OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Cotie McMahon racked up 21 points and dished five assists as No. 14 Mississippi cruised by Arkansas 80-57 on Thursday night to reach 20 wins for the fifth straight season.
McMahon scored 20 or more points for the fourth straight game and has scored double figures in all but one outing this season.
The Rebels (20-5, 7-3 Southeastern Conference) bounced back from a 64-63 loss at then-No. 21 Alabama last Thursday to comfortably get back into the win column in their first home game in over a month.
Latasha Lattimore added 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season, and Denim DeShields tacked on 12 points for Ole Miss.
Ole Miss took the lead for good just 2:25 into the first quarter on a Lattimore layup and built a double-digit lead before the end of the first frame. They kept the lead the rest of the way, with a 40-27 lead at the half stretching to 20 points after a 7-0 run to open the second half.
For the Razorbacks (11-15, 0-11), Taleyah Jones led in scoring with 16 points, and Bonnie Deas had 14 with eight rebounds. Arkansas struggled at 34% and 19% shooting from the field and beyond the arc, respectively.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Elroy Face, an All-Star reliever for the Pittsburgh Pirates who saved three games in the 1960 World Series to help them upset the New York Yankees, has died. He was 97.
In a news release Thursday, the Pirates announced they confirmed Face's death. Team historian Jim Trdinich said the club was contacted by Face's son, Elroy Jr., and informed the former pitcher died earlier in the day at an independent senior living facility outside Pittsburgh in North Versailles, Pennsylvania.
No cause of death was provided. Face was eight days shy of his 98th birthday.
“It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we mourn the passing of Pirates Hall of Famer Elroy Face, a beloved member of the Pirates family,” team chairman Bob Nutting said in a statement.
“Elroy was a pioneer of the modern relief pitcher — the ‘Baron of the Bullpen’ — and he played a critical role in our 1960 World Series championship."
Selected to six All-Star teams, Face went 104-95 with a 3.48 ERA in 16 major league seasons with Pittsburgh (1953-68), Detroit (1968) and Montreal (1969). He pitched in 848 games, starting only 27, and compiled 191 career saves — although saves didn't become an official statistic until 1969.
The 5-foot-8 right-hander holds the National League record for wins in relief with 96 and the major league mark for relief wins in one season after going 18-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 1959.
He topped the National League with 68 appearances and 61 games finished in 1960, when the underdog Pirates stunned Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and the mighty Yankees on Bill Mazeroski's famous home run that won Game 7 of the World Series at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.
Face made four relief appearances in the Series, posting a 5.23 ERA in 10 1/3 innings. He closed out Pirates wins in Games 1, 4 and 5.
Inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame in 2023, he is the club's career leader in appearances with 802. And the team noted that if saves had been an official stat before 1969, he also would hold that franchise record with 188.
Face was born in Stephentown, New York, on Feb. 20, 1928. He is survived by his three children, Michelle, Valerie and Elroy Jr., and his sister Jacqueline, the Pirates said.
The 6-foot-6 Serbian had been unavailable after being diagnosed with testicular cancer in October and undergoing chemotherapy.
He received a standing ovation from the home crowd at Paycom Center after checking into the game with 1:55 left in the first quarter.
Topić was the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft by the Thunder. He played in just one preseason game before having surgery and undergoing chemotherapy.
The amazing story of Nikola Topić.
He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in October last year.
Now, four months later, he receives a standing ovation as he makes his NBA debut. pic.twitter.com/qmM1KRv9GK
The prevalence of gambling has yet to create serious issues for the NFL. For the NBA, it's a different story.
Widespread talk of multiple teams tanking in the hopes of landing high in the coming draft lottery has resulted in an uptick in "load management," with healthy players not playing in games.
The NBA has taken action on the issue. Via ESPN.com, the league has fined multiple teams for compromising the integrity of games by sitting players who could have played.
Specifically, the NBA fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 and the Indiana Pacers $100,000.
"Overt behavior like this that prioritizes draft position over winning undermines the foundation of NBA competition and we will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games," Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "Additionally, we are working with our Competition Committee and Board of Governors to implement further measures to root out this type of conduct."
The move comes at a time when some are questioning whether it's time for Silver to go. He succeeded David Stern 12 years ago.
The failure of teams to at all times put their best players on the field undermines both the integrity of the games and the integrity of the wagers on the game. It also creates a new vein of inside information, with those who know that certain players won't play in certain games possessing knowledge that can be leveraged into winning bets.
Part of the problem is that the NBA plays 82 games. The non-contenders are known well before the regular season ends. For the NFL, which plays (for now) 17 games, there are fewer opportunities to overtly tank.
Still, isn't that what the Raiders did by shutting down defensive end Maxx Crosby and tight end Brock Bowers with two games to play? Crosby was livid, to the point that he may truly not want to remain with the team.
The decision of both the NBA and the NFL to welcome millions in sponsorship dollars from sportsbooks raises the stakes. The possibility of a reckoning hovers over both sports. And with the NBA already embroiled in a full-blown gambling scandal, it needs to be vigilant if/when teams aren't trying their best to win.
Even then, it feels like it's just a matter of time before the shit fully hits the fan for both leagues. The problem is that both leagues seem to be content to continue cramming gambling money into their pockets until the consequences come.
NBA All-Star Weekend is far more than just the All-Star Game itself — that is just the culmination of a whole weekend of on-the-court and off-the-court entertainment.
There are skills highlighted — like the 3-Point Contest and the Dunk Contest — and an HBCU college game, not to mention musical artists performing all weekend, such as Ludacris on All-Star Saturday night. There are the game's biggest names — young, old and retired — just walking around Los Angeles. And there are things you don't fully see on television, such as fan fests and activations with shoe and apparel companies all across the city.
It's a packed schedule, so we're here to help. Here is the full schedule for the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend and where you can watch everything happening.
This year, the NBA All-Star Game returns to NBC and debuts on Peacock — and it falls right in the middle of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. That was a perfect setup for the first-of-its-kind All-Star Game format, a USA vs. World showdown that fans and players have been asking for.
The 24 All-Star players have been divided into three teams, two USA teams — USA Stripes and USA Stars — and one World Team. Those three teams will compete in a round-robin tournament of four 12-minute games, each team playing at least two games.
At the end of the round-robin, the two top teams will play a championship game (the fourth 12-minute game of the day) for the title. (If there is a tie it comes down to point differential.)
The 75th NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 5 p.m. Eastern, an earlier time than in previous years, leading into more coverage of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Every moment of All-Star Weekend — the Rising Stars challenge on Friday. (Feb. 13), All-Star Saturday Night with the 3-Point Contest and Dunk Contest (Feb. 14), as well as the All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 15 — will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
The 75th NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 5 p.m. Eastern, a time earlier than in previous years, leading into more coverage of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
How to sign up for Peacock:
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NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
Utah has been the talk of the league because its latest tanking strategy was both blatant and seemed to find a loophole in the league's system. Utah's two biggest stars — Lauri Markkanen and the just-acquired Jaren Jackson Jr. — qualify as stars under the league's Player Participation Policy. So, the Jazz made sure they participated — the stars played 25 minutes in the first three quarters of games against the Magic and Heat, and in both games the Jazz built up a lead. Then they benched the stars the entire fourth, no matter what happened (Utah blew the lead to Orlando, held on against Miami).
The NBA was not amused and on Thursday fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 for "conduct detrimental to the league."
The NBA also fined the Indiana Pacers $100,000 for "violating the Player Participation Policy in connection with the team's game against the Utah Jazz on Feb. 3." Indiana sat star Pascal Siakam for that game, but the league determined he was healthy enough to play.
"Overt behavior like this that prioritizes draft position over winning undermines the foundation of NBA competition and we will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "Additionally, we are working with our Competition Committee and Board of Governors to implement further measures to root out this type of conduct."
Jazz owner Ryan Smith disagreed.
agree to disagree … Also, we won the game in Miami and got fined? That makes sense … https://t.co/sHQrggB2Xa
We won't exactly see this again because Utah’s Jackson is now out, likely for the rest of the season, following knee surgery.
With 10 teams — a full one-third of the league — actively trying to lose games for the rest of the season, heading into what is considered one of the best and deepest drafts of the last couple of decades, tanking has become THE story around the NBA. While Utah and Indiana were fined, plenty of other teams are tanking but can dodge the league's official ire because they don't have any players who meet the league's criteria for a "star player" (an All-Star or a league award winner in the past three years).
The NBA's problem is that there is no good answer. The fact of the matter is that landing the No. 1 pick (or a high pick) can completely change a franchise's fortunes (Cooper Flagg in Dallas, Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio, Cade Cunningham in Detroit, Anthony Edwards in Minnesota, and those are just recent examples). Taking short-term losses to increase the odds of a better lottery pick and potentially landing a player like that is worth it.
Expect the league to take some small measures this offseason. The most likely option is to limit draft pick protections to only 1-4 or the lottery, because this season both Utah and Washington are incentivised to tank because they have top-eight protected picks.
But that doesn't get at the core problem of incentivising teams to lose because of the potential of what a top pick can mean (even if the NBA Draft Lottery odds are flattened). While there are suggestions that would completely remove those incentives (all lottery teams have the same odds, or a pre-set cycle of when and where teams draft, commonly referred to as "the wheel) that strips hope from the fan bases of struggling teams. The league and United States sports fans in general like the idea of parity and giving the worst teams a chance if they are well managed and coached, and these systems remove that.
For now, the Jazz and Pacers are paying out of pocket for getting caught at what a third of the league is doing.
Commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA sent a forceful message on Thursday about tanking, hitting the Utah Jazz with a $500,000 fine and handing the Indiana Pacers a $100,000 fine for recent game management and roster decisions, the league announced.
Utah's fine was related to a Feb. 7 game against the Orlando Magic and Feb. 9 game against the Miami Heat.
"During those games, the Jazz removed two of the team's top players, Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr., before the beginning of the fourth quarter and did not return them to the game, even though these players were otherwise able to continue to play and the outcomes of the games were thereafter in doubt," the NBA said.
Utah entered the fourth quarter of its Feb. 7 game with a 94-87 lead but scored just 23 points in the final frame and lost 120-117. It won the game against Miami, 115-111, and won Wednesday night against the Sacramento Kings to move to 18-37 on the season, third-worst in the West.
The Pacers, the second-worst team in the Eastern Conference at 15-40, were found to be in violation of the Player Participation Policy for a Feb. 3 game against the Jazz, per the league statement.
"Following an investigation, including review by an independent physician, the NBA determined that Pascal Siakam, a star player under the Policy, and two other Pacers starters, neither of whom participated in the game, could have played under the medical standard in the Policy, including by playing reduced minutes. Alternatively, the team could have held the players out of other games in a way that would have better promoted compliance with the Policy," the NBA said.
The league's statement on the fines was capped by a strong message directly from Silver.
"Overt behavior like this that prioritizes draft position over winning undermines the foundation of NBA competition and we will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games," Silver said. "Additionally, we are working with our Competition Committee and Board of Governors to implement further measures to root out this type of conduct."
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Yarden Garzon led with 19 points, four other Terrapins scored in double figures, and No. 20 Maryland took down Penn State 81-62 on Thursday night.
Oluchi Okananwa (15 points), Addi Mack (13), Saylor Poffenbarger (10), and Mir McLean (10) each chipped in for the Terrapins (20-6, 8-6 Big Ten), who won their third straight game.
Poffenbarger hauled in 11 rebounds and had five assists in her third double-double of the season, and Okananwa dished six assists and tied her career-high with six steals.
Maryland led 38-34 at the half, shooting 46% fro the field but just 17% from beyond the arc. An 11-0 run early in the third quarter put them up double figures, and the Terrapins opened the fourth with a 13-3 run that put the game out of reach.
Kiyomi McMiller racked up 30 points on 12-of-26 shooting for the Lady Lions (8-17, 1-13), her third straight game with 30 or more points.
Maryland joins No. 2 UCLA, No. 7 Michigan, No. 8 Ohio State, and No. 13 Michigan State as 20-win teams in the Big Ten.
Up next
Penn State hosts Northwestern on Sunday.
No. 20 Maryland visits No. 8 Ohio State on Sunday.
WACO, Texas (AP) — Olivia Miles poured in career highs with 40 points and 10 3-pointers to lead No. 17 TCU 83-67 over No. 12 Baylor on Thursday.
Miles scored 10 points in the first half before an outrageous, 23-point third quarter in which she went 7 of 9 from behind the arc, and accounted for all but two of the Horned Frogs' 25 points.
She turned a four-point halftime lead into a 13-point advantage by the end of the third, scoring the most points in a single quarter by any Division-I player since Caitlin Clark on Feb. 15, 2024.
Miles is also the first Division-I player in the last 25 years to make 10 3-pointers on the road against a ranked opponent, per ESPN.
She hit her 10th 3-pointer with 5:31 left in the fourth quarter. It's her second-straight game with 31 or more, in a season in which she's never scored fewer than 12 points in a game.
Marta Suarez also added 27 points to go with six rebounds for the Horned Frogs (22-4, 10-3 Big 12).
Taliah Scott led the Bears (21-5, 10-3) with 22 points on 5-of-10 shooting, and crossed the 1,000-point threshold for her career. Jana Van Gytenbeek had 14 points to go with six assists. Darianna Littlepage-Buggs scored 14 to go with five rebounds and two blocks.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Asia Boone and Tonie Morgan each scored 19 points and Clara Strack posted a double-double as No. 18 Kentucky breezed past Texas A&M 75-55 on Thursday night.
Boone was 5-of-11 shooting, with four made 3-pointers, and Morgan added eight assists. Strack had 17 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks for the Wildcats (19-7, 6-6 Southeastern Conference).
Strack continued her double-double average at 16 points and 10.5 rebounds per game heading into the contest. She has 13 double-doubles on the year after entering tied for the 14th-most double-doubles in the country.
The Wildcats opened the game on a 16-0 run to build a commanding 27-5 lead at the end of the first quarter. Boone had eight points in the quarter, including a pair of 3-pointers during the opening run.
It was 38-18 at the half, and the Aggies never got closer than a 17-point deficit after that.
The Aggies (10-10, 2-9) have lost four consecutive games on the road.
They were led by Ny’Ceara Pryor, who had 21 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Janae Kent added 13 points, and Fatmata Janneh added 10 and eight rebounds.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Janiah Barker scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds, Talaysia Cooper added 17 points and four steals, and No. 22 Tennessee rolled past Missouri 98-53 on Thursday night.
Barker shot 9 of 16 from the field and 2 for 5 from beyond the arc for the Lady Vols (16-6, 8-2 Southeastern Conference), who had lost three of their last four games.
Alyssa Latham added 15 points (7-for-10 shooting), Nya Robertson scored 14, and Deniya Prawl notched her first career double-double with 13 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for Tennessee.
The Lady Vols took a double-digit lead just under eight minutes into the contest and stretched their advantage to 30 with a 9-0 run in the second quarter. They held a 53-22 lead at the half. Barker scored 16 points and shot 6 for 9 in the first half, and Latham added 10 points. Tennessee shot 55% as a team in the opening half and held Mizzou to 27%.
The Tigers (16-11, 4-8) were paced by Grace Slaughter's 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting. Shannon Dowell added 11 points, five rebounds, and two steals. Mizzou dropped their second straight contest after a three-game win streak.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Lanie Grant scored 15 points, Indya Nivar added 14 and No. 21 North Carolina routed SMU 94-42 on Thursday night for its eighth straight victory.
Courtney Banghart secured her 400th career win to become one of 48 active coaches in Division I women’s basketball to reach the mark.
North Carolina jumped out to a 28-9 lead by the end of the first quarter after making 6 of 8 3-pointers, while SMU went 3-for-14 overall. Five different Tar Heel players made a 3-pointer in the first quarter, with Laila Hull going 2 for 2.
Then the Tar Heels went on a 14-0 run, with 3-pointers by Nyla Brooks and Taliyah Henderson, early in the second quarter for a 31-point lead. Hull made North Carolina's ninth 3-pointer of the first half — on just 12 attempts — for a 49-18 lead at the break.
North Carolina's lead did not drop below 31 points in the second half.
Henderson finished with 13 points and Hull had 11 for North Carolina (21-5, 10-3 ACC).
Zahra King led SMU (8-17, 1-12) with 15 points on 5-of-17 shooting. The Mustangs have lost six straight games.
The Tar Heels finished 12 of 26 from 3-point range, while SMU went 12 of 52 overall (23%).
Up next
SMU: Begins a three-game homestand on Sunday against Pittsburgh.
UNC: Goes down the road to play at No. 11 Duke on Sunday.
UNIONDALE, NY - FEBRUARY 2: Nate Williams #19 of the Long Island Nets drives to the basket during the game against the Grand Rapids Gold on February 2, 2026 at The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. 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 Marcus Stevens/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Education Day is always an adventure. Whether it be on Long Island or elsewhere in the league. So far this season, every home team has won during Education Day, and the Delaware Blue Coats hoped to follow suit. Long Island had other plans as birthday boy Nate Williams scored 30 points, and E.J. Liddell had a massive double-double, which was able to lift the Nets past the Blue Coats, 123-107.
This game also marked the final game before the All-Star break for both teams. Both teams now have one week off, with two players from Delaware being selected for All-Star festivities in Los Angeles this weekend, and zero from Long Island. Could the All-Star break see players finally move around within the Brooklyn organization? The parent club has an opening caused by some imbalance in their deadline day moves. The Nets dumped three players while adding two, leaving them with an opening on the big club’s roster.
So far, no movement on filling that gap, nor even confirmation that the missing piece could be found in the Nets G League roster. It’s very plausible that Liddell gets lifted to a standard deal, opening a two-way spot for a player like Williams or Grant Nelson. It’s all fungible.
Long Island was once again with all three of the Brooklyn two-way players, but had no players on assignment as the rookies stayed in Brooklyn. The only player who didn’t play in this one for the Nets was Dre Davis, which was a coach’s decision.
Long Island got off to a hot start and never looked back. After taking a 10-point lead into the second quarter, Long Island extended it to a nearly 20-point lead as halftime rolled around. The Nets never looked back in the second half either, as Williams, Liddell, and Grant Nelson went off in this one to secure the 16-point victory.
Nate Williams entered this one knowing he wanted to show up and show out on his 27th birthday which, spoiler alert, he did. Oftentimes, we may see a lot of changes in All-Star week which this year is in Los Angeles. This may players being called up, whether to a standard deal or a two-way deal, or players being sent down, or assigned to a hybrid status: playing for Long Island but on a regular G League contract, not a two way. For Williams, his play has cemented one thing: that he deserves a call-up, whether it be in Brooklyn or elsewhere.
Birthday Buckets🎂 Nate Williams leads all scorers with 30 points on his 27th birthday 🎊 pic.twitter.com/2MT6N9ttF8
The 6’6” wing is the player with the most NBA experience on the team, a total of 47 games over parts of three NBA seasons. So, while he’s a bit older than 23-year-old Grant Nelson or the slightly younger Chaney Johnson who’s on a two-way, Williams is the most experienced. The New York native (Rocheseter) separated himself head and shoulders from everyone else. Williams finished the game connecting on 12 of his 23 shots, for better than 50%, and went 3-of-9 from deep for a huge 30-point game.
Williams impressive day didn’t stop there. He hauled in seven rebounds, as well as picking up two assists.This was very much a statement game for Williams, as he is hoping to secure his spot back in the NBA.
E.J. Liddell, had another massive game. While his shooting output was small, eight shots taken, Liddell finished the game with 13 points. While this was far from Liddell’s biggest games, he played one of his most complete games vs. Delaware, the 76ers’ affiliate.
Liddell was a huge difference-maker under the basket, hauling in 12 rebounds. To cap off his impressive game, Liddell tallied two assists and one steal. Liddell has told ND that he strives to be the best regardless of where he’s playing. But one has to wonder if he was thinking of that coveted standard spot with Brooklyn.
From a player who had a double-double to one who very nearly had one, Grant Nelson looked unstoppable at times. While Nelson was very clearly still on a minutes restriction as he entered the All-Star break, his time on the court has been slowly creeping back up. The North Dakota native and Alabama product played the most minutes since being injured in this one, finishing Thursday’s game with 25.
Nelson is showing teams what he’s capable despite the restriction. He tallied 18 points, connecting on six of his 13 tries. He also hauled in a whopping nine rebounds. Nelson also had an assist and a steal to his credit. Nelson has been rumored as a two-way candidate since June when he passed on being taken in the second round of the draft in hopes of being signed by the Nets to a $600,000 deal. His injury slowed down that thinking, but as recently as last week he told ND that remained his goa.
Malachi Smith tallied 19 points in this one, which was good enough for second on the team. Smith continued to be Long Island’s most complete player, as he hauled in eight rebounds and tallied seven assists. He also had one steal to his credit and after two straight games of five turnovers shrunk that number to two on Thursday. The 6’4” combo guard could be a dark-horse candidate for any team’s two-way opening.
Tyson Etienne had a very uncharacteristic game putting one of his worst shooting performances yet, connecting on one of his 11 shots, including going one-for-10 from deep. Etienne finished with eight points, scoring six of them from the foul stripe. He also had four rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
The third and final Brooklyn two-way player, Chaney Johnson, came off the bench. Johnson looked electric as he tallied 15 points, connecting on five of his six shots. He also had four rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks for another very complete game. Lately, Johnson has been living up to his two-way hDelype.
Hunter Cattoor also contributed 12 points off the bench. Cattoor shot the ball well, connecting on three of his seven tries, all from outside the arc. While Terry Roberts had a goose egg in the scoring category, he hauled in eight rebounds and distributed three assists. Roberts also etched his name in the history books, becoming the third player in franchise history with 300 assists.
Final score: Long Island Nets 123, Delaware Blue Coats 107.
Next Up
The Long Island Nets (13-9) now get to enjoy a week off before they return to the court on Thursday, February 19th, for a showdown with the Birmingham Squadron, the Pelicans affiliate. The game tips off at 12:00 p.m. for a matinee showing and can be watched on the NBA G League site, as well as on the NBA app.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - FEBRUARY 11: Jaren Jackson Jr., #20 of the Utah Jazz boxes out Doug McDermott #7 of the Sacramento Kings during the first half of their game at the Delta Center on February 11, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
According to Chris Haynes, Jaren Jackson Jr. is likely to miss the remainder of the season to have surgery on his left knee.
BREAKING: Utah Jazz star Jaren Jackson Jr. is likely to miss the remainder of the season to undergo surgery on his left knee to ensure his longterm health after a localized PVNS growth was discovered post trade, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/pHeJT8NphE
Haynes mentions that he is having the surgery to ensure his longterm health after a localized PVNS growth was discovered post trade.
So what’s a PVNS growth? It sounds like it’s a benign tumor that can grow over time and can cause problems if not taken care of at some point. Here’s a lot of information about it.
🚨Jaren Jackson Jr.
Diagnosed with PVNS in knee!
*Teaching Point*
PVNS stands for Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis of the Knee
Now it is often referred to as Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor – TGCT)
The other point of interest: did the Jazz know about this? Apparently, this popped up in the physical after the trade? Tony Jones provided more context with that.
The Jazz knew about JJJ’s knee previously. They were going to shut him down. Jaren was adamant that he wanted to play once at home before the surgery. They set his restriction at 25 minutes. That’s one reason he didn’t play in the previous fourth quarters, per sources
Now, this is something you could quibble with. Was Markkanen and Nurkic injured when they rested during those fourth quarters too?
Regardless, it’s nice that Jazz fans got a chance to get a flavor of what this could be because it looked really good. Markkanen and Jackson look and play huge together and have a chance to be a dominant force starting next season.
Obviously, the internet jumped on the story and what seemed like a clear tanking move by the Jazz, but that feels disingenuous. Do we really think a player would go through a literal surgery for a tank to happen? Does it coincide nicely with what is best for the Jazz long-term? Absolutely, and no doubt the Jazz were likely happy to let him make a decision for surgery that he might not have had the right opportunity to make it happen. This is a great opportunity to do an optional surgery, and it will help him stay healthier long-term
On Zach Lowe’s podcast, he mentioned that the door isn’t shut on him returning, but it’s very possible this is the last we’ll see of Jaren Jackson Jr. this season.
The hardwood at the Kia Forum won’t just echo with sneakers on Friday night—it will hum like a red carpet rolled out for a Hollywood premiere. The 2026 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game tips off at 7 p.m. ET in Inglewood, broadcast nationally on ESPN, and for one evening Los Angeles becomes the center of a different basketball universe, where celebrities will lace them up to try and do what the pros do.
This is what All-Star Weekend in L.A. does best. It blurs the line between sport and spectacle until you can’t tell where the crossover dribble ends and the crossover appeal begins.
The roster reads like a group chat that should never work—and yet somehow does.
Giannis Antetokounmpo holding a basketball on the court. Getty Images
Let’s start with the red team coached by two-time NBA MVP and champion Giannis Antetokounmpo. His coaching staff are his brothers—veteran forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo and rising pro Alex Antetokounmpo—turning the bench into a family affair. They will also be joined by four-time World Series champion and former MVP Mookie Betts, the Dodgers’ superstar whose athleticism seems transferable to anything involving timing and torque.
The rest of the roster is a who’s who of actors, athletes, influencers, and stars.
Keegan-Michael Key, the Emmy-winning actor, writer and producer known for his razor-sharp sketch comedy, brings timing that has made him a Hollywood staple.
Reigning MVP Rome Flynn, an Emmy-winning actor and musician, returns to defend his crown with the quiet confidence of a man who’s already stolen the show once.
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Chinese superstar Dylan Wang, an actor and singer with a massive global following, makes his third appearance and carries international flair with him.
ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania, the league’s newsbreaker-in-chief, trades breaking news bombs for jump shots in one of the weekend’s most ironic plot twists.
Jenna Bandy, a social media basketball personality known for viral trick shots and gym runs with NBA players, arrives ready to test internet legend against real hardwood.
Hornets Co-Chairman and Governor Rick Schnall steps out of the boardroom and onto the floor, representing ownership with a jersey instead of a blazer.
Basketball referee Chris Reid looks up at player Tacko Fall. Getty Images
At 7-foot-6, former NBA center Tacko Fall remains the tallest person in any gym he enters.
NBA legend Jeremy Lin smiling and clapping in the stands at the Phoenix Suns vs. Brooklyn Nets game. Getty Images
Former NBA champion and global icon Jeremy Lin returns to an All-Star stage that once felt like destiny during Linsanity.
GloRilla performing onstage, wearing a blue, black, and yellow striped shirt, a yellow baseball cap, and holding a microphone. Getty Images for iHeartRadio
Memphis-born rapper GloRilla, whose rise to multi-platinum status mirrors the rhythm of the streets, adds edge and energy. Oh, and she’ s engaged to All-Star Brandon Ingram of the Toronto Raptors.
Brazilian soccer legend Cafu, a two-time FIFA World Cup champion, brings world-class footwork to a sport that prefers hands.
Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions running with the football. Getty Images
Detroit Lions All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, an L.A. native with route-running precision, will test whether NFL hands translate to alley-oops.
The blue team is coached by Emmy-winning actor and comedian Anthony Anderson, comedian and actor, Donald Faison, and Lethal Shooter, aka Chris Matthews, a shooting coach who’s helped train NBA stars and other celebrities on the hardwood for years. He’s a former Washington State men’s basketball player who spent time playing professionally overseas.
The rest of the blue team roster is sure to shine as well.
Simu Liu, a Canadian actor who’s best known for his portrayal of Shang-Chi in the Marvel flick, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” He’ll reprise the role in the upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday” blockbuster. He previously participated in the 2023 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.
Social media influencer Cody Jones, who helped create the ultra-popular YouTube channel Dude Perfect. He’s 6 feet 6, and is known as “Tall Guy” by Dude Perfect’s millions of fans.
Badshah performs at the opening ceremony of the DP World ILT20 2023. Getty Images
Hip-hop artist Badshah, whose hits “Genda Phool” and “Paagal” have garnered hundreds of millions of listeners online. His appearance in Friday’s game will mark the first time an Indian rapper has ever taken part in the All-Star event.
Andre De Grasse is a 31-year-old Canadian sprinter who’s won seven Olympic medals in his illustrious track career. His last medal came in 2024, when he earned gold in the 4x100m relay in Paris. Friday will be a homecoming of sorts for De Grasse, who spent some of his collegiate career at USC.
Taylor Frankie Paul smiling at the Los Angeles premiere and FYC event of Hulu’s “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” Season 2. Getty Images
Reality TV star Taylor Frankie Paul of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” fame gained national notoriety in 2022 after she revealed on social media intimate details about her, her husband and their Mormon friends’ sex lives.
World-renowned businessman and majority owner of the Phoenix Suns, Matt Ishbia, will also participate. He purchased the team, along with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, for $4 billion in 2023. Before his professional career took off, he was a walk-on point guard at Michigan State.
NBA fans will remember Jason “White Chocolate” Williams. A 6-foot-1 guard, played in the NBA for 12 seasons after being taken with the seventh overall pick in the 1998 draft. He logged 10.5 points and 5.9 assists per game in his career, and was a fan favorite for his flashy style of play.
Nicolas Vansteenberghe attends Glamour Women of the Year. Getty Images for Glamour
Nicolas Vansteenberghe is a model who amassed millions of followers on social media after he had a successful run on the reality TV show “Love Island.”
Multi-platinum producer Mustard, is one of the most famous record producers on the planet. He has mega hits with artists like YG, Ty Dolla Sign, Tyga and, of course, Kendrick Lamar.
Adrien Nunez pointing at the camera. Getty Images
Adrien Nunez played college basketball at Michigan and built up quite the social media following while suiting up for the Wolverines, but he’s now most known for his singing voice. The country musician’s songs, including “LOW ROAD,” have garnered millions of streams.
And finally, there’s Chargers legend Keenan Allen. Allen needs no introduction — he’s one of the best receivers to ever suit up for the Chargers. He’s made the Pro Bowl six times and has logged over 11,000 receiving yards in his 11 seasons with the Bolts.
The broadcast will have its own firepower. Mark Jones handles play-by-play with Richard Jefferson on analysis and Monica McNutt roaming the floor.
Before tipoff, “Hoop Streams” streams live at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN’s YouTube and Facebook platforms, hosted by Vanessa Richardson alongside NBA champion Iman Shumpert, setting the digital stage for what’s to come.
Then there’s halftime act, where K-pop group CORTIS—newly minted members of the NBA’s “Friends of the NBA” program—become the first K-pop act to headline the Celebrity Game break.
The Ruffles Celebrity Game has always been playful, but in Los Angeles it feels intentional. This city understands performance. It understands legacy. It understands that sometimes the purest joy in sports comes when ego takes a backseat to laughter and competition shares space with charisma.
On Friday night at the Kia Forum, the game will matter just enough to feel real and just little enough to feel free. And in a weekend built around the best basketball players on the planet, the celebrities will remind us that the sport’s greatest trick isn’t perfection. It’s connection.
