PORTLAND, OREGON - NOVEMBER 26: Head coach Mitch Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs reacts with associate head coach Sean Sweeney during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on November 26, 2025 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It seemed bound to happen, but Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney is reportedly on the verge of accepting his first (and well deserved) head coaching gig. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Sweeney and the Orlando Magic are finalizing a deal for him to replace Jamahl Mosley as head coach, who was fired after a disappointing season and has since been hired by the New Orleans Pelicans.
BREAKING: The Orlando Magic are finalizing the hire of San Antonio Spurs associate coach Sean Sweeney as the franchise's new head coach, sources tell ESPN. Sweeney broke into NBA coaching in 2011 and now lands the Magic head job as a top rising candidate. pic.twitter.com/aV3Zj6l57k
Sweeney will finish the remainder of the postseason with the Spurs, including Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals tomorrow and, should they win, the Finals beginning on Wednesday, June 3.
After Mitch Johnson officially became the Spurs head coach last summer following Gregg Popovich’s retirement, he hired Sweeney away from the Dallas Mavericks as his “defensive coordinator”. Sweeney helped completely revamp the team on that side of court, and they went from a middling defense with Victor Wembanyama (and terrible without him) last season to one league’s top defenses this season. He is considered to one of the top X’s and O’s minds in the league, and it shows in the Spurs drastic improvements at all levels, from basics all the way up to their ability to shift schemes based on opponent or scenario. He no doubt played a huge role in their 28-game improvement from last season, and it will be interesting to see where the Spurs look to replace him.
The Magic will be a good launching point for his head coaching career. They are also a young, talented team with promising stars in Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs and one of the top defenses in the league, but they failed to meet expectations this season in large part due to injuries and offensive struggles, finishing 8th in the East and blowing a 3-1 lead to the Detroit Pistons in Round 1 of the playoffs. Other finalists for the position reportedly included former Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and Clippers assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy (whose brother, Stan Van Gundy, was the Magic’s coach from 2007-12 during their peak with Dwight Howard).
Before Sweeney joined the Spurs, he was Jason Kidd’s lead assistant in Dallas for four years, which included helping lead them to the Finals in 2024 with Luka Doncic. He began his NBA career in 2011 as a video coordinator for the Nets before becoming an assistant coach in 2013. He then had stints as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks from 2014-18 and Pistons from 2018-21.
Good luck to Coach Sweeney, and thanks for helping make this team what it is today!
MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 3: The sneakers worn by Ousmane Dieng #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the game against the Boston Celtics on April 3, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images
On the eve of Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, the Orlando Magic are reaching into San Antonio's bench to snag a coach.
Sean Sweeney, the Spurs' defensive coordinator, has been tapped to be the next head coach of the Orlando Magic, reports Shams Charania of ESPN, and since confirmed by other reports. Sweeney will continue with the Spurs through the remainder of their playoff run, then head to Orlando after the season.
Former Bulls coach Billy Donovan was considered the frontrunner in Orlando, but the Magic front office went younger, choosing an untested but promising coach.
Sweeney will replace Jamahl Mosley, who was let go after a disapointing 45-win season in Orlando that saw the Magic bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Pistons. After trading four first-round picks to get Desmond Bane last offseason, expectations were sky high in Orlando entering the season. While Mosley dealt with a rash of injuries, the issues with a stagnant offense and slipping defense seemed bigger than that. Mosley landed on his feet, taking over as the New Orleans Pelicans head coach a couple of weeks after being let go by the Magic.
Sweeney was at the front of the line of assistant coaches around the league who deserved a shot in the big chair. He's a smart hire for a team that built itself around a defensive identity, something that slipped this past season. That said, it's easier to design a defense with Victor Wembanyama on the back line and high-level defenders like Stephon Castle on the perimeter.
Sweeney takes over a roster with some big-name talent — Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, Bane — that has never really meshed. Orlando's front office appears more interested in keeping the roster together and betting on a coaching change to make things work. An assistant coach in the NBA since 2011, Sweeney has worked with plenty of stars, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic and now Wembanyama.
The Orlando Magic have concluded their search for a new head coach and are ready to usher in a new leader.
The Magic are finalizing the hire of San Antonio Spurs associate coach Sean Sweeney as their new head coach, according to ESPN.
Sweeney broke into NBA coaching in 2011 as a video coordinator for the New Jersey Nets. From there he was promoted to his first assistant coaching gig as the Nets moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn. He spent four seasons in Milwaukee as an assistant from 2014 to 2018, where he began to gain of repertoire for development after helping Giannis Antetokounmpo become an All-Star.
Following his four seasons in Milwaukee, Sweeney took another assistant position with the Detroit Pistons, where he coached under Dwane Casey for three seasons.
Sweeney then went to Dallas to reconnect with then-head coach Jason Kidd, for whom Sweeney was an assistant with the Bucks. Together they reached the 2024 NBA Finals, where they lost in five games to the Boston Celtics.
Sweeney, 41, has coached under the likes of Avery Johnson and P.J. Carlesimo, in addition to Casey and Kidd. He's surrounded by the San Antonio culture and has been able to soak up knowledge and wisdom from one of the greatest coaches in NBA history in Gregg Popovich.
Sweeney replaces previous head coach Jamahl Mosley, who was fired on May 4. Mosley, who was hired by the New Orleans Pelicans as head coach on May 18, spent five seasons in Orlando and coached the team to a playoff berth in each of the past three seasons. The Magic never advanced past the first round, however, and they had a 3-1 lead against the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs before allowing the Pistons to rattle off three consecutive wins to take the series.
Sweeney will assume the Magic head coaching role following the 2026 postseason, as his Spurs are in a battle with defending NBA champion-Oklahoma City Thunder for a spot in the 2026 NBA Finals against the Eastern Conference champions, the New York Knicks. The Spurs-Thunder series is tied, 3-3, as a deciding Game 7 tips off on Saturday, May 30 at 8 p.m. ET.
BAYONNE, NJ - MAY 25: The sun sets on the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building in New York City on May 25, 2026, as seen from Bayonne, New Jersey. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
June 5, 1994
Game 7. ECF. 34 and a half seconds left. Knicks down one. I’m 15, watching in the living room with my papi. My mother and sisters are elsewhere; they don’t want to deal with our stressing.
Charles Oakley inbounds to John Starks, surprisingly wide-open for the pass given all 19,763 in attendance and the millions watching at home know exactly what’s about to happen: Starks running a pick-and-roll with Patrick Ewing. Starks is as open as he is because his defender, Reggie Miller, made a business decision as he trailed Starks towards an Anthony Mason screen. Miller is alive today because he didn’t test Mase.
Starks dribbles to his right, past the pick. Antonio Davis, Ewing’s defender, hesitates for a split-second, giving Starks all the runway he’d need to take it to the cup. It’s the same action the ‘90s Knicks ran whenever they were in desperate need of a last-second bucket.
Once Ewing slammed home the rebound to put the Knicks up one, Papi and I allowed ourselves the briefest expression of joy, a “yes!” as short and sibilant as airbrakes on a truck. For the next 22.7 seconds, neither of us breathes. Instead we wait. For the other shoe to drop. Or not.
I’d never seen the Knicks advance so far. Papi saw them win two titles, but that was back in ye olden days, the 1970s. This was the mid-‘90s — too late for Hammer Time, too soon for Y2K. The Knicks were thisclose to a championship. The Rangers, too. It was a glorious time.
Not so much for a Knicks/Rangers fan living in western New York. The move from Long Island to Rochester introduced the Mirandas to garbage plates, ice storms, the highest concentration of Confederate flags north of the Mason-Dixon and a particular strain of hate for all things NYC. Western New York has this particular paranoia where many locals believe NYC gets all of the state funding without contributing enough revenue to deserve it. It’s like a small child being pissed that their parents who work 40-50 hours a week “only” give them a weekly allowance and not their whole paycheck.
After the Rangers won their first Stanley Cup in 54 years, a local sportswriter penned a column crying about how insufferable that was in and of itself, and that if the Knicks won, too, life up here in God’s Arctic armpit would suddenly be intolerable.
When we lived on Long Island, my uncle lived around the corner. He was a K9 officer in NYC. When I’d stop over to visit he’d order a whole pizza, just ‘cuz I was there. The day my friend and I were chased by two pit bulls, it was my uncle who shot his gun into the air, bringing the dogs to a stop before loudly yelling to their owners they could either come get their dogs now — alive — or wait until later, when they wouldn’t be.
Upstate cops were different. Anytime I walked around my neighborhood with a Black friend, we’d see people peeking out from their homes, behind curtains. Without fail a cop car would show up within 10 minutes, always wondering what we “were up to.” I called the police once in my entire time in Rochester, when an angry white man with a bat was threatening my Puerto Rican friend’s mother. The police came, ignored me, ignored us, spent 30 minutes talking to the man, then all the white neighbors, the ones who’d come out of their house once the police were there, all telling me, “You’re gonna get it now, spic. Gonna get what you’ve got coming.” Only after all that did the offier approach us. My friend’s mother told me in Spanish not to say anything. The cop asked if I was Puerto Rican. I said yeah. He said, “Do you have a father in the home?”
When the Knicks held on to advance to the Finals, I felt closer to them, to the city. Closer to my papi, who played at the Garden in high school and taught me everything I knew about watching and playing the game (except how to beat him one-on-one; now that he’s in his 70s, I might have a shot — maybe). I was living somewhere that was never home, never right, but I knew I wasn’t alone. Not with my family there. Not with Papi there.
And while the Mets and Jets were trash, and the Rangers had finally done the impossible, the Knicks were just four wins from what I’d waited my whole life as a fan (at that time, “my whole life as a [Knick] fan” equaled four seasons). Once they won, I’d rock my Ewing sneakers, my Knicks shorts, my Knicks T-shirt (featuring Ewing, Starks, Mason, Charles Oakley and Greg Anthony; people forget Greg was highly regarded coming out of UNLV), and the cheap giveaway Knicks hat I’d gotten at a game three years earlier. I’d strut into school, letting all the racists and bigots look upon my wardrobe with despair.
Family was forever. Justice was inevitable. The Knicks would always be there for me.
June 11, 1999
The Knicks advanced to the Finals three hours ago. I didn’t see it. I was in a bar.
I was drinking and drugging a lot. My parents’ relationship was fraying, one sister out of college, the other just started. The house had been sold. I’d set the game to tape, figuring if they won I’d re-watch, if not I wouldn’t.
I spent that night in a pool hall with some friends, where we noted on one of the televisions that the Knicks had won. One was a Laker fan, my best friend since moving upstate. Years later our friendship ended, after he started stealing from me and lying to his wife to support his drug habit. The other, a Celtic fan and fellow socialist, would remain close to me another 20-plus years, until, after buying a nice big house in a pretty suburb for his wife and two kids, he cut all ties as the Black Lives Matter movement was moving, telling me I couldn’t understand “how hard it is to be a Republican under Trump,” and that “property rights matter, too.”
I came home and slipped silently into the living room, the same room I’d seen the Knicks win the East five years prior. I rewound the tape far enough to see late in the fourth quarter. The Garden crowd chanting “JEFF VAN GUN-DY *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAP CLAP CLAP!* Allan Houston hugging his coach; Latrell Sprewell waving a towel. For the first time in my life as a Knick fan, and only one of two times ever as one, I wept (the other was beating Boston last year).
Suddenly from behind, noises. A blanket being whipped off. A middle-aged man, awakened from a rough night on the living room couch. Papi. Not at all thrilled to have been woken by his 20-year-old oblivious son turning on the TV after midnight. Clearly there’d been another fight between my parents. Even on a night like this, reality wouldn’t stop being real. My drinking all night, getting high, even the Knicks: nothing put a dent in the pain. Whatever tears I’d shed from joy grew hot and fell fast, no longer sparked by wonder, but blunder.
The Knicks had no chance in the Finals; everyone knew. Ewing was out with an Achilles tear. Larry Johnson was injury-compromised. Going up against David Robinson and Tim Duncan, the Knicks’ best big, Marcus Camby, was no thicker than a Fruit Roll-Up. And the thing was, this might be as good as it was gonna get for New York.
The Ewing era was coming to a close. My family was falling apart. The century was coming to an end. The future, long a land I’d longed to live in, now seemed as likely an outcome as me pitching for the Mets.
May 25, 2026
In the city for the first time in a while. I let a few people know I’m there. All respond the same way: “Are you here for the Knicks?
I am not. My father and I have tickets to a Mets game, purchased months before the season started, before David Stearns re-invented a worser wheel by turning Pete Alonso into Jorge Polanco’s DL stay. I’m staying on 36th Street, my father on 37th.
I don’t remember the last time I saw him. Since the divorce he’s married twice, lived in Virginia, Bulgaria, rural Missouri, Puerto Rico, Cape Cod. His old man died when my dad was 19. My old man didn’t die, but by my mid-20s I got used to not seeing him for months or years at a time, the way an amputee gets used to a phantom limb.
Every time I see him, it’s too short. A girlfriend in college tore me a new one once. I had an hour lunch and worked 20 minutes away from her. So I picked up some drive-thru and drove to spend the time we could together. I couldn’t understand her at the time, telling me through tears that she’d rather not see me at all than only see me for a few minutes before I left again. I grew to understand her.
My entire adult life, seeing my father has always sparked joy and anger. Joy at this wonderful, loving, miracle of a man reminding me why I’ve always loved him so much, even when I didn’t want to. And anger over all the years lost, the conversations never shared, the things he could have taught me, the memories we’ll never share.
He’s one street away, but I don’t see him the day he arrives. He’s going to get food from the same restaurant I am, but I end up getting takeout with a friend; he doesn’t ask to eat together, neither do I. Not because I don’t love him. But because I do.
We’re going to the Met game Tuesday, before we leave town Wednesday. Tuesday, right after I finish a call with a Knick fan who runs an animation studio who’s such a lovely dude, I try to call my father. I can’t. My phone’s been suspended. I can’t call or text.
I don’t know where he is. His hotel is far enough from mine (avenues are loooong) that if I walk all the way there and he’s not there, I’ll risk missing any chance of catching the game. I email him, hoping he’ll check it even though he’s retired. I should have known better.
My father has never retired. He can’t. Whether working in education or ministry, he’s never been able to stop. He ran dozens of marathons, up until he was 60. He played high school baseball, was scouted by one or two MLB clubs, then played men’s “senior” baseball from his 30s into his 60s. Of course he checks his email. We connect and meet at an Italian place around the corner, then head to Citi Field.
The meal is delicious and delightful (vodka pie). He was in London the week before, so I’d asked him to bring me back anything relating to Manchester City. When we meet in front of the restaurant, he’s very proud to show me my “surprise.” And it is a surprise — a hat and jersey in the red of Man United. He didn’t realize he’d mixed them up. He feels terrible. I don’t. Laughing, I assure him the story of his mix-up makes the United shirt mean more to me than the City kit ever would’ve.
I tell him about the months of depression. The struggles the past few months. Years. The dreams I’ve let go. Tell him about my new plan, my new purpose. I’m going to save up for a year and move to NYC. It’s the only place I’m happy. The only place where I really ever feel alive. Where I ever really feel me.
On our way to the 7 train, we’re crossing an intersection. It is 80 degrees, the first sunny, nice day of the trip. We’re joking, happy. Everything feels right with the world. Then, without warning, for a moment, I think that I’m floating. It’s not the euphoria.
There’s a maybe two-foot deep hole in the middle of the intersection. New York bedrock being more solid than diamond, I wasn’t on the lookout for any two-foot deep holes. Suddenly I’m flying face-first toward the street. You know it’s bad when it’s 5:00 in Midtown and all the strangers around you stop and gasp as you tumble; these people wouldn’t stop to look if Abraham Lincoln passed by riding on top of Napoleon. My brain races right to chill mode. Get up. Now. Laugh it off. If you’re not bothered, it’s no big deal.
I start to stand, and am shocked to find I’m falling again. My legs are trembling. My father reaches out his hand to help me up, but before I can reach it I’m going down again. My hand lands on his knee, and for a second I let it stay there. More than a second.
I look up, now a middle-aged man myself. There is Papi. Older, grayer, thinner (far thinner than me, goddamnit). But it’s Papi. Lifting me up. Showing me love. Never there when I want him, but always there when I need him.
24 hours earlier, the Knicks clinched their first trip to the Finals since 1999. We did not watch the game together. We didn’t need to. Family is forever. Justice, while slow, is inevitable. And the Knicks will always be there for us.
The Knicks’ resiliency will be put to the test once again.
Everything has been coming up Knicks over the past few weeks, but they were dealt a pretty big blow on Thursday night, as it was revealed that Mitchell Robinson suffered a broken right pinky.
It’s still unknown exactly how/when the injury occurred, as Mike Brown said Friday afternoon that it didn’t happen during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals or at practice.
Brown and Knicks PR simply said that they weren’t going to get into specifics.
Either way, Robinson was forced to undergo surgery earlier this week, but he is pushing hard to get back out there for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Whether Robinson is ready or not come Wednesday night's tip-off, the resilient Knicks are confident that they will be able to weather the storm.
“Whatever the picture ends up being, us having those trials and tribulations where things weren’t looking good, just like in December with the 2-9 11-game stretch, it shows we have resiliency,” Karl-Anthony Towns said.
“If this playoff run has shown anything, 1 through 15 can go out there put a Knicks jersey on and get the job done, and we truly believe that -- this is a situation that we’ve garnered enough experience and trust in each other that whatever the picture ends up being we feel confident.”
Brown said the team is preparing everybody in case they need to be called upon in Robinson’s absence.
The big man has been stepping up to play key minutes off the bench through the playoffs, providing a spark with his tenacious defense and rebounding prowess.
Robinson’s averaging 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 points across 13 postseason games.
New York certainly could use his downlow presence as the team looks to contain San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama or OKC’s front-court duo of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein in the next round.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 18: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver looks on after the most valuable player trophy presentation before Game One of the NBA Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center on May 18, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA officially passed its contentious lottery reform on Thursday afternoon in an attempt to address a purported tanking crisis. My initial concerns about the plan still stand, and the NBA added in a couple more bizarre elements for the final product.
It was originally reported that teams can’t pick in the top-5 three years in a row, or No. 1 overall in consecutive years, as part of the new lottery changes. This is seemingly meant to address the San Antonio Spurs moving up into the top-4 in three straight lotteries to draft Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper. That rule created a dilemma over picks that had already been traded. The league decided that it will not grandfather in traded picks, meaning teams who initially made those deals are now punished for them.
The one team this affects in the 2027 NBA Draft is the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies own the Utah Jazz’s unprotected first-round pick in 2027, but now it’s suddenly top-5 protected because the Jazz picked in the top-5 in 2025 and 2026, and thus can’t land a third consecutive top-5 pick in 2027 even if they’re not the ones making it. Somehow, that isn’t even the most bizarre amendment to the reform.
The NBA announced it is flipping the top-16 picks from the first-round in the second-round as part of the lottery reform. This means the team that picks No. 16 in the first-round automatically gets the first pick in the second-round. The team that holds the No. 1 overall pick in the draft won’t pick until No. 16 in the second. The team that drafts No. 2 overall in the first-round now has the 15th pick in the second-round, and so on.
This is an unprecedented move in American professional sports. Previously, the second-round of the NBA draft has been determined by overall record, meaning the Brooklyn Nets pick third in the second-round this year even though their first-round pick fell to No. 6 in the lottery, because they had the league’s third-worst record. Why would the NBA do this? John Hollinger of The Athletic talked to NBA executive vice president Evan Wasch to get an explanation:
Two pieces of logic drove this, according to Wasch. First was to “counterbalance to the luck of the draw in the first round” by at least giving the poor sap whose ping-pong ball was drawn last a better second-round pick.
Secondarily, however, the league wanted to guard against the scenario — one officials acknowledged was unlikely — whereby teams deep in the relegation zone started to tank to land the 31st pick.
My first question is: who asked for this? My second thought is that this is so strange and so creative that I can’t even really be mad about it. I’m mostly just amused.
I always thought a top-10 pick in the second round was pretty valuable. Some recent hits from that range include Jalen Brunson, Ajay Mitchell, Ayo Dosunmu, Herb Jones, Andrew Nembhard, and Neemias Queta. These days, the depth of the NBA Draft has been significantly thinned out by the NIL money flowing through college basketball, so the second round looks a lot weaker. The No. 31 overall pick (or the No. 33 overall pick once the Las Vegas and Seattle expansion teams join) is still a decently valuable asset, but it’s not really worth being upset over at this point.
The best news for NBA lottery reform haters like me is that it’s only a three-year commitment. Come the 2030 NBA Draft, we will possibly have another new lottery system. Three years is a really short trial run, but that’s what the NBA thought it needed to do to address the public relations black eye that came from tanking. It’s going to be fascinating to see how this all goes, including the suddenly flipped second-round.
NBA point guard Terry Rozier arriving at Brooklyn federal court in New York, where he faces charges connected with a sprawling illegal gambling indictment. (Yuki Iwamura / Associated Press)
Part of the rationale to legalize sports gambling was that professional athletes make so much money that they wouldn’t be tempted by bribes. It would be bonkers, the thinking went, to risk untold millions in career earnings by taking dirty dollars to throw games or manipulate statistical outputs.
Bonkers, meet Terry Rozier.
Federal prosecutors filed two new charges against the NBA point guard Thursday, alleging that he agreed to a $100,000 bribe as part of a gambling scheme that involved him intentionally removing himself early in a 2023 game so gamblers could win bets on him failing to reach his usual totals of points, assists and rebounds.
What might motivate Rozier to take part in such as scheme is perplexing. Consider this comparison:
Rozier, a 10-year veteran out of Louisville, has been paid $162 million playing for four NBA teams. He was under contract for $26 million for the 2025-2026 season. The $100,000 bribe prosecutors say he agreed to is the equivalent of $384 for someone making $100,000 a year.
The new indictment adds charges of bribery in sporting contests and honest services wire fraud conspiracy to the existing two wire fraud charges he has faced since October. Those charges followed a sprawling indictment of 34 defendants that also ensnared Hall of Fame player and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former Lakers assistant coach Damon Jones.
Rozier is not speaking to the media because of the ongoing criminal case, but his lawyer said that other defendants are lying about Rozier’s involvement to gain favor with prosecutors.
“There are some desperate men in this case with terrible criminal records and tons of exposure, and they know what to say to please these prosecutors,” said Jim Trusty, Rozier’s attorney.
In December, Trusty asked the federal judge overseeing the case, LaShann DeArcy Hall, to dismiss the initial charges against him, citing government overreach and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the federal wire fraud statute. Hall heard oral arguments for the dismissal in April and has yet to issue a ruling.
“The new indictment confirms that our motion to dismiss was a good one — it’s just new charges and new theories trotted out in the hope that something sticks,” Trusty said.
The indictment alleges that Rozier — then a member of the Charlotte Hornets — informed co-defendant Deniro Laster that he would remove himself from a March 23, 2023, game against the New Orleans Pelicans because of a leg injury. Laster allegedly shared the information with several bettors, who bet $258,700 that Rozier would not reach his statistical averages.
Rozier was removed nine minutes into the game, finishing with five points, four rebounds and two assists. His rebounds total exceeded his average of 3.3 per game, causing some of the bets to lose. According to the indictment, Rozier agreed to reduce the alleged bribe to $70,000 to cover those losses.
As part of the proceedings Thursday, defendant Marves Fairley — described in the original indictment as representing himself on Instagram as a “gambling guru” — pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Fairley told the judge that he and associates obtained information from NBA players and coaches that could influence the outcomes of games and used it to place bets. He also said he placed fraudulent bets himself and on behalf of at least one professional player, who he did not identify.
“I agreed to pay a player to change their game performance to give me an advantage,” Fairley told the judge.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Berman, however, named Rozier as the player. Fairley also admitted that he purchased information from Lakers assistant coach Damon Jones about the medical status of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Jones became the first of the 34 defendants to plead guilty, admitting in April that he urged a co-conspirator to “get a big bet on Milwaukee before the information is out!” ahead of a February 2023 game between the Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks in which James was a late scratch because of a foot injury.
Two unidentified sportsbooks were named as victims of the alleged conspiracy in the original indictment, and the superseding indictment names the NBA and the Hornets as additional victims.
The clobbering that Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain took in the final minutes of Tuesday's Game 5 of the Western Conference finals trickled down from a demand by Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, according to a video online.
The clobbering that Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain took in the final minutes of Tuesday’s Game 5 of the Western Conference finals trickled down from a demand by Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, according to a new video.
The 7-foot-4 Wembanyama whispered “hard foul” to teammates Bismack Biyombo and Mason Plumlee as he exited the game with his team trailing by 14 with 2:20 remaining, Mike Tirico, NBC’s play-by-play announcer, said on the Game 6 broadcast Thursday night.
The new clip of Wembanyama from Game 5 surfaced during Game 6, with Wembanyama seeming to mouth “hard foul” to Plumlee.
“Hard foul was the message to sent to Mason Plumee, Bismack Biyomobo, and you saw just that…” Tirico said during the Spurs’ eventual 118-91 win.
After Wembanyama’s exit, Plumblee and Byombo committed hard fouls on McCain within a minute span.
The first foul happened when McCain received an elbow to the back from Plumlee that knocked him to the floor, and the foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 1 after a league review, the NBA announced Wednesday.
Biyombo committed the second foul as McCain drove to the basket.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama whispered “hard fouls” to teammates Bismack Byombo and Mason Plumblee as he exited Game 5 of the Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder with 2:20 remaining. XSpurs’ Mason Plumblee fouled OKC’s Jared McCain in the final minutes of Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. X
NBC Analyst Reggie Miller mentioned that McCain shouldn’t have been in the game in garbage minutes after the two fouls.
“See, these are two shots to McCain in here in the starting lineup in the closing moments of this game,” Miller said. “He doesn’t need to be on the floor here.”
Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama in the first half of Game 5 in the Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Oklahoma City. AP Photo/Julio Cortez
McCain discussed Plumlee’s foul after the Thunder’s 127-114 victory in Game 5.
“That was crazy. I didn’t expect it, obviously,” McCain told “The Association” on Tuesday. “We were at the free-throw line, too, and I was like, ‘Why’d you do that man?’
“I’m just asking him questions, and he was like, ‘I’ve got another one for you, too.’ … It’s all in competition, so gotta respect it.”
Jared McCain of the Thunder shoots a free throw during Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs on May 26, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NBAE via Getty Images
In his first start of the series in Game 5, McCain scored 20 points while shooting 7-of-19 from the field. He also grabbed three rebounds.
The Spurs forced a Game 7 on Saturday in Oklahoma City with their resounding win Thursday, and the winner will face the Knicks in the 2026 NBA Finals, beginning June 3.
CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 29: James Harden #1 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the game against the Toronto Raptors during Round One Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 29, 2026 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers seem to have every intention of bringing back James Harden and Donovan Mitchell this summer.
Harden, who has a player option that he’s expected to exercise this offseason, has already said he ‘100%’ plans on returning to Cleveland.
Meanwhile, Mitchell’s player option isn’t until next season. The Cavs can extend Mitchell long-term this summer and run no risk of losing him unless he demands a trade. President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman suggested that no such trade request is on the horizon.
“All I can tell you is Donovan has been steadfast in how much he loves it here,” said Altman. “There hasn’t been any question of will he be here or does he want to be here; I think the bigger question, is the one that’s been answered, is does he want to be here and does he want to be here long term, and I think he’s answered that.”
Mitchel has led the Cavs to the playoffs in four consecutive seasons and has been on multiple All-NBA teams since arriving in Cleveland. There are valid concerns about his viability as a No. 1 option on a title team — but Altman isn’t openly sharing any of them.
“Yes,” Altman replied when asked if Mitchell can be the best player on a championship team. “And we’re going to keep pouring into that.”
Altman also reinforced his belief in Harden, stating that the Cavs didn’t trade for ‘MVP Harden’ but rather a complementary player who can stabilize them moving forward.
“He helped regalvanize the group; we were kinda shaky there… when he came on board, he gave us a real belief and swagger,” said Koby Altman. “We traded for him and shot out of the gate 5-0, with some real inspiring confidence; we’re not in the Conference Finals without James.”
The plan, for now, appears to be having both guards back with a full offseason and training camp together to figure things out. That might frustrate some fans, but it falls in line with the patient approach that Altman has taken in previous years.
PHOENIX, AZ - DECEMBER 06: Grand Canyon Antelope guard Jaden Henley (10) looks on before the Jerry Colangelo Classic college basketball game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Grand Canyon Antelopes on December 6, 2025 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
While there is still five months until the 2026-27 college basketball season tips off, we are less than one month away from the 2026 NBA Draft!
There are two former Mountain West guards — Grand Canyon’s Jaden Henley and Utah State’s MJ Collins — hoping to hear their name called on draft night, which begins June 23. Both guards competed in the NBA’s G-League combine earlier this month, but neither were invited to the Draft Combine.
This year’s class is one of the most anticipated in recent memory, although there were fewer early entrants — players departing college early — than in year’s past. Neither Collins nor Henley — who both exhausted all of their college eligibility — fit into that bucket. But the number of players who withdrew their name ahead of Thursday’s deadline could help these two as late June nears.
Why recent withdrawals could help Collins, Henley:
Heading into the 2026 cycle, there were 71 Early Entrants, 106 fewer than the amount heading into the 2025 class. However, over half — including former San Jose State guard Colby Garland, who’s transferring to Georgia Tech with one season of eligibility remaining — returned to college.
A few of them who did include Rueben Chinyelu (Florida), Milan Momcilovic (Iowa State; in transfer portal), Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt) and Tounde Yessoufou (St. John’s; Baylor transfer). Those aren’t MW players, but ones with legitimate talent that will have an automatic ripple effect on both Collins and Henley.
There’s a higher likelihood that at least one — if not both names — could be called on draft night. I still think Henley, who’s currently No. 75 on Rookie Scale’s consensus big board, would still be the first name. But weirder stuff has happened on draft night.
Nevertheless, the chances that both players are able to find pathways to crack an NBA roster increase, albeit marginally. Each organization is allotted three two-way spots, which is expected to be north of $600K in 2026-27. Those two-way players can be active for 50 games per season. It will be an uphill climb, but both are intriguing in their own way.
Collins is an athletic multi-level scorer who averaged 17.5 points on 48.7/36.1/81.0 shooting splits last season. Henley is a hyper athletic defensive-minded big guard who’s a straight line-drive slasher. He averaged 17.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists on 46.6 percent shooting and 56.2 percent true shooting last season.
So far, Henley has either planned to, or completed a work out for the 13 teams, including the Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic and Sacramento Kings, according to HoopsHype’s workout tracker. Collins has worked out for three: The Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers and Memphis Grizzlies.
Do you think either have a chance of hearing their name called in the top-60? Let us know in the comments!
Coach Mike Brown said Friday that Robinson did not suffer the injury in a game or in Thursday’s practice.
Thursday was the Knicks’ first practice since Game 4 of the conference finals.
When asked when or how it happened, the Knicks said they were not getting into specifics. They also did not say when Robinson had surgery on the pinky.
Mitchell Robinson hopes to be ready for Game 1. Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Brown was noncommittal about Robinson’s availability for Game 1 of the Finals on Wednesday.
“For me, I’m always going with whoever is available today,” Brown said Friday. “And he didn’t practice today. So we’re getting whoever we need ready to go. … I don’t want to know, just let me know if he can play and when he can play. Just like we normally would, we’re getting everyone else ready to go.”
Regardless, the hope is that Robinson, after a “minor procedure,” will be able to play, according to league sources.
“Mitch is very important to us,” OG Anunoby said Friday. “Amazing player. It’s unfortunate what happened, but I’m sure — just take it day by day now.”
It’s been a roller-coaster postseason for Robinson. His brutal free-throw shooting — he is 13-for-43 (30.2 percent) from the line in the playoffs — has allowed opponents to utilize Hack-a-Mitch and force the Knicks to take him off the court.
Mitchell Robinson after Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals. NBAE via Getty Images
He is only averaging 14.2 minutes per game in the postseason, down from 19.6 minutes per game in the regular season. He had not made as big an impact this as most expected entering the playoffs.
Before Game 3 of the conference finals against the Cavaliers, Robinson posted on Snapchat that his “mental health is not the best right now” and that he had a “very upsetting experience,” though he did not detail what happened. That post came a few days after Robinson said he had changed his phone number and planned to delete all of his social media accounts ahead of a “new chapter in my life.”
“I’m deleting all apps for a little while,” Robinson wrote, “until I can get back to myself.”
Robinson missed Game 2 of the second round against the 76ers for what was listed on the injury report as an illness.
He is set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
The last time the Knicks were in the NBA Finals, New Yorkers were hailing cabs without apps, blasting Lauryn Hill on CD players, and nervously checking their Netscape dial-up connection.
The Twin Towers still dominated the skyline, Rudy Giuliani ran City Hall, and “The Sopranos” had just introduced America to Tony Soprano’s panic attacks.
These days, TikTok is where young people socialize, communicate and shape pop culture, oat milk lattes can run more than $9, and Madison Square Garden itself has undergone a billion-dollar glow-up.
From politics to pop culture to the Manhattan skyline itself, here’s how wildly different life in 1999 NYC looks and feels 27 years later.
Gone but not forgotten: Manhattan’s skyline
The Lower Manhattan skyline has been forever transformed since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks tragically brought down the Twin Towers.
A skyline reborn after tragedy: Here’s a look at the Twin Towers in 1999 (left) and the current Freedom Tower at One World Trade Center in 2026 (right). David Lefranc
In their place now stands One World Trade Center — better known as the Freedom Tower — which rose between 2006 and 2014 as the centerpiece of the rebuilt skyline.
Two eras of City Hall: Giuliani’s Gotham in 1999 vs. Mamdani’s 2026 Big Apple
Back in 1999, tough-on-crime Republican Rudy Giuliani led New York City from City Hall during the height of his mayoral tenure, which began in 1994.
From former mayor Rudy Giuliani in 1999 (L) to progressive leader Zohran Mamdani in 2026 (R), New York City’s political landscape has shifted dramatically over the past 27 years. David Lefranc
Fast-forward to 2026, and the Big Apple is now run by Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, who took office in January of this year. Talk about New York City’s political landscape shifting dramatically over the past 27 years.
MSG makeover: The Knicks’ home base went ultra-modern after 2010s rebuild
Madison Square Garden, home of the Knicks, looks dramatically different today than it did during the team’s 1999 Finals run.
Madison Square Garden has had a massive makeover within the last 27 years. David Lefranc
Between 2011 and 2013, the arena underwent a nearly $1 billion renovation, transforming it into a sleek, high-tech sports and entertainment hub.
Today, fans scan mobile tickets on their phones, a far cry from the paper stubs and printed tickets of the late 90s.
Political power shift: The White House then and now during Knicks championship runs
During the Knicks’ last trip to the NBA Finals in 1999, Democratic President Bill Clinton occupied the White House.
The Knicks last reached the Finals in 1999 under President Bill Clinton (left), and today, as they return in 2026, the nation is led by President Donald Trump (right). David Lefranc
Now, as the team heads back to the Finals in 2026, Republican President Donald Trump is leading the country for the second time.
Grammy glory in 1999 vs. 2026: Lauryn Hill and Bad Bunny define two eras of music
At the Grammy Awards in February 1999, Lauryn Hill won the coveted Album of the Year award for “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”
Lauryn Hill (left) won Album of the Year at the 1999 Grammy Awards with her neo-soul record, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” In 2026, Bad Bunny (right) won the same award for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.” David Lefranc
In 2026, Bad Bunny sparked a global reggaeton movement after winning the very same award for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.”
A Shakespearean comedy vs. action thriller: The Oscars’ Best Picture across two different Hollywood eras
At the 1999 Oscars, “Shakespeare in Love” took home the coveted Best Picture award, with a cast including Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes and Judi Dench, and direction by John Madden.
“Shakespeare in Love” won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1999 (left), while 2026 saw “One Battle After Another” take the crown (right). David Lefranc
In 2026, the same top honor went to “One Battle After Another,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Teyana Taylor, and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
Billboard Chart Toppers: J.Lo in ’99, Drake in ’26
On June 25, 1999, during the Knicks’ last time in the NBA Finals, Jennifer Lopez topped the Billboard Hot 100 with her groovy pop bop, “If You Had My Love.”
Jennifer Lopez had the hit song of the summer of 1999, while Drake is dominating the charts with his hip-hop single, “Janice STFU.” David Lefranc
It’s now May 2026, and the No. 1 song in the country is Drake’s catchy rap track, “Janice STFU.”
From 1999’s ‘Rock Style’ to 2026’s ‘Costume Art’: Two different Met Gala themes
Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney (left) at the 1999 “Rock Style” Met Gala, with Kim Kardashian (right) at this year’s “Costume Art”-themed Met Gala. David Lefranc
The 1999 Met Gala theme was “Rock Style,” tied to the Costume Institute’s exhibition celebrating the influence of rock-and-roll. Guests like Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney leaned into the moment with DIY “Rock Royalty” tees.
This year, the Met Gala embraced the theme “Costume Art,” with the dress code “Fashion Is Art.”
Kim Kardashian turned heads in a bespoke metallic tangerine and bronze fiberglass breastplate and bodysuit, created by Allen Jones and design duo Whitaker Malem.
Furby fever vs. prehistoric dinos: Toy trends across two eras
At the turn of the millennium, Tiger Electronics’ Furbies, interactive, owl-like robotic toys, were the must-have craze of 1999, dominating kids’ wish lists during the Knicks’ late-90s NBA surge.
Sneak a peek in the trending toy box through time — Furbies were all the rage in ’99, and now, kids are all about T. rex mania in ’26. David Lefranc
Now, as the NBA team continues its 2026 postseason run, the hottest toy at the moment is Spin Master’s Primal Hatch T. Rex — a “Jurassic World”–style interactive dinosaur that hatches from an egg and is captivating kids in a very different toy era.
Prestige TV: From 1999 mobsters to 2026 modern medicine
In 1999, HBO’s “The Sopranos” was the defining television event of its time — a critically acclaimed crime drama starring James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco and Edie Falco, created by David Chase.
James Gandolfini’s Tony Soprano (left) ruled HBO — and north Jersey — in 1999, while “The Pitt” (right, with Noah Wyle) is a big hit on the longtime streamer. David Lefranc
Now in 2026, another HBO Max series is dominating the cultural conversation: “The Pitt,” a buzzy medical drama starring Noah Wyle, Katherine LaNasa and Taylor Dearden, created by showrunner R. Scott Gemmill.
Twenty-seven years later: So much of NYC has changed — except love for the Knicks
While the “Urban Jungle” has certainly transformed in many ways since 1999, one thing has remained the same here in New York City — the residents’ undying love for the NBA’s New York Knicks. Aristide Economopoulos for NY Post
From flip phones to FaceTime, CD wallets to streaming playlists, dial-up modems to instant everything — the Knicks’ return to the NBA Finals is also a reminder of just how much life in NYC has been rewired.
The city that once waited for Web pages to load now refreshes culture in real time, faster than ever. And yet, some things feel familiar. The Garden is still rocking. Die-hard celeb fans are still courtside.
Spike Lee proves to be a die-hard Knicks fan, often showing his support courtside in MSG. NBAE via Getty ImagesBen Stiller (center) is one of the Knicks’ most recognizable celeb devotees, often spotted at MSG, reacting to playoff highs on social media and even coordinating his Met Gala looks with the team’s colors. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
And when the Knicks win, the city still moves as one — louder, prouder, and now infinitely more online.
Twenty-seven years later, the Big Apple’s skyline has changed, the soundtrack has changed, and the technology has changed — but New York’s obsession with the Knicks?
After being swept out of the playoffs by the Knicks, the Sixers parted ways with Morey on May 12. Bob Myers, president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, led the search for the next front office leader. He wanted a versatile executive.
“I’m a big believer in character and leadership and I’m looking for a person that embodies those things,” Myers said at a May 14 press conference. “But there’s many characteristics under that which I believe qualify in making a modern GM a success.
“There’s front-facing responsibilities. There’s responsibilities in managing star players. There’s responsibilities in managing up to ownership. There’s contract negotiations, there’s the draft process, there’s evaluating analytics, there’s (working with) the medical staff.
“You go down the line and these jobs have an enormity to them. So I’m looking to find someone that can check as many of these boxes as possible, but also (someone) that can raise their hands and say, ‘Actually, I’m not good in this space. I’m going to need some support.’”
Sixers assistant general manager Jameer Nelson, Phoenix Mercury GM Nick U’Ren and and Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd were other reported candidatesfor the position.ESPN reported that Gansey and U’Ren “were the finalists for the 76ers’ president job and both had separate final-stage meetings with team ownership this week on the east coast before the decision to hire Gansey was made on Friday.”
With the reported news that Mike Gansey is becoming 76ers' president of basketball operations, I asked @LaSalle_MBB coach Darris Nichols about Gansey:
"Gansey is one of my favorite teammates," Nichols, who played two seasons with Gansey at WVU, said via text. "Everyone in the… pic.twitter.com/cgpKa6RM4H
Cleveland’s front office has been willing to pull the trigger on major trades in recent years, including deals to add Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. The Cavs ultimately were eliminated a round later than the Sixers this season, falling to the Knicks in an Eastern Conference Finals sweep.
Regardless of how exactly Gansey proceeds, there’s no question the Sixers will aim to continue to draft well, find bargain role players and develop their in-house youngsters. With Gansey’s background in scouting and as both a D-League and NBA general manager, Myers decided he was the right fit.
One of the biggest question marks headed into the NBA’s offseason looks to have been answered before the Finals are even set.
According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, who is set to be a restricted free agent this summer, is expected to re-sign and stay in Utah.
REPORT: Walker Kessler is expected to re-sign with the Jazz on a $25-$30M per year deal, per @TimBontemps.
“Given that neither Jackson nor fellow big man Lauri Markkanen is a full-time center, Kessler remains an important player in Utah's path back to contention in the Western… pic.twitter.com/TnFrSmmVGG
“The consensus is that Kessler is signing a new deal with the Jazz in the range of $25 million to $30 million a year,” Bontemps wrote.
Bontemps didn’t write any other details about the contract, just the estimated range and that he is expected to re-sign.
Assuming that Kessler does re-sign, the Jazz’s starting front court now seems to be locked in place, with Kessler at the five, Jaren Jackson Jr. at the four and seven-footer Lauri Markkanen at the three. Locking in Kessler helps to offset Jackson’s rebounding abilities — or lack thereof — and they are now one of the best shot blocking duos in the league.
In only five games in the 2025-26 season, Kessler averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. He also shot 70.3 % from the field and shot 6 of 8 from deep — albeit in only a five games, but the 3-point shooting is really enticing if legitimate.
Now that the Kessler contract saga seems to be solved, the next task for the Jazz will be to select a game-changer at the No. 2 draft pick, where most pundits believe that Utah will take Darryn Peterson from Kansas.
