Category: NBA

Washington Wizards fans adore Justin Champagnie for his gritty effort and impressive rebounding. They’ve also gotten to know Alondes Williams, Kadary Richmond and Skal Labissiere — three players who grinded their way to the NBA and signed with Washington this season.

The one thing all four of those players have in common: They’re represented by Daniel Hazan of Hazan Sports Management. And like his clients, Hazan understands the grind it takes to find success at the NBA level.

Hazan didn’t start with eight NBA players on his client list. Just like he didn’t stumble upon a successful sports agency.

He built his brand through hard work and a New York grit that helped create meaningful relationships with players and general managers alike. That grind made him the youngest agent to sign an NBA player, which was a defining moment in his young career.

“I signed my first NBA player [Elijah Millsap] when I was 20. I’ve built a name for myself by being able to get the borderline guys in the NBA — the two-ways and the 10 days and the G League guys,” Hazan said. “Being able to get those guys to the next level, that’s kind of been my reputation as an agency. Every time players are trying to get back in the NBA, they know they can talk to me and I’ll get it done.”

That persistence led him to Champagnie, another New York native who at the time had played just 41 NBA games — 39 with the Toronto Raptors and two with the Boston Celtics.

Hazan knew Champagnie was an impressive player. He knew the Pitt product had the intangibles of a winning NBA player.

So he got to work. And just three days after the partnership formed, Champagnie signed a 10-day contract with the Wizards, which sparked a year-long surge that led to the 6-foot-6 forward signing a four-year, $9.8 million contract extension in March 2025.

Official: The Washington Wizards have signed @JusChampagnie to a multi-year NBA contract ✍️

📰 Read more: https://t.co/knmrikbah3
🤝 Pres. by @RobinhoodApppic.twitter.com/YM6eDVd50Y

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) March 3, 2025

It was a defining moment for Hazan, who had just gotten his client paid major money, and for Champagnie, an undrafted free agent who had grinded his way into an NBA rotation and eventually into a multi-million-dollar contract.

“I just felt a sense of relief,” Champagnie said. “It brought tears to my eyes because I’ve worked hard for the past four years to solidify myself in this league, and having that moment come true was a big sigh of relief. [It] just felt amazing.”

Champagnie has only ascended since signing his contract extension. The 24-year-old has been one of Washington’s most consistent contributors, averaging 7.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in just 19 minutes per game this season.

JC WENT BASELINE 🤯 pic.twitter.com/b1n6Nl40al

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) January 17, 2026

Hazan said “four or five teams” contacted the Wizards at February’s trade deadline with interest in Champagnie, but Washington wasn’t willing to let him go. And it’s easy to understand why.

Champagnie’s archetype is one contending teams covet. He fights for loose balls like Marcus Smart. He rebounds on both ends like a 6-foot-6 Andre Drummond. And he plays both ways, defending one through four while scoring nearly eight points per game on 49.8% FG.

His path to the league wasn’t the most linear, but he had earned a standard NBA contract. And Hazan couldn’t have been prouder.

“It was a great moment. [Justin] is such a great guy. He’s such a hard worker. I was happy to be a part of that with him,” Hazan said. “He’s put in the hard work, and he earned every bit of that. And he’s still young. We got time for a couple more contracts, bigger ones, God willing.”

Champagnie’s New York ties aligned him with Hazan, but he isn’t the only native New Yorker signed to Hazan Sports Management. Kadary Richmond, a Brooklyn native, is also represented by Hazan.

Champagnie and Richmond grew up together in Brooklyn. They’ve been friends since middle school and even played against each other in high school — Chamagnie at Bishop Loughlin and Richmond at South Shore.

After a five-year collegiate career at Syracuse, Seton Hall and St. John’s, Richmond went undrafted. The 6-foot-5 guard had “several suitors,” but after phone calls with Wizards general manager Will Dawkins and Champagnie, Richmond set his sights on Washington.

“Will got on the phone and said, ‘You see what I did with Justin. We’re gonna do the same thing with Kadary.’ And I went with him, and I think it’s paid off,” Hazan said.

Champagnie attended Richmond’s pre-draft workout with the Wizards and advocated for him to join the organization. The veteran forward told Richmond that Washington was the best spot for his development, and the rookie guard used that advice when he signed a G League deal with the Wizards before later inking a 10-day contract in February.

“I just told [Richmond] to take advantage and keep your foot on the gas,” Champagnie said. “No matter how it looks around you, make sure you take advantage of your opportunity, because coming from where we come from, people don’t get to decide how much this means.”

Champagnie and Richmond’s relationship transcends basketball, but they’re not the only close friends represented by Hazan. That title also belongs to Williams and Labissiere, who spent July on the Orlando Magic’s Summer League squad.

Labissiere, 29, was selected No. 28 in the 2016 NBA Draft. After four NBA seasons, the 6-foot-10 forward was out of the league.

But Labissiere kept working. And after signing with Hazan, he earned his way back into the NBA, ending his four-year hiatus when he signed with the Sacramento Kings. 

Labissiere joined the Go-Go before the 2025-26 campaign and earned a 10-day contract, his best game a 13-point showing in Washington’s 116-112 victory over the Kings. His friend and offseason workout partner, Williams, later joined him on a 10-day deal with Washington.

AJ ↗️ Skal#ForTheDistrict | @CapitalCityGoGopic.twitter.com/NuVvZiy3zq

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) February 2, 2026

Weeks after Labissiere’s breakout performance, Williams scored 25 points on 9-for-11 FG in the Wizards’ 131-118 win over the Indiana Pacers. Both players had grinded their way to the NBA, so it was only right that they shared breakout performances on the same roster in the same season.

“It felt amazing to finally be back on an NBA court and show everyone what I’ve been working on all summer,” Williams said. “[Skal and I] built chemistry by being with each other all summer. Playing with each other and playing against each other built chemistry, and I value that knowing the player Skal is. It boosted my skills as a point guard.”

HAVE YOURSELF A NIGHT, ALONDES 🧙‍♂️

📊 A CAREER-HIGH 22 POINTS TONIGHT. pic.twitter.com/YLYGm5Hpr6

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) February 21, 2026

Hazan’s reaction to those scoring outputs was that of an unsurprised agent who had seen firsthand the grind and sacrifice his clients made to reach the highest level of professional basketball. And with four clients succeeding in Washington, those close relationships, combined with an unrelenting drive to be great, have paid dividends.

“They’re working on their own things, but they’re all working together,” Hazan said. “It’s galvanized everyone. And now you see them all together [in Washington]. It’s really an amazing thing.”

Nike quietly filed a trademark for a logo on Monday for a Los Angeles Lakers player with the last name of James. 

Not LeBron. Not this time.

Bronny. 

Apparently, Bronny James, the 21-year-old two-way guard with the Lakers, has his own personal logo — an Old English-style lower-case “b,” stitched together with a white-on-black No. 9. 

The 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft is currently averaging 9.5 points in 30.9 minutes with the South Bay Lakers in the G-League. His NBA stat line is thinner, but that’s because he mostly appears in garbage time for the Lakers as he continues to develop as a player. 

But according to a report by trademark attorney Josh Gerben, Bronny’s brand is growing faster than his NBA career is.

Nike has filed a design trademark request for Bronny James' signature logo.

What do you think of his logo?

(Via @JoshGerben) pic.twitter.com/XkK4HfZa5b

— cllct (@cllctMedia) March 2, 2026

On the surface, this is not a big deal. People apply for trademarks all the time. In fact, this isn’t even the first time Bronny James has applied for his own trademark. 

Back in 2022, Gerben reported that Bronny James applied for trademarks for the name “Bronny,” a logo based off his signature, and the name “Bronald.” Because, why not?

Unfortunately, people on social media wasted no time firing off jokes to Nike’s trademark of Bronny James’ logo. 

Has anyone else that has averaged 1.9 points a game, gotten their own logo?

— Vinny (@IamVinnyG) March 2, 2026

“Has anyone else that has averaged 1.9 points a game, gotten their own logo?,” asked X account @IamVinnyG.

They making the Bench James 1’s

— LA_ALL_DAY (@LA_ALL_DAY100) March 2, 2026

“They making the Bench James 1’s,” wrote another X poster, @L_ALL_DAY100.

pic.twitter.com/JnOe3B76Jr

— Balboa (@arm7219) March 2, 2026

Better logo “1 ppg”

— AK (@Thegift510) March 2, 2026

One user wrote that Bronny James himself should have filed the trademark for the logo, and then leased it out to Nike. 

The smart move would been for him to trademark all of his branding himself and then license it to Nike. Not sure why he's letting them 'own it' from the start.

— OnlyCharizard (@OnlyCharizard) March 2, 2026

Inside basketball arenas across the country, fans erupt in applause every time Bronny James checks into the game. During Sunday’s 128–104 blowout victory over the Sacramento Kings, Bronny drilled a three in the final minutes, much to the delight of the crowd and LeBron James. 

LeBron was LOVING this Bronny three pic.twitter.com/v9SW4LZufe

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 2, 2026

Sure, Bronny isn’t an NBA star yet, and all jokes aside is not in need of his own signature mark at this time. But Nike isn’t betting on Bronny’s box score. It’s betting on legacy, lineage and the gravitational pull of LeBron James. 

Maybe one day Bronny James will cash in on that trademark. Maybe he won’t. Either way, Nike is ready.

---

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

How do you approach your March Madness bracket?

Does history guide your pen? Are you haunted by ghosts of flops from years past?

If so, you’re naturally wary of the Arizona Wildcats. They’re a persistent March fizzler.

Can Arizona win it all? Why these 11 teams could dominate March Madness

Bracketology: March Madness projection has changes on bubble

Never mind their 28-2 record or their No. 2 national ranking or the fact they just donned championship shirts after winning the nation’s toughest conference, a Big 12 that absorbed the exits of Texas and Oklahoma a few years ago and rebuilt its basketball product into a beast, thanks to the addition of schools like Arizona.

Never mind the Wildcats just suffocated No. 7 Iowa State, 73-57, a fine team in its own right, good for Arizona’s 14th victory against a Quad 1 opponent.

“I’m super proud of these guys,” coach Tommy Lloyd said on ESPN after the win. “They’ve been on a mission all year.”

Mission accomplished so far, but teams are remembered for what they do after all the regular-season hardware gets awarded.

Lute Olson’s 2001 Wildcats remain the last Arizona team to make the Final Four.

The stats and the achievements of these Wildcats are all very impressive, worthy of a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed no matter what happens in the Big 12 Tournament. You’ll find no team more battle-tested, but you don’t need an elephant’s memory to remember Arizona has ventured down this path before without it ending in a Final Four.

Can Arizona shake March Madness history of past quarter-century?

Eleven times in the previous 24 seasons, Arizona earned a No. 4 seed or better in the NCAA Tournament. None of those teams reached the Final Four.

If flashbacks of those burnouts loom in your mind, you’ll understandably approach these Wildcats cautiously when it’s time to put pen to paper on your bracket in a couple of weeks.

And yet if you shove all that history out of your mind, you’ll see a coach who’s ascending, and a team that plays as tough of defense as anyone this side of Duke and Michigan.

You’ll see a squad more balanced than the Dukies, who’re fueled by the sensational Cameron Boozer but whose scoring punch doesn’t go nearly so deep as Arizona’s. Either Boozer or sidekick Isaiah Evans has led Duke in scoring in each of the past 24 games.

Star power of Boozer’s magnitude is a feature, not a bug, in March Madness. Still, how can you not be drawn to an Arizona team so balanced it got 10 points and 15 rebounds from sixth man Tobe Awaka against Iowa State? You get to Awaka after a starting five that each averages in double-digits scoring.

Arizona 'going to be scary' in NCAA Tournament

To hear Arizona's Jaden Bradley tell it after this destruction of Iowa State, the Wildcats are “going to be scary” at the season’s crescendo.

Yeah, sure, but we all still remember those 2022 Wildcats who earned a No. 1 seed and then bowed out in the Sweet 16.

Well, that team didn’t have a veteran point guard as good as Bradley. Old guards win in March, or did you forget Walter Clayton Jr.?

Bradley kept cooking with 17 points against Iowa State. He’s right, the Wildcats are plenty scary, especially when they defend like they did against the Cyclones.

Iowa State’s season-best scorers Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic will be ready to face anyone but Arizona in the NCAA Tournament. They combined for 4-of-25 shooting, a byproduct of Arizona's nasty defense.

As ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla put it afterward, Lloyd “wants to pulverize you.”

Well, he’s got the squad to do just that.

Two days after pulverizing Kansas, the Wildcats punished Iowa State.

These aren’t chump opponents, either. Kansas and Iowa State are the caliber of teams Arizona might face in the Sweet 16, the round where the Wildcats got booted in three of the past four seasons.

Now, here's Arizona, marching toward another lofty seed, looking like just the type of team you’d confidently mark into the Final Four in your office bracket pool, if you weren’t so haunted by past brackets busted.

 “This team," Lloyd said, "has a chance to do something special."

Past Arizona teams had that chance, too, and failed to deliver. Those teams weren’t quite so balanced, so proven, so “scary” as this one. So scary, in fact, you might just want to cast history aside and start writing down Arizona when that bracket comes out.

Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arizona March Madness history is scary. Wildcats may break Final Four drought

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Suns fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

---

With Devin Booker returning tonight, expect a different starting lineup than the one the Phoenix Suns have been deploying the past few games amid all their injuries. Collin Gillespie will be running the point guard position as he has been the past three-plus months, Booker will be next to him in the backcourt, Mark Williams will be at center, and Royce O’Neale will be the team’s power forward.

The question is who will be playing the small forward position.

Grayson Allen has solidified his position as the team’s bench scorer, something he continued to do amid the team’s injuries, so it will come down to Ryan Dunn or Jalen Green.

Both have started the last few games, with Dunn having his first set of back-to-back double-digit scoring games since November, and Green has continued to struggle since coming back from his hamstring injury. The 24-year-old is averaging a career low 13 points per game on career low efficiency from the field, three, and free throw line. He’s especially struggled in his last four games, shooting 28% from the field and 15% from three.

While he did hit a buzzer-beating three against the Orlando Magic, it’s been a struggle lately for the fifth-year guard.

One of the key pieces the Suns acquired when they dealt Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets back in the offseason, Green has one of the highest upsides out of any player on the Phoenix roster. Coming into the season, Green was the only player outside of Devin Booker on the Suns to average at least 20 points per game for an entire season, and he did it twice in his first four seasons, including last year, where he was the leading scorer on a Houston Rockets team that was the second seed in the Western Conference.

He had a 38-point playoff game in his second-career playoff game. Amid all his defensive struggles, inefficiency problems, and size, he has the potential to have a big offensive game like few can on the Phoenix Suns. With the team lacking draft capital for the foreseeable future and carrying few young players on the roster, Green’s progression remains a vital part of the Suns’ future. While Dunn is also one of the team’s few young players, Dunn does not have the offensive potential that Green does, and has been given ample opportunities throughout his two seasons to prove himself and not done so consistently. Green has not been given that opportunity yet with the Suns.

Green has only played 12 games this season. When he returned from his hamstring injury, he re-injured it. Then, when he returned, he quickly had a few more absences due to injury. It’s fair to wonder how his conditioning has impacted his play, given how inconsistently he’s been in the lineup, as Jordan Ott spoke about recently. The question is, should he be playing more with the starters or the reserves? You decide.

I’ll admit it: I was skeptical when the Hawks acquired a guy who didn’t exactly endear himself to four-time championship head coach Steve Kerr. But clearly, sometimes a change in scenery is all you really need.

Or maybe the Warriors just didn’t know what they had.

Jonathan Kuminga was drafted seventh overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, and the original plan was for him to help guide the Golden State Warriors into a new era once the core dynasty players aged out.

Well, that didn’t quite happen — and to the great benefit of these Atlanta Hawks.

Since arriving here at the trade deadline, in just three games (albeit against the tanking Wizards and the Blazers minus Deni Avdija), Jonathan Kuminga has given fans something to believe in with this team. In 26.7 minutes per game, he’s averaging 21.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per contest while shooting 68/56/77 in the traditional shooting triple slash (a blistering 79% true shooting percentage).

And it hasn’t been one-way impact. He’s been a big contributor on defense as well with the team a +43 in his 80 court minutes so far.

There were concerns with his unwillingness to move the ball in a system that encourages quick decision making. Well, that concern has been assuaged with his sharp passing and good decision making so far. His 10-assist to eight-turnover ratio far undersells how easy he’s moved the ball so far and how well he’s seeing the floor.

After the missed corner three last time out against Portland, Kuminga hustles for the rebound in the video below. With the Blazers trying to reset their defense, he finds Landale for an easy dunk:

There were also concerns with his style of play on offense for a guy whose best attribute is getting into the restricted area. But so far, Kuminga has attacked the rim and been rewarded for his efforts.

Out of his 64 points scored, 32 of them are from the painted area and another 17 are off free throws after getting fouled. That means that 49-of-64 points or 77% of his scoring is coming from his downhill pressure.

From the beginning of the season until February 23, the day before Kuminga’s debut for the Hawks, the team was 27th in free throw rate (a ratio of free throw attempts to field goal attempts) at 0.232. Kuminga has a career free throw rate of 0.364 — and through three games, it’s a sky-high 0.710 here. That’s been a huge shot in the arm for a Quin Snyder team that wants to drive and kick more and more.

Additionally, the other 15 points are from his 5-for-9 (56%) performance from three-point land. He’s a career 33% three-point shooter, so I don’t expect this accuracy to continue, but his willingness to let it fly will certainly endear himself to the current coaching staff.

There were even concerns with his ability to fit in a team defense that needs forwards and centers alike to contribute to keeping opponents out of the restricted area. Well, he’s looked very engaged on that end, with five steals and a block so far.

Look at him slide his puppies in the clip below. And he finishes the possession with a tough close out on Jerami Grant:

In this next one, Kuminga sinks into the paint as the low man on defense. He gets off a clean weakside block on Tristan Vukcevic that starts a break the other way:

And here, he stays attached with his man, Grant again, while keeping eyes on the driving Jrue Holiday. But when he notices Holiday get too deep under the rim without a good outlet, Kuminga peels over to the relocating Blake Wesley and intercepts the pass:

The Hawks have struggled against physical teams like the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors this year. They’ve gotten pushed around on the boards and outmuscled on drives more times than I can count.

The front office responded by beefing up at the deadline. First, was picking up the 6-foot-11, 255-pound Jock Landale for free (minus a bit of cash money). Now comes in a 6-foot-7, 225-point forward who has no problem mixing it up when need be. And the team has responded with a fun brand of basketball in the past month.

Finally.

Sometimes, it’s best to not overthink things. Jonathan Kuminga possesses a level of athleticism, power, and open court pace that you can’t teach. There was always lottery talent there, even if it didn’t shine as much in the Bay Area as many had hoped.

Now he’s playing his game — and that joy has been infectious.

The Hawks have blown out three straight opponents, with the latest a highlight dunkfest for Kuminga. It doesn’t take long to notice that he’s displaying a level of excitement to be playing the game of basketball and getting a new start in Atlanta:

JONATHAN KUMINGA SINCE JOINING HAWKS:

27 PTS on 9-12 FGM, win
17 PTS on 5-9 FGM, win
20 PTS on 7-10 FGM, win pic.twitter.com/OHkZsXGObY

— NBA (@NBA) March 2, 2026

And the greater NBA world is even taking notice. This from NBA insider Brian Windhorst on ESPN’s NBA Today:

In retrospect, there was really only upside when the Hawks made this move in the dead of night the evening before the trade deadline. When the cost is just an illness-stricken 30-year-old center who has only managed to play one game (in a blowout loss) for his new team, the Golden State Warriors, it’s already clear that the trade is a big win for Atlanta — even if ‘JK’ comes back to Earth a bit.

The Hawks experimented for a few minutes with both he and Jalen Johnson sharing the floor, and I suspect we’ll see more of that given the collective talent level. But there also may be a possible skillset overlap to look into in these lineups.

These next 20-plus games will be an interesting showcase to evaluate his fit, and that means it’s entirely possible he plays his way into a long-term future here.

At the end of this season, the Hawks own a $24.3 million team option on his contract. That ultimately means there’s no reason for him to walk in free agency unless the team chooses to part ways. Either you work out a trade, an extension, or merely pick up the option and figure things out during the 2026-27 season.

These past few games have been fun, but we truly need a bigger sample size against better teams to declare the trade an absolute heist. Still, the early returns have been everything we would have wanted and more.

It’s a little too early to say I was way off base, but I promise I will happily eat my words if Kuminga continues to play well enough to force the Hawks to keep him in their plans.

Dave DeBusscherre is an underappreciated great of the game.

Born in 1940 in Detroit, DeBusscherre was a talented basketball and baseball player. He attended the University of Detroit (now Detroit Mercy). Like Danny Ainge and Duke legend Dick Groat, DeBusscherre played professionally in both sports.

Amazingly, in 1964-65, at the tender age of 24, he was named player-coach of the Detroit Pistons. His greatest fame came after he was traded to the New York Knicks and became a key part of two championship teams there.

DeBusscherre was famous for intensity, defense, and hustle. When you watch this video, you’ll see just how much his teammates thought of him. He was really the final piece of a great team.

He retired in 1974, and after working for the ABA’s New York Nets for a year, became the final commissioner of the ABA, helping to organize the 1976 merger.

After that, he went back to the Knicks and ultimately got to draft Patrick Ewing in 1985.

Sadly, DeBusscherre died of a heart attack on a Manhattan street in 2003.

He was a tremendous player though and his ability to accept and perfect his role with the Knicks was a key to their brilliant post-Celtics dynasty run.

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions | Drop us a line

March has arrived in men's college basketball, and the Madness has already begun.

Over the weekend, several teams that were in the mix with Connecticut for the final 1-seed saw some crushing losses that have them out of contention, while other teams made some positive headway with their projected NCAA tournament seedings, such as Florida annihilating No. 19 Arkansas by 34 points to jump in the mix for that 1-seed.

That is just the tip of the iceberg, though.

REQUIRED READING: Five most undervalued teams heading into conference tournaments

The bubble remains congested and work in progress heading into the final week of the regular season for the sports' power five conferences and some mid-major conferences. Auburn finds itself sitting on the outside after a Quad 3 loss to Mississippi dropped them to 1-7 in their last eight games.

Several other Power 5 conference teams — ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and Big East — that look to be "locks" for March Madness have hit a few roadblocks that can knock them down a seed line if they aren't able to rebound in the final week of the regular season or if they can't get can't a win (or two) at their respective conference tournaments.

Here’s a look at the latest NCAA tournament bracket projection, which takes into account games played through Monday, March 2:

March Madness bracket predictions

Last Four In

• Santa Clara **
• New Mexico **
• TCU **
• Indiana **

First Four Out

• Auburn
• Virginia Commonwealth
• San Diego State
• Seton Hall

MARCH MADNESS BRACKET: Teams rising, falling in projected NCAA field

No. 1 Seeds

• Duke (AQ — ACC)
• Arizona (AQ — Big 12)
• Michigan (AQ — Big Ten)
• UConn (AQ — Big East)

There is no change at the 1-seed line since the last projection. It's UConn vs. the likes of Florida/Illinois/Houston for that final 1-seed spot. The Huskies handled business last week to separate themselves from the 2-seed line a bit with their eighth Quad 1 win of the season against St. John's and a gutsy win over Seton Hall.

No. 2 Seeds

• Florida (AQ — SEC)
• Illinois
• Houston
• Michigan State

Florida is beginning to come into the mix and knock on the door of a 1-seed following its 34-point win over No. 19 Arkansas over the weekend, where it got 23 points from Thomas Haugh. The Gators are 18-2 since their less-than-ideal 5-4 start to the season, where they were unable to lock up a signature Quad 1 win in non-conference play.

Michigan State bumps up to the 2-seed line after a 2-0 week on the road with wins at No. 14 Purdue and Indiana. The Spartans have a big one coming up against Michigan to end the regular season before heading to the Big Ten tournament in Chicago.

No. 3 Seeds

• Iowa State
• Purdue
• Kansas
• Gonzaga (AQ — West Coast Conference)

Iowa State and Purdue are both losing some steam heading into the final week of the regular season. The Cyclones lost out on an opportunity to keep themselves in the mix for the 1-seed vs. Texas Tech going into Monday's loss at Arizona, as the path to the No. 2 seed had opened up for them a bit before their game vs. the Red Raiders with Houston's three-game losing skid and the Boilermakers' loss to Michigan State.

For the Boilermakers, Matt Painter's squad is 5-6 in their last 11 games, and has lost three of their last four. In addition to its loss to Michigan State last Thursday at Mackey Arena, Purdue followed that up with a loss at Ohio State, a then-bubble team. Gonzaga hangs onto the 3-seed heading into the West Coast Conference tournament. It's a big March coming up for Mark Few's squad before they head to the reorganized Pac-12 next year.

REQUIRED READING: Five most undervalued teams heading into conference tournaments

No. 4 Seeds

• Alabama
• Virginia
• Nebraska
• Texas Tech

Alabama stole one on the road at Tennessee to continue its quiet rise up to the 4-seed line. The Crimson Tide has now won eight straight and has eight Quad 1 wins going into Tuesday's road game at Georgia, the latter of which is tied for the fifth most in the country.

No. 5 Seeds

• Tennessee
• Arkansas
• St. John's
• Vanderbilt

St. John's bounced back from a 32-point loss at UConn with its own 32-point win over Villanova. Arkansas ended a rather strong month of February, during which it went 5-2, but ending in ugly fashion with its loss to Florida.

No. 6 Seeds

• North Carolina
• Louisville
• Kentucky
• Brigham Young

BYU might be "safe" to make the NCAA tournament, but the Cougars' chances of having a six-seed or higher are now in question. Since starting 16-1 on the season, BYU has lost eight of its last 12 games, which includes two bad back-to-back losses to Oklahoma State and West Virginia.

Kentucky has been a tough team to get a read on for most of the season, and it's why the Wildcats have moved around a ton in bracket projections and top 25 rankings. Mark Pope's squad takes a two-game winning streak, which features a top-25 win over Vanderbilt, into its road game at Texas A&M on Tuesday.

Louisville fell out of the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll following back-to-back losses to North Carolina and Clemson. The Cardinals are 1-3 in their last four games.

REQUIRED READING: Ranking top 10 players in college basketball for conference tournaments

No. 7 Seeds

• Wisconsin
• Villanova
• Saint Mary's
• North Carolina State

Villanova drops down a seed line following a no-show performance at Madison Square Garden against St. John's over the weekend. The Wildcats will have to find a way to fill the loss of Matt Hodge with their 3-point shooting in their final two games (at DePaul, vs. Xavier) before heading back up to The Garden next week for the Big East tournament.

No. 8 Seeds

• Saint Louis (AQ — Atlantic 10)
• Utah State (AQ — Mountain West)
• Miami
• Iowa

The Atlantic 10 continues to look like a one-bid conference with Saint Louis, but the Billikens' loss to Dayton has opened the possibility that there could be a different representative from the conference after next week's tournament in Washington D.C. ... perhaps Virginia Commonwealth under first-year head coach Phil Martelli Jr.?

A loss to last-place Penn State could not have come at a worse time for Iowa. The Hawkeyes hang on to an 8-seed for now, though they've now lost four of their last six.

No. 9 seeds

• Texas
• Georgia
• Texas A&M
• Clemson

Clemson picked up a much-needed win over Louisville over the weekend to snap a four-game losing skid. The Tigers have a Quad 1 opportunity on Tuesday at North Carolina awaiting them, where a win could really boost their "okay" 6-5 Quad 1 record before the ACC tournament. Texas A&M is slowly moving its way down to the 10-seed line, as the Aggies have dropped six of their past eight games.

No. 10 seeds

• Central Florida
• UCLA
• Ohio State
• Missouri

Ohio State, you can exhale for a second. The Buckeyes' win over Purdue on Sunday bumps Jake Diebler's squad up to the 10-seed line heading. Ohio State still needs a win or two to feel "safe," but the Buckeyes hopes of making the cutline and snapping their three-year drought of not making the tournament look a lot better now than before the ball tipped against Purdue.

No. 11 Seeds

• Miami (Ohio) (AQ — Mid-American)
• Southern Methodist
• Santa Clara **
• New Mexico **
• TCU **
• Indiana **

From the eye-test, Indiana shouldn't be making the field — even as a First Four team — given the fact that the Hoosiers have lost five of their last seven games and are nine games back of first place in the Big Ten standings. It's their top-50 NET ranking (No. 41) that keeps them in Dayton for now.

TCU is an interesting team on the bubble. The Horned Frogs' metrics are the "best," as they are No. 45 in the NET and No. 49 on KenPom with a 4-6 Quad 1 record, but they've been able to turn around their season in the Big 12 rather nicely in the last month to give them a shot at their fourth March Madness appearance in the last five years. Since starting 3-6 in Big 12 play, TCU is 6-1 with two games against Texas Tech and Cincinnati to go in the regular season.

New Mexico went 1-1 last week and has two games this week against Colorado State and Utah State before heading to the Mountain West tournament, where the Lobos are currently projected to be the 2-seed in the field. Santa Clara earned the No. 3 seed and a bye to the quarterfinals in the WCC tournament.

No. 12 Seeds

• South Florida (AQ — American)
• Belmont (AQ — Missouri Valley)
• Yale (AQ — Ivy League)
• Stephen F. Austin (AQ — Southland)

No. 13 Seeds

• High Point (AQ — Big South)
• Hawaii (AQ — Big West)
• UNC Wilmington (AQ — Colonial Athletic Association)
• Liberty (AQ — Conference USA)

No. 14 Seeds

• East Tennessee State (AQ — Southern)
• North Dakota State (AQ — Summit League)
• Central Arkansas (AQ — Atlantic Sun)
• Utah Valley (AQ — Western Athletic)

MARCH MADNESS: Ranking top 20 teams based on odds

No. 15 Seeds

• Portland State (AQ — Big Sky)
• Navy (AQ — Patriot League)
• Merrimack (AQ — Metro Atlantic Athletic)
• Wright State (AQ — Horizon)

No. 16 Seeds

• Troy (AQ — Sun Belt)
• LIU (AQ — Northeast)
• Bethune-Cookman (AQ — Southwestern Atlantic) **
• Morehead State (AQ — Ohio Valley) **
• Howard (AQ — Mid-Eastern Athletic) **
• UMBC (AQ — America East) **

** Denotes playing in First Four game

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness bracket predictions: Who's in, out of NCAA tournament?

With Selection Sunday now less than two weeks away, the likely top seeds in the NCAA men's tournament field appear to be separating themselves from the pack.

Three of our projected No. 1 seeds were involved in highly-anticipated contests against highly-ranked opponents over the weekend. Duke, Arizona and Michigan all won those matchups in impressive fashion, solidifying their place on the first line of the bracket. The fourth No. 1 is also unchanged, though Connecticut might be challenged in the next couple of weeks by a hard-charging Florida squad. For now, the Gators hold steady as the leaders on the No. 2 line along with Houston, Iowa State and Nebraska.

Toppmeyer: Arizona is 'scary' good, but can it outrun history of March Madness flops?

But while there is clarity near the top of the bracket, there’s a lot of chaos around the bubble. The team that did the most to help its case this weekend was Ohio State, now in much safer territory thanks to a win against Purdue.

Auburn remains in freefall, barely clinging to a spot in the First Four after going just 1-7 since Jan. 31. New Mexico nudges back into the field with a key Mountain West win, while Indiana, California and San Diego State find themselves on the outside.

March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament projection

March Madness last four in

UCLA, Santa Clara, New Mexico, Auburn.

March Madness first four out

Indiana, Virginia Commonwealth, California, San Diego State.

NCAA tournament bids conference breakdown

Multi-bid leagues: SEC (11), Big Ten (9), ACC (8), Big 12 (8), Big East (3), West Coast (3), Mountain West (2).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness predictions: Bracketology forecast for NCAA Tournament

1. Hugo Gonzalez Career Night

After Neemias Queta had a career night against the 76ers the night before, Hugo Gonzalez decided it was his turn to have the best game of his young career on the second night of a back-to-back in a commanding 108-81 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. In his third career start, Gonzalez finished with career highs of 18 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 steals while tying his career high with 2 blocks on 7-15 shooting from the field and 3-8 from three. He is the first Celtics rookie to have a stat line like this since Larry Bird on November 14th, 1979 against the Detroit Pistons.

Hugo Gonzalez is only the 2nd Celtic rookie to have at least 18 points, 16 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks in a game.

The other? Larry Bird against Detroit (23-19-3-2 on 11/14/79)

— Dick Lipe (@DickLipe) March 3, 2026

After making the first basket of the game for the Celtics, there was a chance Gonzalez could have a good offensive night but I don’t think anyone expected him to put up this type of performance. He drove to the basket with force, made some great hustle plays on put-backs, and was able to shoot the three ball comfortably.

Hugo made the Bucks work on every possession, flying around the court on defense for his rebounds, blocks and steals. He did an incredible job when it came to locking down his offensive matchup and did solid when it came to guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo on a few possessions. His hustle and ability to be in the right place at the right time was absolutely huge for the Celtics and without Gonzalez, there is a chance Boston loses this game.

2. Great Defensive Stand

In a game where Jaylen Brown (illness) and Neemias Queta (rest) were ruled OUT, Boston was still able to hold the Bucks to only 81 points, their second lowest scoring output of the season only behind the 79 point performance that the Celtics held them to on February 1st in TD Garden.

Boston held Milwaukee to 27-74 (37%) shooting from the field and 13-36 (36%) from three point range. They forced 16 turnovers on the Bucks while also getting 7 steals and 6 blocks. Without two key defensive stoppers in the front court, the Celtics were able to once again dominate the Bucks.

3. Dominance in the Paint

Boston absolutely owned the paint against Milwaukee in this matchup. In the rebounding department, the Celtics crushed the Bucks on the boards 54-32. Out of the 54 rebounds, 19 of them resulted in offensive rebounds and usually ended in a basket on the second-chance opportunity.

When it came to the points in the paint battle I assumed that Milwaukee would have the edge given they got Giannis back but that wasn’t the case. The Celtics outscored them 34-22 when it came to points in the paint. This was a result of Boston’s elite rebounding and Milwaukee’s overall lack of interest when it came to wanting to play defense.

Boston DOMINATED Milwaukee in the Paint tonight:
54 Rebounds (19 Offensive)
34 Points in the Paint
55% shooting in the painted area pic.twitter.com/TZ2djw5fcz

— Ian Inangelo (@iinangelo) March 3, 2026

4. Payton Pritchard Bounce Back

Coming off a game against the 76ers where Payton Pritchard scored 0 Points, he was able to bounce back in a big way against the Bucks, finishing with 25 points and 9 assists on 10-23 shooting from the field and 5-10 from three. This was a much needed game for Pritchard who had scored in the single-digits in 3 of his last 4 games.

He started the game out kind of slow, but once he hit a midrange almost buzzer beater at the end of the third quarter, Pritchard turned it on in the fourth quarter. Payton scored 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and turned into the Celtics closer, icing the game.

5. Derrick White Steadied the Ship

Derrick White didn’t have the best shooting night in this game, going 5-18 from the field and 4-12 from three, but watching the game it felt like he was the stabilizer for the Celtics offense. He finished with 18 points and 9 assists, continuing his great stretch of facilitating. Dating back to February 3rd, White is averaging 7.1 assists since Pritchard starting coming off the bench.

Against the Bucks this season, the on/off numbers show that the Celtics are a +65 when White is on the court in 95 minutes versus a -25 when he has been off the court in 49 minutes. He has been the perfect connector for this team and with a lot of young guys playing for the Celtics, he is the veteran that can keep them afloat.

DERRICK WHITE VS. BUCKS – 2025-26

On court: 95 minutes, Celtics +65
Off court: 49 minutes, Celtics -25

— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) March 3, 2026

6. Sam Hauser Homecoming

Growing up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sam Hauser grew up a Milwaukee Bucks fan as a kid and has had some special performances against them in the past. The game on December 11th of this season was not one of those good games, finishing with 0 points on 0-10 shooting in a 116-101 Celtics loss.

This game was a different story for Sam, finishing with 14 points on 5-9 shooting from the field and 4-8 from three. He torched the Bucks from beyond the arc and his shoot looked smooth all night long. This was some fitting redemption for Hauser, being able to take the win against his hometown team.

7. Luka Garza Steps Up

Ever since the Celtics traded for Nikola Vucevic, Luka Garza has found himself slowly falling out of the rotation. Before this game against the Bucks, the last time Garza got real meaningful minutes in a game was on February 8th against the New York Knicks when he played 15 minutes.

However, with Queta out and Vucevic in the starting lineup, Garza was able to be the backup center in this game and he stayed ready. He finished with 7 points and 10 rebounds on 3-6 shooting in 20 minutes of play. He was a big reason as to why the Celtics were able to dominate Milwaukee on the glass and in the paint, using his physicality to get underneath the basket with ease. My favorite play of the night was his turnaround hook shot after bodying Myles Turner.

8. Nikola Vucevic First Celtics Start

For the first time in his Celtics career, Nikola Vucevic was named as a starter with Brown and Queta out. This is a role he was familiar with over the course of his NBA career, and he played a pretty solid game, finishing with 10 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds on 5-12 shooting. He was the primary defender on Giannis for most of the night and did a great job of controlling Antetokounmpo in the paint, even getting a block on him.

His passing was the biggest story for me in this game. Vucevic did a great job with handoffs when he set a screen and also made a few nice cross-court passes. I have been incredibly surprised with his passing ability since he’s come to Boston and he continues to show it off in games like tonight.

9. C’s Spoil Giannis Return

After weeks of trade rumors, flip-flopping emotions, and prediction market partnerships, Giannis Antetokounmpo suited up for the Milwaukee Bucks for the first time since January 23rd. In a game where Boston was missing two key players, you would think Giannis would be able to wild against the Celtics but that wasn’t necessarily the case.

He finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds on 7-18 shooting from the field and 0-2 shooting from three while missing his final 7 shots in a row. He was able to get his typical baskets from time to time by ramming his way to the basket but the Celtics did an incredible job building the wall and making every shot a difficult look. Out of any team in the NBA, I would say the Celtics have historically done the best job when defending Giannis and even with different and depleted personnel, they still found a way to get the job done.

10. Coaching Masterclass

What more can you say about the brilliance of Joe Mazzulla. This game was a perfect representation of why he needs to win Coach of the Year. He ran a starting lineup of White-Gonzalez-Scheierman-Hauser-Vucevic, a lineup that had never seen the floor together and dominated Milwaukee on the road. This was the 7th time the Celtics have won a game on the road by 20+ points and the 13th time this season.

Tonight marked Boston's 7th road win by 20+ points and its 13th such win overall this season.

— Celtics Stats (@celtics_stats) March 3, 2026

This game is a testament to Joe Mazzulla and the entire coaching staff spending tons of hours in Celtics University drilling the players heads with information, it is a testament to Brad Stevens and the front office for identifying these players for the system, and it is a testament to the Celtics players as a whole for always being ready to play their roles when called upon. This game was another great team win a season full of incredible team wins.

The Houston Rockets built up a big lead against the Washington Wizards, and then they had hold on towards the end and a fourth-quarter rally by the Wiz, finishing the game with a 123-118 victory.

The Rockets were led by Alperen Sengun, who finished witgh 32 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and a block, but he did turn the ball over 8 times. Sengun shot 12-for-20 from the field. Houston also got 30 from Kevin Durant, who also had 7 rebounds, but he also racked up 6 turnover, making 14 between KD and Alpie out of the Rockets 20 total turnovers. .

And this was with good play by a point guard. Reed Sheppard had his first career double-double. He played 42 minutes, finishing with 19 points on 7-for-18 from the floor, 4-for-11 from deep, to go with 7 rebounds, 10 assists, 6 steals and 2 blocks for a monster stat line for Reed. Of course, in the post game, coach Ime Udoka mentioned that he expects Jabari Smith Jr. to be back soon and Reed to head back to the bench, but that’s a convo for another day.

Amne Thompson also pitched in 22 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists on 10-for-15 shooting, to round things out for the Rockets.

The Wizards were led by Bilal Coulibali, who finished with 23 points, and Sharife Cooper who had 21. Trae Young was also ejected from the Wizards bench, while Tari Eason was ejected for the Rockets. That gave Dorian Finney-Smith for Houston 27 minutes of playing time.

The Rockets move to 38-22 on the season and still sit in third place in the Western Conference, while the Wizards fall to 16-44 on the year. The Rockets are now off until Thursday, when they will return to action against their arch nemesis the Golden State Warriors.

Warriors' Al Horford co-signs Luke Kornet's Atlanta Hawks ‘Magic City' plea originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors center Al Horford showed support for former Boston Celtics teammate Luke Kornet.

Kornet, now with the San Antonio Spurs, posted an article on his personal Medium blog on Monday titled ‘Concerning the Atlanta Hawks,’ where he criticized Atlanta’s “Magic City Monday” promotional night on March 16, which is a “special one-night collaboration to celebrate the city’s iconic cultural institution Magic City,” which is an Atlanta-based adult entertainment venue.

Magic on a Monday? 👀 @MagicCitypic.twitter.com/xwWrGyVE20

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 26, 2026

“The NBA should desire to protect and esteem women, many of whom work diligently every day to make this the best basketball league in the world,” Kornet wrote. “We should promote an atmosphere that is protective and respectful of the daughters, wives, sisters, mothers, and partners that we know and love.

“Allowing this night to go forward without protest would reflect poorly on us as an NBA community, specifically in being complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women in our society.”

“Regardless of how a woman finds her way into the adult entertainment industry, many in this space experience abuse, harassment, and violence to which they should never be subjected.

“I’d like to encourage the league, its owners, employees and fans to hold the Atlanta Hawks to a higher standard of what they find worthy of promoting.”

Magic City widely is regarded by locals as a significant cultural institution in Atlanta and is deeply connected to the city’s music and nightlife scene, with many locals believing it serves as much more than just an adult entertainment venue.

Horford, who was teammates with Korent for three-plus seasons in Boston, co-signed the fellow big man’s message.

Well said Luke. pic.twitter.com/pGHxezOC1b

— Al Horford (@Al_Horford) March 3, 2026

The Hawks, at the time of this writing, have not responded publicly to Kornet’s plea.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Minutes after his team lost to Michigan last month, Purdue coach Matt Painter offered a mildly spicy prediction that almost could be interpreted as a national championship pick.

“They ain't losing four games,” Painter said of Michigan.

Maybe not, but days later, Michigan lost its second game to fellow frontrunner Duke and surrendered the No. 1 ranking.

Toppmeyer: Arizona is 'scary' good, but can it outrun history of March Madness flops?

March Madness power rankings: Ranking top 20 teams based on odds

The point here is not to question the Wolverines’ excellence, but only to say that even the most robust college basketball teams are not immune to defeat. It only takes one off night or one great performance from an opponent to get bounced from March Madness.

Undefeated mid-major Miami (Ohio) is the nation’s only team without at least two losses.

As we sit one week away from the major conference tournaments tipping off, four teams have established themselves as national championship frontrunners: Michigan, Duke, Arizona and Florida. And still, the list of national championship contenders runs deeper than that.

Here are two teams from each of the five major conferences that could contend for the national championship, plus one familiar wild card from outside the power leagues.

Note: This is not a complete list of national championship contenders, because some conferences (the Big 12, in particular), have more than two teams that could play into April.

ACC

Best bet: Duke

Duke just smoked Virginia, the ACC's second-place team, by 26 points. The Blue Devils’ wall of pelts includes Michigan, Florida and Michigan State. The big question: Will youth prevail? Freshman Cameron Boozer and sophomores Isaiah Evans and Patrick Ngongba II power Duke. They must challenge the theory old teams win in March.

One more to consider: North Carolina

The Tar Heels recovered well after a rough January. They own wins against Duke and Virginia. Caleb Wilson is a member of a sensational freshman class across the nation. He can go for 20-plus points on any given night.

Big East

Best bet: UConn

If you subscribe to the basketball belief of “get old, stay old,” then you’ll love UConn. Alex Karaban has started 140 games, all for UConn, a throwback in this portal era. Add in Solo Ball, Tarris Reed Jr. and Silas Demary Jr., and you get a veteran lineup full double-digit scorers. Oh, one more thing: Dan Hurley is 15-5 in NCAA Tournament games.

One more to consider: St. John’s

The Big East isn’t very deep, and including Rick Pitino’s team among championship contenders is a stretch. But, the Red Storm are hot, winners of 14 of their past 15, and Zuby Ejiofor is a fabulous stat-stuffer.

Big Ten

Best bet: Michigan

Dusty May can flat-out coach, and his Wolverines can ball. To build an all-transfer team, you wouldn’t need to look much beyond Michigan. Yaxel Lendeborg, a sixth-year senior by way of UAB, shines brightest on this team that's forged from the portal. Michigan’s dominant resume points to a team with a real chance to end the Big Ten’s national championship drought, ongoing since 2000 Michigan State.

One more to consider: Illinois

Call them the "Balkan Boys," and Brad Underwood’s Euro-Illini score with the best of them. They've reached 90 points in eight games. Of course, they lost two of those games, which says something of their streaky defense. The Illini won 12 straight during a midseason hot streak. It’s possible they peaked too soon.

Big 12

Best bet: Arizona

Arizona has a reputation for being something of a March Madness bust. Despite persistent lofty seeds, it last reached the Final Four in 2001 under Lute Olson. Put history aside, and you’ll see a team with tremendous balance and a deep list of marquee victories. Arizona shines amid the nation’s toughest conference. No team is more battle-tested.

One more to consider: Houston

Kelvin Sampson ranks among the best active coaches to never win a national championship. He almost changed that last season. Houston stands out within a deep Big 12 for its mix of veterans who’ve been through March Madness fires (Emanuel Sharp, Milos Uzan and Joseph Tugler), plus freshman dynamo Kingston Flemings.

SEC

Best bet: Florida

The Gators are scalding hot and full of swamp swagger. It’s past time to take seriously their repeat potential. They’re blowing out their SEC competition, and although they lost to Arizona, Duke and UConn in nonconference play, those were down-to-the-wire games. Led by Thomas Haugh, Florida has six guys who can go off for double digits.

One more to consider:Alabama

A funny thing happened after a judge decided former pro basketball player Charles Bediako couldn’t keep playing for Alabama: The Tide stopped losing. Never mind ex-pros, Alabama will go as far as 20-year-old Labaron Philon Jr. takes it. The Tide are streaky and a bit deficient on the interior, but when they get hot, this team can blow past 100 points.

Non-power conference wild card

Best bet: Gonzaga

Mark Few joins Sampson from Houston on a Mount Rushmore of best coaches without a national championship. Veteran big man Graham Ike fuels the engine. Truthfully, Gonzaga profiles more as a Sweet 16 team than a top-shelf national championship contender. But, hey, this is March, and the Zags need no introduction to the bracket-buster role.

Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness national title contenders don't stop at Duke, Michigan