Category: Basketball

Four former Alabama Statemen’s basketball players have been ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA for accepting payments from gamblers to fix the outcome of a game, college sports’ governing body announced on Friday, June 5.

According to the NCAA, the four athletes — Amarr Knox, Shawn Fulcher, Corey Hines and Tony Madlock — accepted and were paid a total of $2,000 (or $500 per player) from two bettors to partake in game manipulation in the Hornets’ Dec. 5, 2024 matchup against Southern Miss. Alabama State lost, 81-64, in a game in which they were a six-point underdog.

Knox, Hines and Matlock were the Hornets’ top three scorers that season, with each player averaging at least 12.5 points per game.

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That squad ultimately advanced to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, where it earned the first March Madness victory in program history in a 70-68 win against Saint Francis in a play-in game. Knox scored the winning basket in that game with a layup with one second remaining.

None of the four former Alabama State athletes played during the 2025-26 season.

The NCAA said its enforcement staff had been notified by Temple in July 2025 that Hines, who had transferred there from Alabama State after the 2024-25 season, was contacted by the FBI and shown text messages concerning a sports integrity issue from his time with the Hornets.

The two bettors were indicted in January by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on wire fraud and bribery charges related to sports contests. Knox told NCAA investigators that Fulcher had put other teammates in a group chat in December 2024 with one of the bettors, who offered them money to throw the game against Southern Miss the next night.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: NCAA bans four former Alabama State basketball players for point shaving

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The Knicks are on a historic run in the playoffs, having won 12 in a row culminating in a Finals Game 1 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on the road, where they outscored the home team 29-19 in the fourth quarter and outscored the Silver and Black 11-0 in the last 1:57. Both teams shot poorly for the game, but the Knicks took control late. A critical hustle play by Brunson to tap the ball to Bridges started the final Knicks push, and the Spurs couldn’t answer, missing 3 shots and turning the ball over twice in the final two minutes.

Even though the Knicks didn’t have the best shooting night, they excelled in a lot of other areas. Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t commit his usual complement of head-scratcher fouls, and was the best version of himself as he hustled to every loose ball and made the right pass every time he was double teamed. Anunoby made key plays in the fourth quarter, and Josh Hart hustled his ass off. The Spurs are going to have to play better tonight and not have the extended lapses of Game 1 to even up the series tonight. The alternative to that is bad.

In this year’s playoffs, the Spur have been resilient, following up a close loss to the Timberwolves in Game 1 in the series with a 133-95 blowout in Game 2. San Antonio also lost their first home game in the Thunder series, and responded by holding the Thunder to a season-low 82 point output in Game 4. Tonight’s game is an almost must-win scenario, because if the Knicks return home with a 2-0 series lead, the Madison Square Garden fans will be feeling entitled to see the the Orange and Blue pull off their third sweep in a row. No team has won the NBA Finals after losing Game 1 and Game 2 at home¹, although it has happened a few times in the earlier rounds. The Spurs have to avoid that situation with a win tonight.

Both Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox had below average games on Wednesday, and the Spurs have to find ways to open up their games without forcing the ball to them. Julian Champagnie was great scoring in the first half of the opening game, and contributed by rebounding and defending in the second half. Dylan Harper was the best player for the Spurs on Wednesday night, but he wasn’t on the court during crunch time, which could change in tonight’s game, Mitch willing. GO SPURS GO!!

1. The road team losing the first two games and coming back to win the series isn’t unprecedented, most recently the Bucks did it in the 2020-2021 season, defeating the Suns. Bill Walton and the Blazers also did in their 76-77 championship season.

Game Prediction:

Jeremy Sochan gets his first minutes in the NBA Finals and has two shots blocked by his former teammates.

San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks, NBA Finals, Game 2
June 5, 2026 | 7:30 PM CT
Streaming: ESPN
TV: ABC
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NBA investigator interviews have begun for Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard and his uncle and business adviser, Dennis Robertson, per ESPN.

Leonard, Robertson, and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer are under investigation after a series of podcasts from the show “Pablo Torre Finds Out” revealed Ballmer’s company, Aspiration, was accused of receiving a $50 million investment from his personal LLC in September, 2021.

Shortly after the investment was made, Leonard and Aspiration agreed to an endorsement deal of $28 million. Torre recently revealed on Friday that in March of 2023, Ballmer invested another $10 million, which suggests these investments have been recurring.

According to the article by ESPN, the interview process has been lengthy. Ballmer and other Clippers executives have also sat in for interviews by the NBA’s private investigation team.

Before game 1 of the NBA Finals, this past Wednesday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that the investigation was far along and that he thinks they’re getting close to putting an end to it.

“The investigation is being conducted by a law firm independent of the NBA,” Silver said before Game 1. “I mean, yes, ultimately we are paying their bills, but they are doing the work independent of the league office. My instruction to them is we can’t be investigating forever, and at some point, we have to wrap it up, but at the same time, I think the most important thing is we get it right.”

Silver has not given a timeline for when the investigation will be finished, but did say the Clippers need “to understand what situation they are going to be operating under, and so do the other 29 teams.”

Since the allegations were made public, Ballmer and the Clippers have denied them and have remained adamant that there is no evidence supporting them.

In the article, ESPN says they have spoken to people in and close to the NBA about potential outcomes from the investigation, and that the NBA could receive some pushback from the National Basketball Players Association or from the other 29 owners.

Today is Game 2 of the NBA Finals. The New York Knicks are at the San Antonio Spurs again. Watch at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC or WJLA-TV in the DMV.

The Knicks lead the series 1-0, so we’ll see what happens tonight!

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If the opening night of the NBA Finals is any indication of what we’ve got in store for Game 2 and beyond, my good people, we’re headed for basketball Nirvana.

The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs are back at it on Friday night, and I’ve got a same-game parlay anchored in the back-and-forth battle we all want in the finals.

Here are my best NBA picks and Knicks vs. Spurs SGP predictions on June 5.

Our best Knicks vs Spurs SGP for Game 2

SGP leg #1: Spurs moneyline

The young San Antonio Spurs couldn’t put away the New York Knicks in Game 1, and the veteran side made adjustments and refused to be rattled on the big stage. Game 2 could also come down to the wire, which has me keeping it simple and sticking with San Antonio to win outright. 

The Spurs are great off a loss, and with those nerves settled, I expect an efficient offensive effort – as we saw in the first half of the opener. The Spurs evened this championship series before a swing to the Big Apple.

SGP leg #2: Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds

Victor Wembanyama still grabbed 12 rebounds on 22 rebounding chances but was pulled away from the rim to defend outside shooters on Wednesday. That left San Antonio susceptible to the crashing Knicks, who snatched 10 offensive rebounds. Wemby stays closer to home in Game 2 in order to kick-start the transition attack off rebounds, and his projections call for as many as 15+ boards Friday.

SGP leg #3: Dylan Harper Over 11.5 points

Dylan Harper thrived in the pace of the first half of Game 1, scoring 12 of his 16 points in the opening two frames. But once New York slowed that transition attack, Harper had a tough time finding his flow. De’Aaron Fox’s struggles could also see Mitch Johnson giving his rookie more floor time in the final minutes. Harper’s models call for as many as 13 points in Game 2.

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Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Knicks vs. Spurs predictions for Game 2.

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SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The star power of Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson helped this year's NBA Finals get off to a huge start in terms of viewership, the likes of which hadn't been seen since the last finals matchup between LeBron James and Stephen Curry eight years ago.

Game 1 of the finals matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks averaged nearly 17 million viewers on Wednesday night, up 90% when compared to last season's finals Game 1. It was the most-watched Game 1 since 2018, the most recent time James — then of Cleveland — and Golden State's Curry faced off in the title round.

Wednesday's game had a peak audience of 19.63 million viewers around 11 p.m. EDT, which would have been in the fourth quarter of New York's 105-95 victory.

It was the most-watched finals Game 1 ever on ABC and the most-watched finals contest since Game 6 of the 2019 title series between Toronto and Golden State.

The viewership numbers for Game 1 on Wednesday were higher than the opening game of 15 of the past 16 World Series, including the 2024 series opener between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers — a matchup pitting the country's top two media markets. That game averaged 15.2 million viewers.

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

Editor's Note:Click here for live coverage and all the latest news from Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs.

The women are expected to arrive for Game 2 of the NBA Finals as they arrived for Game 1, and for many games before that.

They’ll be wearing their traditional nun’s habits and San Antonio Spurs jerseys. They’ll also be rooting (and praying) for the home team when the Spurs take on the New York Knicks at the Frost Bank Center on Friday, June 5.

It makes the nuns almost as easy to spot as Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs’ 7-foot-4 phenom. And like Wemby and the rest of the Spurs, the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco in San Antonio have become celebrities in their own right.

Perhaps even rivaling the celebrity of Sister Jean, the late basketball-loving chaplain at Loyola-Chicago.

Steph Curry sends heartwarming message, Warriors game invitation to young fan originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

12-year old Wyatt Neus is one of Steph Curry’s biggest fans. As it turns out, Curry is a big fan of Neus, as well.

Neus, who has Down syndrome, recently went viral for his performance in a student-teacher basketball game in Plymouth, Minnesota, draining a long “Curry range” shot while wearing the famous No. 30 Warriors jersey. Neus also performed Curry’s trademark “night, night” celebration as a full gymnasium cheered him on.

The video and the story caught the attention of Warriors vice president of communications Raymond Ridder, who passed them on to Curry.

A short time later, Curry responded with his own video addressed to Wyatt, who watched with his parents Eric and Brooke by his side.

“Hey Wyatt,” Curry began. “I just want to say that was really, really special and inspiring what you did, showing out in front of your whole school. Unbelievable shot, unbelievable celebration, and even better jersey. Great job, Wyatt. See you soon.”

Wyatt, who says he has rooted for Curry since “[he] was a baby,” will see Curry in person next season, as the Warriors guard extended an invite to attend a Warriors-Timberwolves game in Minnesota.

“It’s just shocking,” Brooke Neus said of Curry’s gesture. “For Steph to take the time out of his day and to look at that is just, I never thought it would become anything like this. We thought it was a cool video that, you know, just like that. Hard to believe that we could maybe lighten other people’s hearts, but this has taken a new life of its own, and we’re so lucky.”

Now when the Warriors take the court at Target Center next season, there will be at least two people who can shoot from “Curry range” in the building.

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Don’t ask Victor Wembanyama to do any soda ads.

Before he even made it to the NBA, when he was earning just $150,000 playing in France, the Spurs star and Frenchman rejected lucrative soda endorsements worth millions.

“We’re not gonna mix his image with sodas like Coca-Cola,” his agent Jérémy Medjana told The Athletic. “They all want him, but Victor will never sell soda. Because he doesn’t want to kill the kids.”

The 22-year-old phenom is reportedly so committed to his stance of promoting positive health that he doesn’t begin press conferences until Gatorade bottles are removed. Meanwhile, he endorses Barcode, a plant-based performance drink with no added sugar.

Wembanyama currently has deals with Nike, Louis Vuitton, 2K Sports, Fanatics, Authentic and H-E-B and understands more deals will flow in if he wins it all, but brand deals aren’t his main focus now.

“I think what Victor understands is not to be distracted by all of the fanfare around his career,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver told The Athletic. “Because he will be defined by championships, not by commercial opportunities or the platform he has to speak out on issues he cares about.”

The first overall pick by the Spurs in 2023, Wembanyama has taken the league by storm since his arrival.

After averaging 21.4 points per game as a rookie in 2023-24, Wembanyama increased that number to 24.3 last season and 25 this year. He also finished third in MVP voting this season, behind just Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.

Wembanyama also took home Western Conference Finals MVP honors after beating the Thunder in seven games to send the Spurs to their first NBA Finals since 2014.

The center went just 6-of-21 in the Spurs 105-95 loss to the Knicks in Game 1 of the Finals Wednesday, but can rebound Friday night.

Game 2 is set for 8:30 Eastern.

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The Knicks’ win streak extended to 12 games with a statement victory in Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals. Tonight, they’ll try to continue that by taking a 2-0 lead over the San Antonio Spurs.

Though the Knicks got off to a hot start, they found themselves trailing the Spurs, but a huge late-game run helped secure the 105-95 victory.

Jalen Brunson spearheaded the Knicks’ offense to finish with a game-high 30 points. He received tremendous interior support from Karl-Anthony Towns, who dominated his matchup inside to secure an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double.

The Spurs kept the game tight, largely due to a 26 point, 12 rebound, and 3 block performance from sophomore phenom Victor Wembanyama.

Next, the series moves to New York City for Monday night’s Game 3 at Madison Square Garden.

Knicks vs. Spurs start time:

Tonight’s (June 5) NBA Finals Game 2 is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET.

NBA Finals Game 2 streaming: How to watch Knicks vs. Spurs for free

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes ABC, where every game of the NBA Finals will air. When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

Sling TV is another affordable way to watch TV live and stream NBA games; its Select plan includes ABC and starts at $19.99/month.

NBA Finals schedule 2026

All games will air on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET.

• Game 1: Knicks 105, Spurs 95
• Game 2: Friday, June 5
• Game 3: Monday, June 8
• Game 4: Wednesday, June 10
• Game 5: Saturday, June 13*
• Game 6: Tuesday, June 16*
• Game 7: Friday, June 19*

* if necessary

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.

Which path should Celtics take this offseason? Mannix weighs in originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

A potentially franchise-altering offseason lies ahead for the Boston Celtics.

After a devastating first-round series loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston must decide whether to keep its core intact or begin a new era of Celtics basketball. NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics insider Chris Forsberg laid out three paths for president of basketball operations Brad Stevens – Path 1: small tweaks to the roster, Path 2: an uncomfortable middle road, and Path 3: breaking up superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Path 3 has already been rumored to be under consideration. Boston is among the teams linked to Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in trade rumors, and such a deal almost certainly would require shipping Jaylen Brown out of town.

Do Stevens and the Celtics need to make such a drastic move, or should they run it back with largely the same group plus a healthy Jayson Tatum? Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated joined Friday’s Early Edition to discuss which path he’d take.

“I don’t see a real reason to overreact to a bad playoff loss given what this season was supposed to be,” Mannix said. “I mean, the expectations coming into the year were extremely low. They wind up winning 56 games, having a better offensive rating this year than they did last year.

“Yeah, it was an ugly way to go out against Philadelphia, and obviously, they have some needs to address if they want to be considered a championship contender, but they’ve got the core of a championship-contending team. They’ve got two superstars that know how to play with each other. They’ve got a second star who elevated himself this year into that first tier of players.”

Brown stepped up in Tatum’s absence, leading Boston to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. When Tatum returned, it was like he had never left. The Celtics’ star tandem picked up where it left off before Tatum’s injury and appeared ready to make a run at Banner 19.

Then, they blew a 3-1 series lead to the Sixers.

Despite that devastating result, Mannix looks at this year’s Eastern Conference champions as a reason not to make any drastic decisions.

“I think looking at the New York Knicks is a great example of why you want to keep things together, because one of the reasons the Knicks are playing in the Finals right now is because of their chemistry,” Mannix said. “Jalen Brunson has been around for four years. Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, two or three years. They’ve built chemistry over multiple years and they’re playing and succeeding as a team.

“The Celtics have done it even longer with this group, and I would love to see them go out, try to find a big man, try to find a little bit more depth in the backcourt, and then run it back next year with a healthy Jayson Tatum and a vastly improved Jaylen Brown.”

Boston enters the offseason with a glaring need for frontcourt help. It could also use a playmaking guard and a another reliable scoring option for when Tatum and Brown need a breather.

Stevens has a massive $27.7 million traded player exception at his disposal, as well as a $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Both will be useful as the Celtics look to upgrade their roster, but if they go the trade route while keeping the Jays together, one name to monitor is Derrick White.

White, a Celtic since 2022 and a key member of the 2024 championship squad, is owed $30.34 million for the upcoming season. The three-time All-Defensive selection is one of Boston’s few trade chips that could bring in a significant haul.

Perhaps a big-man upgrade and other improvements on the margins will be enough. But as opportunities arise in the offseason, Stevens will have to seriously ponder whether a major change is best for the franchise’s future.

The NBA is truly a worldwide league, boasting 135 international players from 43 countries at the beginning of the 2025-2026 season (NBA News, 10/22/25). So, as well as evaluating US college and G League prospects, team scouts also have the daunting task of crisscrossing the globe for new talent. Is there another Luka Doncic making his name with Real Madrid? Another Giannis bending rims in the shadow of the Acropolis? Another Wemby towering over the Arc de Triomphe?

For the Utah Jazz, who only (only!) have the second pick in the entire draft, is it worth trading some of their assets for the chance to land the next big continental phenom? Let’s take a look at some of the worldwide talent on offer and you can decide for yourself. ‘

Karim Lopez is the undisputed top international prospect in this year’s draft. The 6’8” Mexican born wing is currently playing down under with the New Zealand Breakers. Watching his highlights, you see a player who can do a little bit of everything: ball handling, three-point shooting, creating his own shot, setting up teammates, driving to the basket. His size, athleticism and quick hands also provide glimpses of his potential on the defensive end. But as he is expected to be drafted between 11 and 14 on most draft boards, it would be a huge stretch for the Jazz to shell out enough player and future draft capital to acquire him.

Not to worry though. If you can’t afford a Cadillac, perhaps there’s a sporty mid-size sedan in the Jazz’s price range. Or perhaps in the case of this next player, a stretch limo. Standing 7’3” with a 7’5” wingspan, weighing in as a 289 lb Heavyweight, and optimistically referred to by one pundit as “The Italian Wemby” (whoa there, fella), Luigi Suigo is projected to be picked anywhere from the late first round to the early- to mid-second round. Watching his highlights, it’s easy to see why NBA scouts would be intrigued by this towering Goliath. He dominates the paint, easily putting back misses by his teammates. But he can also step back beyond the arc and hit threes, though his three-point percentage needs improvement. The capital needed to take a flyer on Suigo could be a lot less, especially if he drops into the second round. And it’s enticing to think of him as a backup rim protector to Walker Kessler.

Jack Kayil, a 6’5”, 185 lb German point guard is projected to be picked between 37-40 or per some analysts will remain undrafted. Playing for ALBA in Berlin during the 2025-2026 season, he averaged 11.7 points, 3.7 assists and 2.9 rebounds, while shooting just over 34% from three. His handle is reminiscent of Keyonte George and he could be a promising backup guard, especially if the Jazz don’t select Darryn Peterson with the second pick. Kayil is currently committed to Gonzaga, but that could change if there is more interest from NBA teams.

The Jazz, of course, may be completely happy with just taking the second pick and keeping their future draft capital and current players intact. There’s nothing wrong with that, especially considering that the 2027 NBA draft will likely have more intriguing international prospects: Dash Daniels, an elite defender with Melbourne United, whose brother, Dyson Daniels, had a breakout season with the Hawks; Miikka Muurinen, Lauri Markkanen’s Finnish national team sidekick, who will have completed a year with the University of Arkansas; and Sergio de Larrea, a 6’5”, 175 lb shooting guard from Spain, a three-point marksman with a high basketball IQ, who reminds me of Austin Reaves. But my suspicion is that Austin Ainge and the rest of Jazz management are keeping their options open, both here and overseas, as they try to create an edge in their quest to get back to the post season.