Category: NBA

Welcome to the Preseason – Basketball practice officially starts in 3 days, September 21^st.  

Before last season, BTP posters were saying, “I can’t remember who’s on the team this season.” We’re here to help!

We’re counting down the 10 days to the beginning of practice ’26-‘27 by taking another look at this season’s roster, focusing on the 10 players most likely to make an impact. This article is about Coach Gainey’s biggest win of the offseason; despite being outbid by other schools, Paul McNeil has returned to the NC State Wolfpack.

Basketball News

• Generally the weight gains reflect what we have already been told – EXCEPT WILKINS
• Finally we have Jurkovic’s weight, and he’s a little taller than we thought
• Smartly, McNeil added an inch to boost his NBA resume
• Whitty got busted

Predicted breakdown of minutes per player:

#2 Paul McNeil

This will be Paul’s third season on the Wolfpack team, and his third (and most expensive!) coaching staff. Paul will be forever loved by fans for sticking with the program through the coaching changes, just as much as for setting the program record for most made 3PT shots in a season and having a 47/10 double-double in last season’s Heritage game. It’s becoming less common that players of his ability stick around 3 seasons, so we probably won’t get another.

• Ht / Wt:6’5” / 190
• Position: Guard
• PPG / RPG / APG:13.8 ppg / 3.6 rpg / 0.8 apg
• Shooting: 43.3% / 42.7% (105-246) / 82.4%

’25-’26 season Highs:

• Points: 47 points, double digits 23 games, 20+ 8 games
• Double-Doubles: 1
• Rebounds: 10

Strength

• Usage – Probably exactly what you want for his role as designated marksman
• True Shooting % – Excellent
• Assist %  / A/TO – A designated catch & shoot guy is not expected to pass much, but when he does, he’s very good at getting it to the right guy.

Weakness

• No surprise, overall Paul is not a strong defender
• Block % – He ranks in the 59^th percentile, but if you compare only to other guards he ranks very well, the 83^rd percentile.

Strength

• Three-point percentage – obviously

Weakness

• Doesn’t take a lot of shots inside the arc, and doesn’t pick up shooting fouls

Patrick Stacy

“Only player in history to make that volume of 3’s [last season] with that accuracy”

Coach Gainey

“Paul is coachable, I’m excited about the things he is doing with the ball, excited about the things he is doing on defense, he’s taken his leadership role very seriously. “

Expectations – Wolfpack nation LOVES Paul. He’s come back twice, and we’re told he turned down a big offer to move to Baton Rouge. But even the biggest fans (including me), have always had a few concerns:

Concern: Size – Paul has always been skinny, and we all wondered how that impacted the fact that he doesn’t often successfully drive to the basket. In pictures from the offseason workouts, Paul’s recently added muscle definition is very impressive.

Concern: One-dimensional offense – As noted above, Paul seldom takes it to the rim. Obviously, a big part of that is his role in the offense. But to be a well-rounded NBA player, he probably needs to increase the perception that he can beat you from 3PT and he’s a threat take it to the rim, as well. Last season only 23.9% of his made shots were inside the arc. But he did dunk it 4 times (4/4, 100%) and made 25 of what Torvik calls ‘Close 2PT’ shots. ( at 62.5%) A few steps further away his shooting percentage drops to 24.2%. Coach Gainey’s comments (above) on what he is doing with the ball, are encouraging.

Concern: Defense – (You can’t be a ‘3 & D guy’ if you can’t ‘D’ – Confucius) Last season he ranked 10^th on the Wolfpack in DPBM (Defensive box plus/minus) at -0.1. That means the opponent’s offense does better when he is ON the court than off. He beat out only teammates Jerry Deng, Jordan Snell, and Colt Langdon in that metric. Not good company, Robert.

I believe this will be Paul’s best season, but I don’t see him breaking his 3PT record. With the Wolfpack having 3 or 4 very good (38% +) 3PT shooters on the court at all times, the team might set a 3PT record as a whole, but the made shots should be distributed across more players. The floor spacing this team will cause should allow Paul, Hammond and Adams room to attack the rim. Defensively, I believe in Coach Gainey. He’s talked about Paul’s “coachability”. I believe Paul’s improvement on defense, as well as the entire team’s, will be the single most significant improvement by the Wolfpack this season positively reflecting on this season’s coaching staff versus the previous. However, there’s a caveat. It will not be immediate. Hopefully we’ll see the individual defensive effort there out of the gate, but it’s going to take time to become a really good defensive team.

The Knicks are done with the championship celebrations.

They don’t need — or want — more pats on the back. They’ve turned the page.

“This year was amazing. But I think all of us, the thing that makes us special is right now we’re looking forward,” Josh Hart, speaking at David Yurman’s “Crafting a Legacy” event in Manhattan on Thursday night, said when asked about the Knicks’ chances to repeat as champions.

“I think all of us are kind of tired of hearing the congratulations, and we’re ready to get to work,” the Knicks veteran said. “We’re ready to put the work in, grow, build and see where we are at the end of the year.”

The NBA has had eight different champions the past eight years, with the league fully engulfed in an era of parity.

The Knicks will have to buck that trend.

But they return nearly their entire core, with Mitchell Robinson being the only notable departure.

Their quest to repeat will face the challenge of a reshaped Eastern Conference, with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown now with the 76ers, Giannis Antetokounmpo now with the Heat, Paul George joining a fully healthy Jayson Tatum on the Celtics and Tyrese Haliburton back in action for the Pacers.

Just under two weeks away from the start of training camp, the Knicks have left their championship in the past and have turned their focus to that challenge.

Hart was joined by teammates Karl-Anthony Towns and Jordan Clarkson, ex-Knick Carmelo Anthony and Spike Lee at Thursday’s event. He also spoke about his personal legacy.

“It’s really just what you pass down to the next generation,” Hart said. “For me, it’s what I pass down to my kids. And it takes a long time to build it. It doesn’t come overnight.”

Kevin Porter Jr. is a married man. 

The Bucks guard recently wed his now wife, Tee Janay, according to a post on Porter’s Instagram page on Thursday. 

Porter, 26, posted a carousel of photos on his social media page that showed the couple’s wedding and captioned the post, “WE/DO Mrs. Porter.” 

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The pictures Porter posted showed the couple both wearing all black, with the hooper in a black suit and his bride donning a black wedding dress and holding purple flowers. 

Other images showed the newlyweds looking off at fireworks that appeared to be featured during the reception and the two dancing while surrounded by guests at the nuptials. 

The Bucks, whom Porter has played for over the past two seasons, congratulated Porter with a post on X. 

It’s unclear when the wedding took place, but a post by celebrity bridal designer Inna Elsie went up five days prior to Thursday, boasting that Tee Janay had worn one of the designer’s bridal robes. 

Porter is entering his third season in Milwaukee after he exercised the $5.39 million player option in his contract. 

His season was cut short by injury in March, but he had averaged 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game in the 38 games he did play for the Bucks during the 2025-26 season.

This will be his first season in Milwaukee without Giannis Antetokounmpo on the roster after the NBA star was traded to the Heat in July.

Porter would prove valuable during the upcoming campaign if he can replicate the success he had last season as the Bucks go through a massive change following Antetokounmpo’s departure. 

Porter has been in the NBA for six seasons, starting his career with the Cavaliers before spending time with the Rockets, Clippers and Bucks. 

Porter was arrested on Sept. 11, 2023, in New York and charged with assault and strangulation of his then-girlfriend Kysre Gondrezick.

Gondrezick later denied being hit and told The Post at the time that her “injuries don’t support any of those claims” made by authorities.

He eventually agreed to a plea deal, agreeing to charges of reckless assault in the third degree and harassment in the second degree.

The Lakers have signed forward Anton Watson to an Exhibit 10 contract, the team announced Thursday.

The 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward played for the South Bay Lakers last season, averaging 11 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals in 27.3 minutes.The 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward played for the South Bay Lakers last season, averaging 11 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals in 27.3 minutes.

Watson was selected 54th by the Celtics in the 2024 NBA Draft. After the Celtics waived him in March 2025, he played nine games for the Knicks.

He played five seasons at Gonzaga from 2019-24.

Don’t look now, but the NBA season is almost upon us. The Golden State Warriors will converge in Hawaii in just 12 days to get started on the 13th season of the Steve Kerr era and the 18th season of the Steph Curry era. They’ll be plotting and planning and practicing, in hopes of putting forth another 2022-esque surprise season.

On Thursday, the Warriors announced their front office hirings and promotions for the season. The biggest one is just a formality, as it was news that was first reported months ago: the Warriors have added Frank Vogel to Kerr’s coaching staff.

Vogel, who replaces Terry Stotts as the Associate Head Coach, brings a ton of NBA coaching experience to the job. After seven-plus years as an assistant coach, Vogel took over as head coach of the Indiana Pacers during the 2010-11 season, a job he held for five-and-a-half seasons. Following that stint, Vogel served as the head coach of the Orlando Magic for two seasons and then, after a year off, spent three years at the helm of the Los Angeles Lakers, where he led LeBron James and Anthony Davis to an NBA title in 2020.

After being fired by the Lakers, Vogel took a year off before returning as head coach of the Phoenix Suns, a job that last one year. He took the 2024-25 season off, and spent last year as an assistant for the Dallas Mavericks. And now he brings all that experience and expertise to the Dubs.

In addition to Vogel, the Warriors announced that Ben Stelzer, who had been the Head Video Coordinator, had his title enhanced to Head Video Coordinator/Player Development Coach. Also on the development side, Everett Dayton has been promoted from Player Development Coach to Director of Player Development/Assistant Coach, while Tyler Larsen has jumped from being an assistant for the Santa Cruz Warriors to a Player Development Coach with the NBA squad.

Rounding out the player development additions and promotions are a trio of newcomers hired for the role of Video Associate, Player Development: Adam Fravert, John Wade, and Nate Karren.

The Warriors also announced that Tatianna Lampley has been promoted from Specialist of Basketball Development to Specialist of Player Engagement. After working as a Pro Scout, Jason Staudt was promoted to Director of Pro Personnel.

On the team operations side, Eric Housen was promoted from Vice President of Team Operations to Senior Vice President of Team Operations, as he prepares for his 40th season with the franchise. Bert Ortiz Jr., who served as Team Chef, has been promoted to Housen’s old role as Vice President of Team Operations.

Finally, the Warriors announced that Stephanie Weston has been hired as the Team Massage Therapist. It’s a promotion and a new team for Weston, who served as Assistant Massage Therapist for three seasons with the Pacers.

Now it’s off to Hawaii!

The New York Knicks have two vacant roster spots heading into the season as they seek to defend their title, so they’re bringing in a group of veterans to compete for them in training camp. One of them is a former NBA champion and a familiar face to Golden State Warriors fans.

The No. 2 pick from the 2020 draft signed a training camp deal with the Knicks, who appear to once again be auditioning multiple players to fill out the back of their roster. It worked out pretty well last season, with Landry Shamet winning a spot in camp and going on to average 9.3 points in 23 minutes per game, then shooting 47.5% from three-point range during the playoffs.

The Knicks lost centers Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti in free agency this summer, with Andre Drummond stepping in to take the backup center position. It looks like they’re prepared to add a third center and a wing player, and if that’s the case, Big Jim Wiseman is competing with fellow camp invitee Drew Eubanks for that spot. New York is also bringing in Bruce Brown, John Konchar, and Ochai Agbaji, a veritable who’s-who of the summer’s “Best available free agents” lists.

At the beginning of the summer, Wiseman’s agent announced that he would continue his professional career in Europe. Clearly, the chance to play for the Knicks was more tempting than whatever European opportunities were available. It’s not a guarantee that the Knicks will add another center, but you’d think they’d want someone bigger than Mohamed Diawara to man the pivot, especially with starting power forward OG Anunoby standing just 6-foot-7.

Big Jim earned a spot in the Indiana Pacers rotation to start the 2024-25 season, only to suffer an Achilles tear five minutes into his first game. He played four games for the Pacers last season, who had a huge amount of roster churn last year due to injuries. It got so bad they used seven hardship exceptions before Christmas, with Wiseman spending two brief stints with the team.

Wiseman may not seem like the missing piece for a team that blew through the NBA playoffs last spring, but it seems like he’ll only have to beat out Eubanks to earn a roster spot. Eubanks has played significantly more than Wiseman in the last few seasons, though those totals are trending downward. He suited up for 75 games in 2023-24, 61 games for two teams in 2024-25, and 42 games for the Sacramento Kings last year, tearing a ligament in his thumb late in the season after losing playing time to rookies Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell.

Eubanks, whose nickname is “The Shaq of Troutdale,” has a better track record of success, while Wiseman is four years younger and has a higher ceiling, though a far lower floor. With the general super-sizing of NBA front courts in recent years and the looming presence of Victor Wembanyama, the Knicks might be willing to gamble on Wiseman, who is still only 25.

At worst, Wiseman will get some training camp minutes to show off for other potential employees, in America or across the pond. He’s already proved he can cheer on a championship team from the sidelines in San Francisco. Here’s hoping he gets a chance to do in it NYC.

It’s been nearly three years since Paul George wore a Los Angeles Clippers uniform, but it appears his past is still continuing to haunt him.

Former NBA big man and George’s former teammate, Montrezl Harrell, spoke in an interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson and was asked about his old teammate during the NBA bubble in 2020.

“I don’t make comments about that boy. Me and that boy don’t see eye-to-eye, and we ain’t on no terms, so I don’t make comments about him,” Harrell said. “Quite frankly, I don’t care. I stated that in the tribute interview I did as well, regarding how me and him got into it in that bubble situation.”

Harrell went on to say that he believes the team didn’t sign him back due to their altercation after they blew a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets during the second round of the playoffs.

During the middle of Game 5 of the playoffs, the two got into a heated exchange after a timeout was taken. The two were reportedly arguing over George refusing to take responsibility for a turnover that happened during Game 2 of the series.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo reported that Harrell told George, “You’re always right. Nobody can tell you nothing,” while the two shouted expletives back and forth at each other.

After the game, Kawhi Leonard told reporters that the team needed to build chemistry amongst themselves.

Leonard’s comments don’t appear to be far from the truth. Harrell told Robinson there wasn’t any chemistry among that teammates, but didn’t solely point the blame at his former teammates, by noting the COVID-19 Pandemic played a factor in it.

“What chemistry could you have when we were playing basketball and had to stop playing for a month? People had to stay in their house,” Harrell told Robinson during the interview. “We couldn’t go in the gym or be around each other. Who wouldn’t lose chemistry or cohesion after all that took place? That makes zero sense.”

Harrell went on to say for him, that time in particular was tough on him as he had “zero rhythm.”

“Mentally I wasn’t there,” Harrell said. “I lost my grandmother, and basketball wasn’t the first thing on my mind. The coaching staff and GM were hitting me up so much to come back, and I wanted to make the right decision for my team and not leave them hanging, but a lot went into it.”

Harrell continued and said he wasn’t the only one who was affected, as Patrick Beverly and former three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year winner Lou Williams both lost long-term mentors in their lives.

Harrell went on to play four seasons in the NBA until he tore his ACL during a summer workout in 2023.

George was with the Clippers until the 2023-2024 NBA season, and is now about to embark on a new journey with the Boston Celtics after spending the last two years with the Philadelphia 76ers.

LeBron James may be a four-time NBA champion, but he’s also a businessman.

The latest example comes from a Polymarket partnership that will pay James $15 million per year. The deal is nearly worth quadruple of what the 41-year-old is set to earn with the 76ers this season.

The agreement between James and the sports betting company focuses on promoting football, not basketball. But it’s clear his pay cut with Philadelphia doesn’t look so drastic when weighing the amount of money James will earn from endorsement deals.

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer left money on the table when he informed the Lakers he would not return for the 2026-27 season. But James said it was never about money as he pondered the next and final home of his illustrious NBA career.

James joining the 76ers on a veteran minimum deal was evidence of the superstar’s desire to find complete basketball happiness, rather than make a profit in the twilight of his career.

But the latest deal with Polymarket has raised some eyebrows.

James announced he would join Philadelphia on July 24. At that time, Polymarket was set to be inaccessible due to a state ban that made it a felony for prediction markets to operate or advertise in Minnesota — James was weighing the Timberwolves as one of his potential destinations.

A federal judge issued an injunction placing the ban on hold July 27, three days after James made his long-awaited announcement. If the deal with Polymarket was already in the works, that would have eliminated Minnesota as an option for James in free agency.

Moreover, the Clippers’ scandal has shed light on teams openly violating salary cap circumvention rules. While James’ deal doesn’t interfere with any CBA rules, partnerships with companies could lead directly to smaller contracts in order to help with salary cap relief.

In theory, that would be a method of circumventing the cap.

It’ll be interesting to see how the NBA navigates this new era of partnerships for its athletes.

Any concerns about Steph Curry leaving the Warriors can be put to rest.

During an interview with CNBC, Curry was asked if seeing LeBron James leave the Lakers during free agency was “appealing” to him, to which the future Hall of Famer immediately shut down.

“Not at all. I’ve always stated that I want to be a lifer with Golden State,” Curry said. “What we’ve built there. The fact that I get to run it back this year with Draymond [Green] and Coach [Steve] Kerr.”

Since James departed from the Lakers in July after an eight-season run, rumors started to emerge that Curry could be entering his final season in a Golden State uniform.

Curry, 38, is entering the final year of his four-year, $215.4 million deal he signed with the team in 2022 and is nearing the end of a Hall of Fame career.

“All the contract stuff, this NBA thing from year-to-year is crazy. Things change really fast,” Curry said. “But I do know my interest and mission is to stay in Golden State and be competitive is there, and the contract stuff will take care of itself.”

Curry is eligible to receive a two-year, $136.7 million contract extension that would keep him with the Warriors through the 2028-2029 season.

Part of the reason why rumors have emerged of a potential Curry departure has been because of the Warriors’ inability to land a superstar during the offseason.

The moves the organization made during the offseason were focused on acquiring depth and building around young talent, such as Yaxel Lendeborg, who was selected by the team with the No.11 pick of the 2026 NBA Draft.

On Tuesday, Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic said he wouldn’t be shocked if the team decides to break up its foundation by trading Green and Jimmy Butler if the team isn’t performing up to expectations by the season’s midway point.

Thompson II added that he doesn’t think the team would trade Curry and called him a “lifer.”

Aside from being considered one of the greatest shooters of all time, Curry is the most iconic Warriors player. He’s led them to four NBA championships, including being Finals MVP in 2022.

Curry was crowned NBA MVP in back-to-back seasons in 2015 and 2016. He also was the league’s scoring champion in 2016 and 2021.

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New York Knicks fans who were outraged at exorbitant ticket prices for home games when they went on sale earlier this week are getting some relief.

Madison Square Garden Corp. (MSG), the parent company of the Knicks, said Thursday, Sept. 17 it made a mistake in its pricing structure when individual game tickets for the 2026-27 NBA seasn went on sale the day prior, resulting in face value seats for the regular-season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers being listed in excess of $1,000.

And those were the prices for tickets in the upper deck of Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks, who in June won their first NBA championship in 53 seasons, had toiled in mediocrity for years during the 2010s, leading to several loyal fans voicing their indignation.

“A multibillion-dollar franchise pricing its own non-wealthy fans out of the Garden on a night the fanbase has been dreaming about for 50 years,” one fan wrote on social media. “Shameful.”

The two premier NBA teams in California had very distinct offseasons. 

The Lakers overhauled their roster around Luka Dončić, adding Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Ziaire Williams, Jaden Hardy and Cameron Carr. 

Meanwhile, the Warriors pretty much stood pat. 

The one thing both teams had in common? 

They missed out on LeBron James, who chose to leave the Lakers after eight seasons and join the 76ers in free agency. 

The Lakers, who won their first championship in 10 years in 2020, are trying to climb back atop the league after acquiring Dončić in a stunning trade in February 2025.

Meanwhile the Warriors, the league’s modern-day dynasty after winning four championships in eight years from 2015-2022, are trying to enable Steph Curry to play meaningful basketball amid the sunset of his career in a league that has gotten younger and faster, passing them by. 

So, where will the Lakers and Warriors rank next season in the very crowded Western Conference?

Here are our predictions:

Lakers: No. 3

The Thunder and Spurs are head and shoulders above the Lakers. 

Those teams have no obvious weaknesses. They have youth. They have superstars. They have depth. They have incredible defense. And they’ve proven they have the chemistry and mental fortitude to go deep in the playoffs. 

After revamping their team to get younger and deeper, the Lakers are on their way to being able to compete with the creme de la creme of the West, but they’re not there yet. 

They need an elite perimeter defender. They need time to jell. They’re a few tweaks away from being considered real contenders. 

Could the Lakers finish higher than Nikola Jokic and his Nuggets? Yes. The Nuggets had a disappointing offseason following a first-round playoff exit in April, including losing Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown. 

As for the Timberwolves? They could give the Lakers fits behind perennial All-Star Anthony Edwards and four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. The Timberwolves added LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga to their roster and could be a fringe contender. 

The Rockets are also a team to watch. Sure, the Lakers jumped to a 3-0 series lead over them last postseason without Doncic and Austin Reaves, but both teams are going to look completely different in October. Kevin Durant is expected to be healthy, and Fred VanVleet is returning from injury. As for the Lakers, they’re only returning two starters from last season in Doncic and Reaves.

If the Lakers finish third in the West over the Timberwolves and Rockets that would be an incredible showing for Doncic, who’s eager to prove he can be the Lakers’ next superstar. He wants to win his first championship. He wants to prove his detractors wrong. And now he’s backed by a 17-time championship organization that views anything short of a title as a failure. 

Here’s to betting Doncic is able to carry the Lakers to a third-place finish in the highly competitive West. 

Warriors: No. 8

We held our breath when the Warriors were pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo. Bust. 

We were on the edge of our seat when they were pursuing James in an attempt to pair him with the team he faced in four straight NBA Finals from 2015-2018. Slump. 

The league is more fun when the Warriors are good. Curry is the greatest shooter ever. Draymond Green is a fiery defender who’s endlessly exciting to watch. Warriors coach Steve Kerr is brilliant. 

But alas, all of the Warriors’ attempts to become contenders flatlined. 

So, as of now, the Warriors are a fringe playoff team. It’s a shame for Curry, who’s turning 39 next season and is still one of the NBA’s top players. Last season, he became the oldest point guard in NBA history to be named a starter on the All-Star team. 

The Warriors are expected to try to work some magic ahead of the trade deadline to breathe some life into Curry’s 18th season.

But until then, with Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody set to miss the start of the season due to injuries, the Warriors aren’t expected to make much noise. 

That said, if Curry, Green and Kristaps Porzingis are healthy, this team can’t be counted out. Remember what they did in their first play-in game against the Clippers, when Curry went unconscious finishing with 35 points (27 of which he scored in the second half), Green bottled up Kawhi Leonard (holding him to just two points in the fourth quarter) and Porzingis had 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. 

If you add Butler and Moody to that mix, the Warriors could be tough.

But as of now, too many questions surround their health and durability and too many teams with fresh legs are looking to sprint past them, including the Thunder, Spurs, Lakers, Timberwolves, Rockets, Nuggets and Mavericks.

Michael Sweetney, an All-American big man for the Georgetown men’s basketball team who went on to be a top-10 NBA draft pick, has died, his wife, India, announced on social media on Thursday, Sept. 17.

He was 43 years old. No cause of death was specified.

“No one loved him more and he loved no one more than his family,” India Murray Sweetney wrote in a message on Facebook. “His children were the light of his life, and he lived every day to give them the best life possible. He’s been my best friend for 30 years and my husband for almost 20. I’m not sure what we or I will do without him.”

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Sweetney made his greatest on-court mark in the college game, where the 6-foot-8, 275-pound forward averaged 18.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game over three seasons at Georgetown. As a junior during the 2002-03 season, he averaged 22.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game for the Hoyas. His production that season earned him All-American distinction from the Associated Press, the National Association of Basketball Coaches and The Sporting News.

Despite playing only three seasons at Georgetown, he remains ninth on the program’s all-time scoring list and fifth on its all-time rebounding list.

Prayers to the family of Georgetown men’s basketball alum Michael Sweetney.

He will be missed - forever a Hoya.#HoyaSaxapic.twitter.com/LgStmOw5Q5

— Georgetown Hoops (@GeorgetownHoops) September 17, 2026

His size and college accolades made him a prized NBA prospect, with the New York Knicks selecting him with the No. 9 overall pick in the famed 2003 NBA Draft that also included LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh. In four NBA seasons — two with the Knicks and two with the Chicago Bulls — he averaged 6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

He played professionally, primarily in South America and the Caribbean, until 2017.

Heading into his first season with the Knicks, Sweetney struggled with depression, maintaining his playing weight and suicidal thoughts after his father suffered a fatal heart attack in 2003, about a month after Sweetney was drafted.

“I was going through depression,” he said to the New York Post in 2019. “I honestly thought I would never get out of it,” Sweetney said. “When I share the story, as I’m talking, it’s still amazing to me this was going on. As an athlete, pride got in the way. I was fighting myself. I didn’t speak up. I kept it hidden and it became a snowball effect.

“Before my father(’s death), life was great. He came to every game. He was always there. I buried my father like two days before training camp. There was no time to digest it at all. Losing him, then coming to a basketball situation that wasn’t going the way I wanted, I’d never dealt with adversity.”

He remained in basketball after his playing days, serving as an assistant coach at Yeshiva University, a Division III school in Manhattan. With Sweetney on staff, the Maccabees won two conference championships and racked up a 50-game win streak from 2019-21.

“It’s not just about X’s and O’s,” Sweetney said to the Post in 2019. “Sometimes you need to see if a guy is going through something and pick them up. It’s been a great experience. I’m happy here. I’m comfortable here. I’m treated well here. It’s been amazing. To be happy and be at peace, I would’ve been shocked. I wouldn’t have thought it was possible.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mike Sweetney, one of Georgetown basketball's greatest players, dies at 43

The Cleveland Cavaliers had a tense start to the summer.

They spent weeks waiting for LeBron James to make a decision, only for the King to choose Philly over returning home. This put Cleveland’s offseason on the brink of disaster. They needed a wing — and with the free agency pool drained, the Cavs had almost nothing to show for it.

James Harden not only paused his contract extension to allow them to keep searching, but also played an active role in recruiting their biggest splash of the summer, Peyton Watson.

“Getting a call or text from [Harden] throughout my process to let me know the Cleveland Cavaliers are interested,” said Watson during his introductory press conference.

“ That matters a lot because obviously he has one of the great basketball minds we’ve ever seen. Being embraced by him immediately was something that was very flattering to me.”

Watson was one of the hottest sign-and-trade candidates on the market this summer. The 6’8” wing had a career-best season shooting the ball and fit the mold of what the Cavs have been missing.

Meanwhile, Harden waited until September to sign an extension that he could have signed in July. This gave Cleveland the financial flexibility to go big game hunting.

More importantly, Harden used his reputation as one of the game’s greatest playmakers to reel in an organizational assist.

“I was super, super blessed to hear from him, and it made me more excited about what my role could be on the team,” said Watson. “It was early on when he had first talked to me… when I got that call and was informed that I was gonna be a Cleveland Cavalier, it just made it mean that much more to me because I knew I was being embraced day one by the team and front office. That just matters.”

Vibes matter. Enthusiasm is what leads to chemistry. Watson is excited about being in Cleveland and building a relationship with Harden. That’s some of the best news that you can hear leading into training camp.

Harden can’t pick up the phone and make the trade himself. But he did everything else in his power to facilitate this deal.