Category: Basketball

The snow is finally melting, and that means March — and the accompanying madness — is right around the corner.

The 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament begins in Dayton with the First Four and ends two hours to the west with the Final Four and the national championship game in Indianapolis.

Below are the dates and venues for the entire tournament, with links to buy tickets.

Bracketology: Latest March Madness projection a month away from Selection Sunday

March Madness 2026 schedule 

Here’s a rundown of the schedule for the 2026 NCAA men's tournament:

• First Four: March 17-18
• First round: March 19-20
• Second round: March 21-22
• Sweet 16: March 26-27
• Elite Eight: March 28-29
• Final Four: April 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
• National championship game: April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis

March Madness 2026 game locations, venues, tickets 

First- and second-round games will be held at eight cities spanning across four time zones. Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games will be held at regional sites before the final four teams converge on Indianapolis in early April.

Here’s a look at where 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament games will take place:

• First Four: Dayton, Ohio; UD Arena (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: Buffalo, N.Y.; KeyBank Center (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: Greenville, S.C.; Bon Secours Wellness Arena (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: Oklahoma City; Paycom Center (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: Portland, Ore.; Moda Center (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: Tampa; Benchmark International Arena (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: Philadelphia; Xfinity Mobile Arena (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: San Diego; Viejas Arena (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: St. Louis; Enterprise Arena (Buy tickets)
• Sweet 16/Elite Eight: Houston; Toyota Center (Buy tickets)
• Sweet 16/Elite Eight: San Jose, Calif.; SAP Center (Buy tickets)
• Sweet 16/Elite Eight: Chicago; United Center (Buy tickets)
• Sweet 16/Elite Eight: Washington, D.C.; Capital One Arena (Buy tickets)
• Final Four: Indianapolis; Lucas Oil Stadium (Buy tickets)
• National championship: Indianapolis; Lucas Oil Stadium (Buy tickets)

When is Selection Sunday 2026?

The 68-team bracket for the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament will be unveiled on 6 p.m. ET, Sunday, March 15.

Where is 2026 Final Four?

This year's men's basketball Final Four and championship games will be at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on April 4 & 6. Click here to buy tickets.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA tournament 2026 schedule: March Madness dates, locations, tickets

DELHI, India (AP) — Afghanistan shrugged off back-to-back defeats in its first two games to finally register a first win at cricket’s Twenty20 World Cup, beating the United Arab Emirates by five wickets on Monday.

Azmatullah Omarzai hit 40 not out off 21 balls and opener Ibrahim Zadran scored 53 off 41 deliveries as Afghanistan, coming off the narrowest of narrow losses to 2024 runnerup South Africa in a Group D contest decided after a second Super Over, finished on 162-5 in 19.2 overs.

It was a good all-round showing from Omarzai, who also picked up 4-15 in four overs to help restrict UAE to 160-9 after his team had won the toss.

Afghanistan, though, only has a slim chance of qualifying for the Super Eights.

New Zealand has four points from two wins and could knock out Afghanistan if it beats Canada in Chennai on Tuesday. The Afghans play Canada in their final game in Chennai on Thursday.

Monday’s result meant South Africa became the third team to qualify for the Super Eights, joining India and West Indies in the tournament’s second stage.

Meanwhile, England won the toss and opted to bat against Italy in their Group C game in Kolkata.

Victory would confirm England's spot in the Super Eights.

Unbeaten co-host Sri Lanka plays struggling Australia in a Group B contest in Pallekele later.

Australia must win to stay alive in the tournament.

___

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

We're less than four weeks away from Selection Sunday, and some teams considered locks in the preseason for March Madness will let their dancing shoes gather dust.

While teams like Miami (Ohio), Saint Louis, Clemson and Virginia have been surprises, plenty of men's basketball teams have gone splat this season.

Here's a look at 10 schools who have disappointed this year, including one already looking for a new coach and a few bluebloods who have fans nervous.

Bracketology: Check out latest March Madness projection

Oregon

Ranked just outside the preseason coaches poll (received second-most votes outside top 25), the Ducks have been a disaster this season. Losing All-Big Ten guard Jackson Shelstad to a season-ending injury didn't help, but Oregon was already just 6-6 when he went down.

The Ducks (9-16, 2-12) finally snapped a 10-game losing streak on Feb. 14 by beating last-place Penn State.

"The guys were feeling it," coach Dana Altman said. “It’s been a long six weeks, that’s for sure, for them, as much or more than our staff.”

Altman had won at least 20 games in each of his previous 15 seasons in Eugene, but the Ducks are on pace to their worst season since going 8-23 in Ernie Kent's second-to-last campaign in 2008-09.

Baylor

We're sure there aren't too many people shedding a tear for the Bears. Baylor opened the season 10-2, then added a former NBA draft pick to its roster, causing plenty of consternation across the country.

Since the addition of 2023 draft pick James Nnaji, Baylor is 3-9 and sinking to the bottom of the Big 12 standings.

The Bears received 13 votes in preseason top 25, but at 13-12 they are flirting with their first losing season since 2006-07.

Baylor has won at least one game in each of the past six NCAA tournaments. This March, they will be lucky to play in the NIT or Crown.

By the way, Nnaji is averaging 1.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

Creighton

The Bluejays were ranked No. 23 in the USA TODAY Coaches preseason poll and picked to finish third in the Big East. That ain't gonna happen. Unless Creighton (13-13, 7-8) wins the Big East tournament it's likely going to miss the NCAA tournament for the first time in six seasons.

Creighton is risking its first losing season since going 14-19 in 2014-15 (its second season in Big East). The Bluejays have lost five of their past six games and get No. 5 UConn and No. 17 St. John's next.

Kansas State

Kansas State was picked to finish ninth pick in Big 12 and received a vote in preseason top 25. So expectations weren't exactly soaring coming into the season, but anything but this.

Fans are wearing brown paper bags over their heads at games, and coach Jerome Tang says he would too. After a third straight home loss of at least 24 points on Feb. 11, Tang unloaded on his team, saying "they don't deserve to be here."

"These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform, and there will be very few of them in it next year. I'm embarrassed for the university, I'm embarrassed for our fans, and our student section. It's just ridiculous."

The Wildcats (10-15, 1-11) are headed to back-to-back losing seasons, and the school bit the bullet on the $18.6 million for Tang's buyout and fired him on Sunday, Feb. 15.

UCLA

Ranked No. 12 in the preseason coaches poll, UCLA was a darkhorse Final Four team with transfer addition of Donovan Dent, a 20-point scorer from New Mexico. However, dent is pretty much what the reigning Mountain West Player of the Year has done to the rim, shooting a paltry 18.6% from behind the arc.

The Bruins' record looks good (17-8, 9-5 in the Big Ten) but really only has one notable win (a 69-67 win over Purdue on Jan. 21). All of UCLA's other conference wins have come against the Big Ten's bottom half, and the Bruins are 2-6 in Quad 1 games.

The most interesting part of UCLA's season has been Mick Cronin's postgame rants as it seems the veteran coach doesn't really like his team. A 30-point loss to Michigan last time out didn't help.

Kentucky

The Wildcats began the season ninth in the coaches poll and are now out of the top 25 rankings.

A 5-7 record vs. Quad 1 teams will do that.

Mark Pope was under considerable heat early in the season with some massive nonconference beatdowns: a 28-point loss to in-state rival Louisville, a 17-point loss to Michigan State and a 35-point loss to Gonzaga.

Things have improved since then, but as Florida coach Todd Golden chided after the Gators' win over the Wildcats on Feb. 14, a $22 million roster should yield greater results.

Kentucky (17-8, 8-4) have a favorable final stretch, with its two games left against ranked teams at Rupp Arena. But lose those, and Big Blue Nation waits for no man. Not even an alum.

Notre Dame

The seat is warming under Micah Shrewsberry with the Irish headed to a third straight losing season with him on the bench.

Picked to finish eighth in the ACC poll, the Fighting Irish (12-14, 3-10) were expected to contend for an NCAA tournament berth.

Instead, Notre Dame is 15th in the 18-team league with just two wins since the calendar flipped to 2026 and are a combined 3-12 in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games.

Notre Dame's only moment of relevancy this season was when Shrewsberry nearly assaulted a referee after a Jan. 2 loss to Cal.

Mike Brey built a underappreciated, consistent program in South Bend with 12 NCAA tournament appearances in his 23 years. If the Irish finish this season with a losing record, it would mark the first time Notre Dame has had four straight losing seasons in more than 100 years (six straight losing years from 1917-23).

Providence

Kim English's Providence tenure may be on borrowed time. Picked to finish fourth in Big East, the Friars (11-15, 4-11) are rooted at the bottom of the conference standings with Marquette. Providence had to replace five of its top six scorers from last season, including Brycen Hopkins who transferred to St. John's. If you're looking for a bright spot, four of Providence's losses came in overtime, but that's grasping at straws.

The low point came int he Feb. 14 loss to St. John's with a dirty play by Duncan Powell on a hard foul on Hopkins that resulted in a fight and six ejections. Even worse, Powell's haircut. IYKYK.

Marquette

How about some more Big East futility?

Marquette has made the NCAA tournament in each of Shaka Smart's four seasons in Milwaukee. Not this year.

You knew it was going to be a rough year when a retooled Indiana team beat Marquette by 23 points in the third game of the season. The Golden Eagles (9-17, 4-11) followed that up with nonconference losses to fellow strugglers Maryland (10-14) and Oklahoma (13-12).

Marquette, which was picked to finish fifth in the Big East, sits in last place of the league standings, is 0-9 vs. Quad 1 teams and flirting with the most losses in program history (21 losses in 1963-64 — the season before Al McGuire arrived).

Ole Miss

Fresh off a Sweet 16 appearance last season, Ole Miss was expected to be a bubble team — at worst — this year.

The Rebels (11-14, 3-9) are in the midst of a seven-game losing streak, the latest a double-digit home loss to in-state rival Mississippi State.

Ole Miss is 1-10 vs. Quad 1 teams and is dealing with a major regression in Chris Beard's third season.

Others under consideration: Alabama, Boise State, Princeton, Tennessee

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball most disappointing teams for 2026 season

Anthony Edwards was named Most Valuable Player of the NBA All-Star Game as the USA Stars beat the USA Stripes 47-21.

The Minnesota Timberwolves guard scored 32 points and added nine rebounds and three assists to claim the Kobe Bryant Trophy.

In the 75th edition of the NBA All-Star Game there was a change from the traditional Eastern Conference against Western Conference format.

A new round-robin tournament consisted of four 12-minute games between two sides from the United States - one filled with young players and the other with veteran stars - and one group of international players.

Edwards, 24, along with Oklahoma City Thunder's Chet Holmgren, each scored eight points as the Stars dominated the championship game while team-mate Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers scored nine.

"It means a lot," Edwards said of his MVP award. "I love Minnesota, and I know Minnesota loves me. I said I wasn't going to put on a show for them but I gave them a show."

The Stripes missed their first 10 shots in the final as the younger Stars team raced into a 12-1 lead. The Stars later added a 15-0 run for a 33-9 advantage as the veterans were well beaten.

NBA all-time scoring leader LeBron James, 41, who was making his 22nd appearance in the All-Star Game, added five for the Stripes.

In the round-robin opener at Los Angeles Clippers' Intuit Dome, Edwards scored 13 points as the USA Stars beat the World team 37-35.

Yet he was afterwards keen to highlight the performance of San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama, with the Frenchman producing 14 points, six rebounds and three blocks in his side's defeat.

"I ain't going to lie, Wemby set the tone," said Edwards. "He came out hard and we had to follow that. We had to pick it up and we did that."

The World team were without injured stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander while Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic combined for only two points, two rebounds and two assists.

They lost the third game 48-45 to the Stripes, meaning they were eliminated and the final would be a repeat of the second game, which the Stripes had won 42-40.

The new format was seen as a success after criticism of recent editions being lacklustre.

Former US President Barack Obama, who was courtside, said: "I know a lot of people have been concerned about the All-Star Game, not seeing as much effort. But we saw it."

Anthony Edwards walked into the 2026 NBA All-Star Game knowing he’d lost the starter vote to a 37-year-old with a bad knee. He walked out with the Kobe Bryant Trophy as MVP, having scored 32 points across three mini-games in a performance that announced what everyone already suspected: the future is here, and it’s not waiting for permission.

Edwards put up 13-of-22 shooting with six threes made, playing 26 minutes of basketball that mattered in ways All-Star Games rarely do. The new tournament format created real stakes, and Edwards responded like someone who’s been preparing for this spotlight his entire life. When Victor Wembanyama set an early tone with 14 first-game points, Edwards didn’t shrink. He matched the energy, then surpassed it when the championship game demanded a closer.

But here’s what makes this story fascinating: Edwards earned that MVP trophy while playing in a spot many outside of Dub Nation assumed should’ve been his from the start. Stephen Curry, at 37 years old, beat out a 24-year-old having what many considered a superior statistical season?

Then came the cruel irony: runner’s knee kept Curry from playing the game he’d earned. A former All-Star MVP himself, there’s no replacing what Curry brings to the festivities. Instead, we got Edwards seizing the opportunity with both hands. The parallel to last year’s second-round playoff series feels unavoidable. When Curry’s injury opened the door in that Western Conference matchup, Edwards and Minnesota didn’t just walk through it, they kicked it down. The Timberwolves earned that series win through superior depth and defensive versatility. Curry’s absence was the opportunity, but Edwards’s performance was the reason.

This is the inflection point we’re watching in real time. One generation hasn’t fully ceded power, but the next generation is already taking what it can reach. Curry still commands All-Star starter votes because over a decade-and-a-half of revolutionizing basketball and winning four championships creates that kind of respect. Edwards wins the MVP because when the spotlight found him, he delivered.

Edwards has his trophy. Curry used the break to heal a knee that’s been compensating for all that dynasty-level usage. And the basketball world got reminded that titles don’t transfer cleanly from one generation to the next. They overlap, compete, and coexist until time forces the question. We’re not quite there yet. The torch is being passed. It’s just happening one All-Star Game, one playoff series, one contested vote at a time.

Not only was the NBA All-Star Game’s new format an absolutely wonderful improvement, leading to competitive games for the first time in what feels like years, but the lone all-star weekend representative of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards, won All-Star Game MVP.

2026 NBA All-Star Game MVP: Anthony Edwards of USA Stars.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 16, 2026

While Kawhi Leonard took over his home arena, it was Edwards’ USA Stars that won the round-robin tournament, leading to the titular hardware win.

Funny enough, the Stars lost to the Stripes in the round robin round, going 1-1 and lucking into a finals spot after the World team lost both. In those finals, it was a completely different game; however, the Stars summarily demolished the Stripes by a final score of 47-21.

No singular player dominated any statistical category, but it was Edwards who led the effort. His total of 32 points across three games led the team.

Anthony Edwards during NBA All-Star 2026:

🌟 32 PTS
🌟 8 REB
🌟 26 MIN
🌟 USA Stars championship

… and the @Kia All-Star MVP! pic.twitter.com/7gFyUajppK

— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2026

Edwards was by no means the most impressive player tonight, as Kawhi Leonard nearly eclipsed Edwards’ point total in a single game, but it seems that the same rules that apply to Finals MVP apply to All-Star Game MVP, as Kawhi’s team fell short.

Possibly more importantly, the round robin format was a success. If tonight was any indication, this tournament-style set of games that totals the same minutes played is here to stay. After years and years of lackluster play with minimal effort, this game was different. While no one was playing physically by any means, they were certainly playing hard.

“I think they ain’t really going to take in what I’m saying, but I like this format,” said Ant. “I think it makes us compete because it’s only 12 minutes, and the three different teams separate the guys.”

Additionally, All-Star Weekend is known to be rife with some legal tampering under the guise of building friendships, and Edwards was left on a team with a bunch of young stars whom he could recruit to Minnesota. From backcourt pairings in Tyrese Maxey or Cade Cunningham to Julius Randle replacements in Scottie Barnes or Jalen Johnson, there are so many options for fans to fixate on.

The primary reason for Edwards’ crowning was one that Wolves fans know well: late-game heroics. The first matchup of the night against Team World went into overtime at a 32-32 tie before Ant took over to win the first-to-five tie-breaker.

In the second game, it was once again Edwards leading the charge, as his 11 points represented more than a quarter of the team’s total as they fell to the aforementioned Stripes.

Funny enough, it was Kawhi Leonard’s 31-point performance that eliminated the World team when the Stripes were already locked into a final spot that allowed for this picture:

alright

this is the photo of the night pic.twitter.com/ifgPjGpuUk

— Jonah (@Huncho_Jman) February 16, 2026

There’s so much to be said about how Ant got to this point. Drafted while being likened to Dion Waiters and JR Smith, he became a terror going at the rim, slowly took the reins from former Timberwolf Karl-Anthony Towns, and then did the impossible (even if Twitter claims it is a linear part of development) and became one of the best shooters in the league.

Maybe it’s ridiculous to wax poetic about an All-Star Game MVP when that accolade means about as much as Nickelodeon’s NVP, but it’s also a moment to take a look back.

Close your eyes and think about who Ant is for a moment. I think back to the dunk over Yuta Wantanabe as the first moment where I thought “wow, this guy is fun.” I think back to the game against the Suns at the end of his rookie year as the first time I thought “wow, this guy is good.” I think back to the first round series against the Denver Nuggets as the first time I thought, “Wow, this guy may be very good.”

I hope we one day reach a point where I can say, “Wow, this guy may just win us a title.” Tonight was not a step to that by any means, but it brought me back to those moments.

Who would’ve thought we’d get here?

I wouldn’t have.

Tonight wasn’t anything special. You know what it was? Fun. Edwards is the MVP of the NBA’s least important game. Who cares about its importance?

Goodnight Wolves fans. Go to bed smiling.

There’s no turning off Victor Wembanyama’s competitive juices — even in the All-Star Game. 

Wembanyama was captured on the NBC broadcast of Sunday’s All-Star Game festivities visibly upset after Scottie Barnes drilled the game-winning shot for Team Stars at the Intuit Dome.

Barnes shot a game-winning 3-pointer to hand the U.S. squad a win in the new All-Star Game format, USA vs. World, which appeared to be a positive step for the NBA as it has been searching for a more competitive ASG format. 

Wembanyama embodied a much more competitive All-Star Game, which saw him raise his hands in frustration after Barnes’ shot went through the hoop. A defensive breakdown by Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns and his World squad left Barnes wide open, with Team Stars needing a 3-pointer to win the game in overtime.

“It was our second time allowing a 3 when we shouldn’t have in the game,” Wembanyama told reporters about the moment. “It’s really one quarter. I mean I would have expected us to be smarter right here, so it was disappointing. … It’s a game we love. It’s a game I personally cherish, so being competitive is the least I can do.” 

Victor Wembanyama was furious they lost —

Love the intensity.

(h/t @BradeauxNBA)

pic.twitter.com/3Qo8QQs6UEhttps://t.co/2876flcYaw

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 15, 2026

Wembanyama finished the game against Team Stars with 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field and 2-of-2 from 3-point range, but it wasn’t enough.

“When we’re up three, not giving up a 3-pointer to tie the game,” Norman Powell said afterward about the closing sequence. It’s gonna be the attention to detail, it’s on defense, if we’re gonna compete on every single possession.”

The Spurs’ star’s competitiveness was praised by his fellow All-Stars, with Anthony Edwards telling reporters that Wembanyama had “set the tone.” 

“It was definitely competitive with all three teams. I feel like the old heads played hard, too. They were playing real good defense. But yeah, he set the tone, man. It woke me up for sure,” Edwards said. 

It was a feeling echoed by Knicks star Jalen Brunson. 

“I think Wemby’s a leader,” Brunson said. “The way he carries himself is fantastic for this game. I think he’s done a great job and you see what his impact is on and off the court around this game.”

Team Stars beat Team Stripes 47-21 to win the new USA vs. World All-Star Tournament championship.

Victor Wembanyama set the tone.

But his teammates came up empty.

The French superstar helped deliver what was a more competitive-than-expected slate of All-Star games.

This year’s format featured three teams of eight players — two composed of American players and one mainly of foreign-born players competing in a round-robin.

The idea was to create a reason for the players to care after years of lax effort.

In that regard, it delivered.

“It’s a game we love,” Wembanyama said. “It’s a game [I] personally cherish. Being competitive is the least I can do.”

Wembanyama’s Team World, though, lost to both the USA teams.

He missed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that could have helped his team beat the USA Stripes and advance to the final.

“I ain’t gonna lie,” Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards said after the first game. “Wemby set the tone. He came out playing hard, so it’s hard not to match that, so s–t, that’s what happened.”

“Y’all been asking for it,” Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns said. “Fans been asking for it, the media’s been asking for it. I feel that after today, y’all can see that the competition is there. We all brought it today in the sense of effort. I hope the fans and all y’all appreciated it.”

Wembanyama scored 33 points between Team World’s two games.

“Wemby said what he said,” Vince Carter, one of NBC’s color analysts, said. “He said, ‘I’m coming out here to play hard.’ The first three buckets, he set the tone. Off the rip, he wanted the ball, he wanted the ball in the post. … He’s coming out to play.”

Young blood ruled over the old souls, as the USA Stripes — composed of mostly longer-tenured veterans — blew out the USA Stars, composed of mostly younger All-Stars, in the final.

Edwards scored eight points and added four rebounds and two assists in the final.

He was named All-Star MVP.

“I gotta say: It’s back,” Tracy McGrady, one of NBC’s analysts, said of the effort level. “What we wanted from these guys, they gave us that back and more.”

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown disputed the City of Beverly Hills' claims after an event he hosted on the eve of the NBA All-Star Game was shut down because the city said it lacked a permit.

“I’m offended by Beverly Hills, by the statement they put out, like we applied for something and didn’t get it, and we did it anyway (and) we were insubordinate,” Brown told ESPN after the game Sunday. “I know how to follow the rules. I’m smart enough to follow the guidelines."

Hours earlier, Beverly Hills released a statement to The Boston Globe, saying it rejected a permit. The event promoting Brown’s performance brand, 741, was held at Oakley founder Jim Jannard’s home. Brown has a sponsorship deal with Oakley.

"An event permit had been applied for and denied by the City due to previous violations associated with events at the address,” the statement said. “Despite the fact that the permit was denied, organizers still chose to proceed with inviting hundreds of guests knowing that it was not allowed to occur. BHPD responded and shut down the unpermitted event.”

Brown countered to ESPN, saying: “That was not true. We didn’t need a permit because the owner of the house, that was his space. We were family friends. He opened up the festivities to us so we didn’t have to. We never applied for one."

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Anthony Edwards furthered his case to be the face of the NBA after securing the All-Star Game MVP at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Sunday, Feb. 15.

The Minnesota Timberwolves star joined a list of ASG MVP winners that includes Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James. Each of those players spent time as the face of the league.

Edwards produced 32 points during the three mini games he played in for Team Stars (USA) on Sunday.

The league introduced a new format for the All-Star Game this year with three teams, two consisting of American players and a World team that featured players with international ties, playing each other in a small tournament to determine which two teams would meet in the championship game.

Edwards has acknowledged the potential of being the face of the league, but it isn’t something he’s necessarily chasing.

"It isn’t something I’m out here shooting for, if it happens, it happens,” Edwards told NBA TV after the game. “I’m not somebody like ‘oh I’m trying to be the face of the league,’ but if it happens, it happens."

Edwards did not shy away when pointing out that some of the NBA's best players saw minimal action on Sunday.

"No shade towards Luka (Doncic) and (Nikola) Jokić, but like they are two of the best players in the league, they’re not trying to play in the All-Star Game," Edwards said during an interview on NBA TV.

ALL-STAR GAME WINNERS AND LOSERS: US vs World format is an upgrade

Nikola Jokić saw limited action, playing just over five minutes during the first game, collecting two defensive rebounds and shooting 0-for-1 from the field. He had not been listed on the Denver Nuggets’ injury report but was diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee injury in December that caused him to miss 16 games.

Luka Doncic also played just over five minutes for Team World, shooting 1-of-3 from the field (0-for-2 from the 3-point line) with two assists. Doncic suffered a left hamstring strain on Feb. 5 and missed four consecutive games for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (right calf strain) and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) did not play for Team World due to injuries.

Anthony Edwards career stats

Anthony Edwards has averaged 24.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game in 427 NBA games played.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Anthony Edwards strengthens case as face of NBA at All-Star Game

You ever watch someone do something so well, for so long, that you forget they’re mortal? That’s Stephen Curry with a basketball in his hands at the three-point line.

And now, sitting on the sidelines at All-Star Weekend 2026 with a bum knee, he casually dropped a bombshell during his NBC interview: he’s coming back to the 3-point contest in Phoenix next year. Oh, and he wants Klay Thompson and Damian Lillard there with him.

Steph said he IS PARTICIPATING in next year's Three Point Contest 🎯🔥

He's already recruiting guys 👀

(via NBA Showtime) pic.twitter.com/VxZbrkNvIg

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 15, 2026

Curry’s relationship with the three-point contest has always been fun. He won it in 2015 with a then-record 27 points in the final round, draining 13 straight shots like he was playing warmups at an empty Oracle Arena. The next year, Klay beat him in Toronto with 27 of his own, matching Steph’s record in the ultimate Splash Brothers showdown. Then Curry came back in 2021, dropped a ridiculous 31 in the first round, and won the whole thing on his final shot. Drama. Theater. Pure Steph.

This isn’t new for Steph. The three-point contest isn’t just some side show he decided to enter for fun. It’s in his blood, woven into the fabric of who he is as a player and as a person. Picture this: 1994 NBA All-Star Weekend in Minneapolis. A six-year-old Stephen Curry, sitting courtside with his brother Seth, watching their father Dell Curry compete in the three-point shootout. Dell didn’t win that night, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is the image seared into young Steph’s brain: his dad, under the bright lights, shooting for glory in front of the world. The racks lined up, crowd buzzing, and the crisp swish of the net. That’s where the dream got planted.

But here’s the thing: Curry hasn’t touched that contest since Atlanta five years ago. And in those five years, he’s continued to rewrite the record books, continued to make shots that shouldn’t exist, continued to prove that he didn’t just change the game, he is the game now. The man is 37 years old, shooting 39.1% from three this season, and he’s still the most dangerous shooter who’s ever lived. Damian Lillard just won his third contest this past weekend, joining elite company. Curry could join that club too with one more win in Phoenix.

Think about what that would mean. Three 3-point contest titles. The all-time leader in made threes. Eight scoring titles from beyond the arc. A legacy built on redefining what’s possible from 30 feet. And he’s doing it because he watched Dame win and thought, “Yeah, I’m not done yet.”That’s hunger. That’s pride. That’s the kind of competitive fire that made him who he is.

And wanting Klay there? That’s poetry. The Splash Brothers, back where they belong, competing for a crown that they’ve owned more than any other duo in NBA history. The Warriors are the only team ever to have different players win the contest in back-to-back years. Steph in 2015, Klay in 2016. They made that event theirs. Bringing that energy back to Phoenix, with everything they’ve been through, with everything the Warriors have been through? That’s not just nostalgia. That’s a statement.

Curry was sitting there in street clothes, injured, unable to play in the All-Star Game he was voted into as a starter, and he’s already thinking about next year. Already plotting his return: imagining the racks, the money balls, the roar of the crowd when he gets hot. You think he’s washed? You think his time is up? He’s about to remind everyone exactly who he is.

Phoenix 2027. The Chef’s coming back to cook.

CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) — Jaquan Johnson scored 24 points to lead Bradley to a 70-60 victory over Southern Illinois on Sunday.

Johnson made 9 of 18 shots with two 3-pointers for the Braves (18-9, 11-5 Missouri Valley Conference), adding seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. Alex Huibregtse hit four 3-pointers and scored 14.

Quel'Ron House finished with 26 points to pace the Salukis (12-15, 6-10). Davion Sykes added 12 points and five rebounds off the bench.

Johnson had seven points in the first half as the two teams played to a 28-all tie. Johnson had 17 points after halftime and Huibregtse added 11 to rally the Braves to the victory.

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Jaylen Brown is in the middle of the prime of his career, but the five-time NBA All-Star is already planning ahead for his post-basketball career in a differrent sport.

And where could that take him?

Apparently, to the octagon, Brown told reporters at NBA All-Star weekend in Los Angeles. 

Brown said that he has even talked to UFC CEO Dana White about the idea. 

“I’ve toyed with this. I’ve talked to some people,” said Brown, who has training in Muay Thai. “Maybe the post part of my career, I would love to partake in something like UFC or even boxing. I’ve talked to Dana White about some stuff. But we’ll see as things go on. We’ll see.”

Considering that Brown is 29 years old and still has plenty of basketball left in him, those UFC dreams are likely a ways off. 

The Celtics are currently the second-best team in the Eastern Conference at the All-Star break and Brown has been on a tear this season. 

With 23.9 points per game this season, Brown sits tied for third best in the league among offensive leaders, while also averaging 6.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game this season. 

Brown was named the 2024 NBA Finals MVP when the Celtics defeated the Mavericks in five games. 

The NBA has not been immune to some scuffles or physical play on the court, which has given Brown the chance to put a little of his combat training into use. 

“It’s kind of exciting when you get in the moment to have a little bit of controversy,” Brown said. “Sometimes it’s not even that big of a deal, but we’ve got emotional dudes, we’ve got passionate dudes about this game. Some of that stuff is going to happen. You get in between the margins, you’re throwing ‘bows. That stuff, that’s a part of the game to some degree.”

Brown was throwing a different kind of jab over the weekend — a verbal one — at the city of Beverly Hills after cops there shut down an event he was hosting during All-Star weekend.

Brown took to social media to blast the department, calling Beverly Hills “trash” and saying, “people worked hard for this how dare y’all.”

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Marta Suarez and Clara Silva both finished with 14 points to help No. 17 TCU beat No. 19 West Virginia 59-50 on Sunday night and take over the top spot in the Big 12 Conference.

TCU (23-4, 11-3), which won the regular-season and conference tournament titles last season, is tied with No. 12 Baylor, but the Horned Frogs have the tiebreaker advantage after beating the Bears 83-67 before taking care of the Mountaineers. Baylor visits TCU to close out the regular season on March 1.

TCU has won 40 straight games at Schollmaier Arena, tying No. 4 Texas for the longest active streak. West Virginia was the last team to win there, beating the Frogs 77-52 two years ago.

Suarez made 6 of 10 shots with two 3-pointers and Silva sank 7 of 12 shots with eight rebounds and two blocks. Olivia Miles pitched in with 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Taylor Bigby added 10 points and four assists as the starters did all the scoring.

Gia Cooke had 18 points to top the Mountaineers (21-6, 11-4), who lost 51-50 to TCU at home in January. Sydney Shaw hit three 3-pointers and scored 12. West Virginia had won four straight and seven of eight entering play.

Cooke and Shaw sank back-to-back 3-pointers and West Virginia used an 8-0 run over the final three minutes of the first quarter to take a 14-11 lead.

Cooke had nine points by halftime and the Mountaineers again outscored the Horned Frogs 14-11 for a six-point lead.

TCU made only 1 of 8 from distance in the first half, but Hunter hit two 3-pointers in the first five minutes of the third quarter and Suarez and Bigby both sank one in a 20-2 run that put the Horned Frogs ahead 42-30. TCU made its first nine shots in the period to build a 46-39 lead heading to the fourth.

The Mountaineers cut the dificit to six on four occasions over the final 10 minutes but got no closer.

Up next

TCU: At Houston on Wednesday.

West Virginia: Hosts Oklahoma State on Saturday.

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