Barack and Michelle Obama attend 2026 NBA All-Star Game

The NBA All-Star Game is known for bringing together the most talented and notable players from around the league.

The game also attracts celebrities and public figures from across the country to gather and enjoy basketball.

Former United States President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were among those in attendance for the event, sitting next to basketball legend Julius Erving.

The game features two American teams and a World team at the Intuit Dome on Sunday, Feb. 15.

Obama is a known basketball fan who embraced the game and his fandom while he was in office. He would share his predictions for the NBA Finals or fill out a bracket for the NCAA college basketball tournament.

Team USA Stars guard Devin Booker (1) of the Phoenix Suns embraces former President Barack Obama in Game 1 during the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Feb. 15, 2026. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“There’s a lot of concern about the All-Star Game and not seeing effort (from the players),” Obama said during an interview with analyst Reggie Miller on the NBC broadcast. “Today we are seeing (that effort). Anytime you get Americans vs. International (teams), they want to bring it.”

The NBA has experimented with different formats for the All-Star Game in recent years. All three teams will play each other in a small tournament before the two teams meet in the championship game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Barack, Michelle Obama attend NBA All-Star Game 2026

No. 2 UCLA routs Indiana 92-48 for 19th straight win

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kiki Rice had 17 points and nine rebounds, Lauren Betts added 16 points and 14 rebounds, and No. 2 UCLA beat Indiana 92-48 on Sunday to extend its win streak to 19 games.

UCLA (25-1, 15-0 Big Ten), which is unbeaten since a 76-65 loss to No. 4 Texas on Nov. 26 at the Players Era Championship, has the third-longest active win streak in the nation behind North Dakota State (21 straight) and UConn (43).

Betts had her 10th double-double this season and the 43rd in her career. Charlisse Leger-Walker and Gianna Kneepkens had 12 points apiece for the Bruins and Gabriela Jaquez scored 11. Sienna Betts and Lena Bilic each had 10 points.

Maya Makalusky led Indiana (14-13, 3-12) with 13 points. Lenee Beaumont added 11 points on 4-of-14 shooting and Nevaeh Caffey scored 10. Shay Ciezki, the Big Ten’s leading scorer who went into the game averaging 24.0 points (No. 5 nationally), left the game due to an apparent ankle injury late in the first quarter and did not return.

The Hoosiers shot a season-low 31% (15 of 48) from the field, 4 of 20 (20%) from 3-point range, and tied their season low for points in a game. Indiana went into the game shooting 47.9% this season, which ranked 14th nationally.

NO. 4 TEXAS 65, NO. 22 TENNESSEE 63

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Madison Booker scored 14 points while Jordan Lee and Rori Harmon each added 12 as Texas held off Tennessee.

The Longhorns (24-3, 9-3 in Southeastern Conference) led by as many as 10 points midway through the fourth quarter. The Lady Volunteers (16-7, 8-3) closed the gap to one with a 3-pointer from Janiah Barker and two 3-pointers by Talaysia Cooper.

Two free throws by Booker put Texas up by three with 16 seconds left. Cooper answered with a layup to make the difference 64-63. Lee made one of two free throws for a 65-63 score. Cooper, who led the Lady Vols with 29 points, had the ball stripped as time expired.

Barker added 12 points for Tennessee and Nya Robertson had 11.

The first half, which ended in a 34-34 tie was full of spurts. Texas had an 18-2 run from late in the first quarter to early in the second to lead by 14. Tennessee scored the last 10 of the second quarter to tie it up. Cooper led all scorers with 15.

GEORGIA 76, NO. 5 VANDERBILT

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Dani Carnegie scored 29 points to lead Georgia to an upset win over Vanderbilt.

Trinity Thomas made a mid-range jumper with 50 seconds remaining to give the Bulldogs (20-6, 6-6 SEC) a 75-74 lead. After forcing a turnover on the ensuing Vanderbilt (24-3, 10-3) possession, Carnegie split a pair of free throws to give Georgia a two-point advantage with 22.2 seconds remaining,

Vanderbilt had one final opportunity to force overtime, but Sacha Washington’s floater fell short off the front rim as time expired.

Carnegie scored 18 of her points in the first half to help Georgia build a 14-point advantage over the Commodores, before Vanderbilt closed the first half with a 16-3 run to create a tight game. Vanderbilt led by as many as five points in the fourth quarter, but Mia Woolfolk scored 11 of her 19 points to help the Bulldogs win.

NO. 7 MICHIGAN 86, NO. 13 MICHIGAN STATE 65

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Syla Swords had 24 points and Olivia Olson scored 23, helping Michigan beat Michigan State to sweep the season series.

Mila Holloway, who finished with 15 points, made a 3-pointer to give the Wolverines (22-4, 13-2 Big Ten) their first lead with 5:53 left in the first half and scored eight points in one minute to spark a 10-0 run.

The Spartans (20-6, 9-6) were outscored 26-9 in the second quarter and didn’t recover, losing for the fourth time in five games.

Michigan State’s Kennedy Blair scored 21, Jalyn Brown had all 11 of her points in the first half and Grace VanSlooten scored seven of her 10 points in the first quarter when the visitors led by as much as eight points.

NO. 9 LOUISVILLE 88, FLORIDA STATE 65

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Laura Ziegler scored 14 points for Louisville in a rout of Florida State.

The matchup between the Atlantic Coast Conference’s top scoring offense (Louisville, 81.9 ppg) and its next-to-last defense (Florida State, 76 ppg) played out that way as the Cardinals (24-4, 14-1 ACC) took control early and never trailed en route to their third straight win.

Ziegler scored the game’s first five points and Louisville used a 9-0 run later in the opening quarter to build a 16-5 lead with 2:45 remaining. Meanwhile, the Seminoles (9-17, 4-10) shot just 25.8% (8 of 31) in the first half as Louisville led 34-20 at halftime.

The senior forward opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer, and the Cardinals added to their lead throughout the second half, leading by as much as 80-51 midway through the fourth quarter. She also flirted with a triple-double, finishing with eight rebounds and seven assists before exiting the game with 6:37 remaining and the Cardinals up 71-49.

NO. 10 OKLAHOMA 79, NO. 23 ALABAMA 71

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Raegan Beers scored 21 points and Payton Verhulst added 17 to help Oklahoma beat Alabama.

Oklahoma led by double digits on three separate occasions, but each time Alabama cut the deficit down to four points or less.

The Sooners (19-6, 7-5 SEC) rallied behind freshman Aaliyah Chavez’s nine points in the fourth quarter to win the game, she finished with 15 points, six rebounds and six assists.

Oklahoma had its struggles offensively- — missing five of its first six shots from the field and only shooting 23% from 3-point range and 58% from the free throw line for the game. Turnovers were also an issue with 19 which resulted in 15 Alabama points.

Alabama (20-6, 6-6) was led by Ta’Mia Scott’s 17 points and 11 apiece by Jessica Timmons and Ace Austin.

NO. 11 DUKE 72, NO. 21 NORTH CAROLINA 68

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Ashlon Jackson and Taina Mair scored 14 points each on their senior day and Duke edged North Carolina, the Blue Devils’ 16th consecutive win.

After a back-and-forth first half that saw 16 lead changes, Duke led 41-33 at halftime and never trailed in the second half. The Blue Devils’ lead was only 56-54 with 30 seconds left in the third quarter but the Tar Heels got no closer.

Delaney Thomas’ layup made it a six-point game with 30 seconds remaining. Nyla Brooks hit a 3 for North Carolina with 15 seconds left, but Jackson added a free throw for the final margin.

Riley Nelson scored 13 points and Toby Fournier grabbed 12 rebounds for Duke (19-6, 14-0 ACC). Mair finished with seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals.

NO. 12 BAYLOR 93, UCF 63

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Taliah Scott scored 26 points and Baylor breezed to a bounce-back win, defeating UCF.

The Bears fell a half-game out of first place in the Big 12 on Thursday when they lost at home to No. 17 TCU 83-67. Baylor plays at TCU on March 1.

Led by 12 points from Scott, Baylor rolled to a 27-13 lead through the first quarter against UCF, which lost by 50 points against Big 12-leader West Virginia last time out. Baylor led 52-23 at halftime after shooting 65% in the first half compared to 37% for UCF.

Scott made 7 of 8 shots and had 21 points by halftime. She finished 8 for 10 for the game with 3 of 4 3s and 7 for 7 at the free-throw line.

Jana Van Gytenbeek had 11 assists and 10 points for her first double-double of the season to go with the triple-double she had on Dec. 9 against Alabama State. Kayla Nelms scored 12 points off the bench, Bella Fontleroy scored 11 and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs 10 for the Bears (22-5, 11-3 Big 12).

NO. 17 TCU 59, NO. 19 WEST VIRGINIA 50

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Marta Suarez and Clara Silva both finished with 14 points to help TCU beat West Virginia and take over the top spot in the Big 12 Conference.

TCU (23-4, 11-3), which won the regular-season and conference tournament titles last season, is tied with No. 12 Baylor, but the Horned Frogs have the tiebreaker advantage after beating the Bears 83-67 before taking care of the Mountaineers. Baylor visits TCU to close out the regular season on March 1.

TCU has won 40 straight games at Schollmaier Arena, tying No. 4 Texas for the longest active streak. West Virginia was the last team to win there, beating the Frogs 77-52 two years ago.

Suarez made 6 of 10 shots with two 3-pointers and Silva sank 7 of 12 shots with eight rebounds and two blocks. Olivia Miles pitched in with 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Taylor Bigby added 10 points and four assists as the starters did all the scoring.

NO. 18 KENTUCKY 74, NO. 14 MISSISSIPPI 57

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Clara Strack had 28 points and nine rebounds, Tonie Morgan added 14 points and nine assists, and Kentucky beat Mississippi.

Asia Boone scored 10 of her 15 points in the second quarter for Kentucky (20-7, 7-6 SEC).

Latasha Lattimore scored four points and Cotie McMahon the next five in a 9-0 spurt that trimmed the Rebels’ deficit to 57-51 with 6:45 left in the game, but Strack scored eight consecutive points over the next three-plus minutes before Morgan made a layup to give Kentucky a 16-point lead with 2:59 to play.

Ole Miss (20-6, 7-4) had won four of its last five, the lone loss in that span coming at then-No. 21 Alabama, 64-63, on Feb. 5.

McMahon led the Rebels with 18 points but made just 4 of 18 from the field. Lattimore finished with 15 points, on 6-of-17 shooting and added 11 rebounds and three blocks.

NO. 20 MARYLAND 76, NO. 8 OHIO STATE 75

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Oluchi Okananwa had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Yarden Garzon added 17 points and Maryland rallied from a 19-point deficit in the first half to beat Ohio State.

It is the Terrapins largest comeback since Nov. 13, 2019, when they were down 19 in the fourth quarter at James Madison before posting a 70-68 victory.

Addi Mack had 14 points and Saylor Poffenbarger 13 for Maryland (21-6, 9-6 Big Ten), which beat a Top 10 team for the first time since it defeated Ohio State in the Big Ten quarterfinals two years ago.

It is also Maryland’s first win over a Top 10 team on the road since 2022 against Notre Dame.

Jaloni Cambridge had 29 points and Chance Gray a season-high 25 for the Buckeyes (22-4, 11-3), who had a four-game winning streak snapped.

NO. 25 WASHINGTON 51, OREGON 43

SEATTLE (AP) — Sayvia Sellers scored 17 points to help Washington beat Oregon.

Sellers made 6 of 16 shots with three 3-pointers for the Huskies (19-7, 9-6 Big Ten Conference). Avery Howell pitched in with nine points and nine rebounds.

Sarah Rambus scored 12 off the bench on 5-for-7 shooting to pace the Ducks (18-9, 6-8), who have lost two straight following a four-game winning streak.

Sellers hit two 3-pointers and scored eight in the first five minutes as Washington jumped out to a 13-1 lead. Sellers added another 3-pointer and the Huskies led 22-9 after one quarter.

Mia Jacobs’ three-point play capped a 15-0 run for Oregon and the Ducks rallied to take a 28-27 into halftime. Washington did not score after Elle Ladine sank a jumper to give the Huskies a 14-point lead with 8:29 left in the quarter.

Howell and Sellers had back-to-back baskets to begin the second half and Washington moved back in front. The lead changed hands three times before Sellers and Howell had the final two baskets of the quarter for a 37-34 advantage.

Freshman Brynn McGaughy had a three-point play to begin the final period for a six-point lead and the Huskies stayed in front from there. Sarah Rambus scored in the paint to cut the deficit to two before the Ducks went scoreless over the final 3:47.

Big East suspends Providence's Powell 2 games, giving him a 3-game penalty from fight-filled game

NEW YORK (AP) — Providence forward Duncan Powell was suspended two additional games by the Big East on Sunday, meaning he will miss three games for his flagrant foul that sparked a fight in a game against St. John's.

Powell already faced an automatic one-game ban for fighting by NCAA rules, but the conference tacked on an additional penalty stemming from the 17th-ranked Red Storm's 79-69 victory Saturday that featured seven ejections.

It started when Powell flagrantly fouled Bryce Hopkins — who played three seasons in Providence — from behind as he went up for a fast-break layup. Powell was automatically ejected for the flagrant 2 foul.

“Providence College holds its student-athletes and coaches to the highest standards,” athletic director Steve Napolillo said. “We fully support the suspension that the Big East has issued to Duncan Powell. His actions were unacceptable and do not reflect the values, discipline, or sportsmanship expected of anyone representing Providence College.”

The Big East said in its ruling that officials determined that Powell “engaged in additional combative actions that constituted a fighting act subsequent to the flagrant foul.”

He will sit out next Saturday at DePaul, followed by a Feb. 24 home game against Xavier and a game at Creighton on Feb. 28.

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No. 10 Oklahoma holds off No. 23 Alabama 79-71 after late fourth-quarter surge

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Raegan Beers scored 21 points and Payton Verhulst added 17 to help No. 10 Oklahoma beat 23rd-ranked Alabama 79-71 on Sunday.

Oklahoma led by double digits on three separate occasions, but each time Alabama cut the deficit down to four points or less.

The Sooners (19-6, 7-5 SEC) rallied behind freshman Aaliyah Chavez’s nine points in the fourth quarter to win the game, she finished with 15 points, six rebounds and six assists.

Oklahoma had its struggles offensively- — missing five of its first six shots from the field and only shooting 23% from 3-point range and 58% from the free throw line for the game. Turnovers were also an issue with 19 which resulted in 15 Alabama points.

Alabama (20-6, 6-6) was led by Ta’Mia Scott’s 17 points and 11 apiece by Jessica Timmons and Ace Austin.

The Crimson Tide featured a more balanced scoring attack with six players with at least eight points, but couldn’t hold off the Sooners down the stretch to secure a second win over a top 10 team this season.

Alabama rallied to take a 57-54 lead in the third quarter by using an 18-4 run — its first advantage since early in the opening quarter. However the Crimson Tide only made three of 15 shots the rest of the way and were outscored 21-11 in the final quarter.

Oklahoma had 14 offensive rebounds which led to 19 second chance points and was plus-20 on the boards for the game.

Up next

Oklahoma travels to Georgia on Thursday.

Alabama hosts No. 3 South Carolina on Thursday.

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No. 2 UCLA women beat Indiana 92-48 and extend win streak to 19 games

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kiki Rice had 17 points and nine rebounds, Lauren Betts added 16 points and 14 rebounds, and No. 2 UCLA beat Indiana 92-48 on Sunday to extend its win streak to 19 games.

UCLA (25-1, 15-0 Big Ten), which is unbeaten since a 76-65 loss to No. 4 Texas on Nov. 26 at the Players Era Championship, has the third-longest active win streak in the nation behind North Dakota State (21 straight) and UConn (43).

Betts had her 10th double-double this season and the 43rd in her career. Charlisse Leger-Walker and Gianna Kneepkens had 12 points apiece for the Bruins and Gabriela Jaquez scored 11. Sienna Betts and Lena Bilic each had 10 points.

Maya Makalusky led Indiana (14-13, 3-12) with 13 points. Lenee Beaumont added 11 points on 4-of-14 shooting and Nevaeh Caffey scored 10. Shay Ciezki, the Big Ten’s leading scorer who went into the game averaging 24.0 points (No. 5 nationally), left the game due to an apparent ankle injury late in the first quarter and did not return.

The Hoosiers shot a season-low 31% (15 of 48) from the field, 4 of 20 (20%) from 3-point range, and tied their season low for points in a game. Indiana went into the game shooting 47.9% this season, which ranked 14th nationally.

UCLA grabbed a season-high 23 offensive boards, outrebounded the Hoosiers 51-24 overall, and outscored them 28-2 in second-chance points. The Bruins committed just four turnovers and forced 13 by Indiana, which they converted into 25 points.

Up next

UCLA: Hosts No. 25 Washington on Thursday.

Indiana: Hosts Oregon next Sunday.

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2026 All-Star Game Thread

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 14: Jalen Duran #0, Cade Cunningham #2, Chet Holmgren #7, Devin Booker #1, Scottie Barnes #4, Tyrese Maxey #0 and Jalen Johnson #1 of Team USA Stars pose for a portrait during the NBA All-Star Game Portraits as part of NBA All-Star Weekend on Saturday, February 14, 2026 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The 75th NBA All-Star Game will get underway on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET from the Intuit Dome, home of the Los Angeles Clippers. Returning to NBC for the first time in decades and also streaming on Peacock, this year’s All-Star Game will feature a round-robin tournament with four 12-minute games between three teams: two with United States players and one made up of players from across the globe.

Of particular note for Sixers fans, Tyrese Maxey will be suiting up for the “USA Stars” squad. Maxey, along with the likes of Cade Cunningham, Devin Booker and others, will play in the first game of the day against the World team.

The NBA has caught some flak for how its All-Star Saturday events went about, myself included, given its early start time, a lukewarm at best Slam Dunk Contest and just a general sense of “eh” about it all. The game’s biggest and brightest stars, however, have the opportunity to change the narrative of the weekend overall with a strong showing during this little All-Star tourney. I hope they do! It would be great for both the fans and the league.

As the basketball action unfolds, come chat in our open thread and talk about Maxey, the Sixers and anything hoops related (or unrelated, I guess). Soak it up given that the Sixers as a whole won’t return to the court until this upcoming Thursday when they host the Atlanta Hawks.

NBA All-Star Sunday Night

Feb 15, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Spike Lee on the red carpet before the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

NBA All-Star Sunday Night

Sunday, February 15, 2026

Time: 4pm CST

Location: Intuit Dome – Inglewood, California

TV: NBA – Peacock

Discuss the new All-Star format here!

Martin and Lawson represent Raptors 905 in G-League Next Up

SACRAMENTO, CA - JANUARY 21: A.J. Lawson #0 and Alijah Martin #55 of the Toronto Raptors talk prior to the game against the Sacramento Kings on January 21, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Like many of the NBA All-Star weekend events, the G-League Next Up Game has taken on a variety of forms over the years. The first version of this contest, an All-Star game that mimicked the format of the NBA’s, was first held in Las Vegas in 2007. Since then it’s taken on different forms, including a “Futures vs Prospects” format, hosting international teams, all the way to the format we saw today.

The mini-tournament consisted of Red vs. Black, followed by Blue vs. White, with the winners of those contests moving on to the final. Each match was a target score contest, with the first round to 35 and the final to 30. 

In similar fashion to the NBA’s All-Star games, the defence and effort was on and off throughout the game. For the final few minutes in both games there was a distinct uptick in energy and effort, with teams wanting to see their way through to the final game. 

While it wasn’t nationally televised (in fact it took a few minutes to find the stream on the NBA App), it looked well-attended, doing what it was meant to: providing an opportunity for a few of the many talented G-League players to showcase their talent and represent the organizations they play for with pride. 

A.J. Lawson represented the Raptors 905 on Team Red. He opened up scoring for the game with a beautiful shot he stepped into. It was a solid start for him, running the floor, grabbing boards, and moving the ball around.

He struggled to score a little bit, missing some long range shots and a dunk attempt, but he made the most of it with a clutch baseline cut and a steal late in the game. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to move on, as Team Black took the win on a pair of free-throws. 

Alijah Martin was the second player to step on the court representing Toronto, this time for Team Blue. This game appeared to be less balanced, with Team Blue going down 21-8 early. As we know, Martin isn’t one to give in, and showed a little bit more effort on the defensive end than some of the other players. He was able to convert a long range shot that he stepped into, but didn’t make as much of an impact tonight as he did on Friday for the Rising Stars game.  

The opposite was true for his once-again teammate, Sean East II. East struggled during the Rising Stars game, but cashed in a pair of 3s (one on the assist from Martin), and had a nice move in the paint for a floater. 

Their combined effort brought the score up to 26-23, but they weren’t able to continue on either, with Team White running away with the game after a timeout. 

It also says a lot that both A.J. Lawson and Sean East II are representing Canadian Basketball as alumni of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. Lawson spent a season playing for the Guelph Nighthawks before he made his way to the NBA and returned to the G-League. He took a similar path as Lawson, taking the leap to play for the Edmonton Stingers of the CEBL after his first season in the G-League. During that season, he set the single-season scoring record of the CEBL on August 10 with a total of 546 points. Not much of a surprise when you see him making shots like this:

While it was disappointing to see neither of the Raptors 905 guys move on, it remains a testament to the development of players within the program to have both of them represented there.

Now, we wait for Scottie and Ingram will represent Toronto in the All-Star Game later tonight.

NBA All-Stars sport flashy outfits, get diamond rings during eventful pregame red carpet

The NBA All-Star Game Red Carpet had it all on Sunday — flashy outfits, comfy kicks, showy accessories and even diamond gifts.

Players from USA Stars, USA Stripes and Team World strutted their stuff as they headed into Intuit Dome in Inglewood hours before tip-off of the NBA’s annual showcase, and each sported an ensemble that drew cheers from the small crowd in attendance.

Several — including Luka Doncic, Alperen Şengün and Chet Holmgren — opted for ties for the occasion, while Jamal Murray and Scottie Barnes went with more casual vibes.

Donovan Mitchell had perhaps the most notable accessories of the afternoon. He brought a unique carrying case for his shoes, and then he passed off his pricey sunglasses to a stunned young fan in the audience.

All of those on the All-Star roster were gifted diamond rings that came in boxes with recorded messages from their loved ones inside once they reached the end of the carpet.

According to the NBA, each piece of jewelry had 24 white diamonds.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his massive scarf actually gave away his ring to two fans who presented him with it.

Here’s a look at all of the Association’s best dressed ahead of their big day on the hardwood:

Stephen Curry looks sharp on the red carpet at the All Star Game in LA on Sunday. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Scottie Barnes showed off his NBA All Star ring. Edward Lewis
All of those on the All-Star roster were gifted diamond rings that came in boxes with recorded messages from their loved ones inside once they reached the end of the carpet. Edward Lewis
Giannis Antekounmpo with his kids Liam and Maverick. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Karl-Anthony Towns hit the red carpet in an Aimé Leon Dore jacket. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Donovan Mitchell had perhaps the most notable accessories of the afternoon. He brought a unique carrying case for his shoes, and then he passed off his pricey sunglasses to a stunned young fan in the audience. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Jalen Brunson of the Knicks looked stylish in a gray suit. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Norway’s Birk Ruud moves into freeski big air final as he pursues a 3rd career Olympic gold

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Birk Ruud cleared the first hurdle on Sunday in his two-tiered quest to repeat as the Olympic big air champion and win a second gold medal at the Milan Cortina Games.

The two-time Olympian from Norway finished big air qualifying in third place, easing into Tuesday's final of 12 freeskiers.

Ruud, 25, won big air in Beijing four years ago and took gold on Tuesday in slopestyle.

After landing his first jump, Rudd did a head-over-heels forward flip, just for fun.

“It was a really good qualifying. I landed my two runs and felt real good about it,” Ruud said. “I expect a tough battle (in the final). It is going to be tight and there are going to be big tricks.”

American Mac Forehand had the best score of qualifying with 183 points from his two jumps. Austrian Matej Svancer was next.

New Zealand's Luca Harrington, who won bronze in slopestyle at these Games, was fifth.

American Alex Hall, the silver medalist in slopestyle, failed to advance.

In big air qualifying, skiers must land two of three jumps. Their top two scores are added together to determine their ranking.

The Livigno big air ramp, built on a scaffolding, sends the riders soaring down a slope that’s more than 40 meters (131 feet) in height and was lit by floodlights for the nighttime event.

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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Taliah Scott scores 26 points and No. 12 Baylor women roll past UCF 93-63

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Taliah Scott scored 26 points and No. 12 Baylor breezed to a bounce-back win, defeating UCF 93-63 on Sunday.

The Bears fell a half-game out of first place in the Big 12 on Thursday when they lost at home to No. 17 TCU 83-67. Baylor plays at TCU on March 1.

Led by 12 points from Scott, Baylor rolled to a 27-13 lead through the first quarter against UCF, which lost by 50 points against Big 12-leader West Virginia last time out. Baylor led 52-23 at halftime after shooting 65% in the first half compared to 37% for UCF.

Scott made 7 of 8 shots and had 21 points by halftime. She finished 8 for 10 for the game with 3 of 4 3s and 7 for 7 at the free-throw line.

Jana Van Gytenbeek had 11 assists and 10 points for her first double-double of the season to go with the triple-double she had on Dec. 9 against Alabama State. Kayla Nelms scored 12 points off the bench, Bella Fontleroy scored 11 and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs 10 for the Bears (22-5, 11-3 Big 12).

No starter scored in double figures for UCF (10-15, 2-12). The bench led the way with Samari Bankhead's 16 points and 13 points from Kayanna Cox.

Baylor's lead reached 39 points three times in the second half, but UCF got within the final 30-point margin when Bankhead hit two 3-pointers and Jacorriah Bracey hit another in the final two minutes of the game.

Baylor defeated UCF 73-48 on Jan. 21 in the game that started UCF’s now seven-game losing streak.

Up next

Baylor: at Texas Tech on Wednesday.

UCF: Kansas State visits on Wednesday. ___

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Ben Shelton beats Taylor Fritz to win Dallas Open in meeting of world's highest-ranked American men

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Ben Shelton saved three match points before finishing another rally at the Dallas Open, beating top-seeded Taylor Fritz in three sets for the title Sunday in a matchup of the world's highest-ranked American men.

The No. 2 seed and No. 9 player in the ATP rankings lost the first set in each of the last three rounds of the tournament, this time coming back for a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Fritz in the first meeting of the top seeds since the event moved to Dallas in 2022.

Shelton improved to 4-0 in ATP finals and beat Fritz, ranked seventh in the world, after the pair had split their first two meetings. The 23-year-old's title came after he reached the Australian Open quarterfinals last month, losing in straight sets to Jannik Sinner.

After saving three match points to get the third set to 5-5, Shelton had three chances to close out Fritz while serving for the match. Fritz saved the first two, but the 10-time ATP champion couldn't match his opponent by saving the third.

“This was a crazy match to be a part of,” Shelton said. “I thought the level was amazing.”

Fritz's dominant serving from a semifinal win over Marin Cilic — the 28-year-old didn't even face a break point while winning both tiebreakers in a straight-sets victory — carried over to the first set of the final. Fritz won 12 of his first 13 service points while breaking Shelton in the left-hander's first service game.

Shelton turned the match late in the second set by breaking Fritz's serve for a 5-3 lead, then did it again early in the third set.

Fritz broke back for 3-3 was leading 5-4 on Shelton's serve when he had three chances to close out the match. Shelton got to deuce with an overhead smash from the net and a backhand winner that caught Fritz going the wrong way.

On Fritz's last match point, Shelton converted a volley to get back to deuce and went on to hold serve with a backhand volley into the open court with both players at the net.

“If you’d told me I lost after having three match points, I think I would expect to be a lot more upset,” Fritz said. “It hurts, but I feel like it doesn’t hurt as much as I would expect it to because I don’t really have a lot of regrets with how I played those match points.”

Fritz's double-fault — the only one of the match for either player — gave Shelton three break points at 5-5. Shelton converted the second break chance when Fritz's forehand went long.

An ace on a second serve gave Shelton three match points, and he converted the second when Fritz's lunging return attempt on Shelton's approach shot fell short.

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

2026 NBA All-Star Game: start time, TV, streaming, game thread

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 14: Jalen Johnson #1 of Team USA Stars smiles during the NBA All Star Media Day as part of NBA All-Star Weekend on Saturday, February 14, 2026 at Intuit Dome 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jordan Teller/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Jalen Johnson competes in his first All-Star Game as part of a US vs. the world round robin format.

Please join in the comments below as you follow along.

Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen

Location: Intuit Dome, Los Angeles, CA

Start Time: 5:00 PM EDT

TV: NBC

Streaming: Peacock

Richie Saunders injury latest: BYU star to miss rest of season with torn ACL

BYU basketball took a huge blow on Saturday, Feb. 14, with star guard Richie Saunders going down for the remainder of the season with injury.

Saunders, a fourth-year player averaging 18 points per game this season, will miss the remainder of the campaign after tearing his ACL early in BYU's 90-86 overtime win over Colorado on Feb. 14. BYU confirmed the injury in a press release on Feb. 15.

"To end my BYU career like this is heartbreaking," Saunders wrote on Instagram. "... My story has never been one of ease. And while I didn't plan for this, my career is not over. I will return with more fight and more grit than before. My goals haven't changed."

Richie Saunders injury

Saunders went down with the injury less than a minute into BYU's game against Colorado on Feb. 14 after taking an awkward fall. He was down on the ground for a few minutes before being helped to the locker room.

Saunders was BYU's best player last season and led the Cougars to their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2011. BYU will now rely on true freshman standout AJ Dybantsa and transfer Rob Wright III, who are averaging 24.4 and 18.7 points per game, respectively this season.

The 6-foot-5 senior guard was the Big 12's most improved player in 2025 after improving his scoring average from 9.6 points per game in 2023-24 to 16.5 points per game in 2024-25. He ranks eighth in program history in 3-point makes (205) and 15th in 20-point games.

BYU has won two games in a row against Baylor and Colorado after dropping four consecutive games against Arizona, Kansas, Oklahoma State and Houston. The Cougars' next two games won't be easy, either, facing Arizona on the road and Iowa State at home without Saunders.

Richie Saunders stats

Here are Saunders' year-by-year stats at BYU:

  • 2022-23 (freshman): 5.5 points with 2.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game
  • 2023-24 (sophomore): 9.6 points with 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game
  • 2024-25 (junior): 16.5 points with 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game
  • 2025-26 (senior): 18 points with 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Richie Saunders injury: BYU star to miss rest of season with torn ACL