In his first NBA start against the Sacramento Kings, the rookie guard dropped 30 points on 66.7-percent shooting from the field and 62.5 percent from 3-point range, with seven rebounds, three assists and one steal in 35 minutes.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr explained how Richard’s big night — and convincing start to his NBA career — could impact the organization’s plans for the former second-round draft pick.
“Will fits in perfectly with everything I’m discussing right now,” Kerr said Thurday on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs.” “The turnovers, the decision-making, the spacing, the ability to dribble, pass and shoot — those four things lead to good decision-making as a team, as a group. I can draw a play out of a timeout and put Will in any one of the five positions. So when you get guys like this that provide really solid play and stability, this is what has made our team go around Steph [Curry] and Draymond [Green].
“I’ve said this to you guys a million times. Who are those stabilizers in our run over the last decade? It’s Andre Iguodala. It’s Shaun Livingston. It’s David West. You need them at different positions because Steph and Dray need stability around them to get them organized and to help them navigate the game and to get Steph the ball.
“So Will Richard checks all those boxes. The whole team, the whole organization, recognizes this — which means everybody’s on notice. Take care of the ball, because we’ve got people who will do that. And they’re ready to step in.”
Sounds like a message to others on the team to step up, or others, such as Richard, will.
Richard averaged 13.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game for the 2025 National Champions, and finished with a game-high 18 points on 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point range in the Gators’ championship win over Houston.
He looked like a steal early in camp for the Warriors, and that remains to be the case to Kerr.
“You don’t really expect to see this from the [56th] pick,” Kerr said. “But what we’ve seen since the start of camp. What a steal. What an incredible pick by Mike Dunleavy and the scouting department.”
LeBron James is getting closer to a return to the court for the Lakers, but it is still at least a week or two away.
LeBron, who has been dealing with sciatica on his right side since before the start of training camp, has been cleared for contact and will be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks, the Lakers announced on Thursday. He will not travel with the team on its upcoming five-game road trip, which starts in Atlanta on Saturday (he could practice with the South Bay Lakers G-League team during that time). The Lakers' next home game is on Nov. 18 against the Utah Jazz. All of this fits with the long-planned return for LeBron in mid-November.
Sciatica is pain, often accompanied by weakness or numbness, along one side of the body due to pressure on the sciatic nerve (which runs from the lower back through the hips and down the leg to the feet). That pressure on the nerve is often caused by a herniated disc in the lower back, but other things (such as a bone spur) can cause the pressure as well. Recovery usually involves rest, specific stretches and exercises, and should not be rushed for fear of re-injury.
The Lakers don't need to rush as they have started fast without LeBron, going 7-2 with a top-10 offense in the league. That start is due to a historic opening of the season from Luka Doncic (who is averaging 40 points a game through five games), as well as strong play from Austin Reaves and role players such as Deandre Ayton.
LeBron, 40, will make history when he steps on the court, becoming the first player to take part in 23 NBA seasons. The NBA's all-time leading scorer continues to contribute at a high level — he was a second-team All-NBA player for the Lakers last season, averaging 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds a game.
A Florida home owned by Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue received a call around 4:30 a.m. about a fire at a residence in Coral Gables. More than 20 units were dispatched and "found fire that was as tall as the trees," according to MDFR battalion chief Victoria Byrd.
“On arrival, units found a fully engulfed house on fire, including a partial collapse of the roof," Byrd said in a video released by the fire department. "Units were able to quickly extinguish the fire; however, the fire took over control [of] most of the house. There were no reported injuries, no fatalities, and the fire is under investigation.”
Byrd told reporters on the scene that no other structures in the area were affected by the fire.
According to the fire department, no one was home during the fire. Spoelstra had coached the Heat in Denver on Wednesday night. The team's charter flight to Miami landed at 5:11 a.m. Thursday and Spoelstra arrived at the home soon after.
Video footage shows Spoelstra walking around outside the property, at times holding his head in his hands in disbelief, as firefighters worked to contain the flames. Heat assistant coach Chris Quinn is said to have arrived on the scene at some point as well.
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra heads to the locker room after a 122-112 loss to the Nuggets on Wednesday night in Denver. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
Spoelstra bought the five-bedroom home in December 2023, according to property records, and later did extensive work on the property. WPLG-TV in Miami reported that a neighbor said the home had been under renovation for more than a year and that Spoelstra had recently hosted a large party in the backyard.
"We used multiple aerial apparatuses, fire engines and rescues to help combat this incident," Byrd said. "Due to the privacy wall and a lot of the tree cover, it was very difficult to access, with only one point of entry. The men and women from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue were able to extinguish this fire and do the best job that they could."
Spoelstra, 55, has coached the Heat since 2008, taking the team to the NBA Finals five times and winning championships in 2012 and 2013, both times with the superstar trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Spoelstra signed an eight-year, $120-million contract extension with the Heat last year and recently was named as coach of the U.S. men's basketball team for the 2027 World Cup in Qatar and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
The Coral Gables home of Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was destroyed by fire early Thursday morning while Spoelstra was flying back from Denver with the team.
Nobody was injured in the home, which was unoccupied at the time, and the fire did not spread to other nearby homes, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Victoria Byrd said in a televised press conference. The 911 call about the house came in at 4:46 a.m. and, upon arrival, firefighters found "two structures on the property fully involved" in the fire, adding that the flames were "as tall as the trees."
"Due to the privacy wall and a lot of the tree cover, it was very difficult to access, with only one point of entry," Byrd said.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue distributed these photos of the blaze at Heat coach Erik Spoelstra’s home this morning. The fire is out, hotspots are being monitored and nobody was hurt. pic.twitter.com/bmjWDGH5zG
Spoelstra and the Heat players were flying back from Denver, where they had lost earlier in the evening, and didn't land in Miami until after 5 a.m. Spoelstra raced home and was seen "walking around the outside of the property as the fire continued, sometimes stopping and holding his head in disbelief," reports the Associated Press.
Property records show Spoelstra purchased the home in December 2023 and had extensive work done to upgrade the property.
Spoelstra is in his 18th season as head coach of the Miami Heat, having led the franchise to six NBA Finals appearances, winning two in 2012 and 2013. He was recently named the next head coach of USA Basketball for the upcoming FIBA World Cup and Los Angeles Olympics cycle. The Heat do not play on Thursday and are home Friday night against the Charlotte Hornets.
Injuries are already impacting the fantasy basketball landscape in Week 4. Finding the right waiver wire pickups is crucial for success. We're targeting players capitalizing on new opportunities, like Jaime Jaquez and Jusuf Nurkic, who are seeing more minutes. This article breaks down the top 5 fantasy basketball adds, all rostered in fewer than 40% of leagues, who can provide immediate value as streaming targets or high-upside stashes. Let's find your next league-winner.
NBA Fantasy Waiver Wire Adds
Jaime Jaquez, Miami Heat (39% rostered)
With Tyler Herro continuing to work his way back after a preseason injury, Miami is being forced to hand certain players additional minutes. Following a strong rookie campaign, Jaquez scaled back his production last season and was not really on the standard league radar heading into the 2025-26 campaign. However, as fate would have it, he has been the biggest beneficiary when it comes to both playing time and production. He has scored at least 20 points in three of the past five games, playing close to starter's minutes despite coming off the bench. Through eight games, he is averaging 17.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 0.9 steals in 29.1 minutes per contest, good enough for top 90 value in standard formats. The shooting is likely unsustainable, and Herro will return at some point. For now, however, he should be rostered in just about every league.
Jusuf Nurkic, Utah Jazz (29% rostered)
Speaking of unforeseen opportunities, Nurkic might be the poster child for that discussion following a season-ending shoulder injury to Walker Kessler. Kessler lasted just five games before being forced to go under the knife, meaning Nurkic is the next cab off the rank, so to speak. He has now started the past three games, having played at least 30 minutes in each of the past two. While his scoring is likely to be inconsistent, he can be an elite source of rebounds, while also providing out-of-position assists and a smattering of defensive stats. In three games as a starter, he is averaging 6.7 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.0 steals. His value could certainly have a shelf life, especially if the Jazz opt to lean into Kyle Filipowski at some point. For now, Nurkic simply needs to be rostered in all leagues, in what can only be described as an act now, think later situation.
Isaiah Stewart, Detroit Pistons (27% rostered)
We will almost certainly reach a point where Stewart is nothing more than a possible streaming candidate. However, that point is not now. Despite playing as the primary backup behind Jalen Duren, Stewart has found a way to be a consistent producer, especially on the defensive end. In eight games played, he is averaging 11.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 1.3 three-pointers. While his overall numbers have been inflated by the fact that he has started the past two games, it's fair to say that Stewart has been a pleasant surprise thus far. Tobias Harris is currently sidelined due to an ankle injury, resulting in the short-term promotion for Stewart. That will obviously come to an end at some point in the near future, but for now, Stewart shouldn't really be floating around on too many waiver wires.
Isaiah Jackson, Indiana Pacers (18% rostered)
Seen as a potential breakout candidate coming into the season, Jackson was a popular target late in drafts. Despite being handed the starting role, Jackson's role was largely underwhelming to begin the campaign, playing no more than 15 minutes in each of the first four games. This resulted in him being dropped in a number of leagues, and rightfully so. However, things have taken a turn in recent times, having now played at least 20 minutes in four straight games. During that span, he has averaged 12.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.3 combined steals and blocks, highlighted by a 21-and-10 performance in a loss to the Bucks. While there are certainly no guarantees when it comes to the center rotation in Indiana, now might be the time to take a chance on Jackson, just in case he can distance himself from the competition.
Josh Minott, Boston Celtics (16% rostered)
Minott has provided managers with plenty of headaches already, likely having been on and off waivers across most leagues. Following a strong preseason, the hope was that Minott would finally get an opportunity to prove himself on the big stage. However, those hopes were dashed early in the piece, averaging 4.0 points and 1.0 steals in 9.3 minutes per game over the first three contests. The Celtics lost all three of those games, forcing a change in the starting lineup. Enter Minott. He has since started in six straight games, averaging 10.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 three-pointers in 22.25 minutes per game. Although his playing time remains inconsistent, he has proven to be somewhat of a measuring stick when it comes to Boston's overall energy. Assuming you can absorb the lows, Minott should be picked up everywhere.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic drives to the hoop under pressure from Spurs guard Devin Vassell at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The only way that game could have ended was with a free throw.
Thanks to two missed free throws from San Antonio’s Julian Champagnie with 0.2 seconds remaining, the Lakerssurvived 118-116 Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs in a disjointed game that dragged on for nearly three hours and included 66 total fouls and 84 free throws.
The Lakers (7-2) won their fifth consecutive game, fighting through exhaustion from playing in their third game in four days and a short rotation without guard Austin Reaves. At halftime, players and coaches acknowledged how tired they felt. Coach JJ Redick said when he woke up at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday “it was like a bus had hit me.”
But the team that still hasn’t approached its fully healthy form rallied in a way that continued to impress its coach.
“Our group is so connected right now,” Redick said. “We were able to get back together and there was no quitting, there was no splintering.”
Here are three takeaways from the game:
Defense wins championships
Marcus Smart couldn’t believe the stat line. Five steals and two blocks for who?
“Lukaaaaa,” Smart said, elongating Luka Doncic’s name while smiling toward his star teammate who was sitting with his feet in an ice bucket with ice bags wrapped around his knees.
Doncic matched his career high for steals in a regular-season game Wednesday. The guard averaging 40 points per game claimed his defense was the only thing he did well on a night when he finished one rebound short of a triple-double. While collecting 35 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, he was an inefficient nine for 27 from the field and four for 11 from three. He missed four free throws, turned the ball over four times and, after picking up his fifth foul with 7:58 remaining in the fourth, nearly fouled out.
The last fact took Rui Hachimura by surprise.
“I've never seen him like that,” Hachimura said. “But you know, he's trying to be more aggressive [on defense] and that's what we need from him, too.”
Redick said Doncic had a few games when he started slow defensively in terms of physicality and engagement, but has been overall “really good” this season. Even when he was switched on to Spurs star Victor Wembanyama or point guard Stephon Castle, Doncic still competed well.
“There wasn't matador defense,” Redick said. “He still guarded. And that was huge. The reason we won the game is because we guarded in the fourth quarter. Our fourth-quarter defense was the No. 1 reason we won the game."
The Lakers limited the Spurs to 36.8% shooting from the field during the fourth quarter while forcing six turnovers. Wembanyama was held to 19 points on labored five-for-14 shooting with eight rebounds. He was nine for 11 on free throws and fouled out with 1:40 remaining when he bowled over Hachimura.
Hachimura delivers the plays of the game
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, right, celebrates with coach JJ Redick during the second half of Wednesday's game. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Redick credited Hachimura with the two biggest plays of the game. Besides drawing Wembanyama’s sixth foul, Hachimura also hit a three-pointer off a Doncic assist that put the Lakers up by two with 5:15 remaining. Redick said it exemplified Hachimura’s unique ability to go long stretches seemingly without even touching the ball but still making key shots.
“Somehow mentally, I have to be kind of ready for the moment,” Hachimura said. “... But I think that comes with patience and my mindset to be ready for the moment.”
Hachimura is one of just three Lakers players who have played in all nine games this season as the Lakers have rolled out seven different starting lineups. He finished with 15 points, including two made three-pointers that came in critical situations. He put the Lakers up by one with 4:57 remaining in the second quarter as the team erased a 10-point first-half deficit. A double team pinned Doncic close to the baseline and the guard nearly hopped out of bounds while slinging a one-handed pass over his head to Hachimura, who splashed the shot.
The Spurs called a timeout. Doncic approached Hachimura and bowed to him in appreciation.
"He told me I didn't pass him the ball today, so I got to do that more," Doncic said jokingly. "No, jokes aside, I think he's been amazing. Just staying ready in the moment. And he's a great guy, too. So that kind of people you want to have on your team and the start he's having, it's very underrated and we need him to keep going."
LeBron James progressing, Lakers play it safe with Austin Reaves
Reaves missed his second consecutive game with right groin soreness, but the Lakers got positive news on LeBron James, who has progressed to contact basketball activity, the team announced Thursday.
Four weeks after being diagnosed with sciatica in his right side, James will be re-evaluated by team physicians in one to two weeks, the team added. The 40-year-old superstar hasn’t played this season and was limited to only individual work during training camp.
The timeline for James’ potential return could have him out for at least six more games, including an upcoming five-game trip beginning in Atlanta on Saturday.
Redick hopes Reaves can return to play the Hawks, which would be six days since he was injured during the first quarter against the Miami Heat.
But “we’re not going to put him at risk,” Redick emphasized.
“It was the right decision, both from him and from performance, to hold him out tonight,” Redick said. “Those injuries, or a further injury on that, is hard. I've had 'em. I've had surgery, we're trying to be safe with him.”
Reaves participated fully in shootaround on Wednesday before the game and even got an extra workout after the morning session to test his injury, but was held out after consultation from staff and trainers.
The Warriors will be without their best player for the second consecutive game.
Superstar Steph Curry will not play in Friday’s contest against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena as he continues to recover from an illness that sidelined him for the Warriors’ 121-116 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center.
Golden State forwards Jimmy Butler (lower back) and Draymond Green (rib), who also missed Wednesday’s game, are listed as questionable and probable, respectively.
Steph Curry will not play tomorrow against the Nuggets in Denver. Remains out with an illness. Symptoms worsened yesterday. Jimmy Butler is questionable to return. Draymond Green is probable.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr told 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” on Thursday that barring a last-second change, Curry will not travel with the Warriors to Denver after he did not travel with the team to Sacramento on Wednesday.
Without its three veteran stars on Wednesday, young players like Will Richard, Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga stepped up big for Golden State against Sacramento, and might have to again against Denver on Friday.
However, the Warriors at least should have Green back, and potentially Butler.
The Washington Wizards may not command your attention when you scan the NBA standings and find them sitting at 1-7 on the season, but it takes only a few minutes of watching them on the court to see the abundance of promise on this roster. Through the first eight games, none of those promising young players has demanded our attention quite like Kyshawn George.
The 21-year-old former 24th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft has emerged as an early candidate for Most Improved Player. After averaging 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.0 steals per game on 37.2% from the field in 26.5 minutes per game as a rookie, few people expected George to come into the 2025-26 season and lead the Wizards' offense in the way that he has.
Through eight games, George is averaging 16.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 53.2% from the field and playing 31.1 minutes per game. His 21.3% usage rate is the third-highest among Washington's starters and puts him right on the same level as players like Amen Thompson, Ryan Rollins, and Aaron Gordon, which speaks to George's prominent role within the offense. A role that, this season, has also placed George as the hub of offense on the perimeter way more than he was last season.
"Growing up, I've always been a point guard," said the 6'8" George. "It's only been the last couple of years that I kind of transitioned to being able to play the wing. I always kept the point guard skills. I've always been able to read the game really well and just make the right decision from there. So they've given me the opportunity to run the pick and roll more, and I'm just taking advantage of it."
With George running the pick-and-roll, the Wizards average 1.06 points per possession, which is 22nd among all pick and roll ballhandlers in the NBA, just below Dyson Daniels and ahead of players like Julius Randle and Paolo Banchero. The Wizards score on 48% of the possessions where George is used as a pick-and-roll ballhander, and he ranks in the 80th percentile in the NBA for his effectiveness in that role.
Part of his success in the pick-and-roll game is due to his work in the offseason.
"He's getting in the paint more to put pressure on the rim," said Wizards head coach Brian Keefe. "Just the work that he's put in during the offseason on his game, but also his body, so he's been able to absorb contact and been able to attack more. It's been great."
George has good lateral quickness, but he's larger than most point guards, so he doesn't have the lightning-quick first step or shiftiness that smaller players might have. Being able to figure out the right angles to attack the basket at and also improve his ability to finish through contact has been instrumental for him.
"I definitely worked on [finishing through contact] this summer," admitted George. "I mean, I was working the whole summer, basically, and there are definitely strides I took in the weight room with just lifting weights in general, and getting stronger and using my body to the best of my ability."
With that stronger body and summer of work behind him, George has focused on being "super aggressive in general" this season. Through his first eight games, he is averaging almost 10 drives per game this season, after averaging just over four last year. He's also shooting 59.3% on those drives this year, with nearly 64% of his points overall coming when he drives to the basketball.
"It's definitely a confidence thing," explained George. "The coaches emphasized that I was showing flashes of it last year, but I think it's just taking a step in how aggressive I could be. I think there's even a bigger step to be taken, but just, you know, causing havoc offensively, being able to get into the paint, make the defense collapse, and then make the right read from there."
Making the right read was something that George feels he struggled with last year. Despite seeing himself as a "positionless" player in a league that is largely positionless, George went into the off-season determined to improve in his ability as a facilitator. Last year, in pick and roll situaitons specifically, George had a nearly 20% turnover rate. This season, he has cut that down to 16%. On drives in general, George has a 5.3% turnover rate this season, down from 7% last year. Overall, his assist rate this season is 20.4%, which is a sizable jump up from his 13.3% mark last year.
"We noticed last year I was getting into the paint, and I was kind of indecisive when I got in there," explained George before Wednesday's game. "I just worked on my decision-making once I got into the paint...I see myself as a creator, either for myself or the team, and just being able to get us a good shot every possession."
Sometimes, the good shot that the Wizards can get comes with George launching from beyond the arc. Last year, that was not such a beneficial strategy. George took 5.2 three-pointers per game last year but converted at just a 32.2% clip. It was yet another aspect of his game that George focused on during the off-season, and he has been shooting the lights out early on, knocking down an absurd 53.8% of his shots from deep while still taking 5.6 three-pointers per game.
George attributes that growth to "reps over the off-season, and also discipline. I'm kind of a feel shooter, and I'm just adding the discipline part to it. Being able to hold my follow-through to try to keep it as consistent as possible. Just digging into the details of shooting and being able to be super consistent with that."
The detail-oriented approach to his game has become a central focus for George. He uses the word "intentionality" often when he speaks and makes sure he has a clear purpose behind every action that he performs, even in a practice setting.
"It's just a lot of adjustments," he explained about his growth as a shooter, "and making sure I'm not taking any shot for granted. I'm making sure that I'm really sticking and putting in meaningful reps every time I shoot. Not necessarily staying five hours in the gym and shooting a gazillion shots. Being able to get maybe a smaller amount, but game reps with really high intentionality."
That detail-oriented mindset has carried over on the defensive side of the ball. After posting a 115.5 defensive rating last year, he has registered a 117.7 mark this year, which is 38th in all of basketball among starters. "He's really an all-around player," said Coach Keefe." You know, over a block a game, over a steal game. He just continues to make these incremental gains."
For George, the biggest factor in his defensive improvements this season has been from getting more reps. The more experience he has on the court, the more time he has to pay attention to the details of what his opponents are doing and use that to improve his own game.
"I have more experience," he said plainly when asked about his defensive growth. "I just know what kind of actions are going on. I know what players like to do...Just playing against them, you see more reps and experience. Then, watching the games or watching individual players, you learn a lot from what they want to do, and you could also add that to your personal game...Just that overall experience. And then, it's just trying to win the matchup every time on the floor, not letting anybody score easily. Just playing basketball at the end of the day."
Pride in aggressive defense is one of the hallmarks of this young Wizards team. Players like Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, Khris Middleton, and Bilal Coulibaly all rank ahead of George in defensive rating so far this season. As the second-youngest team in the NBA, with an average age of 23.8 years old, the Wizards want to hound you on the perimeter, speed you up, and then take the ball and sprint down the court in the other direction. Heading into Wednesday's game, they are 3rd in the NBA in pace and have no intention of slowing down.
"We’re going to play with that pace because we think that’s going to lead to us being a successful team," said Coach Keefe. "We’re a pretty deep team. That’s hard to handle when we’re really moving the ball like that. You can see that, at times. It’s got to get more consistent. That’s what we’re trying to work on every day to grow for our team.”
That path for growth, both for George and the Wizards, is easy to see. With George, Coulibaly, former 2nd overall pick Alex Sarr, former 14th overall pick Bub Carrington, and this year's 6th overall pick Tre Johnson, the Wizards have an athletic and promising core of players who are all under 21 years old. With Sarr also having a breakout season, Coulibaly recently returning from injury, andTre Johnson in the top 10 among rookies in points, rebounds, and steals per game, this Wizards team has all the makings of a group that could start the season feisty but unsuccessful and then work their way into being a team nobody wants to play in the second half of the year.
Still, even with a potentially bright future on the horizon, both personally and for his team, George is trying to keep a more immediate mindset.
"You just stay focused on the day-to-day," he said when asked about his thoughts on the outlook for his young team. "Just being intentional with everything you do. You trust that, with the work you're putting in, the intentionality you have every day, the results are gonna come. Yeah, it's tough sometimes, but you got to make sure that your focus is on the right thing, and that you just keep stacking days."
So how does George feel about the days he has stacked so far this season? "I think I'm going in the right direction, but there's way more to be done." It's a sentiment that his head coach shares: "There is no ceiling for a player like [George]."
Now that he has our attention, it's time to see just how high Kyshawn George and these young Wizards can go.
LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant have posted first-ballot Hall of Fame resumes on the court with a combined 10 NBA titles, seven MVPs and 43 All-NBA team selections. The numbers off the court are even more stunning.
The trio’s estimated career earnings from salaries and endorsements will hit $3.7 billion by season’s end, with Curry and Durant joining their longtime rival in an exclusive club: the only NBA players to earn $1 billion in salary and endorsements while still active (Michael Jordan hit $1 billion after his retirement). It’s a threshold that only six non-NBA players hit during their careers: Tiger Woods, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Roger Federer, Phil Mickelson and Floyd Mayweather.
For the 2025-26 season, James reclaimed his crown as the NBA’s highest-paid player at $132.6 million, including an estimated $80 million off the court. James was the NBA’s top earner for 11 straight seasons before Curry finished on top last year at $156 million. The Golden State Warriors point guard’s endorsement earnings got a one-time boost from his Under Armour contract extension. Kobe Bryant in 2012-13 was the last player to finish ahead of LeBron before Curry last season.
While James will make more than any other basketball player this season, his $52.6 million Lakers salary once again trails many of his fellow All-Stars. It ranks No. 12 overall for the 2025-26 season. James has had the top salary only once (2016-17) during his 23-year career. At $59.6 million, Curry has the top playing salary for the ninth straight year.
James’ off-court earnings have exceeded his team salary since he was drafted first overall in 2003 and joined the Cleveland Cavaliers armed with a $90 million Nike deal, plus sponsor deals with Coca-Cola and Upper Deck. Nike remains his biggest backer, with his current “lifetime” deal signed in 2015 worth more than $1 billion, according to his longtime business manager, Maverick Carter.
James’ new brand partners this year include Richard Mille and Barbie-maker Mattel; in April, he became the first pro athlete to have a Ken doll. In March, Amazon signed a multiyear deal for James’ digital series, Mind the Game, which will be distributed across several Amazon properties.
The 20 highest-paid NBA players will earn a combined $1.4 billion, up 2% versus last year. The off-court earnings represent 29% of the total, and James is the only one to make more from his brand partners than his NBA team.
NBA salaries have skyrocketed as revenues rose, and players are entitled to 51% of the pie. Sixty NBA players are set to earn at least $30 million this year in salary, versus 35 in the NFL and 13 in MLB.
Sportico estimated off-court earnings for the 2025-26 season through conversations with those familiar with NBA endorsement deals. Also included are royalties from sneaker deals, as well as earnings from memorabilia, appearances, media and businesses tied to their celebrity. We exclude investment income unless it is connected to an endorsement agreement. The figures are all before taxes and any agent fees.
The salaries are base salaries for the season and do not include any playoff bonuses or incentives—most of these players are on max-level contracts, which don’t include incentives. We also did not deduct the 10% escrow payments withheld from contracts, which ensures the proper revenue split as outlined in the collective bargaining agreement. The league retained 9.1% of the $5.3 billion in player contracts from the 2024-25 season, but players are likely to keep most, if not all, of their 2025-26 salaries with the league’s new 11-year, $76 billion TV contracts kicking in.
1. LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers): $132.6 million
Salary: $52.6 million | Endorsements: $80 million | Age: 40
This season marks James’ 23rd NBA campaign, and he has been selected for 21 All-NBA teams, six more than any other player in the history of the game. The longevity and dominance will push his career earnings to $1.7 billion by season’s end, on par with Messi for fourth all-time, behind Jordan, Woods and Ronaldo.
2. Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors): $109.6 million
Salary: $59.6 million | Endorsements: $50 million | Age: 37
Curry’s business interests. which are housed under Thirty Ink, include Unanimous Media, Gentleman’s Cut Bourbon and Underrated Golf and Basketball. His other brand partners are Under Armour, Google, Chase, Rakuten and Fanatics. Curry remains a lethal shooter with the highest free throw percentage in the history of the NBA, and his 4,093 career 3-pointers made are more than 800 ahead of second-ranked James Harden.
3. Kevin Durant (Houston Rockets): $103.3 million
Salary: $53.3 million | Endorsements: $50 million | Age: 37
KD signed a two-year contract worth $90 million with the Rockets after he was traded this summer from the Phoenix Suns. The deal was a $30 million discount on the max contract Durant was eligible for, and it gives Houston room to bolster its roster and avoid the NBA’s second apron. It pushed his career playing salary, including money owed, to nearly $600 million, the highest in NBA history.
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks): $99.1 million
Salary: $54.1 million | Endorsements: $45 million | Age: 30
Antetokounmpo is under contract with the Bucks through the 2026-27 season with a player option for the following year, but his potential departure from Milwaukee is always an NBA storyline. The Bucks are doing everything they can to satisfy the two-time MVP, including nabbing Myles Turner from the Pacers via a four-year, $109 million deal and signing two of Giannis’ brothers, Thanasis and Alex, just ahead of the season start.
5. Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics): $72.1 million
Salary: $54.1 million | Endorsements: $18 million | Age: 27
Tatum will likely miss the entire 2025-26 season as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon suffered during the 2025 NBA playoffs. He’ll still collect his full salary, which is the first year of a five-year, $313 million contract that is the biggest in the history of the NBA. The Jordan Brand ambassador added Vertex Pharmaceuticals to his endorsement roster this year.
6. Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves): $65.6 million
Salary: $45.6 million | Endorsements: $20 million | Age: 24
Edwards is the youngest member of the NBA’s top-10 earners by more than two years, and one of the leaders to assume the face of the NBA moniker as the older guard nears retirement. Edwards led the Timberwolves to back-to-back Western Conference finals, and Adidas has pushed him hard in its marketing. Sprite, Fanatics, Chipotle, Bose, Hisense, Call of Duty and Panini are his other partners.
7. Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers): $65.2 million
Salary: $55.2 million | Endorsements: $10 million | Age: 31
Injuries have limited Embiid to 58 total games during the past two seasons after he won the league’s MVP award during the 2022-23 season. He has a three-year, $188 million contract extension that kicks in next season. Last year, Skechers added Embiid as an endorser in its goal to establish a basketball brand.
8. Jimmy Butler (Golden State Warriors): $65.1 million
Salary: $54.1 million | Endorsements: $11 million | Age: 36
In February, Butler signed a two-year, $111 million contract extension with the Warriors after he forced a trade from the Miami Heat. Alo launched its first shoe collaboration with Butler last month. The “recovery” shoe retails for $275.
9. Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets): $64.2 million
Salary: $55.2 million | Endorsements: $9 million | Age: 30
Jokic’s salary is tied with Embiid for the second-highest this season after Curry. He is eligible to sign a four-year extension next summer for $293 million. During the past five seasons, the Joker has won three NBA MVP awards and finished second the other two years.
10. Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns): $63.1 million
Salary: $53.1 million | Endorsements: $10 million | Age: 29
Booker, along with Durant and Bradley Beal, contributed to Suns owner Mat Ishbia paying $220 million in luxury tax penalties the past two seasons for the club’s high payrolls. But of that trio, Booker is the only one left in Phoenix. In July, Booker agreed to a two-year, $145 million contract extension with the franchise through the 2029-30 season at the highest annual salary in NBA history.
11. Luka Dončić (Los Angeles Lakers): $61 million
Salary: $46 million | Endorsements: $15 million | Age: 26
The Mavericks’ trade of the Serbian star to the Lakers rocked the sports world in February. In July, he agreed to a three-year, $165 million maximum contract extension through the 2027-28 season, eschewing a chance to test free agency next summer. Dončić was first team All-NBA five straight seasons before injuries curtailed his 2024-25 campaign.
12. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder): $58.3 million
Salary: $38.3 million | Endorsements: $20 million | Age: 27
SGA’s dream season included a league-high 32.7 points per game, NBA MVP award and NBA Finals MVP nod while leading the Thunder to their first title since moving to Oklahoma City. He signed a four-year contract extension that tips off with the 2027-28 season worth an estimated $273 million. On top of that, he signed an extension with Converse last year that made him the brand’s creative director of basketball.
13. Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks): $58.1 million
Salary: $53.1 million | Endorsements: $5 million | Age: 29
The Knicks acquired Towns from the Timberwolves just ahead of the 2024-25 season start, and he helped lead them to their first Eastern Conference final since 2000. He’s in the second season of a four-year, $220 million contract he originally signed with Minnesota.
14. Anthony Davis (Dallas Mavericks): $57.6 million
Salary: $54.1 million | Endorsements: $3.5 million | Age: 32
Davis was on the other end of the Dončić trade that ended his five-plus season run in Los Angeles. In 2023, the Lakers signed Davis to a three-year deal that was the richest NBA deal by average annual value at the time, with the $175 million pact kicking off this season. He ranks second in career blocks among active players, behind Brook Lopez.
15. Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers): $56.9 million
Salary: $46.4 million | Endorsements: $10.5 million | Age: 29
Mitchell finished fifth in last season’s MVP voting, as the Cavs won 64 regular-season games, their second-highest win total in franchise history. Mitchell has become an endorsement star with more than 10 partners, including Adidas, American Express, Bodyarmor and Skims.
16. Paul George (Philadelphia 76ers): $56.7 million
Salary: $51.7 million | Endorsements: $5 million | Age: 35
George missed 41 games during the 2024-25 season after joining the 76ers under a four-year, $211.6 million free agent contract. He no longer has a signature shoe with Nike but still works with the brand, in addition to Kinder, GALA Sports, Panini, SCUF and American Express.
17. Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers): $56.6 million
Salary: $45.6 million | Endorsements: $11 million | Age: 25
The All-Star point guard will sit out the 2025-26 season recovering from a torn Achilles tendon suffered during Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Thunder. Haliburton had been a Nike guy since he was drafted in 2020, but Puma signed him to a huge deal last year to be the face of the brand.
18. Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers): $56.5 million
Salary: $50 million | Endorsements: $6.5 million | Age: 34
Leonard’s endorsement deal with bankrupt environmentally focused financial services firm Aspiration has triggered an NBA investigation over potential salary cap violations by the Clippers, whose owner Steve Ballmer invested in the company. At $7 million per year, Leonard’s Aspiration sponsorship was worth more than his New Balance sneaker deal and almost every other player endorsement, outside of shoe deals.
19. Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons): $56.4 million
Salary: $46.4 million | Endorsements: $10 million | Age: 24
The Pistons finished above .500 last year for only the second time since the 2007-08 season. Cunningham was the main driver of the sharp turnaround with his 26 points per game and seventh-place finish in MVP voting. He’s built a deep roster of sponsors, led by Nike, that also includes Meta, 2K, Coinbase, Funko, The Sam Bernstein Law Firm, Daiya Foods and Impossible Foods.
20. James Harden (Los Angeles Clippers): $55.2 million
Salary: $39.2 million | Endorsements: $16 million | Age: 36
Harden made an All-NBA team last year for the first time since the 2019-20 season. The Clippers rewarded the 36-year-old point guard with a two-year, $81 million contract extension.
In the aftermath of the Celtics’ offseason roster overhaul, the question got asked ad nauseam: How would Boston rebuild its frontcourt after the departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet and Al Horford?
Now we know the answer: A whole lot of Neemias Queta and Josh Minott.
The Celtics are 4-2 since Minott elevated to a starting role alongside Queta, and even when the team has struggled to put together a complete 48 minutes, the numbers for the Queta-Minott combo have leaped off the page.
The Celtics have a +31.8 net rating in the 96 minutes that Minott and Queta have shared the floor this season. That includes eye-catching ratings on both the offensive (122.5) and defensive (90.7) ends of the floor. Of the 386 two-man lineups that have played at least 95 minutes this season, only the Miami frontcourt combo of Bam Adebayo and Jaime Jaquez Jr. has a better net rating (+32.4) than the Minott/Queta duo.
Boston has launched the 26-year-old Queta and the 22-year-old Minott into roles far beyond what’s been asked of them to this point in their NBA careers.
With 180 minutes played already, Minott soon will surpass the career-high 276 minutes he logged last season in Minnesota, and likely before his 23rd birthday arrives on November 25. Queta went from fourth on the Boston big-man depth chart last season to the clear-cut No. 1 big after the summer changes.
And while neither player has been perfect, they’ve thrived when paired together. Even as Celtics core starters Derrick White and Payton Pritchard have struggled to find their perimeter shots, the Minott version of Boston’s starting five has been among the most efficient combos in the NBA.
Of the 14 five-man lineups with at least 60 minutes together this season, the Celtics’ combo of Pritchard, White, Minott, Queta, and Jaylen Brown are outscoring opponents by a league-best 24.3 points per 100 possessions. That’s 3.5 points better than the next closest five-man combo (Minott’s old friends in Minnesota are at +21.7). Third on that list is the Orlando team that Boston will joust with twice this weekend.
Queta and Minott have had their rough patches. On Monday night, Queta didn’t just miss a key late-game free throw, he watched Jusuf Nurkic secure a rebound over him in the final seconds and produce a putback that lifted the lowly Utah Jazz to a 105-103 triumph at TD Garden.
Minott got in early foul trouble in that game, and the absence of his energy on the floor was palpable. He didn’t help matters when he picked up his third infraction almost immediately after returning to that game.
But they both bounced back Wednesday. Queta produced a double-double, putting up 15 points on perfect 7-for-7 shooting to go along with a team-high 12 rebounds. He also dished out five assists as the Celtics outscored Washington by 23 points in his 24 minutes of floor time.
Minott added a career-best 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting. When he wasn’t soaring for alley-oop lobs or trying to posterize Wizards defenders on baseline drives, he was knocking down the above-the-break 3-pointers that have evaded him to start the season.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla further leaned into Minott’s energy by playing him as a small-ball center in some of Boston’s reserve pairings. The Celtics could get away with that against a team like Washington, and it will be intriguing to see how Mazzulla leans on that small-ball look moving forward.
The Celtics loved to play double-big last season with their robust big-man depth, but have found that energy and skill has often produced their best basketball this season.
Queta has been on the floor for some of Boston’s most inspiring play this season, with a +19.3 net rating in 206 minutes of floor time. Among the 186 players logging 20+ minutes per game with at least five appearances, Queta ranks second in the NBA in net rating. He’s one spot behind Jaquez Jr. (+19.7) and directly in front of a pair of Western Conference superstar big men in Denver’s Nikola Jokic (+19.2) and Houston’s Alperen Sengun (+19.0).
If Queta and Minott can distinguish themselves with energy and defense, then it’s intriguing to think how successful Boston’s starting five might be once Pritchard and White start knocking down 3s again. Despite his perimeter woes, Pritchard has found ways to positively impact winning, overcoming two early fouls on Wednesday to finish +36 in 24 minutes of floor time.
The Queta and Payton Pritchard combo has a +27.2 net rating in 156 minutes together. Of the 157 two-man combos that have logged 150+ minutes this season, Queta and Pritchard are 3.5 points better than the next closest duo (Houston’s Sengun and Amen Thompson at +23.7). A Derrick White-Queta combo is fifth on that list at +19.7.
You see the theme here: Good things happen with Queta and Minott on the court. They both have strides to make as individual players and they’ve only scratched the surface of their potential. The Utah game showed just how important it is for them to be laser focused.
The Celtics, too, have a long way to go to fill the void left behind by the departures of Porzingis, Horford and Kornet. The frontcourt depth is still razor thin, and even the Queta/Minott combo must show they can hold up against elite frontcourts. We’ll learn a lot more about this group with back-to-back games in Orlando, including an NBA Cup tilt on Friday night.
But it’s clear that Queta and Minott have been key in getting Boston on track this season. And they should be vital in getting the Celtics to where they want to go next.
As the two former Warriors teammates continue their back-and-forth debate regarding whether offense or defense wins NBA championships, Green shared another in-depth response to clarify his initial stance.
“KD was responding to me saying teams that play defense win championships. I wasn’t saying that teams that play defense don’t play offense. No, the fact of the matter is you have to be top 10 offensively and top 10 defensively to win an NBA championship,” Green said on his “The Draymond Green Show” podcast, which was published Thursday morning. “That’s just the facts of the matter. When KD says the offense was [question mark], well, the offense was incredible. Just like their offense was incredible in Brooklyn, and just like their offense was incredible in Phoenix. It was incredible! Great offense. Very tough to stop.
“But, offense with no defense, we’ve seen that in the NBA in years past, we’ll see that in the NBA for years to come. Teams with offense and no defense. My point was you show me a team that don’t play defense, I’m going to show you a team that don’t win championships.”
“You have to score baskets if you want to win a championship,” Durant said. “Playing defense, we can get any one of y’all in here to bend your legs, not touch the basketball, slide left and right, and contest the shot. That’s easy. But when we’re talking about winning at a high level against the best of the best, you cannot just do that and win a basketball game.”
Green, a defensive mastermind, of course had to respond.
But the Warriors forward re-emphasized that his comments never were targeted directly at Durant, later clarifying that on his podcast.
“My statement was that I mentioned people who believe you don’t need defense to win championships simply don’t win. Kevin Durant has two championships. So I don’t even know why he took my statement as a hit on him when I said people that don’t win championships. You won two championships, so that shouldn’t include you unless you feel that that statement includes you.”
Green also made one more thing clear: despite the back-and-forth, “there ain’t no beef” between him and Durant, rather just a playful debate between two competitors passionate about the game of basketball.
Finally, Green ended his argument on one final note.
“I think the proof speaks for itself. You look at teams that have great defenses and great offenses, and they win championships. Teams that have great defenses and no great offense, they usually get to the playoffs and lose. Teams that have great offense and no defense, they usually get to the playoffs and lose, or don’t even make the playoffs at all.
“So fact of the matter is you need to be top 10 in both.”
Despite not sitting the entire fourth quarter, Brown racked up 35 points on 8 for 12 shooting to go along with five rebounds and five assists in just 25 minutes and 53 seconds of playing time. In doing so, he became the first Celtics player ever and just the fifth player in NBA history to post a 35/5/5 line in fewer than 26 minutes.
The only two players who reached 35/5/5 in fewer minutes? Michael Jordan and Luka Doncic.
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“We just needed to come out a little bit more focused,” Brown told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin after the game. “We got off to a slow start, but we’ve just got to come out and play basketball. We’ve got to come out like we’re ready to fight. And if we do that, we’ll be all right.”
Brown’s stat line wasn’t the only part of his game that turned heads, however. In the third quarter, Brown was call for an offensive foul when he barreled head-first into Wizards forward Kyshawn George — and left a bit of “residue” on George’s white sleeve.
That wasn’t the first time Brown’s hair product ended up on an opponent’s jersey, as the All-Star wing was roasted on social media after leaving a dark spot on OG Anunoby’s jersey during a Nov. 24 loss to the New York Knicks.
Brown took that incident in stride, even jokingly calling up LeBron James for hair care advice on a recent Twitch stream. And after leaving his latest mark Wednesday night, Brown kept the same energy, joking on X that “AI is getting out of hand.”
Regardless of how Brown chooses to deal with his hair situation going forward, he shouldn’t change what he’s doing on the court: He’s shooting a career-best 53.5 percent from the floor while averaging 27.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.
The Celtics are back in action Friday night in Orlando, where they’ll face the Magic in an NBA Cup game at 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.
Those 16 rebounds moved Westbrook in front of Jason Kidd for most rebounds by a guard in NBA history (8,734). That was Westbrook's 204th career triple-double.
This game was seriously lacking in star power due to injuries. The Warriors were without Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, while the Kings did not have Domantas Sabonis or Zach LaVine.
Dennis Schroder finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, plus knocked down three 3-pointers during an 11-0 fourth quarter run where Sacramento pulled away. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 25, while Malik Monk had 23 off the bench.
Rookie Will Richard led the Warriors with 30 points, while Moses Moody scored 28.
In Buddy Hield’s first season with the Warriors, his best performance came when his team needed it most.
The veteran sharpshooter erupted for 33 points on 9-of-11 shooting from 3-point range, leading Golden State to a Game 7 win in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs.
That key showing was a product of the way coach Steve Kerr and the Warriors have accepted Hield and allowed him to play freely and authentically, as he explained to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Bonta Hill and Monte Poole on a new episode of “Dubs Talk.”
“Being connected with the Lord and just being locked in,” Hield said when asked what contributed to his massive Game 7 outbreak. “Steve called it my out-of-body experience. I just think the Lord was just with me. Just something I was capable of doing, too, and that’s the reason why Steve put me in the starting lineup to create that spacing for Steph [Curry] and Draymond [Green] and Jimmy [Butler]. And he knows that when I get my chance to do that, he knows what I’m capable of doing.
“I appreciate him a lot. He gave me the opportunity to, like, be myself. I feel like every team has not allowed me to be Buddy, and [the Warriors] have embraced me for who I am. As a basketball player, you just want to be yourself and be embraced the right way. … I just love being here. It’s been a blessing.”
Hield was up and down throughout his first Golden State campaign, but the team’s success often correlated with how he performed on a given night. During the 2024-25 regular season and playoffs, the Warriors were 15-0 when Hield scored at least 19 points.
Now in the second season of his four-year, $38 million contract signed last summer, the Warriors hope Hield can continue to succeed within the freedom they have given him.
Jerami Grant (right) scored 20 points off the bench for Portland, with only Deni Avdija (26) and Jrue Holiday (22) scoring more [Getty Images]
The Portland Trail Blazers fought back to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder and halt the NBA's last remaining unbeaten record.
The defending champions won their opening eight games of the new NBA season but their streak ended as Portland came back from 22 points down to win 121-119.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 35 points for Oklahoma City and last season's Most Valuable Player has now scored 20 or more in 81 consecutive games, extending the third-longest streak in NBA history.
Luka Doncic got the better of Victor Wembanyama as the Los Angeles Lakers claimed a 118-116 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Elsewhere, the Brooklyn Nets became the last team to claim their first win of the season, beating the injury-hit Indiana Pacers 112-103.
Nikola Jokic registered a triple-double to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 122-112 win over the Miami Heat, while the New York Knicks scored 83 points in the second half to claim a 137-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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