Category: NBA

It’s not December, but the holidays came early for fans of the Toronto Raptors during NBA All-Star Sunday.

The ghosts of Raptors past and present played an instrumental role for their respective teams – for the most part.

It may be awhile until All-Star weekend returns to Toronto because of the a bitter cold 2016 February, but the Raptors made the most of their moment in Los Angeles.

Scottie Barnes deserves the spotlight

In another universe, Scottie Barnes was drafted to a different franchise and plays more often in front of an American audience. In that reality, Barnes draws more pseudo-comparisons to Magic Johnson and is constantly talked about as a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

Since this version of Barnes plays for the Raptors, basketball fans outside of Canada often miss out on seeing his basketball genius. With an opportunity to showcase his unique skillset under the bright lights of All-Star Weekend, Barnes was locked in from the moment he got off the bench in game one against Team World.

Barnes is the perfect supplementary player in this type of environment. He plays defence, rebounds the ball, and can quarterback the fast break. When most All-Stars would rather play wide receiver in this setting, Barnes becomes invaluable.

His contagious energy sparked a 10-2 run that would ultimately set the stage for the first of several dramatic finishes. With the game hanging in the balance, it was Barnes who squared up defensively against Victor Wembanyama. Despite the NBA desperately wanting Wembanyama to attempt a game-winner, the French big man had no choice but to give the ball up to a teammate.

In overtime, Barnes endeared himself to onlookers with his physicality against Wembanyama. It was perhaps fate that decided Barnes would be rewarded for his efforts. With Team World making the mistake to help off the three-point line despite a two-pointer not capable of hurting them (first team to five points wins), Barnes knocked down a catch-and-shoot triple from the left wing to seal the victory.

One reason why Team Stars eventually took the tournament crown was the undeniable synergy between Barnes and Detroit Piston Cade Cunningham. The two previously headlined the juggernaut high school team Montverde Academy in 2019-2020. Their chemistry was on full display throughout the night. An example of this was when Barnes flowed into a natural dribble-handoff off the sideline-out-of-bounds play. It resulted in clean left corner three for Cunningham.

Barnes averaged 3.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists while shooting 83.3 per cent.

Brandon Ingram wasn’t his best

For the first time since 2019-20, Brandon Ingram set foot in an NBA All-Star game. Ingram was 22 years old the last time he was recognized as one of the league’s best players. He had been drafted to Team Giannis and played a game-low eight minutes. Ingram finished with two points while shooting 25 per cent from the field and missing all three of his three-pointers.

Six years later and Ingram is a vastly advanced player in comparison to his days as a Los Angeles Laker. But that didn’t seem to improve his chances at a more productive All-Star outing. Ingram finished with three total rebounds and one assist in three games. He shot 0-for-3 on the night and registered a DNC-CD in the championship.

The highlight of his night was a sleek pass to former Raptors legend Kawhi Leonard. It wasn’t a good sign when Ingram missed his first three. Things got worse when Cunningham denied him at the rim.

Ingram’s play style may not mesh with the free-flowing All-Star format. But that’s okay. Ingram deserved to be there and he’ll get another chance in the years to come.

Kawhi Leonard had fun with it

The game between Team Stripes and Team Stars produced a kind of drama that only the greats could author. Kawhi Leonard’s performance was eerily similar to what he put together in Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Raptors and the Golden State Warriors.

Down 27-20 with 6:11 left, Leonard raced up the court and calmly knocked down a three from the top of the arc over the outstretched arm of former Raptor teammate Pascal Siakam. He later hit two more triples before finishing his solo 11-0 run with a turnaround baseline jumper over Siakam.

With the game on the line, Leonard hunted a switch to find New York Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns. Seconds later, Leonard drilled the three that would eventually become the game-winner.

A “talented” supporting cast

While Pascal Siakam was on the wrong end of several highlight plays, he thrived and looked like he belonged amidst the best in the league. He received a lot of criticism for his All-Star selection because of how lowly the Pacers have been this season, but Siakam ended up playing an important role for Team World, especially with Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic losing interest in the festivities.

In his first All-Star appearance, the Miami Heat’s Norman Powell struggled with his normally reliable three-ball (0-for-5). But he did make the most of his time on the court for Team World against Team Stripes in the Round Robin finale. Late in the contest, Powell drove to the basket and found Wembanyama for a corner three. Moments later, Powell corralled a missed shot by Canadian Jamal Murray and scooped the ball into the net for two points to give Team World a 43-40 lead.

On the final possession of the game, head coach Darko Rajakovic designed a nifty big-on-big off-ball screening action with Towns and Wembanyama. Unfortunately, Wembanyama couldn’t knock down the open three.

INGLEWOOD, CA. — The savior of the NBA All-Star Game wasn’t Adam Silver, or whichever league exec came up with the revised “U.S. vs. World” format, or even the format itself.

It was a 7-foot-4 French phenom who, through stubborn persistence, forced the hands of the world’s best basketball players to give more.

Victor Wembanyama swatted the opening tip off to teammate Jamal Murray and sprinted until he got underneath the rim. He sealed off Cade Cunningham and begged for the ball. Murray whipped a pass that Wembanyama — seemingly in one single motion — caught on ascent to the rim before flushing a forceful dunk.

It took six seconds to alter the course of the NBA All-Star Game.

“He set the tone, man, and it woke me up,” Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, the eventual All-Star Most Valuable Player, told reporters after the event. “For sure.”

After Silver, the NBA commissioner, and the league overall faced repeated criticism over insipid All-Star Games that desperately lacked competitive play, Wembanyama’s competitive spirit saved the event this year, with the potential to carry it beyond. Wembanyama just turned 22 and made his second All-Star appearance in his third season. Undeniably one of the elite players in the world, Wembanyama is about to become a fixture — the fixture? — in NBA All-Star Games. And he proved Sunday, Feb. 15 that, with him as the steward of competition, the All-Star Game may just be sustainable after all.

To be sure, the format does deserve some credit.

Creating the four, 12-minute games essentially compressed play, converting each game into its own fourth quarter, elevating the stakes in the final minutes.

Tapping into national pride did appear to motivate players, but several said before and after the All-Star Game that they missed the East vs. West structure as well.

The 2026 All-Star Game worked, however, because players bought in and chose to push themselves.

The first three gameswere decided on the final basket, by a combined seven points. The first contest went into overtime. And as the prospect of winning crept in, teams intensified their defense.

All month long, Wembanyama had been saying that he wanted to lead the charge in forcing the world’s best basketball players to compete with organic intensity in the All-Star Game. It became a point of pride.

Consider his comments Saturday, when asked how, specifically, he planned to will his competitive vision onto other players.

“I think exclamation-point plays, playing in a solid manner and sharing the ball with energy,” Wembanyama said then. “If you share that energy, people feel like they have a responsibility to share it back to you.

“I'm confident in the way it's going to go.”

Like Kobe Bryant before him, Wembanyama is bearing the standard, being the one outlier to demand more from his contemporaries.

Consider this: as Wembanyama was setting the tone six seconds into the event, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell and his Team Stripes teammates were staying warm in an auxiliary gym here in the Intuit Dome, awaiting the winner of the first game.

Naturally, the All-Star Game was playing on the flatscreen in the corner. But even then, Wembanyama’s reputation preceded more than his play did.

“I’m not going to lie, I was working out when they were playing, so I didn’t really watch much of it,” Mitchell said. “But I already knew just from last year being on his (All-Star) team that he was going to come out and set that tone. He’s shown that’s who he is, and if you have a guy like that coming for everybody, it makes everybody kind of get going.”

Now, if Wembanyama was the savior of the All-Star, Edwards, Jamal Murray, Kawhi Leonard and several others were his accomplices.

Edwards scored 32 points across three games. Murray dished out 8 assists in two contests. Leonard erupted for a historic 31 points in Game 3 — essentially surpassing his season scoring average (27.9) in a 12-minute quarter.

But no player showed the irrational, maniacal fire that Wembanyama did, and, true to rigid competitors, that was most evident when things didn’t go well.

In Game 1, in overtime, a defensive rotation error led to Team Stars forward Scottie Barnes being wide open for the game-winning 3. Once it fell through the net, Wembanyama was visibly upset and yelled to himself, gesturing with his hands. He took a solitary lap around the floor. He walked off looking as if the Spurs had lost an important game.

“We had already conceded a 3 when we should have stayed home,” Wembanyama lamented later. “What we were saying was ‘No 3s, no 3s,’ because that's what they needed twice in the game.

“So it's disappointing.”

Yes, the future of the NBA All-Star Game is in good hands.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Victor Wembanyama's competitive fire saved the NBA All-Star Game

After 54 games, the Boston Celtics have the third-best Net Rating in the NBA, and I still cannot wrap my mind around it. How is it possible that a team that lost its best player and its most important rim protectors, built a roster with young players and minimum contracts, and still kept winning at a high level? How can it be both? It shouldn’t — but it is.

It is paradoxical.

What is even more intriguing is that the Celtics’ overachieving season is built on smaller statistical paradoxes that help us better understand how they’ve been able to win so many games.

Better without the best

The Celtics’ overall Net Rating, per cleaningtheglass.com (that removes garbage time), is +7.3 so far this season, ranking them third between the Detroit Pistons (+8.6) and the San Antonio Spurs (+6.2). Yet, depending on who is on the court, the Celtics’ Net Rating varies from +3.0 to +20.3.

To give it some context, the Denver Nuggets’ overall Net Rating is +3.8, and they are considered by many analysts to be the second-best team in the West after the Thunder. So, at their worst, the Celtics are still a very competitive team. But the paradox lies in the players’ on-court Net Ratings.

Looking at the numbers in the chart below, it is pretty clear that the Celtics’ overall performance is at its worst when the Celtics’ best player is on the court — which shouldn’t be the case. But it is.

It is paradoxical.

So how can this be possible? Well, the numbers show that the Celtics’ offensive level is pretty stable with or without Jaylen Brown on the court: a 120.6 offensive rating with him and 121.6 without him. Boston isn’t as aggressive on the offensive boards when he is playing, leading to fewer second chances. However, when he is on the court, both shooting efficiency and free-throw rate improve.

Defensively, however, the Celtics are allowing a 116.7 offensive rating to their opponents with JB on the floor. Yet, once he sits, the defense steps up and the opponents’ offensive rating drops to 107.3 points allowed per 100 possessions. That is a better defensive rating than the OKC Thunder this year.

When JB is on the bench, the Celtics become far better at forcing turnovers and at limiting opponents’ free-throw attempts. There is also a significant drop in opponents’ shooting efficiency when he is sitting. From my understanding, this is caused by three factors.

First, his backups are absolute madmen on defense. Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, and Jordan Walsh have shown that they are here to play hard and defend at all costs. Second, Jaylen Brown mostly plays against opposing starters — but for what it’s written, this is also the case for Derrick White, and we don’t see the same pattern in his numbers. And third, the offensive load that Jaylen Brown has to carry influences his impact negatively on the other end, leading to more lapses in the Celtics’ defense.

Can the Celtics keep performing like one of the best teams in the league without their best players? So far, the Celtics have posted a +14.3 Net Rating without Jaylen Brown (and Jayson Tatum) — but how long can it last? The numbers also show how much this Celtics team needs Derrick White on the court, despite his offensive struggles this season.

The numbers above clearly show that as long as Derrick White is playing, the Celtics can compete at the highest level. Knowing that Jayson Tatum is coming back, these paradoxical numbers give hope that this group might be talented enough to make a deep playoff run, considering how good they can be even without their two stars on the court.

The rim is better protected without rim protectors

With the departures of Luke Kornet and Kristaps Porzingis, the defense was supposed to perform at a lower level, especially when it came to rim protection. Yet, while the defense is slightly worse than last year (from 5th to 8th in defensive ranking per cleaningtheglass.com), it isn’t because of rim protection. In fact, it has somehow improved when looking at both volume and efficiency numbers. Once again, it is quite paradoxical.

Opponents’ rim accuracy didn’t rise as we might have expected. The Celtics remain in the top 10 at limiting efficiency at the rim, thanks to Jordan Walsh, Neemias Queta, and Derrick White. As the Celtics lost their three best inside defenders, others rose to the occasion and helped the team protect the paint.

Not only were the Celtics able to remain elite at limiting efficiency at the rim, they are now the best team in the league at reducing the volume of shots allowed there. Opponents are taking only 24% of their shots at the rim against Boston, while the league average sits at 31%. So, if the Celtics have remained elite at rim protection without their best rim protectors, why isn’t the defense as good as last year?

Well, size still matters. The Celtics have struggled to contain opponents’ offensive rebounding, dropping from 7th to 16th in defensive rebound rate. Also, the increased aggressiveness from the wings and the lack of size inside give opponents more opportunities at the free-throw line, as Boston fell from 1st to 13th in opponent free-throw rate.

Efficient scoring without efficient scorers

Per basketball-reference, the league-average offensive efficiency is around 115.5 points per 100 possessions, and the Celtics are five points per 100 possessions above that mark. Logic would suggest that the Celtics’ biggest scorers — let’s say all players with above a 20% usage rate — are also above league-average efficiency.

How could a team be five points per 100 possessions better than league average if its four biggest scorers are at or below league-average efficiency? It shouldn’t — but it is.

It is paradoxical, and it works.

Boston's offense is so weird. They are 2nd in offensive rating, but their top 4 scorers are all below average in TS%

— Taylor Wyman (@taylormetrics) January 27, 2026

Indeed, Derrick White is 10% below league-average True Shooting, Jaylen Brown is 1% below, while both Anfernee Simons and Payton Pritchard are right at league-average level. Yet, the Celtics have the second-best offense in the NBA. How?

It comes down to two things. First, as one of the best defensive teams in the league, the Celtics generate more possessions than their opponents. Through aggressive defense, controlling the boards, and limiting turnovers on offense, they are less dependent on pure shooting efficiency because they simply take more shots than their opponents.

Second, it comes from the rest of the roster and how the coaching staff optimize them. While the main guys are struggling to reach league-average efficiency, the rest of the team is thriving — and that is because Jaylen Brown and the other creators are generating space for the role players. Luka Garza, Neemias Queta, Josh Minott, Jordan Walsh, and Baylor Scheierman are all at least 5% more efficient than league average.

That is yet another Celtics paradox that circles back to the first one. This team is elite because its role players are able to perform at their highest level.

Because of Joe Mazzulla and his staff. Because of Brad Stevens and his roster construction. Because of Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard, and Derrick White — their gravity, their creation, their leadership — they have created an environment where the stars can struggle, and the team still thrives.

That may be the biggest paradox of all.

This version of the Celtics isn’t dominant because everything is perfect. It’s dominant because the system absorbs imperfection. Because when one pillar weakens, another strengthens. Because when the stars are inefficient, the role players become surgical.

It shouldn’t work.

But somehow, it does — and that may be the clearest sign yet that this team is far more resilient, and far more dangerous, than we initially believed.

Keshad Johnson danced and dunked his way into the NBA history books.

Johnson became the third member of the Miami Heat organization to win the Slam Dunk Contest.

He held off San Antonio Spurs rookie Carter Bryant in the final round.

Both players represented California, with Bryant coming from Riverside and Johnson representing Oakland.

Johnson considered himself an under-the-radar second-year player entering the week, with the mindset of wanting to make a name for himself.

“I can’t make this up right now.  I’m still kind of speechless,” Johnson told USA TODAY. “This all started with it just being a dream. I was a kid who grew up watching the slam dunk contest, which was the main event for me.”

Johnson had the opportunity to celebrate his victory with basketball fans by taking the trophy down to Venice Beach as part of the AT&T Dunk District event.

The trophy will be making its way back to the Bay Area, where it will reside with his mom, along with the many other trophies that have been won by him and his siblings over the years.

He stayed energetic throughout the competition, often dancing after successful dunk attempts and remained true to his roots.

Johnson invited notable Bay Area rapper E-40 to join him and participate in his first dunk.

“I met him a few times when I was younger, but we crossed paths again after my manager reached out to him and he made it happen,” Johnson said. “E-40 was on board with the plan after he learned that a Bay Area native was in the dunk contest and now we are family forever.”

The rapper made himself available and even participated in a practice dunk session the day prior, allowing Johnson to get comfortable with dunking over E-40.

Johnson’s support group went beyond the Bay Area with several members of the Heat organization in attendance for the contest.

Heat president Pat Riley was in the crowd, cheering on his young player.

Miami guards Norman Powell, Jahmir Young and center Kel'el Ware were also seen on the sideline showing their support after competing in their respective events on Saturday.

“'Heat Culture' was in the building,” Johnson said. “They told me after ‘we had faith and knew you were going to win it.’ They had seen me in my element and were confident in me.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Keshad Johnson reflects on NBA Slam Dunk Contest victory

The snow is finally melting, and that means March — and the accompanying madness — is right around the corner.

The 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament begins in Dayton with the First Four and ends two hours to the west with the Final Four and the national championship game in Indianapolis.

Below are the dates and venues for the entire tournament, with links to buy tickets.

Bracketology: Latest March Madness projection a month away from Selection Sunday

March Madness 2026 schedule 

Here’s a rundown of the schedule for the 2026 NCAA men's tournament:

• First Four: March 17-18
• First round: March 19-20
• Second round: March 21-22
• Sweet 16: March 26-27
• Elite Eight: March 28-29
• Final Four: April 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
• National championship game: April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis

March Madness 2026 game locations, venues, tickets 

First- and second-round games will be held at eight cities spanning across four time zones. Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games will be held at regional sites before the final four teams converge on Indianapolis in early April.

Here’s a look at where 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament games will take place:

• First Four: Dayton, Ohio; UD Arena (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: Buffalo, N.Y.; KeyBank Center (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: Greenville, S.C.; Bon Secours Wellness Arena (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: Oklahoma City; Paycom Center (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: Portland, Ore.; Moda Center (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: Tampa; Benchmark International Arena (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: Philadelphia; Xfinity Mobile Arena (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: San Diego; Viejas Arena (Buy tickets)
• First/second round: St. Louis; Enterprise Arena (Buy tickets)
• Sweet 16/Elite Eight: Houston; Toyota Center (Buy tickets)
• Sweet 16/Elite Eight: San Jose, Calif.; SAP Center (Buy tickets)
• Sweet 16/Elite Eight: Chicago; United Center (Buy tickets)
• Sweet 16/Elite Eight: Washington, D.C.; Capital One Arena (Buy tickets)
• Final Four: Indianapolis; Lucas Oil Stadium (Buy tickets)
• National championship: Indianapolis; Lucas Oil Stadium (Buy tickets)

When is Selection Sunday 2026?

The 68-team bracket for the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament will be unveiled on 6 p.m. ET, Sunday, March 15.

Where is 2026 Final Four?

This year's men's basketball Final Four and championship games will be at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on April 4 & 6. Click here to buy tickets.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA tournament 2026 schedule: March Madness dates, locations, tickets

DELHI, India (AP) — Afghanistan shrugged off back-to-back defeats in its first two games to finally register a first win at cricket’s Twenty20 World Cup, beating the United Arab Emirates by five wickets on Monday.

Azmatullah Omarzai hit 40 not out off 21 balls and opener Ibrahim Zadran scored 53 off 41 deliveries as Afghanistan, coming off the narrowest of narrow losses to 2024 runnerup South Africa in a Group D contest decided after a second Super Over, finished on 162-5 in 19.2 overs.

It was a good all-round showing from Omarzai, who also picked up 4-15 in four overs to help restrict UAE to 160-9 after his team had won the toss.

Afghanistan, though, only has a slim chance of qualifying for the Super Eights.

New Zealand has four points from two wins and could knock out Afghanistan if it beats Canada in Chennai on Tuesday. The Afghans play Canada in their final game in Chennai on Thursday.

Monday’s result meant South Africa became the third team to qualify for the Super Eights, joining India and West Indies in the tournament’s second stage.

Meanwhile, England won the toss and opted to bat against Italy in their Group C game in Kolkata.

Victory would confirm England's spot in the Super Eights.

Unbeaten co-host Sri Lanka plays struggling Australia in a Group B contest in Pallekele later.

Australia must win to stay alive in the tournament.

___

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

We're less than four weeks away from Selection Sunday, and some teams considered locks in the preseason for March Madness will let their dancing shoes gather dust.

While teams like Miami (Ohio), Saint Louis, Clemson and Virginia have been surprises, plenty of men's basketball teams have gone splat this season.

Here's a look at 10 schools who have disappointed this year, including one already looking for a new coach and a few bluebloods who have fans nervous.

Bracketology: Check out latest March Madness projection

Oregon

Ranked just outside the preseason coaches poll (received second-most votes outside top 25), the Ducks have been a disaster this season. Losing All-Big Ten guard Jackson Shelstad to a season-ending injury didn't help, but Oregon was already just 6-6 when he went down.

The Ducks (9-16, 2-12) finally snapped a 10-game losing streak on Feb. 14 by beating last-place Penn State.

"The guys were feeling it," coach Dana Altman said. “It’s been a long six weeks, that’s for sure, for them, as much or more than our staff.”

Altman had won at least 20 games in each of his previous 15 seasons in Eugene, but the Ducks are on pace to their worst season since going 8-23 in Ernie Kent's second-to-last campaign in 2008-09.

Baylor

We're sure there aren't too many people shedding a tear for the Bears. Baylor opened the season 10-2, then added a former NBA draft pick to its roster, causing plenty of consternation across the country.

Since the addition of 2023 draft pick James Nnaji, Baylor is 3-9 and sinking to the bottom of the Big 12 standings.

The Bears received 13 votes in preseason top 25, but at 13-12 they are flirting with their first losing season since 2006-07.

Baylor has won at least one game in each of the past six NCAA tournaments. This March, they will be lucky to play in the NIT or Crown.

By the way, Nnaji is averaging 1.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

Creighton

The Bluejays were ranked No. 23 in the USA TODAY Coaches preseason poll and picked to finish third in the Big East. That ain't gonna happen. Unless Creighton (13-13, 7-8) wins the Big East tournament it's likely going to miss the NCAA tournament for the first time in six seasons.

Creighton is risking its first losing season since going 14-19 in 2014-15 (its second season in Big East). The Bluejays have lost five of their past six games and get No. 5 UConn and No. 17 St. John's next.

Kansas State

Kansas State was picked to finish ninth pick in Big 12 and received a vote in preseason top 25. So expectations weren't exactly soaring coming into the season, but anything but this.

Fans are wearing brown paper bags over their heads at games, and coach Jerome Tang says he would too. After a third straight home loss of at least 24 points on Feb. 11, Tang unloaded on his team, saying "they don't deserve to be here."

"These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform, and there will be very few of them in it next year. I'm embarrassed for the university, I'm embarrassed for our fans, and our student section. It's just ridiculous."

The Wildcats (10-15, 1-11) are headed to back-to-back losing seasons, and the school bit the bullet on the $18.6 million for Tang's buyout and fired him on Sunday, Feb. 15.

UCLA

Ranked No. 12 in the preseason coaches poll, UCLA was a darkhorse Final Four team with transfer addition of Donovan Dent, a 20-point scorer from New Mexico. However, dent is pretty much what the reigning Mountain West Player of the Year has done to the rim, shooting a paltry 18.6% from behind the arc.

The Bruins' record looks good (17-8, 9-5 in the Big Ten) but really only has one notable win (a 69-67 win over Purdue on Jan. 21). All of UCLA's other conference wins have come against the Big Ten's bottom half, and the Bruins are 2-6 in Quad 1 games.

The most interesting part of UCLA's season has been Mick Cronin's postgame rants as it seems the veteran coach doesn't really like his team. A 30-point loss to Michigan last time out didn't help.

Kentucky

The Wildcats began the season ninth in the coaches poll and are now out of the top 25 rankings.

A 5-7 record vs. Quad 1 teams will do that.

Mark Pope was under considerable heat early in the season with some massive nonconference beatdowns: a 28-point loss to in-state rival Louisville, a 17-point loss to Michigan State and a 35-point loss to Gonzaga.

Things have improved since then, but as Florida coach Todd Golden chided after the Gators' win over the Wildcats on Feb. 14, a $22 million roster should yield greater results.

Kentucky (17-8, 8-4) have a favorable final stretch, with its two games left against ranked teams at Rupp Arena. But lose those, and Big Blue Nation waits for no man. Not even an alum.

Notre Dame

The seat is warming under Micah Shrewsberry with the Irish headed to a third straight losing season with him on the bench.

Picked to finish eighth in the ACC poll, the Fighting Irish (12-14, 3-10) were expected to contend for an NCAA tournament berth.

Instead, Notre Dame is 15th in the 18-team league with just two wins since the calendar flipped to 2026 and are a combined 3-12 in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games.

Notre Dame's only moment of relevancy this season was when Shrewsberry nearly assaulted a referee after a Jan. 2 loss to Cal.

Mike Brey built a underappreciated, consistent program in South Bend with 12 NCAA tournament appearances in his 23 years. If the Irish finish this season with a losing record, it would mark the first time Notre Dame has had four straight losing seasons in more than 100 years (six straight losing years from 1917-23).

Providence

Kim English's Providence tenure may be on borrowed time. Picked to finish fourth in Big East, the Friars (11-15, 4-11) are rooted at the bottom of the conference standings with Marquette. Providence had to replace five of its top six scorers from last season, including Brycen Hopkins who transferred to St. John's. If you're looking for a bright spot, four of Providence's losses came in overtime, but that's grasping at straws.

The low point came int he Feb. 14 loss to St. John's with a dirty play by Duncan Powell on a hard foul on Hopkins that resulted in a fight and six ejections. Even worse, Powell's haircut. IYKYK.

Marquette

How about some more Big East futility?

Marquette has made the NCAA tournament in each of Shaka Smart's four seasons in Milwaukee. Not this year.

You knew it was going to be a rough year when a retooled Indiana team beat Marquette by 23 points in the third game of the season. The Golden Eagles (9-17, 4-11) followed that up with nonconference losses to fellow strugglers Maryland (10-14) and Oklahoma (13-12).

Marquette, which was picked to finish fifth in the Big East, sits in last place of the league standings, is 0-9 vs. Quad 1 teams and flirting with the most losses in program history (21 losses in 1963-64 — the season before Al McGuire arrived).

Ole Miss

Fresh off a Sweet 16 appearance last season, Ole Miss was expected to be a bubble team — at worst — this year.

The Rebels (11-14, 3-9) are in the midst of a seven-game losing streak, the latest a double-digit home loss to in-state rival Mississippi State.

Ole Miss is 1-10 vs. Quad 1 teams and is dealing with a major regression in Chris Beard's third season.

Others under consideration: Alabama, Boise State, Princeton, Tennessee

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball most disappointing teams for 2026 season

The headline moment of All-Star Weekend didn’t come from a dunk, a logo three, or the league’s new tournament format. It came when Stephen Curry stepped onto the floor wearing Klay Thompson’s signature shoes.

Silver, sparkling KT 11s, customized to celebrate the four championships they won together. Title years etched into the design. A nod to Klay scoring 37 points in a quarter, still the all-time record, stamped on the back. A tribute shining under arena lights before a single shot went up. And the timing made it even more meaningful. Just days earlier, Thompson had signed a lifetime deal with ANTA, one of the rarest honors in basketball sneaker history. Curry didn’t just congratulate his former teammate privately. He showed up on the biggest stage of the weekend wearing Klay’s shoes.

Steph Curry is rocking a special edition of the ANTA KT 11, celebrating Klay Thompson’s lifetime deal with ANTA.

Once a splash bro, always a splash bro 🥹 pic.twitter.com/03JbJAu392

— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) February 16, 2026

For a player as brand-aligned as Curry, whose Under Armour partnership helped build an entire signature empire, switching shoes, even briefly, isn’t something that happens without some thought. This wasn’t a sponsorship obligation or rollout strategy. It was Curry giving flowers in real time.

And it doubled as a homecoming moment. The game took place in Los Angeles, where Klay grew up and first built his basketball identity before becoming a Warrior and eventually a four-time champion. So while Thompson may not have been on the floor as an All-Star, his presence still found its way onto the court through the teammate who shared every major chapter of that journey.

Klay’s lifetime deal itself tells the story of a career built differently. Back in 2015, while most stars chased Nike or Adidas contracts, Thompson partnered with ANTA and quietly built one of the most successful basketball brands in Asia. Over twelve years, he’s sold more than ten million pairs across eleven signature models, turning “China Klay” from internet joke into genuine cultural icon through tours, clinics, and real connection with fans.

BREAKING: Klay Thompson has signed a Lifetime Deal with ANTA. 📄✍️

After selling more than 10 Million “KT” sneakers during their 12-year long partnership to date, Thompson & ANTA are now locked in to a new long-term legacy deal that will extend beyond his playing career. pic.twitter.com/a6x13UHTZA

— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) February 13, 2026

Lifetime sneaker contracts are reserved for a tiny circle: Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Damian Lillard. Now Klay Thompson joins that list, proof his global impact goes far beyond whatever his current box scores read in Dallas. They built a dynasty together, taking four rings and inspiring an entire generation along the way.

The Splash Brothers redefined basketball’s geometry. And in the middle of All-Star Weekend, Curry let Klay’s shoes shine. A quiet thank-you from one legend to another, proof that some bonds don’t fade when teammates go separate ways.

Klay appreciates Steph rockin’ his KT11 ANTA shoes 🤝

[via @KlayThompson IG] pic.twitter.com/VekbxWTCob

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 15, 2026

Anthony Edwards was named Most Valuable Player of the NBA All-Star Game as the USA Stars beat the USA Stripes 47-21.

The Minnesota Timberwolves guard scored 32 points and added nine rebounds and three assists to claim the Kobe Bryant Trophy.

In the 75th edition of the NBA All-Star Game there was a change from the traditional Eastern Conference against Western Conference format.

A new round-robin tournament consisted of four 12-minute games between two sides from the United States - one filled with young players and the other with veteran stars - and one group of international players.

Edwards, 24, along with Oklahoma City Thunder's Chet Holmgren, each scored eight points as the Stars dominated the championship game while team-mate Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers scored nine.

"It means a lot," Edwards said of his MVP award. "I love Minnesota, and I know Minnesota loves me. I said I wasn't going to put on a show for them but I gave them a show."

The Stripes missed their first 10 shots in the final as the younger Stars team raced into a 12-1 lead. The Stars later added a 15-0 run for a 33-9 advantage as the veterans were well beaten.

NBA all-time scoring leader LeBron James, 41, who was making his 22nd appearance in the All-Star Game, added five for the Stripes.

In the round-robin opener at Los Angeles Clippers' Intuit Dome, Edwards scored 13 points as the USA Stars beat the World team 37-35.

Yet he was afterwards keen to highlight the performance of San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama, with the Frenchman producing 14 points, six rebounds and three blocks in his side's defeat.

"I ain't going to lie, Wemby set the tone," said Edwards. "He came out hard and we had to follow that. We had to pick it up and we did that."

The World team were without injured stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander while Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic combined for only two points, two rebounds and two assists.

They lost the third game 48-45 to the Stripes, meaning they were eliminated and the final would be a repeat of the second game, which the Stripes had won 42-40.

The new format was seen as a success after criticism of recent editions being lacklustre.

Former US President Barack Obama, who was courtside, said: "I know a lot of people have been concerned about the All-Star Game, not seeing as much effort. But we saw it."

Anthony Edwards walked into the 2026 NBA All-Star Game knowing he’d lost the starter vote to a 37-year-old with a bad knee. He walked out with the Kobe Bryant Trophy as MVP, having scored 32 points across three mini-games in a performance that announced what everyone already suspected: the future is here, and it’s not waiting for permission.

Edwards put up 13-of-22 shooting with six threes made, playing 26 minutes of basketball that mattered in ways All-Star Games rarely do. The new tournament format created real stakes, and Edwards responded like someone who’s been preparing for this spotlight his entire life. When Victor Wembanyama set an early tone with 14 first-game points, Edwards didn’t shrink. He matched the energy, then surpassed it when the championship game demanded a closer.

But here’s what makes this story fascinating: Edwards earned that MVP trophy while playing in a spot many outside of Dub Nation assumed should’ve been his from the start. Stephen Curry, at 37 years old, beat out a 24-year-old having what many considered a superior statistical season?

Then came the cruel irony: runner’s knee kept Curry from playing the game he’d earned. A former All-Star MVP himself, there’s no replacing what Curry brings to the festivities. Instead, we got Edwards seizing the opportunity with both hands. The parallel to last year’s second-round playoff series feels unavoidable. When Curry’s injury opened the door in that Western Conference matchup, Edwards and Minnesota didn’t just walk through it, they kicked it down. The Timberwolves earned that series win through superior depth and defensive versatility. Curry’s absence was the opportunity, but Edwards’s performance was the reason.

This is the inflection point we’re watching in real time. One generation hasn’t fully ceded power, but the next generation is already taking what it can reach. Curry still commands All-Star starter votes because over a decade-and-a-half of revolutionizing basketball and winning four championships creates that kind of respect. Edwards wins the MVP because when the spotlight found him, he delivered.

Edwards has his trophy. Curry used the break to heal a knee that’s been compensating for all that dynasty-level usage. And the basketball world got reminded that titles don’t transfer cleanly from one generation to the next. They overlap, compete, and coexist until time forces the question. We’re not quite there yet. The torch is being passed. It’s just happening one All-Star Game, one playoff series, one contested vote at a time.

Not only was the NBA All-Star Game’s new format an absolutely wonderful improvement, leading to competitive games for the first time in what feels like years, but the lone all-star weekend representative of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards, won All-Star Game MVP.

2026 NBA All-Star Game MVP: Anthony Edwards of USA Stars.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 16, 2026

While Kawhi Leonard took over his home arena, it was Edwards’ USA Stars that won the round-robin tournament, leading to the titular hardware win.

Funny enough, the Stars lost to the Stripes in the round robin round, going 1-1 and lucking into a finals spot after the World team lost both. In those finals, it was a completely different game; however, the Stars summarily demolished the Stripes by a final score of 47-21.

No singular player dominated any statistical category, but it was Edwards who led the effort. His total of 32 points across three games led the team.

Anthony Edwards during NBA All-Star 2026:

🌟 32 PTS
🌟 8 REB
🌟 26 MIN
🌟 USA Stars championship

… and the @Kia All-Star MVP! pic.twitter.com/7gFyUajppK

— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2026

Edwards was by no means the most impressive player tonight, as Kawhi Leonard nearly eclipsed Edwards’ point total in a single game, but it seems that the same rules that apply to Finals MVP apply to All-Star Game MVP, as Kawhi’s team fell short.

Possibly more importantly, the round robin format was a success. If tonight was any indication, this tournament-style set of games that totals the same minutes played is here to stay. After years and years of lackluster play with minimal effort, this game was different. While no one was playing physically by any means, they were certainly playing hard.

“I think they ain’t really going to take in what I’m saying, but I like this format,” said Ant. “I think it makes us compete because it’s only 12 minutes, and the three different teams separate the guys.”

Additionally, All-Star Weekend is known to be rife with some legal tampering under the guise of building friendships, and Edwards was left on a team with a bunch of young stars whom he could recruit to Minnesota. From backcourt pairings in Tyrese Maxey or Cade Cunningham to Julius Randle replacements in Scottie Barnes or Jalen Johnson, there are so many options for fans to fixate on.

The primary reason for Edwards’ crowning was one that Wolves fans know well: late-game heroics. The first matchup of the night against Team World went into overtime at a 32-32 tie before Ant took over to win the first-to-five tie-breaker.

In the second game, it was once again Edwards leading the charge, as his 11 points represented more than a quarter of the team’s total as they fell to the aforementioned Stripes.

Funny enough, it was Kawhi Leonard’s 31-point performance that eliminated the World team when the Stripes were already locked into a final spot that allowed for this picture:

alright

this is the photo of the night pic.twitter.com/ifgPjGpuUk

— Jonah (@Huncho_Jman) February 16, 2026

There’s so much to be said about how Ant got to this point. Drafted while being likened to Dion Waiters and JR Smith, he became a terror going at the rim, slowly took the reins from former Timberwolf Karl-Anthony Towns, and then did the impossible (even if Twitter claims it is a linear part of development) and became one of the best shooters in the league.

Maybe it’s ridiculous to wax poetic about an All-Star Game MVP when that accolade means about as much as Nickelodeon’s NVP, but it’s also a moment to take a look back.

Close your eyes and think about who Ant is for a moment. I think back to the dunk over Yuta Wantanabe as the first moment where I thought “wow, this guy is fun.” I think back to the game against the Suns at the end of his rookie year as the first time I thought “wow, this guy is good.” I think back to the first round series against the Denver Nuggets as the first time I thought, “Wow, this guy may be very good.”

I hope we one day reach a point where I can say, “Wow, this guy may just win us a title.” Tonight was not a step to that by any means, but it brought me back to those moments.

Who would’ve thought we’d get here?

I wouldn’t have.

Tonight wasn’t anything special. You know what it was? Fun. Edwards is the MVP of the NBA’s least important game. Who cares about its importance?

Goodnight Wolves fans. Go to bed smiling.

There’s no turning off Victor Wembanyama’s competitive juices — even in the All-Star Game. 

Wembanyama was captured on the NBC broadcast of Sunday’s All-Star Game festivities visibly upset after Scottie Barnes drilled the game-winning shot for Team Stars at the Intuit Dome.

Barnes shot a game-winning 3-pointer to hand the U.S. squad a win in the new All-Star Game format, USA vs. World, which appeared to be a positive step for the NBA as it has been searching for a more competitive ASG format. 

Wembanyama embodied a much more competitive All-Star Game, which saw him raise his hands in frustration after Barnes’ shot went through the hoop. A defensive breakdown by Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns and his World squad left Barnes wide open, with Team Stars needing a 3-pointer to win the game in overtime.

“It was our second time allowing a 3 when we shouldn’t have in the game,” Wembanyama told reporters about the moment. “It’s really one quarter. I mean I would have expected us to be smarter right here, so it was disappointing. … It’s a game we love. It’s a game I personally cherish, so being competitive is the least I can do.” 

Victor Wembanyama was furious they lost —

Love the intensity.

(h/t @BradeauxNBA)

pic.twitter.com/3Qo8QQs6UEhttps://t.co/2876flcYaw

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 15, 2026

Wembanyama finished the game against Team Stars with 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field and 2-of-2 from 3-point range, but it wasn’t enough.

“When we’re up three, not giving up a 3-pointer to tie the game,” Norman Powell said afterward about the closing sequence. It’s gonna be the attention to detail, it’s on defense, if we’re gonna compete on every single possession.”

The Spurs’ star’s competitiveness was praised by his fellow All-Stars, with Anthony Edwards telling reporters that Wembanyama had “set the tone.” 

“It was definitely competitive with all three teams. I feel like the old heads played hard, too. They were playing real good defense. But yeah, he set the tone, man. It woke me up for sure,” Edwards said. 

It was a feeling echoed by Knicks star Jalen Brunson. 

“I think Wemby’s a leader,” Brunson said. “The way he carries himself is fantastic for this game. I think he’s done a great job and you see what his impact is on and off the court around this game.”

Team Stars beat Team Stripes 47-21 to win the new USA vs. World All-Star Tournament championship.

Victor Wembanyama set the tone.

But his teammates came up empty.

The French superstar helped deliver what was a more competitive-than-expected slate of All-Star games.

This year’s format featured three teams of eight players — two composed of American players and one mainly of foreign-born players competing in a round-robin.

The idea was to create a reason for the players to care after years of lax effort.

In that regard, it delivered.

“It’s a game we love,” Wembanyama said. “It’s a game [I] personally cherish. Being competitive is the least I can do.”

Wembanyama’s Team World, though, lost to both the USA teams.

He missed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that could have helped his team beat the USA Stripes and advance to the final.

“I ain’t gonna lie,” Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards said after the first game. “Wemby set the tone. He came out playing hard, so it’s hard not to match that, so s–t, that’s what happened.”

“Y’all been asking for it,” Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns said. “Fans been asking for it, the media’s been asking for it. I feel that after today, y’all can see that the competition is there. We all brought it today in the sense of effort. I hope the fans and all y’all appreciated it.”

Wembanyama scored 33 points between Team World’s two games.

“Wemby said what he said,” Vince Carter, one of NBC’s color analysts, said. “He said, ‘I’m coming out here to play hard.’ The first three buckets, he set the tone. Off the rip, he wanted the ball, he wanted the ball in the post. … He’s coming out to play.”

Young blood ruled over the old souls, as the USA Stripes — composed of mostly longer-tenured veterans — blew out the USA Stars, composed of mostly younger All-Stars, in the final.

Edwards scored eight points and added four rebounds and two assists in the final.

He was named All-Star MVP.

“I gotta say: It’s back,” Tracy McGrady, one of NBC’s analysts, said of the effort level. “What we wanted from these guys, they gave us that back and more.”

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown disputed the City of Beverly Hills' claims after an event he hosted on the eve of the NBA All-Star Game was shut down because the city said it lacked a permit.

“I’m offended by Beverly Hills, by the statement they put out, like we applied for something and didn’t get it, and we did it anyway (and) we were insubordinate,” Brown told ESPN after the game Sunday. “I know how to follow the rules. I’m smart enough to follow the guidelines."

Hours earlier, Beverly Hills released a statement to The Boston Globe, saying it rejected a permit. The event promoting Brown’s performance brand, 741, was held at Oakley founder Jim Jannard’s home. Brown has a sponsorship deal with Oakley.

"An event permit had been applied for and denied by the City due to previous violations associated with events at the address,” the statement said. “Despite the fact that the permit was denied, organizers still chose to proceed with inviting hundreds of guests knowing that it was not allowed to occur. BHPD responded and shut down the unpermitted event.”

Brown countered to ESPN, saying: “That was not true. We didn’t need a permit because the owner of the house, that was his space. We were family friends. He opened up the festivities to us so we didn’t have to. We never applied for one."

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Anthony Edwards furthered his case to be the face of the NBA after securing the All-Star Game MVP at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Sunday, Feb. 15.

The Minnesota Timberwolves star joined a list of ASG MVP winners that includes Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James. Each of those players spent time as the face of the league.

Edwards produced 32 points during the three mini games he played in for Team Stars (USA) on Sunday.

The league introduced a new format for the All-Star Game this year with three teams, two consisting of American players and a World team that featured players with international ties, playing each other in a small tournament to determine which two teams would meet in the championship game.

Edwards has acknowledged the potential of being the face of the league, but it isn’t something he’s necessarily chasing.

"It isn’t something I’m out here shooting for, if it happens, it happens,” Edwards told NBA TV after the game. “I’m not somebody like ‘oh I’m trying to be the face of the league,’ but if it happens, it happens."

Edwards did not shy away when pointing out that some of the NBA's best players saw minimal action on Sunday.

"No shade towards Luka (Doncic) and (Nikola) Jokić, but like they are two of the best players in the league, they’re not trying to play in the All-Star Game," Edwards said during an interview on NBA TV.

ALL-STAR GAME WINNERS AND LOSERS: US vs World format is an upgrade

Nikola Jokić saw limited action, playing just over five minutes during the first game, collecting two defensive rebounds and shooting 0-for-1 from the field. He had not been listed on the Denver Nuggets’ injury report but was diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee injury in December that caused him to miss 16 games.

Luka Doncic also played just over five minutes for Team World, shooting 1-of-3 from the field (0-for-2 from the 3-point line) with two assists. Doncic suffered a left hamstring strain on Feb. 5 and missed four consecutive games for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (right calf strain) and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) did not play for Team World due to injuries.

Anthony Edwards career stats

Anthony Edwards has averaged 24.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game in 427 NBA games played.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Anthony Edwards strengthens case as face of NBA at All-Star Game