Moon is not as large as the Sun: it’s all a matter of perspective.
So, though the Sun appears grander and more brilliant than the rest of the visible universe’s inhabitants, its proximity to us Earthlings makes it appear as though it’s the most magnificent body in the sky (save for that hunk of a constellation, Orion, winner of the night sky pageant 32,000 years running!).
But truthfully, the Sun isn’t anything special in the grand scope of the universe. Sure, brown and red dwarf stars make up the majority of the star population, but our resident star is microscopic compared to cosmic giants, which are hundreds to thousands of times larger — they’re not in the same weight class.
Last season in Utah, third-year point guard Keyonte George was a star.
Is Keyonte George truly a cosmic giant, or did he only look that way because he shared the floor with dwarfs?
He averaged 23.6 points per game, which ranked 22nd in the NBA. He neighbored established superstar scorers like James Harden (23.6 PPG), Cade Cunningham (23.9 PPG), Cooper Flagg (21.0 PPG), and LeBron James (20.9 PPG). And he did it on decadent shooting splits of 45.6% FG, 37.1% 3PT, and 89.2% FT. And he added 6.1 assists per game for good measure. Everything in this paragraph was a career-high for Keyonte, and by a wide margin.
Not bad for a player who entered the league branded as an inefficient volume scorer with a shallow playmaking portfolio.
Keyonte is a great success story for the Jazz’s youth-driven rebuild, and a very needed one, considering Utah’s shortcomings in developing lottery picks Taylor Hendricks and Cody Williams. But now that the rebuild is reaching its maturity, the question becomes whether George, whose stock rose exponentially on a subpar roster, can maintain his upward trajectory once the Jazz begin pushing for wins.
In other words, is Keyonte George truly a cosmic giant, or did he only look that way because he shared the floor with dwarfs?
From the perspective of the Utah Jazz, Keyonte was a borderline All-Star snub after his incredible 2025-26 campaign.
But he rarely shared the floor with the veteran players who populate the starting lineup. Markkanen missed 40 games. Jackson Jr. only appeared in four. Darryn Peterson was still attending classes during Keyonte’s ascension.
The Utah Jazz gave Keyonte plenty of floor time during games that they did not want to win.
And he shared the court with plenty of players who greatly assisted in Utah’s tanking efforts. But his improvement in efficiency suggests that he improved in his third season. Despite sharing minutes with few difference-makers for much of the season, he managed to increase his usage in lockstep with his effectiveness.
Contrast that with Taylor Hendricks and Walter Clayton Jr., who both saw their scoring averages increase with more floor time in Memphis, but with zero meaningful improvement in their shooting percentages.
Admittedly, his defensive rating is horrific — the worst on the roster last season despite averaging over 1 steal per game — and this has always been one of the biggest knocks on his game. As a defender, George has a lot of room to grow, but he doesn’t seem the type to allow his weaknesses to stay that way without any corrective effort. Considering Utah finished 29th of 30 teams in defensive rating, there’s (practically) nowhere to go but up on that end.
On the flip side of that coin, it would be unfair not to mention that Keyonte also boasts Utah’s highest offensive rating of any player who played a meaningful chunk of the season, and that’s vital for a team that still ranked in the bottom 10 of the NBA in offensive rating.
His leadership off the court and in the offseason led me to believe that there’s much more to Keyonte George than what you see in the box score. As an involved participant with the Summer League team — the NBA feared what he could accomplish as a coach in ways they did not fear Derrick White — George pushed the prospective NBA talents around him. As a teammate, he’s been a driving force in encouraging chemistry in the locker room. He represented the franchise at the draft lottery, excitedly chatted up his future teammate Darryn Peterson, and stuck around to watch the combine. These are not common traits, but they are incredibly promising indicators.
It takes effort off the court to find success on the court, and we all watched as Keyonte set the stat sheet ablaze last year.
Head coach Will Hardy has always pressured George, and last season’s output is a reflection of that refining process’s apparent success. It takes effort off the court to find success on the court, and we all watched as Keyonte set the stat sheet ablaze last year.
I’m not going to forecast an All-Star season for Keyonte George next season. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see his averages take a bit of a dip as he shares the backcourt with a prospect who is believed by many to grow into the NBA equivalent of a red giant.
But if the question is whether or not Keyonte George is the point guard of the future in Utah, I’d argue he measures very favorably with some of the better point guards in the basketball universe.
Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently lives in Japan and has covered the NBA and college athletics since 2024.
The Los Angeles Lakers debut new specter jerseys at an NBA event.
The Los Angeles Lakers will have a bold new look next season.
During an event hosted by Nike, the Lakers revealed their new Specter jersey that they will wear a handful of times as an alternate jersey for the 2026-2027 NBA season.
The model walked out on the runway during the event and was seen wearing a No.77 Luka Dončić jersey that had a mixed colorway of purple and black going across it, while the color yellow was on the Lakers wordmark across the chest, and the outline on the numbers, and trim of the jersey.
The Los Angeles Lakers debut new specter jerseys for next season. X/@LADEig
There was also another unusual change to the jersey, as the Nike logo was seen placed across the middle of the chest, instead of its usual placement on the right shoulder.
On Wednesday, the NBA announced that they were issuing new Standard Issue Collection jerseys for every team in the NBA, as well as NBA Specter Edition uniforms as a way for teams to “trace their roots back to the earliest chapters of the league.”
Los Angeles Lakers’ Austin Reaves during an NBA game against the Brooklyn Nets. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post
On top of having a mix of purple, yellow, and black, the jersey also features a blue and white stripe near the front shoulders, likely paying homage to the Lakers’ old blue and yellow colors.
The Specter jersey is a bold choice by the NBA, which hasn’t been shy to test the waters of creativity when it comes to creating different uniforms in the league.
“Basketball is more than a game — it’s a culture and a form of self-expression,” NBA VP Creative Director, Nike Basketball Ross Klein said. “This collection celebrates the attitude, creativity and individuality of today’s hoopers, combining bold team identity and modern style so fans can show their connection to the game in their own way.”
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
Lakers debut new Specter alternate jerseys. X/@LADEig
Michael Brady, who is the Global Head of Merchandise Partnerships & Business Affairs in the NBA, said, “This collection represents the next evolution of our partnership with Nike, redefining how team identity and basketball culture are expressed across the league”
Brady went on to say this collection will bring a new energy and a modern look to NBA fandom.
According to the announcement by the NBA, other teams that are expected to wear specter jersey’s next season include the Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Boston Celtics.
Soon after the surprising sale of the Lakers to the Joshua Kushner/Bob Iger group was announced, hiring reportedly paused in both the Lakers' front office and business side. Under Mark Walter, the Lakers began reorganizing and growing their basketball operations, adding analytics staff and much-needed personnel on the scouting side. The Lakers had already hired Rohan Ramadas away from the Pelicans as an assistant general manager focused on analytics.
Now comes the report that the Lakers are going to hire Eric Amsler, who has spent 22 years in the Miami Heat organization, to become an assistant general manager focused more on scouting, a story first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Both Ramadas and Amsler will report to Rob Pelinka, who remains the head of Lakers basketball operations.
Why this is good news for Lakers fans — beyond Amsler being highly qualified for the job — is that it signals that the much-needed fleshing out of the front office and scouting departments will continue. Under the Buss family, the Lakers might have had the smallest scouting operation in the league and were considered a small front office. That started to change under Walter and apparently will continue.
One other thing that will not delay the sale of the Lakers is the Buss family infighting, which is heading to court, league sources have told NBC Sports. Five of the six Buss siblings voted to exercise a tag-along clause and sell their remaining 17.8% of the franchise to the Kushner/Iger group. Jeanie Buss, who has served as team governor under Walter's ownership and wants to continue in that role, opposes the sale. That will be settled in court, but whether or not the Buss family portion is ultimately part of the sale, the rest of it will go through (if ultimately approved by the Board of Governors, as expected).
What’s for sure is that the Lakers got to enjoy several intriguing off-court activities, including one night spent presumably partying at “a Ljubljana restaurant that also serves as a nightclub.”
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić leaves the InterContinental Hotel for a team dinner during the Lakers’ team minicamp. Andrej Tarfila/SOPA Images/Shutterstock
Dončić clearly handled his hosting duties well, which Bronny James indicated during an interview on ESPN LA 710 last week.
“We were with [Dončić]. He was hooking us up and getting us in the right places in Slovenia, seeing the most out of the country,” James said.
Bronny James poses for a video on his Instagram account. (Instagram/@bronny).
The country made a lasting impression on James, as he added, “[Slovenia is] great… The city [of Ljubljana] was great, we had the castle that was close to us. And then we went to Lake Bled, which was great. The castle there, and then we played the [golf] course over there near Bled. I wanna go back to go to the Alps and stuff like that. The scenery and everything was great.”
James, who is now single, seems to have savored this Slovenia trip before the Lakers’ season begins.
The Lakers are hiring Heat vice president of player personnel Eric Amsler as an assistant general manager.
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has secured his second assistant general manager. Getty Images
He’s also the general manager of the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat’s G League affiliate.
Amsler is the second assistant general manager hire of the offseason after Pelinka, the Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager, said to start the offseason that the front office was being expanded.
Amsler will focus on the “player draft and evaluation processes,” which will include pro scouting, draft scouting and player development, while Ramadas’ focus is on the “strategy side,” which entails cap, analytics and data.
“A lot of the infrastructure is being built,” Pelinka said in May. “We will continue to staff out with assistant general manager positions. There’s a couple of those that we’re currently interviewing for and have done an extensive dive in that process. Those will be two key pillars that we’ll add for this offseason.”
The Lakers’ second assistant general manager hire comes as Josh Kushner (left) and Bob Iger (right) are in the process of purchasing the franchise. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
Amsler spent 22 years in the Heat organization, starting as an intern in 2004-05 before working his way up to various other roles: scouting and information coordinator (2005-07); scouting and player personnel coordinator (2007-14); director of scouting operations (2015-18); director of scouting/assistant director of player personnel/assistant general manager of the Sioux Falls Skyforce (2018-19) and director of player personnel/general manager of the Skyforce (2019-23) before being promoted to his most recent role with the Heat.
Kushner also has ties to the Heat, being a minority owner of the franchise since 2024. He’ll need to divest that ownership stake before becoming the Lakers’ newest owner.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: The sneakers worn by Tyrese Samuel #17 of the Brooklyn Nets during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 18, 2025 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Tom O'Connor/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 12: The Lakers logo is displayed outside Crypto.com Arena, home of the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers, on August 12, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles Lakers owner Mark Walter is reportedly selling the Lakers to venture capitalist Joshua Kushner, brother of President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and former Disney CEO Bob Iger for a record $12.5 billion. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It turns out the Lakers are not in a hiring freeze.
After spending the summer searching, the team has hired its second assistant general manager. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the team is hiring Eric Amsler from the Miami Heat.
Amsler served as the vice president of player personnel in Miami.
The Los Angeles Lakers are hiring Miami Heat vice president of player personnel Eric Amsler as an assistant general manager, sources tell ESPN. Amsler – who spent over 22 years in the Heat organization starting as an intern and working his way up in various scouting, personnel…
Another source was very quick to point out that Josh Kushner is a minority owner of the Miami Heat (he'll have to divest to purchase Lakers) https://t.co/xjlaapIj39
Amsler held a number of roles in his two decades with the Heat. According to the team’s website, he oversaw the franchise’s scouting department and served as general manager of the team’s G League affiliate. While it’s unclear if he will hold the same role in regard to the South Bay Lakers, he will likely hold a similar role when it comes to scouting and player personnel.
Prior to becoming the team’s VP of Player Personnel, he held a host of jobs with the franchise. As listed by the Heat, here were his various positions over the last 22 years:
Scouting and Information Coordinator (2005-07)
Scouting and Player Personnel Coordinator (2007-14)
Director of Scouting Operations (2015-18)
Director of Scouting/Assistant Director of Player Personnel/Assistant General Manager, Sioux Falls Skyforce (2018-19)
Director, Player Personnel/General Manager, Sioux Falls Skyforce (2019-23)
Once the ownership hoopla started, namely in Mark Walter selling his majority stake to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, many wondered or expected there to be a hiring freeze, leaving the second assistant GM spot unfilled. Fortunately for the team, that proved not to be the case and now they can move forward with a front office fitting a franchise of the Lakers’ stature.
After five seasons at Purdue, the first of which he redshirted, Kaufman-Renn was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the No. 59 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. In five NBA Summer League games, he averaged 6.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-9 forward never signed a contract with the team.
Unlike many college basketball players petitioning for an extra season of eligibility under the NCAA’s newly adopted five-for-five model, Kaufman-Renn was not part of the 2022 recruiting class. He was a top-50 recruit in the 2021 class, a group that also included the likes of Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero, both of whom are preparing to enter their fifth seasons with NBA franchises.
According to the ruling Wednesday from Clark County (Indiana) Circuit Court No. 6 Judge Kyle P. Williams, the NCAA cannot deny Kaufman-Renn eligibility based on his five years in college and four years playing for the Boilermakers, or his professional status. Additionally, the NCAA must allow member schools to recruit and enroll Kaufman-Renn while permitting him to participate with the basketball team.
If Kaufman-Renn continues his college career, it won’t be with the program he called home the past five years. In a post on Instagram, Kaufman-Renn said he will not return to Purdue.
“Four truly unforgettable years,” he wrote. “Grateful for my teammates, Coaches, Coach (Matt) Painter, the Paint Crew, and Boiler Nation. My chapter in black and gold has come to an end, but Purdue will always be part of me.”
Kaufman-Renn told reporters on Tuesday, Sept. 8 that “six or seven” teams had expressed interest in the Sellersburg, Indiana native playing for them for the upcoming 2026-27 season. He said multiple programs told him he could earn "significantly more" than what he would have as a late-second round NBA draft pick.
Whoever ends up with Kaufman-Renn will be getting a potential difference-maker at an extraordinarily late stage in the transfer portal process.
Kaufman-Renn started every game as a sophomore for a Purdue team that made the national championship game in 2024, where it lost to UConn. As a junior in 2024-25, he averaged 20.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, and was named an honorable mention All-American. Last season, he averaged 14.2 points and a career-high 8.3 rebounds per game as the Boilermakers advanced to the Elite Eight for a third-consecutive season.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 13: Trey Kaufman-Renn #14 of the Minnesota Timberwolves handles the ball during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on July 13, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Trey Kaufman-Renn accomplished just about everything a men’s college basketball player can do during his five seasons on the Purdue Boilermakers’ roster. Kaufman-Renn came off the bench as a redshirt freshman for the Boilermakers in the 2023 NCAA tournament when they became the second No. 1 seed to ever lose to a No. 16 seed in the first-round. The next year, he was a sophomore starter next to Zach Edey on a team that reached the national championship game before falling to UConn. Kaufman-Renn stepped into a starring role as the Boilermakers made a Sweet 16 run in 2025, and an Elite Eight run in 2026 after winning the Big Ten tournament championship.
Kaufman-Renn’s development into a powerful interior scorer was enough to make him the No. 59 overall pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2026 NBA Draft, which felt like an inspiring story for a player who grew so much during his time in college basketball. Now Kaufman-Renn is trying to get back to college, and he scored a major victory in court on Wednesday that suddenly makes that realistic.
Kaufman-Renn was granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA in the No. 6 Circuit Court by Judge Kyle P. Williams, allowing him to join a college basketball team while awaiting a preliminary injunction hearing. It sure feels like Kaufman-Renn could be headed back to Purdue — or another school — instead of going to training camp with the Timberwolves.
Why would Kaufman-Renn rather play in college than the NBA? The money is better at the university level right now. Kaufman-Renn likely would have commanded a top-tier NIL payment worth multiple millions if he had another year of eligibility left. The Timberwolves don’t even have an open two-way spot at the moment with Enrique Freeman, Zyon Pullin, and Rocco Zikarsky all on deals that would split time between the NBA and G League. It’s possible Zikarsky could land an official 15-man roster spot in camp, opening up a two-way deal for Kaufman-Renn. Otherwise, the former Purdue star would likely be on a G League contract to start the NBA season.
Kaufman-Renn redshirted his freshman year as he recovered from a knee injury. Then he played four seasons. He would be ineligible even under the incoming five-for-five system. It seems there’s a decent chance he can get back into college basketball, though. The Big Ten passed a rule that stops former NFL players from returning to college. It said nothing about former NBA players, and the fact that Kaufman-Renn still hasn’t signed an NBA contract could be another loophole. The SEC sued LSU for trying to bring former NFL players back to college.
Kaufman-Renn played in five games with the Timberwolves at Las Vegas Summer League after the draft. The Wolves aren’t the first team to lose a potential player back to college. The Chicago Bulls signed Donovan Atwell as a priority undrafted free agent, and he could have landed a two-way deal after a strong summer league. Instead, he’s fighting to get back to college to again play for Texas Tech with an Oct. 15 court date.
College basketball is becoming an absolute mess with so many players challenging the system this summer for an extra year of eligibility — and an extra year of an NIL payday. There are players all around the country going to court for an extra year of eligibility, and Kaufman-Renn is just the latest example. These players take away opportunities from incoming freshmen, and they will take starting spots away from younger players who have waited years for their chance at a bigger role.
It doesn’t feel fair that Kaufman-Renn might be able to return to college this year after being drafted into the NBA, and the same can be said for all the other players trying to cheat to the system in the same way. College sports are broken right now.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - DECEMBER 11: The Los Angeles Lakers logo is pictured on a uniform against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on December 11, 2022 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 Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As you guys recently saw, we were looking to add to our staff here at Silver Screen & Roll as we head into a new season. We’ve found some exciting folks — whose bylines you might have seen popping up this wekk — who will be joining the site, some of which you may not know about and one you probably will.
Connor Moreno will provide on-site coverage during training camp, at practices and, most often, at games this season. He spent a year covering the Phoenix Suns, so he’s already been through a lot. But he’s a Lakers fan, so we get to bring him back home to cover the purple and gold this season.
Jackson Frank will be helping out with all the news and rumors and everything in between for us this season. He was the final piece coming our way in the unofficial LeBron James-Quentin Grimes swap. He spent many years covering the Sixers, including over at Liberty Ballers, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the staff.
Lastly, a name many of our longtime readers are familiar with, Plain Fiction will be joining the staff as a contributor. Many of us have seen his detailed comments, blogs in our FanPosts (RIP) or posts in The Feed. They’re as detailed as anything we’re writing on the site, so it was an easy decision to add him to the staff.
I’m excited to welcome all three to our already great staff, giving us even more intelligent voices to help cover the best franchise in the NBA.
"Saturday Night Live" announced that their 52nd season will premiere on Sept. 26, and Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson will be the host.
Brunson, of course, is coming off a magical season in which he earned his third career All-Star appearance and led the Knicks to their first NBA championship in 53 years, earning Finals MVP honors as the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games.
Brunson won’t be the first New York athlete to host the show, as he’ll join a group that includes Eli Manning in 2012 and Derek Jeter in 2001.
The 30-year-old Brunson is often very stoic when speaking to reporters, but he's got experience in front of the mic, hosting his "Roommates Show" podcast with longtime teammate Josh Hart.
Brunson is the fifth NBA star to be tapped as a host by the long-running late-night sketch comedy show, joining only Bill Russell, Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
Girl group KATSEYE will serve as the musical guest on Brunson's Saturday Night Live episode.
Brunson averaged 28.4 points, 6.1 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 19 playoff games last season for the Knicks before leading the franchise to its first NBA title since 1973. Brunson underwent wrist surgery earlier this offseason, but is expected to return to basketball-related activities in time for the start of training camp.
Brunson has previously appeared in a non-wrestling guest performer role with WWE, mostly in conjunction with Indiana Pacers star and fellow pro wrestling fan Tyrese Haliburton.
Pikiell announced on Wednesday, Sept. 9 he was not feeling 100% a few months ago and visited the team doctors, and after undergoing testing, he learned he has cancer. He did not disclose what type of cancer it was.
"I am incredibly grateful to my team of doctors at RWJBarnabas Health and Memorial Sloan Kettering for guiding and supporting us through this difficult time," he said in a statement. "After a successful surgery, my doctors and I have a kick-ass game plan to finish treatment."
Pikiell still plans to be involved with the team "to the best of my ability" as he undergoes chemotherapy in the coming months, but associate head coach Brandin Knight will be at the helm when Pikiell is unable to.
Rutgers athletic director Keli Zinn said there is no set timeline for when Pikiell will be able to fully return to the team.
"We are grateful to Coach Knight for his willingness to step up during this challenging time and to our entire staff for their great care and compassion for Coach and our student-athletes," Zinn said.
Pikiell arrived at Rutgers in 2016 and led the Scarlet Knights to the NCAA Tournament in 2021, their first apperance in 30 years, and winning its first tournament game in 38 years. Rutgers again made the tournament the following season.
In 10 seasons in Piscataway, Pikiell is 161–160.
Knight has been at Rutgers since Pikiell's arrival in 2016, elevating his way from assistant to associate coach.
Rutgers opens the 2026-27 season against New Haven on Nov. 6.
