The average NBA career is a short 4 1/2 years. Yaxel Lendeborg wants to make sure his time in the league stretches far beyond that number, and that begins with taking care of himself in the gym.
“I want to be here every single day at all times just because I know how it’s going to get,” Lendeborg said Monday at Warriors Media Day. “The average … lifespan I guess that people are in the NBA is three, four years, I think I keep hearing. I definitely have hopes and plans of being in it for way longer. If I can get like grandpa Al (Horford), then hopefully 20 years would be great, but we’ll see how it all goes. I’m going to continue to try to work out and stay in the best shape as I can be.”
Lendeborg’s constant presence in the gym also has caught coach Steve Kerr’s attention, who told media that the rookie has “a great approach”.
“I’ve literally had three different conversations with him telling him to get out of here for a few days because, you know, we’re going to embark on this eight-month journey or so starting tomorrow,” Kerr said Monday. “He just can’t stay out of the gym. He wants to be great.”
Kerr also said how he likes Lendeborg’s “journey,” winning a national championship last year at Michigan and having to “fight for everything,” while adding that he is “going to play a ton”.
The 24-year-old briefly played alongside Steph Curry and Draymond Green during Butler’s players-only camp in San Diego, but as Golden State begins its training camp Tuesday, the veterans and coaching staff surely will be keeping an eye on Lendeborg’s ability to fit into the Warriors system.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 07: Brice Sensabaugh #28 of the Utah Jazz warms up prior to a game against the New Orleans Pelicans of a game at Smoothie King Center on April 07, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Very few days in Utah Jazz history have made me as excited as Thursday, June 22, 2023 – the night of that years NBA draft. As a plucky 18 year old, I (unwisely) fancied myself quite the prodigy in the draft field, and 7 to 10 P.M was my time to show off my stuff. I thought Taylor Hendricks was a pretty solid selection , and didn’t feel too strongly one way or other about Keyonte George (though I would’ve preferred Brandin Podziemski).
I had set myself up for disappointment that night – there was a player that I had convinced myself beyond all doubt was the correct pick at #9, but who was so outside of the realm of possibility that this pipe dream was bringing me nothing but grief. He wasn’t picked at #9 and, even more heartbreakingly, he wasn’t picked at #16. Surely, he wasn’t going to last until the Jazz’s last pick at #28. Surely.
But someway,
somehow,
the Utah Jazz selected Brice Sensabaugh at #28. We are going to win the championship.
2023 Grant Nielson has not yet been completely validated (I hope I have not shot down 2026 Grant Nielson’s credibility in the opening 200 words). Brice has shown flashes each of his first three seasons, but he cannot yet even be labeled as categorically positive – the shooting has been less consistent than hoped, the shot selection has often been morbidly fascinating, and the defense has been unequivocally awful. His smoothness in the mid-range has not yet served as the foundation for a winning basketball player.
However, I will continue to stubbornly, almost paternalistically, stand in defense of my younger self and his contrarian draft opinions, because, in spite of it all, I still endorse pieces of my 2023 evaluation of Ohio State’s freshman bucket-getter. As Sensabaugh continues to make year-by-year improvements, I concurrently become less and less ashamed of my pre-draft championing of him. Brice was as effortless of a shot-maker as I had ever seen for a player his age, from any area on the court. He had the mass to avoid the fate of other spindly scorers in his archetype (I’m glad the Jazz didn’t take Jett Howard), and a sneaky athleticism that should do just enough to allow him to translate his game to the next level. Coming out of high school, he was marketed as more of a point forward, leading me to believe that the flashes of passing I saw at Ohio State could be harnessed and developed into something more. Then and now, Brice Sensabaugh had and has it.
A comment given by Austin Ainge, given in an interview with new Salt Lake Tribune Jazz writer Shreyas Laddha, provides me with some hope that the it that Brice has is finally becoming the it that the Utah Jazz need. When asked which players have stood out over the summer, Ainge didn’t begin by gushing over either Ace Bailey or Darryn Peterson, the two youngsters with the most pedigree and (hopefully) room for growth – instead, he said begins by saying that Brice Sensabaugh has had a “particularly good summer”. Immediately, I was struck by how odd this comment would read if Brice is not apart of the opening night rotation, which is not yet guaranteed; the Jazz are hoarding wealth when it comes to competent back-up shooting guards.
But after that initial reaction, I asked myself – “what does that even mean?” In an empty gym, Brice has always looked great. Purely from a shot-making perspective, Sensabaugh isn’t substantially worse than a lot of the 20 points per game, household name, franchise faces. Does a “particularly good summer” imply more of the same beautiful mid-range jumpers, or is Austin referring to something more?
The Utah Jazz backup shooting guard race is still decidedly up in the air, so in this article I will lay out the 3 (feasible) improvements necessary for Brice to make if he wishes to secure consistent playing time this year, and that I hope were the foundation of the Summer that Austin Ainge found so praiseworthy.
On-Ball Playmaking and Passing
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 02: Brice Sensabaugh #28 of the Utah Jazz looks to pass the ball around Tre Mann #23 of the Charlotte Hornets during the first half of a basketball game at Spectrum Center on November 02, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Normally, when teaching a highly talented youngster how to become a winning player, it involves some degree of scaling down. No longer are you the #1 option – you have skill, and you need to learn how to translate it to the very specific role that we need you to play. Strangely enough, I feel the opposite is more applicable to Brice, and that is all entirely due to the context of the team around him, especially when he is playing with bench units. The backups brought in this Summer have clearly been chosen to shore up the team’s obvious defensive shortcomings – Jaxson Hayes, Josh Okogie, and Josh Green all have paid their bills on the defensive end, but conversely offer very little offensively. Now, I don’t think that trio will play very many minutes all together, but I do anticipate minutes with two of the three on the court; those minutes will live and die by the hand of the offensive conductor that accompanies them. Hayes, Okogie, Green, and even slightly more well-rounded bench pieces like Svi and (likely) Ace – none are players that, at this point, are consistently creating offense for themselves or their teammates. They can be positive, but they, for the most part, prefer to receive than to give.
Brice Sensabaugh, being one of the few competent ball-handlers on the roster, has the capacity to be a huge boon to the second unit when placed next to more defensively oriented players. While my 2023 dreams of a point forward Sensabaugh are dead and buried, I have consistently been impressed with the accuracy and decision making Brice showcases when he does decide to function as a playmaker. I’ve been especially impressed with his passes on the move – his ability to situate himself, pick up the ball from the dribble, and deliver accurate passes are three small skills, but still quite valuable ones. This pass below was probably the Utah Jazz assist of the season, and exemplifies what I hope Brice has been focusing on this Summer.
So, while I don’t want too many sets to be initiated by Brice dribbling the ball up the court as a traditional point guard, I think there are other ways for his passing to open up the offense. I picture him in the corner to start a play, running off of a Filipowski pin-down, catching the pass from Collier on the wing and then, with the pressure of his shooting shifting the defense, taking two or three dribbles into the middle of the court and making an accurate, quick decision. His shooting is the one skill that we can unequivocally count on heading into this next season, and it has the potential to unlock so much of his game. The play outlined above only works because of the gravity Sensabaugh will have as a shooter running off that screen – defenders who have read the scouting report know that Brice is a contender for the best off-the-catch shooter on the team, and will be strained in their attempt to stay on their man and make Brice’s shots more challenging. I don’t mean to sound blasphemous to Jazz fans, but I would love to see Brice play a role similar to a modern-day Jeff Hornacek (this is only a comparison of role, not skill) – a player made so dynamic by their unique combination of shooting and playmaking. We’ve seen the signs from Brice in this regard, and this development (both in Brice’s skill and Hardy’s gameplan) looks to be some tantalizing low-hanging fruit.
Rim Pressure and Shot Selection
This change requires both a shift in attitude and physicality. Even back to his collegiate days, Brice has always been a bit too comfortable in settling. Sure, he’s never possessed overwhelming quickness or burst, but he has always had the physical size necessary to impose his will on smaller players. To this point in his career, Brice has simply not gotten to the rim enough. He shot 11% of his total attempts at the basket this past season – a career high – but, for reference, that would be the 3rd lowest mark of Svi Mykhailiuk’s entire career. Instead, when he begins to face resistance on the path to the rim, he too often falls back on his floater or a short, fall-away midrange – he has a comparative advantage over much of the league with these shots, but even he doesn’t shoot them efficiently enough for them to act as a substitute to a rim attempt. Additionally, with every subpar floater or midrange, two naturally contact-averse shot attempts, Sensabaugh lets the referees off the hook. Even if he misses a contested layup or two due to his limited verticality, his frame could be ideal for physicality and, in turn, foul drawing. Free throws are the most efficient shot in basketball, especially for a player like Brice (85% at the line over his career thus far), and he is leaving those points at the table with his inefficient shot selection and avoidance of contact near the basket.
I believe rim attempts will become more plentiful as Brice plays for a team with the goal of winning. Offense is not a 1v1 game – Sensabaugh is not the only player who has an impact on his individual shots at the basket. As the team improves, both in mindset and performance, our offense will be better. As our offense improves, more strain is put on the opposing defense. As strain on the defense increases, it becomes easier and easier for a player to get to his spots. No longer are we incentivized to give substantial minutes to Bez Mbeng and Kyle Anderson – instead, Will Hardy will use his best players and his best schemes to produce the best offense. I see a world where, with only marginal improvements to Brice’s talent as a player, he jumps to a 20% rim frequency this next season, driven by his inclusion in an offense with a newfound desire for competence. He certainly has to want to get to the rim, but infrastructure may be the independent variable most causally linked with Brice’s shot selection.
The midrange shots sure are pretty, though.
Defense, Defense, Defense
SAN ANTONIO, TX – OCTOBER 10: Brice Sensabaugh #28 of the Utah Jazz plays defense during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on OCTOBER 10, 2025 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
At the end of the day, this is the improvement. It’d be great if Brice showcased his passing, and I’d love if he got to the rim more frequently, but they are almost inconsequential in comparison to defense, defense, defense. In each of his three seasons, Brice has populated the very bottom of the barrel in every advanced defensive stat you can find. Unfortunately, these one-number metrics are substantiated by a putrid eye-test. He’s too slow to guard guards, too contact-averse to guard bigger on-ball wings, too large to chase off-ball wings off of screens, too short to guard forwards and bigs. He doesn’t steal and he doesn’t block and he doesn’t rebound. Even more fatally, it is painfully obvious that defense has not been Brice’s priority. He was recruited to Ohio State as a scorer, he was drafted as a scorer, so, seemingly, he still considers himself as only a scorer. I don’t enjoy participating in armchair psychology, but the chasmic difference in effort level between his mid-range isos and off-ball defense makes some theorizing inevitable. In an era where coaches are more persistently and meticulously attacking mismatches than ever before, If Brice does not improve on defense, he cannot play basketball in the playoffs.
Thankfully, he seems to know this just as much as we do. When asked about his work over the offseason, Brice responded with defense as an emphasis:
Brice Sensabaugh on his summer work:
"It was a big step for me, it's hardest I’ve ever worked in my life. I feel like I’m 2x better. I worked on everything, with shooting and defense being the two focal points."
Brice does not need to become a lockdown. He doesn’t need to become a steal+block machine or start pulling down 10 rebounds a night. He just needs to be fine. His offense gives him his NBA-level skill, and all he needs to do now is make sure that the rest of his game isn’t nullifying it. Currently, if Brice is having a bad shooting game, he is providing some of the harshest negative impact in the league – the defense is damaging enough that he cannot afford the low shooting percentage games that will naturally, inevitably come to every player. However, if it is true that defense has been one of the two primary focuses of Brice’s summer, his value could legitimately skyrocket. Even a marginal improvement defensively could exponentially increase the value of Sensabaugh on the basketball court – a worst-in-the-league level defender is so much more detrimental than a simply bad defender, and a coach can much easier utilize a bad defender’s offense than a worst-in-the-league level defender. Maybe it requires losing weight and maybe it’s just a mindset shift, but either way – Brice Sensabaugh can guarantee himself 20 minutes per game and a decade in the league if defense changes from an intermission to a priority.
I’m rooting for Brice Sensabaugh. I’ve been rooting for Brice Sensabaugh for over 3 years. I hope that he is the backup shooting guard selection because I believe that, of the available options, he clearly has the highest ceiling. However, from my over 3 years of fandom, I have become just as well acquainted with what Brice is bad at as what he is good at. So, while it’s good that I wasn’t in the Jazz brass championing Brice as a potential #9 overall selection in the 2023 NBA draft, with a few well-directed tweaks over this particularly impressive summer, Sensabaugh can still be a home-run #28 draft pick.
What are you hoping to see from Brice this year? Let me know below!
Minnesota sports fandom is not for the faint of heart. To be a Minnesota fan is a constant wade through the lingering vape-waste left by departed stars who found greater success in another city. Both sides of the Mississippi clutch their heads, reeling from second-hand champ syndrome.
Everyone sees it. In my day job as a wastewater communications specialist, I’ve traveled to many parts of this great, combined-sewer-overflow inundated nation. And what is the first thing people say when they learn I grew up tracing Paul Bunyan’s footsteps? “Did watching Karl-Anthony Towns win an NBA title with the New York Knicks break your heart?” And four months earlier, the question was the same except for an oblong ball: “Did you die inside when Sam Darnold won the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks?”
I assume, dear Canis readers, that you are Minnesota sports fans. Your iron hearts forged by so many Traumatic Sports Losses that a Gary Anderson 32-yard gimmie merely doinks unfulfilled beside your steely resolve.
This means you know my reply. No. My heart is fine thank you. Still left of center, all four ventricles beating as expected.
But that’s not to say I felt nothing … no there was a…a…tingle. The slightest flop of sweat against my brow. I did follow KAT with fervor for seven years and I don’t (exclusively) root for mere laundry. Watching Towns win it all was less a heart attack than a satisfying yet tumultuous bite of a bánh mì sandwich with one too many jalapenos.
So let’s put our tortured sports experiences to good use. I propose applying the scoville spiciness scale to rate the complex mix of joy and suffering that comes from watching a Minnesota legend hang a banner with a new franchise.
Are you ready to feel the burn?!
Bell Pepper – Andrew Wiggins
Wiggins was miscast as a franchise player with the Minnesota Timberwolves. I felt bad for how he was treated by Jimmy Butler, but also had accepted that the former number one pick was never going to be the key ingredient for a Timbo title. When Wiggins miraculously stepped up to play a Pascal Siakam-style role for the 2022 Golden State Warriors, I was flabbergasted. He rebounded with passion and scored just enough second banana bank shots to let Steph Curry carry the day. What a pleasant surprise! But seriously no sweat from this one, this was never gonna happen in Minnesota.
Good for Wiggs.
Banana Pepper – Brad Johnson
Imagine me in 1998: a fresh Robert Smith jersey draping past my seventh grade knees and a middle school mustache wisping across my upper lip. “Brad Johnson is gonna take us to the promised land!” I declared. Brad got hurt early in the season, unleashing an incredible Randy Moss fever dream from fall to winter. I always rooted for Mr. Johnson after he left Mankato and he ably embodied the Trent-Dilfer-Plus game manager role that the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed. His title left a mild tang at most. (In a similar vein, Doug Mientkiewicz’s Boston Red Sox title was probably a Friggitello pepper.)
Poblano Pepper – Kevin Love
Now we’re feeling some heat. David Khan did K-Love dirty, low-balling him when who else was going to be the face of the Wolves? Derrick Williams? Darko Miličić ? At the same time, Kevin did me dirty. I bought partial season tickets two days before he performed the most catastrophic knuckle push up in jealous boyfriend history.
Instead of watching a frisky Wolves team led by the best rebounder in the league, I spent a season watching Rick Adleman guzzle heart medication while Alexey Shved re-enacted Anna Karenina on the court. This was the only time in my life I wished I drank more. Love winning it all with the Cleveland Cavaliers definitely brought emotional spice, but ultimately did not cause too much distress. 2016 was a LeBron title and Love was just a role player learning how to fit out. (Love did play great defense on Curry during a critical fourth quarter possession in Game 7 of the 2016 finals. I was proud of him.)
Jalapeno Pepper – Karl Anthony Towns
KAT was an oasis. By the time he came to the Wolves in the 2015 draft, I resembled an unraveled mummy. Drained of hope by years of futility. But KAT was different from Wiggins and Anthony Bennett and Michael Olowokandi and all the former number one picks who’d disappointed in a Wolves uniform. I loved his furious (if offensive-foul prone) dunks and sweet three-point release. By the 2020s, the team was finally good enough to make the playoffs and the enigma of KAT fully emerged.
When he was great, he was capital “G” Great (he out-dueled prime Nikola Jokić!), but when he got sloppy…my god. The bone-headed fouls at the worst time. The early in the shot clock threes. With each foolish mistake, I found myself muttering “Karl” under my breath in a full on walrus voice like Tom Thibodeau after three milkshakes.
When we traded Towns to the Knicks, I got depressed because it felt like the trade was more about saving money than building a better team. Maybe, I thought, a new city would finally unlock KAT’s true potential. Nope. He was basically the same player on the Knicks as on the Wolves. Fully capable of going blow for blow with Victor Wembanyama one game, and then fouling out early multiple games in a row with the title on the line. Jalen Brunson brought it home, but I didn’t feel cheated out of a banner. It was, as stated, a satisfying yet tumultuous bite of a bánh mì sandwich with one too many jalapenos.
Serrano Pepper – Lakers move to Los Angeles
My favorite lake in Los Angeles is the fetid tank of pure hubris Lakers fans swim in everyday when they celebrate their “seventeen NBA titles.” Excuse me??? I believe at least five of those were won in Minneapolis (Yay!) when the league was… openly segregated (Yikes). Okay, probably best not to get too upset over this. The major bummer about this one is that the Lakers uniforms and Vikings uniforms look great together.
Ultimately, can’t give this one a high spice-pain level because eventually Minnesotans got a new team and a chance to root for Malik Beasley. Who’s the real winner now Hollywood?
Cayenne Pepper – Sam Darnold
Sam seemed nice and all. Played hard. Great attitude. Aired it out to Justin Jefferson. But his torrid love affair with turnovers was a crippling vice in Minnesota. This one only burns because it shows how the Vikes can’t catch a break. Somehow Darnold led the league in interceptions with the Seattle Seahawks and won the Super Bowl anyway. The Vikings would have found a way to turn those I-N-Ts into T-E-A-Rs. This one scalds the tongue–in the immortal words of Bruno Mars “so hot, makes a dragon wanna retire, man.”
Habanero Pepper –Kevin Garnett
Ouch! Ouch! Too hot! The only thing more intense than my sadness at the KG trade was the Big Ticket’s general demeanor every day of his life. But still, I watched his ‘08 Boston Celtics team with extreme passion and partisanship. Garnett was my guy, even if he rocked shamrocks. Seeing him win the title was an exquisite high-spice meal–so much joy, so much pain.
I’m not crying, its just the habanero heat I swear.
Ghost Pepper – AJ Pierzynski
Why does this one sting so bad? For some reason, it irks me more to have a “you-love-it-when-hes-on-your-team” guy win it all with a division rival than to see a former hometown superstar reach their destiny elsewhere. Imagine how a Golden State Warriors fan would feel if Draymond won a chip with the Lakers.
Also. Look at this guy’s face…man, he had to win it with the White Sox? Boooooo!
Carolina Reaper – Chauncey Billups
As someone who bought Troy Hudson’s rap album, I have major regrets. Mr. Big Shot was a perfect floor general for KG, instilling a strong defensive identity at the point of attack and flashing a knack for timely threes. His stats don’t look too gaudy now (around 12 points and five assists per game in ‘02), but this was during the slugfest era of the NBA when a final score of 88-82 was a common occurrence.
The Wolves let Billups leave in free agency for nothing, dooming the team to chase a trustworthy guard for KG for the rest of his tenure (Marko Jarić, T-Hud, Randy Foye, Rashad McCants…I would go on but my keyboard is too slick with tears.) Like the fearsome Carolina Reaper, this one really hurts. Honestly, I’d only relive this experience/taste the terror flames again if I needed to promote an upcoming film project to the audience of Hot Ones.
Pepper X – David Ortiz
The Minnesota Twins discarded a franchise messiah because he hit too many home runs. I will never get over this. Seriously, who looks at a man of Ortiz’s generous girth and thinks “that guy should bunt more.” To pour a gallon of gourmet Icelandic sea salt in the wound, Ortiz slayed the Yankees for another city’s cursed franchise while the Twins lost six straight playoff series to the Bronx Bombers. It burns! Why would a just God make such a pepper???
Chernobyl – Nazereon Hilton Ried
If Naz wins it all with the Charlotte Hornets, the resulting cloud of toxic emotions will plume across oceans for decades.
So stay strong Wolves fans! You’ve been tempered by steel and at least we’ve got the ring-laden Lynx in our city. Pile on the Tabasco and share your most mourned Minnesotan players in the comments.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 14: Kevin Porter Jr. #7 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts after a no call during the second quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on March 14, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All told, Kevin Porter Jr. is coming off a better season than I initially thought. I mean, averages of 17.4 PPG, 7.4 APG, 5.2 RPG, and 2.2 (!) SPG are nothing to sneeze at. Granted, those numbers are somewhat inflated because 1) he only played 38 games, and 2) he got heaps of minutes when he did play (33 minutes per night). Still, it’s impressive. Porter played a key role and hit a number of huge shots last year; I cast my mind back to that game at home against the Cavs late last season:
WILD ENDING IN MILWAUKEE 🚨
Kevin Porter Jr. gives the Bucks the lead with 20.2 left, and the buzzer sounds JUST before Jarrett Allen's game-tying attempt. pic.twitter.com/MOWyJLi5Wf
For all his warts, one thing I appreciate about KPJ is his confidence and self-belief. He’s not scared to take big shots and assume that responsibility. Also, Porter is really hard to stop when he gets going downhill; his goofy same-hand, same-foot finishes routinely catch shot-blocking bigs off guard, and he’s got the passing vision to go with it.
With all that said, Porter is no perfect player. Firstly, he turns the ball over far too much (nearly three per game last season). He also takes some horrible, out-of-the-flow shots, which often lead to runouts down the other end and thus might as well be classed as turnovers. I still have nightmares from that 2025 playoff series against the Pacers. Yeesh.
The biggest issue I have with KPJ, however, is that he needs the ball in his hands for the offence to work; he shot 32.2% from deep last season, so his utility as an off-ball player is limited. Now, that becomes an issue when you consider the influx of guards Milwaukee has brought in over the offseason. Are they really going to prioritise Porter over Ryan Rollins or Tyler Herro? What about Brayden Burries? At least Jakucionis profiles well as an off-ball player.
This is one of the main reasons—along with the off-court stuff, obviously—that I don’t think the 26-year-old is long for this team. I reckon there’s a good chance Horst lets him walk in free agency once his player option expires at the end of this upcoming campaign. For now, though, let’s hope he has a great season.
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 26: Brandon Ingram #3 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 26, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Former Duke star Brandon Ingram was recently traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, but he won’t be playing for a while, as he has had surgery for a partial Achilles tear and also a heel spur.
There’s not a ton of information about his status, but our guess, for what it’s worth, is that it’s not as serious as what Jayson Tatum went through with his Achilles injury.
Still, the estimated recovery time is 6-9 months, so it’s no minor injury, and of course, we don’t know what the heel injury requires. And Ingram is now 29. It’s not old by NBA standards, and both training and rehab methods are vastly improved.
On the bright side, the surgery was in May, and the recovery is going well, so hopefully, he’ll be available before too much longer.
SACRAMENTO — Darius Acuff Jr. approached his first NBA media day like any other day.
To everyone else, Acuff was one of the biggest storylines as eyes followed the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft everywhere he went once he first walked onto the Kings practice facility court. To him, it was just Monday.
Why? Because becoming an NBA player never was some far-fetched dream for the Arkansas product. It never was something that was unspoken in his Detroit household that bled and sweated the game of basketball. It was reality within reach. It was manifested. It always was meant to happen.
But the confidence in himself should not be mistaken for ungratefulness.
“I always felt like [an NBA player]. I always dreamed of it,” Acuff said Monday. “So it’s kind of hard not to feel like you’re not there. But when you actually get here, like doing this is kind of another thought, like, damn, I really made it. But like I said, just soaking it all in, just trying to be that young player willing to learn from anybody. It’s still great, though.”
Acuff is a 19-year-old with the maturity and mindset of a 40-year-old man.
He attributes that to his upbringing in Detroit, a home he always will rep as he embarks on embracing his other new home in Sacramento.
He spent his summer mostly in California’s capital, getting adjusted to his new environment and teammates. He worked out a lot with his fellow rookies, Alex Karaban and Emmanuel Sharpe, as well as with second-year guys such as Max Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell. But his on-court work with veteran big man Domantas Sabonis is what could become a real dual threat for opponents.
“Yeah, it’s been great,” Acuff said. “A couple of the five-on-five sessions we were on the same team, and it was kind of easy to play with him. I’m going to get some layups off him, he can pass, too. It’s great building chemistry with him. It’s very exciting for sure.”
Like Acuff, Ben Simmons is new to the Kings organization.
The rookie is excited to share the floor with someone he grew up watching and never imagined he would be teammates with.
“Nah, I ain’t ever thought that. Watching Ben he got drafted in 2018, right? 2016. See, I was in like third grade. I was in third grade and watching Zach [LaVine], of course, dunk contest, all that. So even Malik [Monk], I watched Malik play. He played for coach [John Calipari]. So just being here is great, man. Learning from them guys is going to be great for me all year.”
He revealed that both Monk and LaVine texted him as soon as he was drafted by Sacramento. And since then, they have been among the many veterans who have guided him along the way and will continue to do so throughout his rookie season.
Acuff will be the starting point guard for the Kings during the 2026-27 season, which presents questions about what Simmons’ exact role will be. Acuff acknowledged that the logistics will be sorted out throughout training camp and preseason, but for now, the team is focused on honing in on one of its identities, which is playing fast.
However, it won’t take long for Acuff to realize words mean very little to the Kings fanbase, who have experienced just one playoff appearance in two decades. He is a competitor; he wants to win, but he also knows the odds are against the Kings.
He doesn’t mind that.
“Yeah, for sure,” Acuff said when asked if the Kings’ low expectations could be used as bulletin board material. “We want something to fuel you. Like I said, my one thing that I said is I’ve been really trying to win. So you know, I’m not too worried about what other people say. I’m focused on what me and the team are trying to do, and that’s win games.”
Despite being a 19-year-old rookie, he believes that starts with him.
He recognizes and accepts that responsibility wholeheartedly. It begins with accountability — one of general manager Scott Perry’s six pillars.
“I say just staying level-headed, just being smart, and just being a leader as the point guard,” Acuff said. “You got to lead the team. That’s how y’all are going to win. So just getting everybody where they need to be. Everybody taking accountability, no matter who you are, and just like I said, being together as a team, being together on and off the court is going to help on the court.”
Acuff, so far, has been a man of few words with the media, but when he speaks, he speaks with conviction.
It is early, and there is a lot that has to fall into place for Acuff to thrive in his new role as the face of the franchise over the next several years. But whether it be his rookie season or Year 10 for him, he only has one thing on his mind.
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 10: Dylan Harper #2 and Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs look on during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2025-26 Emirates Cup Quarterfinals on December 10, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Yesterday was Media Day for the San Antonio Spurs. The players decked out in their uniforms and met with members of television, magazine, newspapers, and on-line sports broadcasting. The team members were in their home jerseys which underscores their unity but diminishes their individual style.
Fortunately, GQ took some time to engage Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper in a photo shoot.
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 28: CJ McCollum #3 of the Atlanta Hawks poses for a portrait during media day at PC&E Atlanta on September 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the GettyImages License Agreement. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks are back and ready to start the 2026-27 season, and what better way to know they’re back than Media Day. It always feels like the first day of school, but it’s the time when players all come together and share with the media and fans what’s going through their minds ahead of the season.
For the Hawks, they added some new players to the team who should be major contributors to their success, but they also have returning players who are looking to take another jump in their game.
Here are some of the best sounds and bites from the Hawks during Media Day.
What CJ McCollum is looking forward to in training camp
“I got traded in January. I got here, met the team on a road trip, and kind of jumped right into the season, which was difficult, but I think I’m most excited about being able to go through a full training camp. We went through the season, lost in the postseason, and had the summer where we were all here on and off. Everybody was here pretty early in September. So, we’ve been able to work out together, play some, and kind of hang around each other. I think that’s important for camaraderie, trust, the ability to execute down the stretch, and then also accountability.”
Onyeka Okongwu on the first time entering the season as the starting center
“I love the fact that they have a lot of confidence in me. I’m excited for it. I’m ready for the responsibility and I’m ready to see how far this team can go.”
Jock Landale on returning to the Hawks
“I took it on myself to get here as early as possible. I think I’ve been around since July 5th. A lot of guys have been around and in the gym, I feel like we’ve made some really good leeway in kind of building relationships with each other and just learning what it is to play Atlanta Hawks basketball. We’ve got a long way to go given that it’s still September, but I think we’ve made some really good inroads to our own identity.”
Nickeil Alexander-Walker following up on his MIP season
“My main focus out of that is to continue to grow as a player, to continue to get better, to maximize the opportunity and every single ounce of potential that I have left. Wherever that takes me, it takes me. I think that by doing that, it has proven over time that it just continues to get better. I don’t stress the success more than I stress not continuously working and getting complacent.”
Asa Newell and his playoff experience during Year 1
“Year 1 being in the playoffs just set the standard for this organization, and we’re going to try to make the playoffs every single year. It was cool being in the environment of State Farm, being in the environment of New York, and going against the Knicks. It’s extremely physical. The matchups, switching, the different lineups, it was really good, and I think that for our group it really helped us moving forward.”
Kingston Flemings going against Dyson, Nickeil and Lu
“We’ve been in OTAs already going at each other, so it’s been good. They’re all competitive. Being able to learn and being able to play against these guys, it’s a dream come true. I’m blessed to be on this team playing against guys like that every single day. I’m looking forward to it.”
Aaron Wiggins bringing experience to the Hawks
“There’s championship pedigree and experience that I bring, but with that as a basketball player, there’s competitiveness and just the motivation to win again that exists within me. I think bringing that energy is consistently contagious. I think amongst the team, everybody wants to win, and everybody wants to compete, and with that mindset, we’ll all get better, and over time you’ll see the team develop and get better with that as well.”
Dyson Daniels working on his jump shot
“Obviously, shooting was very bad last year for me, and it’s been a focal point for me in this offseason. For me, it’s been about the sequencing in my shot, getting more rhythm through my shot, and getting more energy through my legs so I can get my arc up. A big thing with me was it was a very flat shot, so trying to get more arc. That’s been a big focus for me this offseason.”
Dorian Finney-Smith on what he can bring to the Hawks
“My voice. I’m very talkative on the court. I know a lot of young guys kind of think it’s cliché, but the loudest team always wins. They’re usually the most connected team. When you have to problem-solve on the court without a coach, that’s what you need. You need your communication, and that’s what I bring. I probably talk too much on the court, but I’m a competitor.”
Jalen Johnson reflecting on playoff loss
“There was the first month and a half, two months after the season; all it was was film from that next series and just how I can learn and grow from that because, at the end of the day, I want to win championships. The playoffs are where you need to be at your best. Understanding that and having the right people around me who help me focus on what I need to focus on. You’ve got to have the mental capacity to be able to want that for yourself and not be complacent. I want that.”
Lu Dort is happy to be in Atlanta
“I already had some familiar faces on the roster, which was good with Nickeil and Wiggins, but just seeing the potential defensively with Dyson and JJ as well, and a lot of guys on the team, there’s a lot of stuff that we can do. After I got the call, I was just really happy for that situation.”
Sep 28, 2026; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) talks to reporters during media day at Auerbach Center. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Another year, another Celtics Media Day in the books. This is maybe my favorite part of the offseason. The team is assembled, the stakes are set, and all the new and returning faces are telling me exactly what I want to hear.
Up until the playoffs rolled around, I had very little to complain about last season. The team exceeded all expectations in my eyes, and I wasn’t as low on them going into the season as many others were. That being said, there was still plenty of room for improvement, even during their impressive regular season.
Maybe the best encapsulation of that sentiment in a single player is Derrick White. White put together a pretty great season all things considered. He produced career-highs in points (16.5), assists (5.4), steals (1.1), and blocks per game (1.3). Along with that, he was among the league leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio, ranked sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and made it onto the All-Defensive First Team.
Fans and critics alike have found it pretty easy to overlook all of those achievements, though. Derrick had a pretty poor year in terms of efficiency, and the conversation surrounding that stole the show, especially when the playoffs rolled around and it seemed like he couldn’t buy a bucket while the Celtics blew a 3-1 series lead.
White shot an abysmal 39.4% from the field over the course of the season. From behind the arc, just 32.7%. With three-point attempts making up over half of his shot diet, each missed shot felt like it was carrying some extra weight.
Derrick was able to acknowledge the struggles during his media availability on Monday, while giving some encouraging words alongside them: “I think every offseason, you try to just go back and see what went wrong, why it went wrong, and try to correct it for the next season. Obviously, shooting was a big thing, and something I think I’ve corrected, hopefully… I feel good. I feel confident, and I’ll try and go out there and perform.”
Derrick White says he thinks he has corrected his shooting.
When asked about what specifically he worked on, he joked at first, “you guys would look at me crazy if I said I didn’t figure it out at all.” He then continued to say, “there are obviously some things that I think I kinda dropped that I’ve done in the past. So, just kinda going back to some things that I’ve done… Just a bunch of those little things that kinda compound, combine into a bad shooting year, and just trying to be better for next year.”
White has been a core member of the Celtics since Boston decided to trade for him. He’s taken on more responsibility with each passing season. With Jayson Tatum’s absence, Derrick not only had to operate without the one teammate who makes his job the easiest; he also had to shoulder a larger workload than he was used to.
Before Tatum returned to the court, White was taking 15.2 field goal attempts (FGA) per game, up from the 12.6 FGA from the previous season. That bumped him up from the fourth highest FGA rate on the team in 24-25, behind Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis, to the second highest, only behind Jaylen.
At the same time, he saw a similar increase in his usage. In the 24-25 season, Derrick was again fourth on the team behind Tatum (30.1%), Brown (28.2%), and Porzingis (25.3%) at 19.5%. This past season, he was third (22.7%) behind Jaylen (35.6%) and Anfernee Simons (22.8%) prior to Tatum’s return. He had the ball in his hands more, and was tasked with controlling the offense more often, all while a larger chunk of the possessions was concentrated into Brown’s hands, meaning the responsibility wasn’t as spread out.
This upcoming season, Tatum should be back to his usual self, and while Derrick may still be tasked with a lot of offensive responsibility, Paul George should be able to take on a fair bit of the catch-and-shoot looks White had early in his Celtics tenure, while Mitchell Robinson’s screen-setting and rolling should open up a lot more of the floor. Derrick should be back in a much more comfortable position to operate from, and if his offseason efforts pay off, he’ll become a major key to unlocking Boston’s offense between his shooting and playmaking.
The way I see it, White set a high bar for himself last season, but left a wide-open window to reach, and even pass that bar. Just a few more weeks until we get to see him and the team back in action.
Lakers center Walker Kessler speaks during the team's media day in El Segundo on Monday. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
When he’s at his best, Matisse Thybulle is already regarded as an elite, ball-hawking wing. Now think about what the new Lakers guard can do with Walker Kessler by his side.
“[I] just feel like I can fully live up to my defensive potential,” Thybulle said Monday at Lakers media day, “because of having a rim protector like Walker.”
Just as Kessler is expected to lift the Lakers’ offense by pairing with Luka Doncic, the Lakers are equally excited for the influence Kessler can have on defense. The 7-foot-2 center is the type of rim-protecting force that can unlock a new scheme and elevate his teammates as the Lakers compete in a top-heavy Western Conference.
Coach JJ Redick said the Lakers’ tendency to switch on defense in recent years was “by necessity.” The Lakers, with the inconsistent Deandre Ayton at center, ranked 20th in defensive rating last season with just 4.3 blocks per game. Their 41 rebounds per game ranked 27th.
In 2024-25, his last full season, Kessler was second in the NBA in blocks (2.4). The former Utah Jazz center averaged a double-double (11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds) during his third year, looking primed for a breakthrough. Then, a shoulder injury limited him to just five games last season.
The Lakers believe the 25-year-old Kessler’s talent, age and fit with Doncic and fellow star guard Austin Reaves made him worthy of a high-investment sign-and-trade; the Lakers sent four first-round draft picks to Utah to secure the restricted free agent, who then signed a four-year, $130-million deal with L.A.
“I think the Lakers organization is obviously a historic organization, and there’s maybe added pressure to that,” Kessler said. “But I think for me, with that pressure comes a lot of opportunity to play at a stage like this and to compete for a championship. I think that with the price they gave [for] me, again, speaking to the belief that they showed me, it makes me want to play my best ball for them.”
Lakers center Walker Kessler participates in a video shoot during the team's media day in El Segundo on Monday. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Redick said he hopes to use Kessler similarly to how the San Antonio Spurs use reigning defensive player of the year Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs superstar lurks down low near the basket, allowing guards to pressure aggressively on the perimeter.
The plan sounds perfect to Kessler’s new teammates.
“I’m a gambling man,” forward Jake LaRavia said with a smile. “So when it comes to defense, being able to play passing lanes and not have to worry about getting beat so much because you’ve got Walker as the back-line defense, it’s going to make us wings and guards feel a lot more comfortable being a little bit more aggressive defensively, maybe being able to pick up full-court a little bit more.”
The Lakers are chasing Western Conference leaders Oklahoma City and San Antonio. The last two conference champions were first and third, respectively, in NBA defensive rating last season, anchored by their star centers. Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren finished second in defensive player of the year voting and earned his first All-Star appearance.
Hoping to keep pace, the Lakers brought in Kessler as their most high-profile offseason addition. They also revamped their options on the perimeter, adding a stable of three-and-D players to support Doncic and Reaves by spacing the floor on offense and covering for the superstars on defense. Thybulle — a two-time NBA all-defensive team honoree — guards Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton and forward Ziaire Williams are expected to be among the new faces responsible for taking the Lakers’ defense to the next level.
“OKC, San Antonio, they play really hard defensively,” Grimes said. “You can get away with a lot more. So we’re really trying to set that tone.”
Doncic lauded the roster moves. Many of the signings were “underrated,” Doncic said. The Lakers don’t mind being overlooked for now.
“I think we’re competitors,” Sexton said. “I feel like we added people that are willing to compete, and we added guys that don’t back down to anyone. ... So I think we gotta show people.”
"I think the Lakers organization is obviously a historic organization, and there's maybe added pressure to that," said Walker Kessler, posing during the Lakers' media day Monday. "But I think for me, with that pressure comes a lot of opportunity to play at a stage like this and to compete for a championship. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Doncic, who missed the postseason because of a hamstring injury, is especially eager to get back on the court. The thought of his long-awaited return was one of the few times the maniacal competitor showed a genuine smile during his obligatory news conference Monday.
Kessler said his shoulder is “110%” and “better than it’s ever felt.” The injury lingered since college and started getting worse last season. Shutting it down for the season felt like “it would be the best timing,” Kessler said in July. At the time, Utah was much more focused on draft position than playoff hopes.
With a line of Larry O’Brien trophies lording over the Lakers’ practice court, Kessler knows expectations in L.A. will be the highest he’s ever faced.
“To play for a [historic team] like this, I don’t really feel pressure. I just feel grateful,” Kessler said. “Grateful for this opportunity and grateful to play for this franchise.”
Lakers guard Austin Reaves strikes a pose during the team's media day in El Segundo on Monday. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
On the court, Austin Reaves really doesn’t have much left to prove. Well, except whether he can stay on the court.
The Lakers’ star guard is tough, he’s talented, he has the temperament and competitive compass to lead a team. He’s been blessed with a sense of the moment and a sense of humor. It’s been a treat to watch him go from an undrafted curiosity to star guard for the Lakers, recently the recipient of a new four-year, $184-million contract.
Reaves foretold of his future stardom in 2023 after scoring nine consecutive points in a playoff victory over the Memphis Grizzlies: He’s him, he’s him!
Now entering Year 6, we’re long past doubting the ability of this kid from Newark, Ark. — except, of course, for his durability, his availability.
When he played last season, averaging 23.3 points on 49% shooting, the Lakers were 36-15 (.706). That’s better than every Western Conference team besides the Oklahoma City Thunder (.780) and San Antonio Spurs (.756).
But when Reaves was out of uniform and headband, the Lakers were a ho-hum 17-14.
Reaves missed those games — and his shot at his first All-NBA and All-Star selections — because of right groin soreness in November, a left calf strain in December and January, and a left oblique strain in April.
Those were frustrating injuries, but they weren’t random. Unfortunate, but not exactly unlucky. They weren’t freak injuries, they were conditions that cropped up when his usage ticked up.
It seemed a sign that Reaves could be overburdened when he had to carry extra weight more than just part-time.
So the Lakers need the 28-year-old that they’re paying more than anyone but Luka Doncic to steel himself against that wear and tear. They better hope he spent at least as much time training his body to withstand another NBA season of body blows as he did going low on golf courses this offseason.
Monday at media day, where Doncic and Reaves sported matching golf tans, the now-longest-tenured Laker testified that he “had a really good summer and put myself in a really good spot going into this year.”
That’s good, that’s really good.
Because if the new-look Lakers are going to succeed, they need Reaves whipping passes and weaving to the rim for as many of their 82 regular-season games as possible.
They also need him to stretch well and drink lots of water and regularly get good nights’ sleep.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves participates in the team's media day in El Segundo on Monday. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
To go ahead and invest in hyperbaric chambers, cryotherapy, compression boots and anything else he watched LeBron James do to defy Father Time in the five seasons they played together: “There’s a lot more that goes into it than the casual fan sees,” Reaves said Monday. “You have to do more every single day, especially the older that you get.”
The Lakers have watched Reaves grow up, from a surprising bit player in 2021-22 to a multifaceted menace who last season scored 51 points one game, dished 16 assists in another, and had others with 11 rebounds and four steals.
That’s why he got the big contract. And that’s why, when Reaves said Monday that, in his mind, “nothing really changes with how I approach the game,” it made sense.
He plays winning basketball, and if it ain’t broke, you’re not supposed to fix it.
But the Lakers also need Reaves to realize he’s really rich now. He should let it get to his head a little bit and be smarter out there.
He’s not going to be overdrawn when those moments arrive, asking him to make a bang-bang decision: Cash or charge?
For Reaves, the answer should almost always be cash. Because what’s in the Lakers’ best interests? Reaves drawing an offensive foul or coach JJ Redick drawing up a lineup without Reaves in it?
Protect yourself at all costs, Austin. Luka, too. Let all these defensive-minded role players fighting for playing time take the charges; that’s their job.
New Lakers center Kevon Looney became a three-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors. He knows what wins championships: Defense and health.
“For us to reach our full potential, we’re going to have to be a good defensive team,” Looney said Monday. “And then every team needs health. We got the talent, but being healthy and taking care of our bodies is going to set us apart.”
Reaves has already set himself apart, as an underdog, a dawg, and now, one of the Lakers’ top dogs.
He’s worth every penny that they’re paying him. But he’s still got to earn it.
The Kentucky Wildcats basketball season tip-off is only a few days away as the Cats will take the floor at Rupp Arena on Friday night for Big Blue Madness.
Mark Pope’s first two seasons have been up and down, but one thing has been constant: Injuries.
The first season, it was Lamont Butler, Jaxson Robinson, Kerr Kriisa, and Andrew Carr who battled injuries.
Last season, it was Jaland Lowe and Jayden Quaintance who went down for the season, while Kam Williams and Mo Dioubate also missed time.
Before this season tips off, several Cats have already battled some injuries.
Williams is still working his way back from a second foot surgery. Milan Momcilovic hurt a finger on his shooting hand, Trent Noah suffered a significant hamstring injury, and now Jerone Moton can be added to the list with a knee injury sustained in practice.
Luckily, nothing seems serious enough to play a major factor in the regular season, but the fact that they have already started is definitely unsettling. At some point, chalking all of this up to ‘bad luck’ just can’t be a real excuse anymore.
Now, we just hope they all stay away and give Pope his first fully healthy team in his tenure.
UNITED STATES - APRIL 17: Basketball: ABA Playoffs, San Antonio Spurs George Gervin (44) in action vs Indiana Pacers George McGinnis (30), Indianapolis, IN 4/17/1975 (Photo by Heinz Kluetmeier/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X19471 TK1)
George McGinnis is somewhat forgotten today, and that’s really too bad, because he was a heck of a player.
After growing up in Indianapolis, McGinnis chose Indiana, where he averaged 29.9 ppg as a sophomore in 1970-71.
He left for the ABA, missing playing for Bob Knight by a single season.
As an Indiana Pacer, McGinnis helped that team win two titles in his first two seasons.
After some legal entanglements, he joined the Philadelphia 76ers in 1975, and when Philly acquired Julius Erving in 1976, the table was set for one of the most entertaining teams in basketball history.
Aside from McGinnis and Erving, Philly also had Doug Collins, Darryl Dawkins, Lloyd Free (later known as World B. Free), Joe Bryant, father of Kobe, and Steve Mix.
The following year, the Philadelphia 76ers would take on Bill Walton’s Portland Trail Blazers in an epic NBA Finals, losing to Portland, 4-2.
Portland proved to be the better team, but Philadelphia was immensely talented, and McGinnis was a huge part of that team’s success.
Among his many talents – he was also a superb rebounder – McGinnis had a highly unusual shot: he would start with a fairly standard form, then his left hand would fall away, and in the end, he shot with just his right hand.
He did have fairly large hands, and could double-clutch with just his right hand.
In 1978, Philadelphia traded him to Denver for Bobby Jones and Ralph Simpson. He played well for the Nuggets until injuries began to slow him down.
He was traded back to Indiana in 1980, but by then, McGinnis was past his prime.
During his prime, though, he was a spectacular player, and unlike anyone else.
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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 28: Mike Conley #45 of the Boston Celtics is interviewed during Boston Celtics Media Day at Auerbach Center on September 28, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Basketball is a young man’s sport.
But Mike Conley, a 38-year-old who is entering his 20th season in the league, is determined to contribute in his new role with the Boston Celtics.
Brad Stevens signed Conley to a one-year, $3.9 million deal earlier this summer but, after 19 seasons, it is unclear what he might bring to his fourth — and potentially final — team.
Heading into the 2026-27 season, Conley is one of only three players on Boston’s roster over the age of 30 (Paul George, 36, and Derrick White, 32, are the other two) and the oldest of the bunch. He’s from the same 2007 draft class as Al Horford, Kevin Durant, and Jeff Green, and has enjoyed a long, fruitful career. He will become the 14th player in NBA history to play 20 seasons when the 2027-28 campaign begins on Oct. 20.
However, his performance in recent years has sparked questions about how long that career may continue.
Last season, Conley averaged only 4.5 points and 2.9 assists in 18.4 minutes per game over 54 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves — a team that was desperate for solid backup guard play. His efficiency also nosedived last season. Despite career shooting averages of 43.6% from the field and 38.7% from three-point range, those percentages dropped to 33.5% and 33.7%, respectively, in 2025-26.
Nevertheless, Conley expressed confidence in himself while speaking with the NBC Sports Boston crew on Media Day.
Shortly after Marc D’Amico pointed out that Conley was drafted only four months after his rookie teammate, Chris Cenac Jr., was born, Conley talked about how he’d like to impact the team.
“Come in and be the voice, be a leader, be professional everyday like I normally am and, when my time is called, I’m sure I’ll have opportunities to impact the games on-court, I’m always going to be ready to go and be that guy this team can lean on whenever that time is needed. So I’m just excited to kind of fill that role and be the guy that can help the team in any way,” he said.
Conley, who has yet to win a NBA championship, said his drive to win one is “never-ending” and that he hopes to impose his urgency for a ring onto the rest of the team.
He acknowledged his longevity in the league, but reiterated a statement he made during his introductory press conference with the Celtics: he’s got a lot left in the tank.
“I’m waiting on the day when I wake up and I’m like, ‘I can’t move, I can’t do this.’ I don’t feel that. I wake up and I’m still moving quick. I’m able to guard defensively, still shoot, still do all the things. The role has changed a bunch — you know, as you get older, you start to get less on your plate and less on your plate — but I think that doesn’t necessarily speak to what a person’s still capable of doing,” Conley said. “Yeah, as the years go on, I do less and less and less as far as numbers and all these other things, but the impact and what I can still bring and how I can still effect games with my brain and with my body — I can still do it.”
Stevens, who said on Media Day that he may have first seen Conley play basketball in the 90s while they were both in Indiana, also voiced his confidence in Conley’s ability to contribute to the Celtics both on- and off-court.
“Mike’s just a guy that understands what it’s all about. He’s been in the league for 20 years. He still, when he moves, looks like he’s floating on the court. He’s always been that kind of athlete. But, beyond that, it’s just this wherewithal of how teams function, how to bring the best out in the people next to you. I think that, in an era where you probably don’t see as many ‘pure point guards,’ he was a pure point guard who sees the game, reads the game, thinks the game, like Joe wants our entire team to,” Stevens said. “I think it’s a great resource for our guys, and he can still really play, and so it’ll be fun to have him around.”
Luka Garza, who played with Conley during his time in Minnesota, said the Shams Charania tweet announcing that his old teammate was joining the Celtics was “one of the best Shams notifications ever.”
“I immediately texted him and was super happy,” Garza said. “What he brings to the table fits so perfectly with what’s going on here. … The professionalism, the mindset, the showing up everyday to work and the ability to be in a locker room and just have that vulnerability, that openness, to communicate with everybody there. It seemed like he was the glue that kept our teams together in Minnesota, so to have him here, I know he’s just going to have a great impact on everyone around him.”
CAMDEN, N.J. — LeBron James knows championship-caliber chemistry won't develop overnight for the Philadelphia 76ers with their recently renovated star-studded roster.
It will take time. Say, like the 90 seconds it takes for a bowl of oatmeal to warm up in the microwave.
"Everyone wants instant oatmeal," James said Monday, Sept. 28 at 76ers media day. "You just put the oatmeal in the bowl, you put water in it, throw it in the microwave, and in a minute and a half, you’ve got something to eat. You’re ready to go.
"If you want to do something special, it takes time."
That's the task at hand for James as he enters a league-record 24th NBA season, and his first in Philadelphia: bring a championship blueprint to to the 76ers and help lead the franchise to a title.
The 76ers are looking to break through after another disappointing playoff exit, as a second-round sweep by the New York Knicks extended the franchise's Eastern Conference finals drought to 25 seasons. With training camp beginning Tuesday and the season opener against the Knicks 21 days away, James believes chemistry can be expedited through time spent together before practice, in film sessions and during road trips.
But it's also more involved than that.
James said it starts with "falling in love with doing things that's uncomfortable."
"For us to be great, we have to do things that are just not comfortable. We have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. That is the best way to expedite being great," James said. "... And if we can do that, we can be a great team.
"If we don't do that, then we'll be like, "Oh man, that was a great team on paper and we had a lot of great talent and we also sat around." I don't want to do that. I don't need my family to lose in the second round. I know that for sure. Work needs to be done, and I’m ready to get to work."
Collective sacrifice will also be needed, which James said isn't a negative, though the word could come off with a negative connotation. That sacrifice doesn’t necessarily mean changing roles because of the roster’s overhaul. Instead, it means embracing the little things that "don't show up in the box scores."
"With the group of guys we have, no one mentioned that everyone’s role will probably be different. And that’s for the greater good," James said. "... It's not a negative when people say, 'Okay, you have to make a sacrifice or your role may change.'
"We're trying to do something special – which I believe we are – then that's a positive. So many guys that've been in our league over the course of my career have never made a sacrifice in their career, and they average 20 points and 22 points a game. (But) they've had one or two postseason appearances and zero postseason wins. If that's the way you want your career to be, then that's fine. Everyone has different goals, but I don't think anybody in the locker room has that feeling and wants their career to be like that, or we wouldn't be there."
Brown agrees with James' message.
"Anytime you're going for something great, something high-level, you're going to take a level of sacrifice," Brown said.
James averaged 20.9 points per game last season for the Los Angeles Lakers in 60 games. He's expected to play power forward in the 76ers' projected lineup, but he said he's willing to do "whatever the team needs" to help Philadelphia win.
"I think the luxury of my game is that I can do everything," James said. "Literally, I can do everything."
Maxey said he's "pretty comfortable playing in any type of situation" at this point in his career but believes that the 76ers roster allows him "to get out and transition a little bit more." The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 28.3 points and 6.6 assists per game last season while shooting 46.2% from the field.
Tyrese Maxey explains how this new Sixers roster allows him to play better transition basketball.
Brown, who believes there's a lot of "firepower offensively" on the roster, will be tasked with being a "defensive stopper," something Maxey and Embiid both spoke to on what excited them about the addition of Brown after facing him and the Boston Celtics all those years in the Atlantic Division.
"I think anchoring defense is important for all of us. I think that should be what we should hang our hats on as a team," Brown said. "... We all got to hold each other accountable on defense."
There are bound to be growing pains as the 76ers' new-look "Big Five" develops chemistry, and there's no guarantee a roster loaded with this much star power will ultimately work. Embiid has seen the 76ers pursue the star-stacking approach before, from adding Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris to later acquiring James Harden, while having Ben Simmons as a piece of "The Process" during that era.
This time around, though, the seven-time All-Star and former NBA MVP, who is "feeling pretty good" after dealing with injuries the last few seasons, believes the Sixers have the right mix of talent on the roster to get the wins needed.
"I wouldn't say it didn't work out (before)," Embiid said. "We didn't win. It's hard to win when you get a group of guys together for one year, two years, maybe. That's why I'm extremely excited about this team because we got the right mix of veteran leadership and the younger guys and everybody being on the same page. We might have some ups and downs, but we want to get there.
"You look at the teams who have won (recently) … They went through a couple years (of) figuring that (mix) out, they finally got there, and they were able to do it. ... I haven't done it. … You need that consistency. You need to get guys on the same page. But I feel like this year we have that."
