Category: Basketball

Change is coming to the Lakers’ G League team. The South Bay Lakers will become the Coachella Valley Lakers in 2026 as they move their games to Acrisure Arena.

The Lakers have had their G League team playing in South Bay since 2017, and before that, in 2006, they played at Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center) before moving to El Segundo.

In a press release, the Lakers’ new President of Business Operations, Lon Rosen, talked about the move for the franchise’s G League team.

“Moving the Lakers G League team to the Coachella Valley is an incredible opportunity for the organization,” said Los Angeles Lakers President of Business Operations Lon Rosen. “The Lakers have had a strong presence in the region for decades, from the Showtime Lakers holding training camp in the 1980s to more recent preseason games. We are looking forward to extending that experience and becoming a staple for Coachella Valley sports and entertainment. Acrisure Arena is the perfect modern venue that provides an incredible fan-first experience, while ensuring players have the premium facilities and space they need on game day.”

There is no question that this is an upgrade for the Coachella Valley Lakers. This past season, they played games at the UCLA Health and Training Center, which is essentially the Lakers’ practice facility. While there were advantages to having them play near and around the main team, they couldn’t even seat 1,000 people during games.

Now, at Acrisure Arena, they can have as many as 11,000 people attending G League matchups.

In a press release, Acrisure Arena Senior Vice President John Page shared his enthusiasm for this partnership.

“Opportunities like this are simply not possible without the support and assistance of incredible partners,” said Acrisure Arena Senior Vice President John Page. “We would like to recognize the efforts put forth by Supervisor V. Manuel Perez and Visit Greater Palm Springs, who have worked in conjunction with Oak View Group, the Lakers organization and many others in order to welcome the G League to our town. We look forward to expanding upon our growing connection to the sports community with the addition of this storied franchise.”

The Lakers have already had a relationship with Acrisure Arena. LA played against Phoenix at the stadium for a preseason game, and clearly, that was a positive experience.

In a statement released to the press, Oak View Group Senior Partner Irving Azoff talked about the connection he has had with the most powerful members of the Lakers organization, including Jeanie Buss, Linda Rambis and Rosen.

“I have enjoyed a long-time relationship with Jerry and Jeanie Buss, Lon Rosen and Linda Rambis,” said Oak View Group Senior Partner Irving Azoff. “And I am beyond thrilled to have the Coachella Valley Lakers call OVG’s Acrisure Arena their home. Go Lakers.”

The Lakers have had plenty of success developing talent in the G League.

Bronny James had played games with South Bay, and players like Alex Caruso and Mac McClung played with the team during the early parts of their professional careers.

Now those moments won’t be happening in El Segundo and will instead take place in the Palm Desert.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

A 3–2 series is maybe the trickiest one to gauge in sports. One team clearly has the advantage of needing to win just one of the remaining two games, and if said team was the winner of Game Five, as the Knicks were, then their confidence is likely high. But New York will be heading into an Atlanta arena that should be more hostile than Games Three and Four, which saw their fair share of Knicks fans. Not to mention the Hawks are also playing with their season on the line, making it the hardest game of the series to win. Despite having a one-game lead in the series, it oddly feels close to a must-win, seeing as a loss tonight means a Game Seven, where anything can happen.

That being said, the momentum and stats do side with the Knicks. Outside of the fourth quarter in a blowout Knicks win, and the second and third quarters of an even bigger blowout in Game Five, the Knicks have comfortably won each quarter. Not only have they won back-to-back games by 15+ points, they’ve outscored the Hawks by seven or more points in five of the last eight quarters. While starting guard Josh Hart is currently listed as questionable for tonight’s game, the Knicks have seemingly figured out how to slow down the Hawks’ offense while also solving the issues their defense caused.

It took close to 200 minutes of basketball longer than fans might have liked, but Mike Brown, Jalen Brunson, and the rest of the team have learned from their Game Two and Game Three transgressions and have arrived at a game plan that has been simple: take what the defense gives them and attack.

It’s hard to fathom what overtook them and their minds in their losses earlier, but it’s as if they were reminded that they are the more talented and more experienced team, and regardless of what the Hawks do, it’s on them to not shoot themselves in the foot. Atlanta is a capable team that deserves its flowers, but New York has a myriad of weapons it can use to dismantle its opponent.

Want to hone in on limiting Brunson? Play through Karl-Anthony Towns. Pivot and put Dyson Daniels on Towns? Let Brunson go to work. Face-guard both and pray? Look for OG Anunoby on the perimeter and let him knock down threes or attack closeouts. The Knicks currently have all the answers to what Quin Snyder and the Hawks have thrown at them.

But with how unpredictable the first round of this year’s playoffs has been, it would behoove the Knicks to continue putting their first-quarter struggles behind them and come out ready to match, if not exceed, the Hawks’ energy and fight. Regardless of Hart’s status, they must be prepared to withstand not just one or two, but multiple punches (theoretical, of course) from Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, McCollum, and anybody else capable of providing them with a memorable playoff spark. Doing so would not only advance them to the second round, but also serve as a statement game from a team that has repeatedly been labeled inconsistent and not good enough.

If Hart goes, expect an at-times ugly but gutsy performance from the wing. Other than that, I expect business as usual from Towns and Anunoby, who have continued to stand out as the two best players in the series. And while Brunson has had his share of ups and downs this series, the captain often saves his best for last. I’m predicting, and also hoping, he comes out just as patient, composed, and confident as he looked in Game Five to deliver another memorable performance. Manifesting a double-digit win for a Knicks team that will struggle to put away the Hawks early, but come alive in the second quarter.

Game Details

Who: New York Knicks (3-2) at Atlanta Hawks (2-3)
Date: Thursday, April 30, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Place: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
TV: ESPN
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

NEW YORK (AP) — Moussa Diabaté of the Charlotte Hornets was announced Thursday as the NBA’s Hustle Award winner for this season.

Unlike most of the year’s awards, this one was not done by voting. The NBA uses a ranking system that takes nine stats into account — offensive box outs, defensive box outs, screen assists, contested 2-pointers, contested 3-pointers, offensive loose balls recovered, defensive loose balls recovered, deflections and charges taken.

Diabaté ranked 11th or better among qualifying players leaguewide in six of those categories. He also posted career-high numbers in several categories, including points (7.9), rebounds (8.7) and assists (1.9) per game.

Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels was second, Golden State’s Draymond Green — last season’s Hustle winner — was third, Memphis’ Cedric Coward was fourth and New York’s Josh Hart was fifth.

This was the 10th season that the award has been handed out.

___

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

Former Kentucky basketball star and five-time NBA All-Star John Wall has been named president of basketball operations at Howard University, returning to Washington, D.C., in a major leadership role, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Howard officials confirmed the partnership, which positions Wall at the helm of one of the nation’s top HBCU basketball programs. Wall, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft after one season at Kentucky, played for the Washington Wizards from 2010-20 and now transitions to a front-office role focused on program building.

The idea reportedly began on January 31 when Wall served as Howard’s honorary captain for a game and expressed interest in eventually taking on a basketball operations position at the professional or collegiate level.

In his new role, Wall is already involved in roster evaluation, transfer portal decisions, recruiting discussions, NIL strategy, revenue-sharing planning, and player mentorship. School officials say he will help shape the long-term vision of the program.

Many fans around Kentucky basketball had hoped Wall might eventually take on a similar leadership or advisory role in Lexington after Mark Pope’s arrival, but that has not materialized heading into Year 3 of Pope’s tenure. Across college basketball, programs such as Duke with Jayson Tatum and Davidson with Stephen Curry have incorporated former stars into staff or advisory roles, reflecting a growing trend.

It will be interesting to see if Pope eventually gets a full-time GM and whether he brings in a former player for a similar position to what Wall and others have taken at their alma maters.

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The Atlanta Hawks have not only squandered a 2-1 series lead, but they have been blown out in the last two games against the New York Knicks.

Those routs create rather distinct Atlanta doubt in these Knicks vs. Hawks player props and NBA picks on Thursday, April 30.

Best Knicks vs Hawks props for Game 6

Player	Pick
Karl-Anthony Towns	Over 12.5 rebounds	+102
Nickeil Alexander-Walker	Under 17.5 points	-112
CJ McCollum	Under 3.5 assists	-130

Game 6 Prop #1: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 12.5 rebounds

+102 at bet365

The best-shooting center in NBA history has not lost his shot, not by any means. Karl-Anthony Towns has gone 8-of-17 from deep in this series, 47.1%. But taking only 3.4 shots from beyond the arc per game is a worry both for Towns and for the New York Knicks.

More worrying, Towns has taken only eight three-pointers in the last three games. Then again, he has snagged double-digit rebounds in each of the last three games.

Towns recognizes this is the rare matchup where his best advantage comes not on the perimeter against a sluggish big, but in the frontcourt against the undersized Atlanta Hawks. Grabbing 13.7 rebounds per game in the last three games emphasizes that edge.

Game 6 Prop #2: Nickeil Alexander-Walker Under 17.5 points

-112 at bet365

Even when the Hawks were leading this series, Nickeil Alexander-Walker was not pouring in the points. The Most Improved Player of The Year has not cleared this prop yet in five games in this series.

Even when Alexander-Walker went a combined 9-of-19 from beyond the arc in Games 4 and 5, he still scored only 15 and 16 points.

NAW averaged 15.3 shots per game this regular season. That has fallen to 12.6 per game in this series.

Some of that is a credit to Alexander-Walker; he is more focused defensively than on getting his own shot. But regardless of the reason, the drop has not been properly accounted for by oddsmakers.

Game 6 Prop #3: CJ McCollum Under 3.5 assists

--130 at bet365

Perhaps CJ McCollum caught the Knicks by surprise? That would obviously be reprehensible from the New York coaching staff, given McCollum is one of the best shooting guards of his generation and has always been ready to score 30 points on no notice. But perhaps?

He opened the series averaging 27 points per game while taking 20.3 shots per game through the first three games, when Atlanta opened up a 2-1 series lead.

But now that the Knicks coaching staff has been faced with a harsh reminder of his abilities, it is emphasizing getting the ball out of McCollum’s hands. He took only 25 shots total in the last two games.

One might think that leads to assists, but the ball is simply not finding any openings via McCollum. He dished out three assists in Game 4 and then just one in Game 5. Across this whole series, he has cleared this modest prop only once and has averaged 2.4 assists per game.

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San Antonio has officially wrapped up the first round, winning its first playoff series since 2017. Naturally, now all eyes look ahead in a “hurry up and wait” situation, as the 3-6 matchup plays out between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets.

Regardless of how things play out, San Antonio sits in a position of advantage. Minnesota, who previously held a 3-1 lead (now 3-2), is the most likely winner. However, they are now beyond short-handed in the backcourt. Star shooting guard Anthony Edwards hyperextended his knee in Game 3, resulting in a bone bruise and hyperextended knee, while in the same game, Donte DiVincenzo tore his Achilles tendon. And now Bones Hyland is also questionable with left knee soreness.

This has left Ayo Dosunmu and Mike Conley to fill in the gaps. And while they certainly can and have managed against an also-hobbled Denver team — Dosunmu scored 43 points in game 3 and is averaging 21.8 points in the series — matching up against a defense fronted by Stephon Castle and backed by Victor Wembanyama is a whole other story. The Timberwolves were already short on playmaking this year until trading for Dosunmu at the deadline, and with Conley on the last sunsets of his career, it’s hard to imagine where the guard play will come from for the Timberwolves.

On the other side of things, Denver isn’t looking much better. Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic appears to have lost his jumper, averaging 19.4 percent from long range in the playoffs. This has completely stunted Denver’s offense, as they struggle to find scoring, averaging 108.7 points per 100 possessions: an offensive rating that would rank only slightly better than the worst offensive rating in the league this regular season.

Minnesota’s defense is no slouch, ranking eighth in regular-season defensive rating. Now imagine that same struggling Nuggets offense against the third-best regular-season defense, anchored by the Defensive Player of the Year. It wouldn’t be a great time for the hoopers from Mile High.

Defensively, the Nuggets are also struggling. They finished 21st in regular-season defensive rating. This combined with the fact that Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson, the Nuggets’ best defenders, are questionable and out with injuries, does not bode well for them.

Looking at how they all stack up, it wouldn’t be surprising if it went to 7 games. These two teams have a history, and as their rivalry writes another chapter, it’s a total toss-up as to who will win the honor of traveling to San Antonio for their next challenge.

Profiling both of these potential opponents only highlights why the Spurs need to capitalize on this run as best they can right now. When looking at legacies in the NBA, the term “championship window” is often brought up. It’s an apt metaphor because a window can be opened and closed so easily and often can be shuttered by luck.

Denver was a championship team only three seasons ago but hasn’t been back to even the Conference Finals since. Conversely, Minnesota is a team that has been to the Conference Finals in the last two consecutive seasons. And while that is the best playoff success of the franchise’s history, they haven’t managed to get over the hump to the last round.

There are dozens of similar stories; the overall message is that winning is hard, and if a team finds itself in a position to do so, it needs to make the most of it. Nothing is given, but at the current moment, the Spurs look to have a definitive advantage in the second round.

The 2026 NBA Playoffs continues with a thrilling night of action on Thursday, including the Denver Nuggets battling to stave off elimination against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota currently leads the series 3-2 and is just one win away from clinching the Western Conference first-round matchup.

Now, the Timberwolves’ hope to advance without their star guard, Anthony Edwards.

Edwards sustained a significant injury in Game 4 against the Nuggets, landing awkwardly after a play that caused his left knee to bend unnaturally. He immediately fell to the floor in visible pain and was forced to exit the game for medical evaluation. Following a thorough assessment, team doctors diagnosed Edwards with a bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee. As a result, he is expected to miss multiple weeks, leaving a major gap in the Timberwolves' lineup as they look to close out the series.

Taking advantage of Edwards' absence, the Nuggets capitalized on the opportunity and secured a 125-113 victory in Game 5 on Tuesday. The win keeps Denver’s playoff hopes alive and shifts the pressure back onto Minnesota as the series heads toward a decisive Game 6.

More: NBA playoffs 2026 rankings: Who have been the 10 best players so far?

College basketball's tallest Gator is now the tallest Anteater.

Fomer Florida center Olivier Rioux — the tallest player in college basketball history, at 7-9 — committed to UC Irvine via the transfer portal on Thursday, April 30, after two seasons in a reserve role.

"Prochain arret: Irvine, Californie," he wrote in French on social media, which translates to "Next stop: Irvine, California"

'You're a big boy!' Giant Olivier Rioux's height shocks Prairie View A&M player

The Rockets will once again be without their leading scorer Kevin Durant in a playoff game against the Lakers.

Durant has been ruled out for Friday’s Game 6 of the best-of-seven first round series in Houston because of a left ankle sprain/bone bruise, ESPN first reported on Thursday morning. 

He suffered the ankle injury during the Lakers’ Game 2 win on April 21 in Los Angeles, missing Games 3-5 because of the ailment.

Durant also missed Game 1 of the best-of-seven series because of a right knee contusion.

He made his return in Game 2, but the Lakers beat the Rockets, 101-94, with Durant suffering the ankle injury late in the game.

With his absence in Game 6, Durant will miss five of the Rockets’ six playoff games after playing in 78 regular season games, which is the most games he’s played since 2018-19 while he was with the Warriors.

The Rockets have gone 2-2 in games Durant hasn’t played, including back-to-back wins in Games 4-5.

Durant’s 26 points scoring average led the Rockets for 2025-26.

Game 6 of Lakers-Rockets will tip off at 6:30 p.m. PT on Friday at Toyota Center.

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The Houston Rockets have about a one-third chance to become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 playoff series deficit.

The Rockets won consecutive games without Kevin Durant in the lineup and are -3.5 favorites on their home floor in Game 6 against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Key Takeaways

• The Rockets were huge favorites to begin the series.
  
  
• Austin Reaves returned for LA on Wednesday, while Durant is out for Game 6.
  
  
• The Rockets -3.5 claimed 56% of money in the spread market at FanDuel.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Rockets are a +215 underdog in their ongoing first-round series with the Lakers. That gives them an implied 31.8% chance to do the unthinkable and rally from a three-game deficit, even more improbably, without their best player. Los Angeles is -260 (72.2% chance).

There have been 161 teams in NBA history that trailed 3-0 in a playoff series. Only 15 of those forced a Game 6, and just four made it to Game 7. The most recent example of a near-comeback occurred in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, when the Boston Celtics lost Game 7 on their home floor after winning three straight. 

No team has ever won a series after falling three games behind.

The Rockets were about -750 favorites when the series began. They nearly knotted the score at 1-1 in Game 2, but they became the second team in 29 years to lose a playoff game they led by six points with 30 or fewer seconds remaining. 

Game 6 will take place in Houston, where the Rockets went 30-11 and are 1-1 in the postseason. The Lakers went 25-16 on the road during the regular season and 1-1 in the playoffs.

Game 6 odds and series outlook

FanDuel NBA odds have the Rockets at -3.5 (-118) and -180 on the moneyline ahead of Friday’s all-important clash. The Lakers are +152, which is just shy of a 40% implied chance.

The Lakers were expected to win Game 5, which marked Austin Reaves’ return to the lineup. He scored 22 points and had six assists, but he shot a terrible 25% from the floor. LeBron James led the way with 25 points and seven assists.

The loss also marked an end to one James’ many historic streaks. He had won 16 straight home closeout games, with his last loss coming in his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2008. 

Just because the Rockets ended James’ run doesn’t mean that their path to a Game 7 will get any easier. Leading scorer Kevin Durant—who only played in Game 2 in this series—has already been ruled out with an ankle injury.

FanDuel reported that 61% of bets are on the Lakers +3.5 (-104), while 56% of the money is on the Rockets at -3.5.

The winner will advance to face the first-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who swept the Phoenix Suns 4-0.

Updated NBA Finals odds

Regardless of which team advances to the second round, NBA Finals odds suggest that neither will have much of a chance in the long run.

The Thunder lead the board with -130 odds to win the Finals, before the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics, who are tied at second at +500. The Lakers are down at +4000, and the Rockets are a whopping +40000.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers’ ticket to Round 2 of the NBA Playoffs awaits north of the border when they visit the Toronto Raptors in Game 6.

Cleveland’s inside-out scoring is becoming too much for Toronto, which limps into Friday with serious injuries in the frontcourt. That means Evan Mobley can have his way inside while Donovan Mitchell continues to cash in from long range.

Here are my NBA picks and SGP predictions for Cavaliers vs. Raptors on May 1.

Our best Cavaliers vs Raptors SGP for Game 6

SGP leg #1: Cavaliers moneyline (-170)

The Cleveland Cavaliers are short road favorites for Game 6 and not only have the momentum edge but the health advantage.

The Toronto Raptors, who were already missing their starting point guard, could be down forward Brandon Ingram while star Scottie Barnes is limping through a quads injury. The Cavs just have too many weapons and close out the Raptors on their own turf.

SGP leg #1: Evan Mobley Over 16.5 points (-110)

Evan Mobley was the focus of the Cavs' offense in Game 5, with the team making a focused effort to feed their big man in the second half.

He scored 16 of his final 23 points after the break and with those frontcourt injuries mounting for the Raptors, Cleveland goes right back to Mobley in Game 6. His projections call for 18 points, but I believe his ceiling is much higher.

SGP leg #1: Donovan Mitchell Over 2.5 threes (-140)

Donovan Mitchell is making Toronto pay from the perimeter. He knocked down three treys in Game 5 and has made at least three triples in four of the first five games of this series so far.

Cleveland is working the ball inside to their bigs and running a smaller lineup to promote spacing. Giving Mitchell room outside the arc keeps him hitting from distance Friday.

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See our full Cavaliers vs Raptors Game 6 preview

Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Cavaliers vs Raptors predictions for Game 6.

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We're in for a tight matchup as the New York Knicks look to eliminate the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6.

Our NBA player prop projections have you covered with six players to add to your NBA picks slip on April 30.

Once you're done here, head over to our full Knicks vs. Hawks predictions for a complete breakdown of tonight's affair.

Knicks vs Hawks computer picks for Game 6

Knicks	Hawks
Towns u3.5 assists +120	McCollum o2.5 threes +160
Brunson u27.5 points -105	Okongwu u13.5 points -110
Clarkson o6.5 points -125	Vincent u4.5 points -112

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Knicks Game 6 computer picks

Karl-Anthony Towns Under 3.5 assists (+120)

Projection: 3.22 assists

The Atlanta Hawks will throw everything they have at the New York Knicks on defense, which will assuredly cut down on their baskets. 

Our model believes that it will cut into Karl-Anthony Towns' assist numbers.

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Jalen Brunson Under 27.5 points (-105)

Projection: 25.53 points

Jalen Brunson failed to eclipse this number in both games in Atlanta, and his shooting will take a dip again. Brunson will be the focal point of Atlanta's D, which will lead him to get rid of the ball more rather than jacking up ill-advised shots.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet brunson Now at bet365!/span

Jordan Clarkson Over 6.5 points (-125)

Projection: 7.72 points

Jordan Clarkson is a steady hand off the bench and has hit this number in all five games thus far. He'll get 16-20 minutes, which is more than enough time to cash the Over.

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Hawks Game 6 computer picks

CJ McCollum Over 2.5 threes (+160)

Projection: 2.94 threes

This is the first of two five-star plays our projections spit out. CJ McCollum has hit three or more treys in just two of five games this series, but he's due for positive regression after going 0-fer from deep in his last two outings.

The +160 price tag makes this a must bet.

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Onyeka Okongwu Under 13.5 points (-110)

Projection: 11.28 points

Onyeka Okongwu failed to hit this line in either game at home this series, providing more of a spark on the road. Atlanta has plenty of mouths to feed, which will cut into the big man's shot volume.

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Gabe Vincent Under 4.5 points (-112)

Projection: 3.51 points

Gabe Vincent has hit this line in three straight, but he isn't guaranteed as much playing time tonight with the Hawks facing elimination. Lack of floor time will hamper his ability to score.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet vincent Now at bet365!/span

How to watch Knicks vs Hawks Game 6

Location	State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Date	Thursday, April 30, 2026
Tip-off	7:00 p.m. ET
TV	ESPN

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John Wall is taking on a college basketball front office job in addition to his gig as a studio analyst on Prime Video's NBA coverage. The former NBA All-Star is the new president of basketball operations for Howard University men's basketball team, according to an ESPN report on Thursday, April 30.

Wall, 35, is returning to Washington, D.C., where he starred with the Wizards over nine seasons after the franchise chose him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2010. The former Kentucky star previously served as a "captain of the day" for a Howard men's basketball game this past season.

Howard athletic department officials did not immediately respond to a USA TODAY Sports request seeking confirmation regarding Wall's role and how the school identified him as a candidate for its newly-created front office position.

Former Washington Wizards star John Wall will become the President of Basketball Operations at Howard University in Washington, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.

Wall, who is currently a studio analyst for Amazon Prime Video’s NBA coverage, has expressed interest in being a front office leader later in his career. He has also worked with Howard recently.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.