Mike D'Antoni has his prints all over the modern game of basketball.
The coach, who began his NBA career as an assistant with the Denver Nuggets in the 1997-98 season before becoming head coach of the Phoenix Suns in the 2003-04 season, is being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Saturday, Aug. 15 as part of the class of 2026.
In the 2000s, 'experts' thought D'Antoni was insane for idolizing offense and less defense. D’Antoni influenced the game through his up-tempo, 'space-and-pace' philosophy that helped redefine offensive strategy – emphasizing ball movement, shooting, and efficiency, and shaping the analytics-driven era of the sport.
His Suns' offense was deemed 'seven seconds or less,' meaning that players had the green light to shoot good, high-volume shots within seven seconds of a 24-second shot clock.
D'Antoni's impact spans continents, having coached professionally in Italy for eight seasons before bringing his ideas to the NBA. In addition to his stints with the Nuggets and the Suns, he was also head coach of the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets and an associate head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers before ending his NBA career as an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets.
Through his 16 NBA seasons, D'Antoni racked up nearly 1,200 career wins. He was named NBA Coach of the Year twice, in 2005 and 2017. He also served as an assistant coach for the gold medal-winning 2012 U.S. Olympic Team and was recognized as one of the 50 Greatest Contributors in EuroLeague history in 2008.
Longtime NBA referee Joey Crawford, who is being inducted into the Naismith Basketball of Fame on Saturday, Aug. 15, officiated 2,561 regular-season games over 39 seasons, including a record 374 postseason games and 50 NBA Finals games. He worked in 23 consecutive NBA Finals.
Officiating with an iron fist and known for his quick whistle and quicker temper, Crawford got on the nerves of NBA players and fans, including an infamous incident in 2007 when he ejected Spurs star Tim Duncan for laughing from the bench.
Crawford was suspended indefinitely for the incident and sat out the rest of the regular season and playoffs that season.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 18: Jaxson Hayes #11 of the Los Angeles Lakersdunks the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz on December 18, 2025 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Do you remember how nice it was when the Jazz used to have a good defense? I won’t blame you if you say no – 2022 was the last defense Utah has put forth that has been above league average, and even then, everyone knew it was a paper tiger. In recent years, the Jazz haven’t even had the luxury of a fool’s gold defense; over the past 4 years, the Jazz have been rated the 23rd, 30th, 30th, and 29th best defenses, respectively. While frustrating to watch, it was permissible (and maybe even advantageous) for these tanking iterations of the team. But now? The Jazz expect to win, and win they will not unless that defense takes a major step forward. And if defenses are really built on the shoulders of giants, then whichever free agent center Utah brought in this offseason had better be a real gamechanger.
This is, admittedly, an unfair expectation for new Jazzman Jaxson Hayes. However, it is true that competent teams often rely on competent big men – my pick for the best 4 teams last season (Spurs, Thunder, Knicks, Timberwolves) each fielded 48 minutes of above-average center minutes. Hayes will likely be asked to play similar minute totals to fellow Western backups, such as Luke Kornet and Jaylin Williams, and a certain level of dependability is a must if the Jazz want to at least competitively spar with these rival clubs.
The question that naturally follows, then, is “Can he do it?”. In an attempt to find an answer, I went on a journey. NBA.com offers the wonderful feature to watch the plays that accompany every one of a players box score statistics from a season, and of that I took full advantage in conducting my comprehensive Jaxson Hayes deep dive. I streamed each of his shot attempts, assists, steals, blocks, and turnovers, all in very quick succession, to supplement the understanding of his game that I already held with me as a dedicated fan of the NBA. Now, out of the goodness of my heart, I’ll present my findings from this statistical expedition, so no other Jazz fan will have to repeat this rather repetitive task.
Before I begin, Jaxson Hayes’s personal history requires a disclaimer. This article does not attempt to determine the contents of his character, or whether it was “right” for the Jazz to sign him. Hayes’s issues with domestic violence are horrific, and a blemish on him and his basketball career. However, whether one likes it or not, Hayes is on the team now, and will likely play semi-meaningful minutes. For that reason, I will focus my analysis on Hayes as a basketball player, rather than Hayes as a person.
The Basics
Name: Jaxson Hayes
Height: 7’0
Weight: 220 Pounds
Wingspan: 7’3.5
Stats: 66 GP, 9 GS, 18.3 MPG, 7.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 76/100/65 (on 2 three point attempts)
Offense
BROOKLYN, NY – FEBRUARY 3: Jaxson Hayes #11 and Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers look on during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on February 3, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Immediately, I realized that watching every Jaxson Hayes shot attempt would be a much more entertaining exercise than when I did the same for Josh Okogie. While both are fairly simple players who do not deviate from their highly specialized role, Jaxson Hayes’s particular set of skills happened to align perfectly with Lakers superstar, Luka Doncic. So, while I was technically watching Jaxson Hayes interior shot attempts, the real star of most of these plays was Luka, making mincemeat of the defense in the pick-and-roll. This was engaging to spectate, sure, but sparks doubt about just how replicable Hayes’s production would be in a Luka-less offense. Doncic is likely one of the 5 best pick-and-roll operators in league HISTORY, and is one of the best big-man amplifiers in the league today. While Keyonte made huge leaps as a passer this past season, and Collier has immense natural talent, neither come close to any of the poise, accuracy, and creativity of Doncic. This fear of mine is reflected statistically – in the 404 minutes Hayes played without Luka, the Lakers offensive rating was 5.9 points worse than league average. With both of them on the court? 8.9 points better than league average. On-off numbers are finnicky, to be sure, especially in single season samples, but the numbers paint a picture that matches logic and the film.
However, while the film clearly did show Luka and Hayes having a very synergistic relationship, I do not think that Hayes is completely dependent on Doncic. As a roller, I think Hayes is, while simplistic, rather effective. It all begins with his overwhelming, game-defining athleticism. Hayes covers ground, both horizontally and vertically, with explosive speed and range. His stride lengths are long, he gets off the ground remarkably fast, and he seems to stay in the air forever, which helps him both in the half court and transition. Additionally, while Luka is great at getting the ball to his teammates where they can score, Hayes first has to know where to be. After watching his shot attempts (makes and misses), I was impressed with Hayes’s understanding of space. He fills the areas he needs to fill, and is able to get open to catch Luka’s well-placed lob passes. With his athleticism and length, Hayes always seems to be in range for a dunk, and will place himself around the paint accordingly.
Put this all together, and Jaxson Hayes will perhaps be the best in-game dunker the Jazz have ever had.
(Before people get mad, yes, I know who Darrell Griffith and Jeremy Evans and Donovan Mitchell are. The argument for Hayes would be quantity+quality.)
I compared the simplicity of Hayes’s game to Okogie’s. Just as the majority of Okogie’s halfcourt attempts were catch-and-shoot three pointers, the majority of Hayes’s halfcourt attempts were catch-and-DUNK two pointers. For both, I got pretty good at anticipating how each shot attempt would go. If Okogie started to dribble in the film, I immediately got worried. Likewise, Hayes’s was by-far the most effective when he was asked to do as little as possible. Sometimes, he would fake a handoff to one of the Lakers 3 primary ball-handlers and attempt to drive to the rim, and this was rarely successful. Hayes isn’t the physically strongest guy, and when he’s driving into a set defense, he’s prone to get bodied off of his spots. While in a car, if you want to go forward, you shift to drive. If you want to go backward, you shift to reverse. Hayes functions in a similar way. He clearly has very distinct mindsets on offense that he struggles to switch between. While driving to the rim, you can tell he’s in the “score” gear and will be attempting a shot no matter what. He sometimes flashes pretty impressive passing (nothing crazy, but more impressive than you’d expect for a 0.9 APG center – NBA players are so good), but struggles to merge his passing gear and his scoring gear into one comprehensive offensive gear. For a player as simple as Hayes, this isn’t the biggest problem in the world – he isn’t often making the most complex decisions. In his limited role, it didn’t hurt his effectiveness too much; he still made his shots at a 76% clip, and the shot selection is rarely too abrasive. However, it certainly does limit his offensive ceiling, and means that he will likely continue to be slightly less than the sum of his parts on this end of the floor.
A few miscellaneous offensive notes;
Better touch outside of 3 feet from the rim than I expected. Didn’t take many, but his hooks and floaters were pretty efficient shots.
I don’t love his screening. Maybe it’s due to his weaker frame relative to other centers, but he sets a lot of slip or ghost screens which didn’t lead to much separation. Additionally, he uses his arms a lot in his screening form and sometimes starts to move a bit too early – expect a fair few moving screens this next season.
The offensive rebounding is nothing special, but if he does have adequate positioning down low, his combination of verticality and quick second and third jumps does help him a lot. Just doesn’t have the muscle to be too dominant of an offensive rebounder, however.
Defense
LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 11: Jaxson Hayes #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays defense during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round Two Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 11, 2026 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
While far from a perfect defender, this is where Jaxson Hayes provides the majority of his impact. And, just like his offense, the strengths he provide on this end of the floor all rely heavily on his athleticism, which is legitimately in the 99th percentile of the 99th percentile.
Ground coverage is one the best skills you can bring defensively (if combined with some base level of basketball understanding), and Hayes is better than nearly everyone in the league at this one thing. His agility is legitimately freaky for a guy his size, and his motor revs pretty hot for a big man (except after he misses on offense – then, he’s prone to pouting before getting back on defense). He’s got the flexibility to change directions, the length and height to take up space, and the athleticism to get where he needs to be. On his good possessions, it feels that Hayes is nearly omnipresent – he can begin the play by switching onto a guard, following him closely on a drive to the rim, and then immediately pounce on a closeout to a corner shooter. His physical gifts give him such a high defensive ceiling on a play-to-play basis. For an example, look at the nimble feet he showcases following Hart to the rim, and the quick leaping ability to explode upwards and get the block.
Jaxson Hayes with the huge block, leading to a Luka Dončić lob to Rui Hachimura for the slam dunk (with replays) pic.twitter.com/mPpAOKcIoi
It’s easy to slot Hayes into the rim runner, drop defense archetype, but defensively, that isn’t quite right. He really doesn’t spend too much time in the paint, and isn’t the most effective when trying to function as a traditional defensive anchor. He doesn’t have the most core strength, and can get bumped from his interior positioning by bigger drivers. Additionally, his timing and positioning in drop defense isn’t really anything special. He does not attempt to play defense like Rudy Gobert or Walker Kessler, but this does not mean that he is not effective. He actually seems to be more in the ilk of a Jaren Jackson Jr., flying in from the weak side to help his teammates and make momentum shifting blocks. Switching appears to his preferred pick-and-roll coverage, as opposed to the more traditional drop. While I didn’t count while watching all 52 of his 2025-2026 blocks, it seemed to me that the majority of his blocks came off of these switches – the ball handlers sizes Hayes up, gets a step on him, and gets blocked from behind once he reaches the rim. This defensive style clearly benefits his athletic makeup; his ground coverage and agility aren’t maximized if he is consistently staying as close as he can to the basket. This switching style helps get rid of open midrange shots (his opponents shoot 2.5% worse in that area while he is on the court), but is less effective near the rim, where his opponents shoot 1.7% better while he’s out there. Overall, opposing offenses are less effective while Hayes plays, largely because he’s so able to muck things up and semi-competently play a variety of different defensive roles (fine at drop defense, positive as a switcher, positive as a help side defender).
Once again, though, Hayes is not perfect. He’s rather jumpy at times, biting on fakes that he really shouldn’t be biting on. His weaker physical frame leads to issues rebounding, and likely means he will need to be paired with a strong rebounder in the front court. His positioning is sometimes off – defense is a game of inches, where being one step to the left determines whether your opponent scores or misses. The best defenders make that seemingly inconsequential step more often than the only slightly above average defenders, but the impact those steps make over a season are immense. It’s why it’s sometimes difficult to see just what makes a prime Rudy Gobert or Draymond Green substantially better defensively than their peers – at some point on the defensive possession, they made a step, which causes their opponents to, rather inconspicuously, miss more shots every game. Hayes simply makes that step less than the best of the best.
Still, he is an overall positive on this end, even if we shouldn’t be expecting some game-changing force. He produces big, momentum shifting plays, and those have value. When Keyonte George is on a hot streak during game 3 of the first round of the 2027 Western Conference Playoffs, and Jaxson Hayes swats a Reed Sheppard floater into the fifth row, The Delta Center will be rocking. That big-play potential means something to me, and solidifies my slightly positive evaluation of Hayes’s defense.
Conclusion/How It All Fits
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 11: Jaxson Hayes #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a slam dunk against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 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. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jaxson Hayes makes stuff happen – you can feel when he’s out there – and the Jazz do need someone like that (the team seemed to recognize this, with another signing, Okogie, also being a real shaker). However, does he make enough good things happen to play in the postseason? I’m not as sure about that. I appreciate the battle-tested dynamicity that Hayes brings to the team. He’s not going to fade into the background like Filipowski or Cody or Brice or Bamba tend to do. Instead, he’ll inject around 15 minutes per game of chaos, and I believe that is valuable. I just don’t think he does anything quite good enough to project him as someone that can certainly play on the biggest stage, especially offensively. While his defense is loud, I worry how tangible his offense will be against strong interior opponents without the buoy of Luka’s dominant playmaking. In the playoffs, the Jazz can’t afford to be playing 4v5 offensively, if the weak link isn’t guaranteeing a rather impressive level of defensive fortitude. So, while Hayes is good enough defensively to be be a regular season positive, will that be enough in a 7 game series against the Spurs? The Thunder? That remains to be seen.
Luckily for the Jazz, they do have a rather versatile front court, with different options that they can mix and match. I’m particularly excited to see minutes with both Hayes and Filipowski on the court, as I think their strengths and weaknesses are pretty synergistic with each other. With his shooting, Filipowski can play at the power forward, and provides the front court rebounding to mitigate Hayes’s rebounding in that department. Hayes’s switching and ground coverage, on the other end, insulate some of Filipowski’s defensive weaknesses. I’d also like to just have a taste of a Nurkic+Hayes front court – in his younger years, Hayes nearly split his minutes 50/50 between power forward and center, and would provide a jolt of athleticism next to Nurkic’s more ground bound style. This only makes sense is Nurkic can maintain and improve his shooting numbers next year.
After this deep dive, I believe I am in the camp that Hayes will provide good, dependable production in the regular season, eating minutes at an above-replacement level. I also expect his minutes to decline precipitously in the playoffs, where Jaren Jackson Jr. may play more as a backup center (much of the synergistic benefits Hayes provides to Filipowski can be given by Jackson as well). While much has been said about the problems that arise from JJJ center minutes, it’s not like Hayes is some dominant rebounder either – will the Jazz be losing that much by replacing his minutes with Jackson? This is not an indictment on Hayes – the team isn’t paying him very much money, so if he is just a regular season minute eater, you can’t really complain. He dunks, he blocks, and he tries, all of which will be appreciated by a Delta Center crowd anxious for things to, once again, begin to happen.
This past week, the Portland City Council approved $120 million to pay for much-needed renovations to the Moda Center, home to the Portland Trail Blazers. Combined with already approved state and county funds, that totals $586 million for the renovations.
However, all the funding hinges on the Trail Blazers agreeing to a new lease that would keep the team in Portland through 2050. The Trail Blazers — particularly owner Tom Dundon — and the city disagree over some key terms of that lease and are entering negotiations. There is a deadline to sign that lease by the end of the year, or the state money ($365 million) goes away.
There are two ways this is likely to play out: Either, by Dec. 17 (a deciding City Council vote on the lease terms), the City of Portland and Dundon's Trail Blazers will have agreed on a new lease that will keep the beloved franchise in Portland for another two decades; or we will know that Dundon bought the team with the intention of moving it, a script the Pacific Northwest has seen before.
What does Dundon want?
Notice that the Trail Blazers themselves are not on the list of groups contributing to the Moda Center refurbishment — Dundon said at a meeting in Portland he thought the team contributed enough by the taxes it pays in the state. That follows his pattern since buying the team.
Dundon has not made friends in Oregon since buying the Trail Blazers — and absolutely wasted the honeymoon period new owners usually get with fan bases. He has come off as entitled, a billionaire penny-pincher treating the team like a private equity asset, not acting as a steward of a brand and franchise important to the community.
There have been so many penny-pinching moves. There was the public relations mess of not bringing two-way players to a postseason game. There was the story of the team masseuse and other Portland personnel waiting for hours in a hotel lobby because he wouldn't pay for late checkouts. There was the lowballing of coaching offers — something he denied but was discussed plenty around the league — that ultimately saw a successful coach in Tiago Splitter head to Chicago (while they found a good coach in Mica Nori, he had to sign an owner-friendly contract, essentially a one-year deal, that the coaches' association decried). A lot of team staff was let go on the business side. Most recently, long-time and popular Trail Blazers television play-by-play voice Kevin Calabro walked after refusing a "subprime" offer, while analyst Michael Holton, studio hosts Neil Everett and Jamie Hudson, radio voice Travis Demers, and Tom Haberstroh, who brought a statistical take, were all let go.
Dundon and the Trail Blazers say the organization has been losing money, and argue this was cutting out fat and waste. The team says the primary reason it is losing money is an unfavorable lease deal. Dundon and the Trail Blazers argue that in negotiations with the city, they need to get the best deal possible to make the team profitable. To fans in Portland? It all reads as what people nationwide have come to despise about billionaires and private equity.
The City Council approved a term sheet with the money, and that's what the negotiations over the coming months will be about. The city sees its term sheet as putting in protections for itself in this process, but Dundon has already dismissed the sheet out of hand.
What are the expected issues with the negotiation?
• It's going to start with the $3 million annual rent charge.
Portland City Council approves amended Moda Center by an 8-4 vote.
Added more than $3m annual rent to a term sheet that Blazers already scoffed at, so some tough negotiations ahead. But it's a term sheet nonetheless.
• Taxes. The city gets a six percent tax on each ticket sold and every parking fee at the building. The team wants that number reduced.
• The city wants the Trail Blazers to agree to hire union workers for the renovations and construction process, as well as for concession workers and others on game night.
• The Trail Blazers want increased security in and around the arena on game night and for the city to pay for that.
The Trail Blazers see all of this as costing the team money.
Could Dundon move the team?
Never say never, but this would be an incredibly tough sell to the NBA league office and the 29 other owners. While the term sheet can be negotiated, local and state governments stepped up with money to do the renovations. That matters.
Also worth noting, one of the challenges with the Trail Blazers has been that they are isolated on the map, there is not another team in the Pacific Northwest, which makes travel much longer. That appears likely to change in the next few years if (really, when) an expansion team in Seattle is approved — the league doesn't want to put a team in Portland and have them be the ones isolated.
Where would Dundon move the team? With expansion teams — paying massive franchise fees — targeted for Seattle and Las Vegas, the league is not going to let another team swoop in and take over those markets. Maybe he wants to move the team to Raleigh, North Carolina, where his NHL team, the Hurricanes, play. That, however, is about 170 miles from an existing NBA team in Charlotte, and you can bet that ownership group would push back about having another team in what they see as their market.
Also, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, back when he was David Stern's deputy, led the push to find an owner and keep the Kings in Sacramento. He didn't let that team move to a bigger market in Seattle. Silver likes stability. Finally, make no mistake, moving the team out of Portland would be a public relations disaster for the league.
Never say never with the NBA, but Dundon finding the political will with the league and the other 29 owners to sign off on him moving the team is a long shot.
That is not going to make the negotiations over the next couple of months any easier. Expect both sides to try to negotiate through the public in the coming months, there will be contentious moments, but in the end, the money is on the table to get the upgrades done. A deal should be struck.
Unless Dundon never had any intention of striking a deal.
CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 14: San Diego Padres pitcher Bradgley Rodriguez (72) and San Diego Padres catcher Freddy Fermin (54) celebrate following the Major League Baseball interleague game between the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Guardians on August 14, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
San Diego Padres (66-57) at Cleveland Guardians (59-64), August 15, 2026, 4:10 p.m. PST
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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The day before Amar’e Stoudemire was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Bright Side sat down with the five-time All-NBA selection and the six-time All-Star for a conversation about his time with the Suns, playing for Mike D’Antoni and what he’s feeling before his big day.
(The following answers have been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.)
You’re about to get inducted into the Hall of Fame. What are you feeling right now?
Amar’e Stoudemire: Tomorrow, I’m gonna feel probably even more ecstatic, right? I’m soaking in the moment. I’m really cherishing the time. I’m walking slowly. I’m enjoying my family. I’m watching their faces, see all the other Hall of Famers that are here, and just really soaking in the moments and really taking my time with that.
When did you realize you were gonna be a Hall of Famer?
AS: Well, you always try to reach for the stars when you’re a player, right? You set goals and you try to accomplish those goals, and it’s never easy to accomplish those goals. So I always had high goals set for myself when I was a kid, and it kept me straight. You know, it kept me focused, man. And I think because of that, I was able to persevere through a lot of things and be able to make it here to the Hall of Fame, so it’s great to be here.
It’s well documented how bad the Suns wanted you. How did that help you buy into the Seven Seconds or Less offense?
AS: I spoke to Coach Mike D’Antoni today, and he was like, “Amar’e, when I first mentioned the new offense to you, you really didn’t care. Like you wasn’t upset about the change that we’re making playing you at center.” And so, I was ready to go, man. I think you know, for us, I always looked at my coaches as leaders, as leadership, and so whatever they feel is the best for the team, but I was always willing to sacrifice or make that happen. So when Coach D’Antoni mentioned we’re going to play this style of basketball, I was like, all right, cool, let’s go. I can adapt to any type of basketball game or play, and so I was ready from the start.
For more on how hard the Suns pursued Amar’e Stoudemire:
How were you able to adapt in your career?
AS: I think for me, I wanted to be a team player. Obviously, I had goals and wanted to be the best and dominate and show the world how good I am. But I also was willing to be a team player, and I think for me as a leader, you want your teammates to be leaders also. I always tell my guys all the time, ‘Hey, I know I’m the franchise guy, but we all must be leaders here’. And so, with that being said, all of us, everyone can play at a high level and play their game and have fun. And that’s how you build the camaraderie. That’s how you build a championship-caliber team. And that’s what we did in Phoenix.
Was there a moment where it felt everything clicked?
AS:In training camp, when we got Steve Nash. When Steve came back to Phoenix and we started training camp, we all were in top shape, ready to go. And from training camp, we saw something special. We saw the style of play and the speed we were playing with. I was at my athleticism peak, and we had Shawn Marion, who was a brilliant floor runner and Swiss Army knife type of player, and Nash was the pass first guy who could get the ball to whoever was hot. So we took that mentality and ran with it. And I think I was surprised by how good we were.
How was having Scott Williams around for your first few seasons help you as a young player?
AS: Scott Williams’ mentorship was brilliant for me because I was a young player. I was 19 years old, and I had a lot of veteran guys around. Scott Williams is one of my veteran guys who I always leaned on and swept with and hung out with the most. Eddie Johnson, who is still doing the color commentator stuff, but EJ was one of the guys who I also spent a lot of time with. We had a security guy by the name of Kevin Tucker, and I call all those guys my “throwbacks”. I gave them the name throwbacks because I hang out with those guys. I was too young to go out to clubs and all these type of things, so I would hang out with those guys, and those guys would always give me positive leadership and information, and that helped stem me on the right path as far as what I needed to do as a player.
How did their mentorship carry with you the rest of your career?
AS: Those guys, man, was there with me. They were holding me down. They would talk to me about certain things. I’d be frustrated about certain games. They would talk about it, and we’d discuss it, and so my throwbacks were key for me.
What did the amount of change you had to deal with growing up teach you about how to adapt quickly?
AS: I grew up in poverty and I had to grow up fast. Had to raise my little brother. I had to do a lot of things far as maturity wise, and so I was able to somewhat figure that part out pretty quickly. I had the goals in mind of being an NBA player, and I also had my faith in God that was always very close to my heart. So with those tangibles that I had within me, allowed me to somewhat grow up fast with a sense of character, with positive character traits, and that helped me propel myself and get ready for the NBA.
Whose a player in the NBA right now that reminds you of yourself in how you needed to make many changes early in your career?
AS: I don’t see it. I mean, for me, I was a high school player who had a fearless attitude and I was just dominant from the start. And so, a lot of players are dominant, and I respect all the guys who are in the NBA because it’s not easy to get there. But I don’t really see that type of player, my style of play, in the league right now. I’m sure some guys have come along and fill that role, but I haven’t seen it yet.
No matter the industry, what is one piece of advice you give to people about the best ways to embrace something new, to be a team player?
The best advice I can give someone is to learn. Whatever it is you get yourself involved in, it’ll take time to be a student and learn, study, read, rehearse, review, and then once you’re ready for that, then you step into that role, ready to go, right? So that’s the most important thing: is being able to study about whatever craft or field you get into.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 10: Carter Bryant #11 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 10, 2026 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If there is one thing the NBA has taught teams over and over again, it is the importance of depth. Injuries happen (knock on wood). So it’s best to have a solid 10 to 12 players you can trust to varying degrees.
The San Antonio Spurs come into the 2025-26 season with a boatload of depth. They are bringing back every meaningful rotation player from their NBA Finals run last season, while adding veteran forward Tobias Harris and rookies Tarris Reed Jr. and Jayden Quaintance (whenever he is healthy enough to play) to provide needed front-court depth. They should also be getting more from second-year players like Carter Bryant and Dylan Harper, the latter of whom could be on the brink of stardom.
One position where the Spurs are particularly loaded is on the wings. San Antonio brings back starting sharpshooters Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie, Sixth Man of the Year Keldon Johnson, veteran Harrison Barnes, and Bryant, while adding Harris. That’s six players who are all nearly certain to factor into the rotation in some shape or form. How Mitch Johnson decides to manage their minutes becomes one of the most interesting questions coming into the season.
Exactly how each player factors in will probably be largely matchup-dependent, and based on how the team performs to start the season. But it’s the middle of August, and it’s fun to speculate… so let’s do it!
Potential starters
Devin Vassell
Vassell should be a lock to start alongside De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Victor Wembanyama. He provides something the starting lineup desperately needs: a wing shooter who can also put the ball on the floor and create his own shot. In many ways, he is the connective tissue that makes San Antonio’s semi-positionless starting lineup sing. His defense steadily improved as the season went on, particularly in the postseason. The Spurs were +6.4 better in net rating with Vassell on the court than when he was off of it. He was second on the team in minutes per game, playing 30.5 a night. All signs point to Vassell continuing to play a prominent role for the team next year.
Julian Champagnie
San Antonio extended Champagnie this offseason, signing him to a 3-year, $45M contract. It’s somewhat of a bargain for a starting floor-spacing wing on a Finals team. Champagnie shot 38.1% from deep last season, giving the Spurs the shooting injection they needed alongside Wembanyama at the four. The problem was that Champagnie is not a natural forward. That led to some awkward defensive matchups in the playoffs that burned the Spurs, particularly against the Knicks.
Champagnie is not well suited to bang inside with bigger wings and forwards. He’s much better at playing on the wings, where he can get into passing lanes and force turnovers off the ball. That defensive liability didn’t hurt the Spurs much in the regular season, so it’s hard to see San Antonio overreacting by making such a big adjustment to the starting lineup at the start of the season. Of course, diversity of talent is important here, too. The same five players don’t need to start, nor finish every game. If the Spurs play a team with a big and strong frontcourt, Champagnie could come off the bench for Harris to give the Spurs more size to match up.
The Spurs were undeniably better when Champagnie was on the floor last season. Their net rating was +8.5 better with Champagnie on the court than on the bench. That’s a big reason why Champagnie averaged 27.6 minutes per game last season. That’s right around where he should be this year – in the 25-27-minute range, either starting or being the first wing off the bench.
Tobias Harris
The high-profile offseason addition throws a real wrench into San Antonio’s rotation. Harris hasn’t come off the bench in a decade (the 2016-17 season). He brings a lot of skills that the Spurs need: another shooter who can also create his own shot, while holding his own defensively, particularly on the interior. His ability to create out of the post will give San Antonio another wrinkle in their offense to allow Wembanyama to roam in the dunker spot or space the floor from three. He’ll also be able to space off the ball in pick-and-roll action and attack a rotating defense on skip passes to the corner. His skill will allow the Spurs to diversify their offense in a meaningful way, which should help their efficiency tremendously.
Harris is not the same level of shooter as Champagnie. He knocked down 36.8% of his threes last year, and only 29.2% in the playoffs. The kinds of threes he will get are different, too, mostly feeding off kickouts and pick-and-pop opportunities, whereas Champagnie can knock down shots off movement in screening actions. Defensively, he is a bit more stout, giving San Antonio a desperately needed big body.
Again, if anything, Harris just gives the Spurs more diversity in their skill sets. Who starts and finishes is probably going to be matchup-dependent and riding the hot hand. It wouldn’t be surprising if Harris ended up playing more minutes than Champagnie this season if San Antonio goes with a veteran presence late in games. Harris is likely to be a major factor in the rotation whether he starts or not, and should play around 25 minutes per game.
Bench rotation
Keldon Johnson
Johnson is the hardest player to fit into the wing rotation, which is ironic given he had arguably the best season of his career last year. Johnson was exposed in the playoffs as teams overplayed his hard-driving offensive style of play and were able to keep him off the offensive glass. Johnson didn’t do enough defensively to warrant a ton of playing time, as he played just 17.9 minutes in the postseason.
But Johnson was the Sixth Man of the Year and has a claim to a prominent role this season. Harper is probably set to be San Antonio’s sixth man this season, with either Harris or Champagnie becoming the 7th man. Add in Luke Kornet as the backup center playing about 20 minutes a game, and the minutes for Johnson dwindle fast.
Johnson played 23.3 minutes per game last season. That’s probably going to drop this season to somewhere closer to 20, with Harris and Champagnie digging into his minutes, and Bryant nipping at his heels. Johnson settling into an energy role off the bench, helping push the pace in transition and playing hard on the boards, would be a nice niche for him to continue providing value in a reduced role.
Carter Bryant
Bryant should be set to take a big step forward in year two. After cutting his teeth fighting to be in the rotation last season, he should be in line for a consistent role this year. Bryant is arguably the team’s second-best perimeter defender behind Castle. That’s not the type of player that averages around 11 minutes a game, like Bryant did last year.
In his second season, Bryant should take over Barnes’ role as the backup forward this season, with the potential to earn more minutes if the season goes well. The biggest thing for Bryant’s development is to play with more confidence and composure. Too many times last season, Bryant would miss a read or be late to help – normal mistakes for a young player. But his combination of defensive versatility, athleticism, and shooting potential makes him a must-play this season, just to see what he can do.
Harrison Barnes
Barnes, unfortunately, is likely to be on the outside looking in of the rotation. After signing a 1-year $8M contract, Barnes seems more likely to act as a depth piece and veteran locker room leader this year. His role decreased more and more as the year went on last season, and he only played about 9 minutes a game in the postseason.
Barnes is a nice shooter who can put the ball on the deck a bit if the Spurs need more offense when players sit. He’s the exact kind of depth competing teams need. He won’t play every night, but when he does, he won’t make a negative impact.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 20: A view of the Nike shoes of Maxime Raynaud #42 of the Sacramento Kings against the Charlotte Hornets in the first half of the 2025 NBA Summer League Championship game at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 20, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Hornets defeated the Kings 83-78. 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 Candice Ward/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the Minnesota Timberwolves were seen gathering in Paris, France for a Rudy Gobert sponsored team-building vacation, the NBA schedule-makers were hard at work determining who goes to play where and when after the fallout from LeBron James’ Philadelphia 76ers decision.
The Timberwolves were highlighted by the league a lot due to the Anthony Edwards and now LaMelo Ball effect. It should be a fun season with plenty of marquee matchups that Minnesota will be on the front lines of national coverage.
Let’s dive deeper into the upcoming season.
Schedule at a Glance
Nationally Televised Games
The Timberwolves have 27 nationally televised games this season, one less than the 2025-26 season. Despite it being one less game, they arguably have a higher pedigree of nationally televised games. Some of the highlights include:
Wednesday, October 27th at 7:30pm on ESPN: @ Miami HEAT
The Season opener against Miami HEAT which will be Giannis Antetokounmpo’s debut in Miami. If the Wolves do not add a power forward before the season, it will be interesting to see who guards Giannis in this matchup. He could easily exploit the specific issues that we are projecting on to this team at this point in time.
Friday, December 25th at 7:30pm on ABC: vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Wolves get a home game against the Thunder during the primetime 7:00 pm CT slot. This is a nice change after the late night Christmas Day affair in Denver a season ago.
1/18 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day vs New York Knicks. Defending champion Karl-Anthony Towns’ and his team will play host to Minnesota at Madison Square Garden.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – APRIL 27: Anthony Edwards #5 and Naz Reid #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrate after the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during Round 1 Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Homecomings
When you make multiple moves in the offseason like the Timberwolves did, there will be multiple reunions that take place throughout the season. We’ll surely hear some boos and cheers alike.
Monday, November 23rd at 6:30pm on Peacock – vs. Brooklyn Nets
This will be Julius Randle’s return to Minnesota after he was unceremoniously traded this offseason to the Brooklyn Nets, preceding the LaMelo Ball trade. There should be a lot of feelings from all parties in this one because of the way that this era of the Wolves ended, and will be one that is very interesting to track.
Friday, January 29th at 8:30pm on ESPN – vs. Charlotte Hornets
This homecoming should be a lot warmer than the first on this list. This will be Naz Reid’s return to Minnesota which should be filled with a lot of appreciation and a hype video for the ages.
Monday, February 15 at 11:00am on NBC – @ Charlotte Hornets
The inverse of the above will happen for LaMelo Ball in Charlotte less than two weeks later. In a morning President’s day matchup, LaMelo will return to Charlotte in what should be another emotional homecoming for a player that did a lot for the Hornets organization.
Sunday, February 28 at 6:00pm on NBC – vs. Boston Celtics
This is the biggest “homecoming” of the season, and the easily the most important in Timberwolves franchise history. After Kevin Garnett rejoined the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise last season including multiple marketing campaigns, number 21 will finally get his jersey up in the rafters at long last.
Starting with the Christmas Day game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Minnesota Timberwolves have a stretch where they play: at Golden State, at Denver, vs. Denver, at Indiana, vs. San Antonio and at Houston. These are a lot of big matchups against good teams and the calendar flips to 2027. The second Denver Nuggets matchup is on New Year’s Eve Day as well. Minnesota has had some, let’s say memorable, New Year’s experiences. A blowout at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks, a loss against the Detroit Pistons before they were good that led to a Player’s Only meeting. If you need an escape from the holidays or your family, this will be a great time to lock in on some Timberwolves hoops.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 15: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Team USA Stars holds up the Most Valuable Player trophy after the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Intensity Around the All-Star Break
Starting on February 12th right before the All-Star Break and stretching to just after the break on March 2nd, the schedule is at Boston, at Charlotte, vs. San Antonio, vs. Indiana, vs. Boston and at Oklahoma City. With three games before the break and three games after it will be interesting to see how Minnesota looks at this point in the season. This portion is generally difficult to navigate because of the pending vacation with the time right after reserved for the “final stretch” of the season. This will be right around the trade deadline as well so it is always a news-filled time in the season. We saw what happened last year. As the first signs of spring start to sprout, it will be another stretch of fun matchups for Minnesota.
The Finale
The final three games of the season are at Los Angeles Lakers twice, then vs. Houston Rockets. This is always the time of the season where final jockeying is taking place as teams fight for seeding. Hopefully the Timberwolves are not fighting for seeding at this point though. This is where the rubber meets the road and playoff matchups come clearly into view. During the last couple of seasons, there has been some drama with these games, and that could also be the case this year with those teams believed to be in the mix with Minnesota for a top six seed.
What games are you most looking forward to? Maybe a Rob Dillingham homecoming game? We all know that at the end of the day, the Wolves are guaranteed to go 82-0.
Draymond Green, left, Klay Thompson, middle, and Stephen Curry celebrate winning the NBA Finals in June.
Klay Thompson is one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. He is also a sure-fire future Hall of Famer. So his takes carry legitimate weight in NBA circles. On Friday, he was asked who has been the most difficult player to guard throughout his professional career.
Klay Thompson said LeBron James is the most difficult player he’s had to guard throughout his NBA career. AP
“We saw him for four straight Finals, and I haven’t seen anyone control the game as well as he does. He can do everything on the court. He has no weaknesses.”
“LeBron [James]. We saw him for 4 straight Finals, & I haven’t seen anyone control the game as well as he does. He can do everything on the court. He has no weaknesses.”
Klay Thompson on the hardest player he's ever guarded.
Thompson and the Golden State Warriors faced James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in every NBA Finals from 2015 through 2018. It was an era of dominance for both teams in their respective conferences.
While James never quite had a supporting cast as strong as Steph Curry’s team, the 41-year-old managed to overtake the Warriors in 2016. The thrilling seven-game series resulted in one of the biggest moments of James’ basketball legacy, cementing the forward as one of the greatest players in NBA history.
LeBron helped the Cavs become the first team in NBA Finals history to win a title after trailing 3-1 in the series. And he did it against the team with the greatest regular-season record (73-9) in NBA history.
Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry established themselves as the best shooting duo in NBA history. Getty Images
The former Warriors star is currently entering the final year of his contract with the Dallas Mavericks.
Though no longer with the Warriors, the 36-year-old is one of the best players to compete for the franchise. Thompson helped Golden State reach six NBA Finals, winning four of them.
Thompson and Curry established themselves as the greatest shooting duo in NBA history, known as the “Splash Brothers.”
Through 11 seasons, the veteran shooting guard has averaged 19.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 0.9 steals while shooting 45.3% from the field and 41.3 % from beyond the arc in 793 games. Thompson missed two full seasons, 2019-20 and 2020-21, with a torn ACL and Achilles.
Draymond Green, left, Klay Thompson, middle, and Stephen Curry celebrate winning the NBA Finals in June. NBAE via Getty Images
The shocking sale of the Los Angeles Lakers drew headlines for its reported $12.5 billion valuation. But it’s also notable for another reason: Assuming the sale is approved by the NBA Board of Governors, Mark Walter's tenure would rank among the shortest controlling ownership spans USA TODAY identified in the histories of current MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL franchises.
USA TODAY reviewed ownership histories across the four major U.S. leagues and found just four completed qualifying tenures shorter than Walter's 289 days through Aug. 15. Historical ownership records — particularly from the early 20th century — can be incomplete or ambiguous, so the findings reflect the shortest qualifying tenures USA TODAY was able to identify and verify.
The shortest such spans USA TODAY uncovered were the back-to-back flips of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1980.
In February that year, Lou Mitchell bought 155,000 shares in the Cavs from Nick Mileti for an announced $1.4 million. After 31 days, Mitchell sold about 275,000 shares to Joe Zingale for an estimated $2.4 million after realizing the difficulty of running the Cavs and another business 125 miles away. Then, 22 days later in April, Ted Stepien bought those shares from Zingale for $2 million to become the franchise’s controlling owner with a 37% stake in the Cavs. Stepien remained owner until 1983.
Following that pair is John P. Harris, controlling owner of the Boston Doves — the franchise now known as the Atlanta Braves — for 35 days in late 1910.
Cox bought the club from a cash-strapped Gerald Nugent. His tenure was quite raucous and ended when commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned him from baseball for betting on the Phillies.
Walter’s current 289-day span comes next among the qualifying tenures USA TODAY identified. However, his sale is awaiting approval, which means his official ownership tenure could still extend.
Recent NBA ownership sales have varied widely in how long they took to receive league approval. Walter’s purchase of the Lakers last year, for instance, took 134 days between announcement of the sale and board approval.
Such a range means that Walter’s final tenure length could end up anywhere from roughly 315 days to 420.
Should the sale not finalize until after Oct. 4, Walter will drop below William Hepburn Russell, who bought the Boston National League franchise from Harris and owned the club for 339 days until his death in November 1911.
If the transaction does not close until after Oct. 14, Walter would further drop below Art Williams, who owned the Tampa Bay Lightning for 349 days from July 1998 to June 1999.
There are also a few ownership swaps that resulted in short tenures with a specific team.
For instance, Robert Irsay briefly held the Los Angeles Rams before swapping franchises with Carroll Rosenbloom and taking control of the Baltimore Colts in 1972. USA TODAY excluded franchise swaps because they did not represent a standalone acquisition and subsequent transfer of controlling ownership.
Methodology: USA TODAY reviewed controlling ownership tenures of current MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL franchises. Tenures were measured from the effective acquisition date of controlling ownership to the effective transfer or end of control. Franchise swaps, inherited or interim ownership, group ownership changes in which control remained with an existing owner, and ownership periods outside of the four major leagues were excluded.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The day before Mike D’Antoni was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Bright Side sat down with the former Phoenix Suns head coach about his time with the Suns, building the iconic Seven Seconds or Less offense, and what he’s feeling before his big day.
(The following answers have been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.)
Now that it’s Hall of Fame Weekend, what are you feeling?
Mike D’Antoni: It’s a great honor. I mean, I’m sure if you asked all people getting into the Hall of Fame, they would say: “Oh my gosh, this is the best.” It kind of validates all the stuff that went on all the years, and it’s a great cap off to a good career. I’m happy with the way it went. I got to be doing something I love for a long time, and it’s the best.
Who were some of the influential factors in your life to tell you to be yourself? You were an untraditional coach.
MD: Well, you know, besides being from a family that does that, and my brother who was coaching with me that had a similar philosophy, the main two guys were Jerry Colangelo and Brian Colangelo.
They put the team together, and then we’re talking about how to play and whatever, and I’m saying, you know, my gut says we should do this, but the traditional way is that. And they say, “go with your gut, do what you think’s best”. And so that’s when I decided to move Amar’e Stoudemire to the five and Shawn Marion to the four. It comes from years and years of playing, years and years of coaching, and past experiences from when I was a player, and what would feel good, and then as a coach and how it went with my team at Olympia Milano when I really started that.
How did you find people to buy into your unconventional coaching strategies?
MD: The players adapt easily because most of the time when you spread the floor, and you run and you give them confidence, then their talents come out. I always try to coach where I didn’t put a ceiling on the players. I trusted them; they knew I trusted them. I didn’t second-guess them. At my level, at the NBA level, you can do that because you have great players that, if they’re not selfish, then they will do what’s right for the team. And I was just blessed with having so many players that put the team first. And it’s easy also to put the team first when your stats are strong because everybody wants to earn money, and you got to earn money by having stats in a career year.
You went for volume?
MD: Yeah, we went where everybody can eat. Instead of that guy posting up this guy all the time, or going to a specific spot with the ball every time, we let everybody feed, and boy, they just bought in and went with it.
How did Amar’e Stoudemire adapt to your offense, and how did your relationship early in his career help when Steve Nash came back and the Seven Seconds or Less offense began?
MD: I think it helped. It didn’t hurt. Amar’e was just a raw talent. I could convince the players when I talked to them, and that’s like two hours a day, and we’re going to play a certain way.
But then they go home and they got to listen to their family members, their uncle who knows better than anybody, and the barber who tells them you can’t play that way that it’s going to kill you, or you listen to talk radio or old talking heads, the old players that play a certain way, and so I knew that doubt would creep in, and we just got really lucky that we went 31-4 right off the bat in the 2004-2005 season. Then the players were buying more in, and we’re up 20 at every time at halftime. So they’re buying in, and then it was easy.
When people say that the Seven Seconds or Less offense changed the NBA, what does that mean to Mike D’Antoni, the person?
MD: It’s obviously a little exaggerated. I think we influenced it. Basketball is always evolving, so it was going to happen. Then Steve Kerr and Steph Curry and those guys took it and validated what we tried to do in Phoenix. They’re playing the way that we played because we did it kind of without analytics, and we didn’t have that knowledge yet, and so now they do it with analytics telling them that’s the way to go, and so it’s obviously satisfying.
I’m more of a fan now and guess what? It’s fun to watch, it’s fun to see people’s talents, and so it is very satisfying. I’m very proud of the fact, and happy to have players and management that bought in, and we went with it.
Do you see any budding Mike D’Antoni-style coaches in the NBA?
They’ll do it better. Coaches keep getting better, and I don’t follow that close. I obviously follow guys like Kenny Atkinson, who was with me in New York. But everybody has their style and their demeanor, and it works all kinds of different ways. There’s not one way to play, and you got to do what’s best for your personnel, and that could be all kinds of different venues. And when that happens, you’re a good coach. Whether it’s my style or somebody else’s style, it doesn’t matter.
James announced the launch of his YouTube channel, which centers around golf. The 41-year-old and his crew will play rounds at some of the greatest courses in the world, dine at local restaurants and more throughout each episode.
LeBron James announced he would be signing with the 76ers near the end of July. Getty Images for Fanatics
The first of which is an hour and a half long. It centers around his European golf trip with teammates from the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of their NBA championship. The former teammates played at Castle Stuart Golf Links at Cabot Highlands.
James shared the news on social media.
You all loved the 2016 reunion trip so much I thought I'd give ya'll a little more. Welcome to my YouTube channel! My life on and around the course. Let’s go!!! https://t.co/JKA9egPBEi
“You all loved the 2016 reunion trip so much I thought I’d give ya’ll a little more. Welcome to my YouTube channel! My life on and around the course. Let’s go!!!” James wrote in a post on X.
James’ reunion with his Cavaliers teammates was at the forefront of the NBA summer, given the four-time NBA champion’s impending free agency decision. Soon after the trip, the veteran informed the Los Angeles Lakers he would not be returning for the upcoming season, officially ending his eight-year tenure with the organization.
James leaving the Lakers kickstarted the month-long free agency sweepstakes, which included the Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat and Cavaliers.
Half of the first episode of LeBron James’ new golf YouTube channel centers around a European golf trip.
Beyond basketball, James has taken an interest in golf and it appears the new hobby has spurned a new business venture for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
NEW YORK (AP) — A judge sided with Madison Square Garden in its lengthy legal battle with Charles Oakley on Friday, saying that the former New York Knicks All-Star had not proven he was assaulted when he was removed from a game he attended in 2017.
Oakley was handcuffed and arrested after an altercation with security while sitting near owner James Dolan during a game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Oakley initially brought a number of claims against MSG that were dismissed in February 2020. After appeal, Oakley's assault-and-battery claim remained.
But Judge Richard J. Sullivan of the Southern District of New York ruled that Oakley "has produced no evidence to support his claim that he was assaulted by MSG security guards." MSG had pointed to video evidence and previous testimony that Oakley was not assaulted.
"For more than nine years, Mr. Oakley's lawyers have pursued claims they knew were false. Those claims have now been dismissed by the Court in their entirety — for the third time," MSG said in a statement. "We are pursuing legal action against Douglas Wigdor, and his unscrupulous law firm, to hold them accountable for years of frivolous litigation and their blatant abuse of the judicial system."
Oakley was a beloved Knicks forward in the 1990s, and he remains one of the few former players who has remained absent from MSG during the team's recent playoff runs, culminating with this year's NBA championship.
His removal from the game was a jarring scene, but Sullivan ruled that Oakley hadn't proven it was done with excessive force.
"Ample evidence — including videos from multiple angles and the unanimous testimony of every witness (even, to some extent, Oakley himself) — shows that Oakley had a reasonable opportunity to depart the Garden, that he instead resorted to physical violence, and that he was never pushed to the ground," Sullivan wrote.
The judge added that "no rational jury could conclude that Oakley reasonably feared himself at risk of wrongful physical contact — let alone that MSG intended to stir such an apprehension." Wigdor still hopes a jury will get a chance to rule.
"We are disappointed with the Court's rulings," he wrote in an email. "We believe there are conflicting accounts and only a jury can decide what exactly happened. We are hopeful that the Second Circuit will agree for a third time and remand the case for an immediate jury trial."
Apr 26, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) reacts after a play during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
This week’s question asked which Rocket is the most important for the upcoming season.
When the Houston Rockets entered the 2021 draft, they were entering a new era for the franchise. The Rockets had just traded away their longtime franchise star, James Harden, the season prior and were looking to start a new phase of Rockets basketball after finishing with one of the worst records in the NBA.
Most attention focused on the Rockets’ second overall pick and who they would select. The Rockets ultimately selected Jalen Green to lead the franchise for the next decade as Harden’s heir apparent. The Rockets did manage to trade for another pick later in the first round a pick that would ultimately become the Rockets defining move of that draft.
The Rockets made a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder that landed them the 16th pick of that draft, Alperen Sengun. Even though scouts and some fans knew of the Turkish star and what he had already accomplished, many were just hearing his name for the first time. We soon learned that Sengun should have gone much higher in the draft, as he would eventually become one of, if not the, best players on the team in a short time.
Now, going into his sixth season and a two-time All-Star, Sengun has established himself as one of the best centers in the league. For Sengun, it’s no longer about individual accomplishments; it’s about leading the Rockets past the first round for the first time since 2020. Now, with Fred VanVleet coming back after missing last season and Kevin Durant entering year two as a Rocket, we asked the SB Nation community for their opinion on who is the most important.
This is what you said:
Sengun topped the list with 35 percent, while Durant and Amen Thompson tied for second at 21 percent. VanVleet came in a distant third with 12 percent.
On one hand, this is a bit of a surprise considering Durant’s star power and what we saw from the Rockets in the playoffs without the future Hall of Famer. Also, with most of last season’s talk centering on VanVleet’s absence, some would have expected his number to be higher.
On the other hand, Sengun has been the Rockets’ hub for almost his entire career and even more so as his game has developed. Sengun averaged a career high in assists last season while still averaging over 20 points a game as he became the Rockets’ point center with VanVleet missing the entire season.
Even with VanVleet’s return, the offense will flow mainly between Sengun and Durant, as they are the Rockets’ two best offensive players. Sengun is entering a critical part of his career, on the borderline between becoming a top-15 player and reaching superstar heights or staying a notch below that plateau.
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Welcome to my YouTube channel! My life on and around the course. Let’s go!!! 
