Category: Basketball

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — France inevitably racked up a record win against struggling Wales on Sunday and was the only unbeaten team in the Six Nations after two rounds.

Favored to win back-to-back titles, France scored eight tries, the first after just 88 seconds. The 54-12 scoreline eclipsed its previous high against Wales of 51-0 in 1998 at Wembley Stadium.

France didn't overpower Wales as it could easily have. Instead, France played sevens style, keeping the ball alive, offloading, stepping and slicing the Welsh apart. The loose and slippery nature of France's game — 28 line breaks — didn't allow Wales time to reset its defense.

The speed suited France's new and young centers, Pau clubmates Fabien Brau-Boirie, 20, and Émilien Gailleton, 22. They both touched down and Gailleton was replaced late by another debutant Noah Néné, 21. Flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert was the man of the match after scoring one try and assisting on three more.

“When you're pushed to the edge of the cliff you're capable of doing great things, but when you're being praised it can sometimes be hard to get fired up in a combat sport,” France coach Fabien Galthié said.

“There's great maturity in this team but also lots of young guys. And we need those (older) players to keep us on the straight and narrow and make sure we don't get carried away.”

Wales' Six Nations losing streak since 2023 was extended to 13 matches. The game attracted only 57,744 spectators, the smallest Wales home crowd since the tournament expanded in 2000.

Wales supporters wanting their side to work hard and fight to the end were rewarded, even though their team was outgunned everywhere. Wales kept France scoreless for more than 20 minutes in the first half and for the last 19 minutes of the match.

But the end result was familiar. Wales, yet to hire a full-time defense coach, has conceded 50-plus scores in five of its last six home matches, to England (68-14), Argentina (52-28), New Zealand (52-26) and South Africa (73-0).

“If you look at the athletes France have, if we kick a little too far or if there's an offload they come alive,” Wales coach Steve Tandy told the BBC. "You have to tip your hat to France and where they are as a team.

“For us it's transitioning, we're not where we want to be. Ultimately we're at this point in our journey.”

France was on the board after 88 seconds and had the bonus-point fourth try by halftime.

Gailleton crossed first, set up by Antoine Dupont, Theo Atissogbe and Charles Ollivon.

Left wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey then took a kick-pass from Jalibert and notched his 12th Six Nations try in 11 matches.

Bielle-Biarrey's initial break led to Jalibert sending Brau-Boirie flying in and France was 19-0 up after 15 minutes.

Wales won the restart and prop Rhys Carre eventually crashed over but Wales couldn't hold out France before halftime when right wing Atissogbe put in Jalibert for 26-7.

The second half was a procession for France with four more tries in 17 minutes.

Hooker Julien Marchand scored from a lineout drive, Attisogbe bagged a pair thanks to Bielle-Biarrey and Jalibert, and Ollivon grabbed the last. Thomas Ramos had target practice and converted seven of the eight tries.

Captain Dupont was rested before the hour mark. France welcome Italy in Lille next weekend.

Wales had the last say through replacement back Mason Grady and stays at home to face Scotland. There were still nearly 7,000 tickets unsold for that game.

“It's our job to make people want to come and watch games," Wales captain Dewi Lake told the BBC. “We're a side that are not getting results but all we can ask is that people stick with us, come on the journey with us, because we're growing as a team.”

___

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

55 games into the season, the Phoenix Suns have had a lot of memorable wins amid their surprising start to the year. With a few comeback victories and wins against both the Eastern and Western Conference’s number 1 seeds, the Suns have left their fans with a lot of opportunities to cheer so far.

Here’s how I’d rank their top-three wins of the season, but before I start, the Suns’ 130-118 win over the San Antonio Spurs deserves some recognition. Phoenix held Victor Wembanyama to his worst game of the season, holding him to nine points, and handed San Antonio their first loss of the year.

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#1: Booker’s Dagger vs OKC

Down as much as 18 points, the Suns rallied in the second half to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-105 on January 4th. Devin Booker hit the game-winning three with less than a second remaining that had the Mortgage Matchup Center go into a frenzy.

DEVIN BOOKER HITS THE TRIPLE AND WINS IT FOR THE SUNS 🚨

PHOENIX COMPLETES THE 18-PT COMEBACK TO DEFEAT THE THUNDER! pic.twitter.com/JNPazjMXTz

— NBA (@NBA) January 5, 2026

After being humiliated by Oklahoma City just a few weeks before in the knock-out round of the In-Season Tournament, Phoenix did not let being down nearly 20 get in the way of staying competitive with the team with the best record in the NBA. The performance was one of the highlights of the team’s best month of the season so far that ended with Jordan Ott winning his first ever Coach of the Month award.

#2 A Miraculous Comeback Against Minnesota

The most absurd game of the Suns season, Phoenix was down eight with less than 50 seconds remaining with Devin Booker fouled out. That being said, the Suns ended the game on a 9-0 run that included a myriad of crazy turnovers and Dillon Brooks also fouling out, culminating in Collin Gillespie hitting a game-winner over Donte DiVencenzo for a 114-113 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 21st.

COLLIN GILLESPIE WINS IT FOR THE SUNS IN THE FINAL SECONDS!!!

ENDED THE GAME ON A 9-0 RUN.

PHOENIX MOVES TO 2-0 IN WEST GROUP A 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4MoPXWx4fp

— NBA (@NBA) November 22, 2025

The win demonstrated the team’s ability to win without Booker. Before he fouled out, the All-Star was having one of the worst nights of his season, scoring 16 points on 4-18 shooting from the field with nine turnovers. The Suns had six different players score in double-digits, including Gillespie, who had his season high at the time with 20-points, scoring his most important two when it mattered most.

#3 The Detroit Domination

With no Devin Booker, Phoenix clobbered the Detroit Pistons 114-96 on January 29th. Dillon Brooks had a career-high 40 points and Grayson Allen chipped in 24. Detroit was playing at full strength and not on a back-to-back, and the Suns held All-Star Starter Cade Cunningham to 8/22 shooting from the field and Detroit to 21% shooting from three.

What was impressive about this victory for the Suns was not just that Booker wasn’t playing, it was that Phoenix held the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference (now the best record in the NBA), at bay for the entirety of the contest. Detroit made some little runs throughout the game but the Suns responded everytime.

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With 27 games left, will the Suns have any wins that top these?

On the day that Caleb Love returned to Arizona for his Ring of Honor induction, Tommy Lloyd’s Wildcats could have used his shot-making the most.

Love’s reputation as an uninhibited shooter with a knack for making baskets in clutch moments made him a polarizing college basketball figure. Like him or loathe him, Love’s game was well-suited for Arizona’s style of play.

Arizona’s style helped prepare Love for a career in the NBA, the Portland Trailblazers guard said Saturday upon visiting McKale Center at ALKEME Arena.

“I thank Tommy a lot because he kind of runs an NBA-style offense with how fast paced it is, heavy ball screens, things like that,” Love said. “I definitely give a lot of credit to him and the coaching staff with how they run things.”

Love is one of the NBA’s best surprises through the first half of the season. An undrafted free agent, Love signed on with the Trailblazers with the hope of making the opening night roster.

Love has since surpassed all expectations, becoming a core player in the Trailblazers’ rotation. He ranks ninth among all rookies in points per game (11.3). He’s made 93 three-points in 45 games, fourth-most among the rookie class.

Love has also adjusted to a different role than he was accustomed to in college.

“(My) welcome to the NBA moment is probably coming off the bench,” Love said. “I never came off the bench ever in my life. Let alone I’ve got DNPs.”

He’s getting used to not being the guy.

“You got to be a pro,” Love said. “You can’t be looking down or being sorry for yourself or saying ‘I deserve this or I deserve that’ because it’s a business at the end of the day and you got to come in and be a professional.”

Love was prepared for the mental side of a professional career well before he got to NBA, Lloyd said last week. The St. Louis native has been under the spotlight since he was a teenager. First as a McDonald’s All-American signed to North Carolina, then as a Tarheel, and followed by his time at Arizona.

Love experienced the highest of highs as a college basketball player, both at UNC and Arizona. His lows were just as well documented, from an infamous falling out at Chapel Hill to tough stretches in Tucson.

“A lot of times when a young player goes to the NBA, they haven’t yet experienced the lowest,” Lloyd said. “So I think in order for you to ultimately be successful at that level, we have to know how you’re going to respond to a struggle. And he had been through the struggle, and he had come out of it the other side. So I was really confident that he was going to earn his opportunity, and once he earned his opportunity, he was going to take advantage of it.”

Love’s induction into the McKale Center Ring of Honor marked the first time Arizona fans have seen him in Tucson since finishing his Wildcats. It won’t be the last.

“I’ve been watching every game,” Love said. “Even if we we sometimes have games on the same day. I’m in the locker room before the game because, you know, I’m so invested in it, and I’m so happy to see, you know, the start that we’ve had. Halftime, I’m checking my phone to see what the score is. So I’m definitely invested in it. When I left for Arizona, this is always gonna be home.“

LONDON (AP) — Arsenal enjoyed a 4-0 rout of Wigan as five Premier League teams avoided upsets to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday.

Third-tier struggler Wigan was overwhelmed against the Premier League leader in front of a 60,000 crowd at Emirates Stadium, with all the goals coming in the first half.

Forwards Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus were on the scoresheet along with Jack Hunt's own-goal as he tried to cut out a cross from Bukayo Saka.

Big-money summer signing Eberechi Eze set up two goals for Arsenal, which won the last of its record 14 FA Cups in 2020. Wigan won the FA Cup for the first and only time in 2013, beating Manchester City 1-0 in the final, but was relegated from the Premier League in the same season.

Premier League teams Fulham, Leeds, Sunderland and Wolverhampton joined the Gunners in the last 16.

Fulham rallied to win 2-1 at second-tier Stoke, with Harrison Reed slotting in a late winner after intercepting Stoke goalkeeper Tommy Simkin’s misjudged pass. Brazilian winger Kevin equalized for Fulham early in the second half after South Korean midfielder Bae Jun-ho's early goal for Stoke.

Midfielder Habib Diarra's penalty earned Sunderland a 1-0 win at second-tier struggler Oxford, and midfielder Santiago Bueno's goal gave Wolves a 1-0 victory at fourth-tier Grimsby at a soggy and rain-soaked Blundell Park.

Leeds needed penalty kicks to win at second-tier Birmingham after a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes and extra time.

German forward Lukas Nmecha put Leeds ahead early in the second half after being set up by Noah Okafor, but Patrick Roberts equalized in the 89th minute with a powerful shot.

In the shootout, Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri denied Tommy Doyle before Roberts blazed over, leaving Sean Longstaff to score and send Daniel Farke's side through 4-2.

Cup upsets

On Saturday, third-tier Mansfield pulled off an upset by knocking out Premier League Burnley to heap more pressure on coach Scott Parker.

Non-league Macclesfield caused arguably the biggest upset in the competition's history when it beat titleholder Crystal Palace in the third round last month.

Macclesfield faces Premier League Brentford on Monday. ___

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

GAINESVILLE, Florida – The question of whether Florida basketball should have let Denzel Aberdeen leave in the offseason seems to have been answered.

Aberdeen likely would have been a starter for the Gators, who were fresh off a national title. However, failed ‘negotiations’ led to Aberdeen transferring to Kentucky and joining the Wildcats’ reported $22 million roster.

Regardless of the rationale on either side as to whether Aberdeen should have been rewarded a lucrative deal or if the Gators were smart to move on and invest elsewhere, it’s safe to say the latter was the better deal for Florida (19-6, 10-2 SEC).

Bracketology: Latest March Madness field projection

In Aberdeen’s return to the O’Dome, Xaivian Lee outdueled him and scored a game-high 22 points that fueled Florida’s 92-83 win against Kentucky on Saturday, Feb. 14.

“I mean, he's playing great, right?” said Florida coach Todd Golden of Lee. “I mean, he was fantastic at Georgia, he was great at Vanderbilt. He’s stacked some really good games over the last couple of weeks, and I thought he was fantastic today.”

Aberdeen, who has had a respectable year at Kentucky, went 8-of-21 from the floor, but led Kentucky with 19 points and four assists.

“I think it was a good matchup,” said Florida’s Alex Condon, who scored 14 points. “I knew ‘Zel was going to be aggressive tonight and try to fuel off the crowd a little bit. Credit to him. He played a solid game, was aggressive. I think our guys did a great job making him take tough 2s, running him off the 3-point line. Yeah, as a whole, I was really proud of the team.”

The Gators’ defense also held UK’s leading scorer and the SEC’s Preseason Player of the Year, Otega Oweh, to 13 points as he went 4-of-14 from the floor.

“I thought we did a great job on (Aberdeen),” Golden said. “I thought he’d get some tough shows.

“But if we could cut their water off then we would give ourselves a good chance to win. They’re both really good players, and you’re not going to make them miss every time. But you know to go combined 12-of-35, that’s winning basketball for sure.”

Not to mention, Urban Klavzar, who opted to stay with UF after barely seeing the floor last season, delivered 19 points off the bench. Klavzar and Lee combined for nine 3-pointers, as UF has become slightly more effective beyond the arc in its recent five-game win streak.

“I think the message before was also how good, you know, what our ceiling can be as shots start to fall,” Lee said. “I think we're seeing that a little bit now, for sure. But, honestly, I don't think that's really what we're focusing on, to be honest. I think it's more just controllables, and then when that happens, it makes us that much harder to beat.”

Yes, Aberdeen and Kentucky will get another shot at Florida in the regular-season finale in Rupp Arena, but for now, the answer to move on seems straightforward as the Gators have gotten better.

“I think when we hit 10 3s, I think it was in back-to-back games, I don't think anyone in the country can play with us,” Condon said. “We’re a dangerous team. Inside, especially rebounding is a big emphasis. That's our DNA. Every game we try to win the rebound count by at least 12, and it sucks the guys inside, and then you throw it out, and these guys hit 3s. It's really unbeatable basketball I think.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida basketball gets best of Kentucky, transfer Denzel Aberdeen

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Federica Brignone wins the gold medal in Olympic women’s giant slalom, Mikaela Shiffrin finishes 11th.

AMES, Iowa – In the attention economy, “What have you done lately?” has been largely replaced by, “What have you done right this second?” There’s no patience nor hardly any memory, but there certainly is an urgency bordering on frantic. 

That makes for a tough environment to appreciate what Iowa State basketball has done. The Cyclones (22-3, 9-3 Big 12) are ranked fourth nationally, so it’s not as though they’re being overlooked or undervalued, but they’ve mostly only been in the national college basketball consciousness for their failures since the calendar flipped to 2026.

Getting stomped at Kansas and then no-showing at Cincinnati that same week. Taking an upset just days ago at TCU. 

March Madness contender: Don't forget Texas Tech when filling out your bracket

Bracketology: Latest March Madness field projection

That 3-0 run through the Players Era Festival or that dismantling of Purdue on the road got their due at the time, but, heck, that was all the way back in 2025. That might as well be 1985 for the way we chew up and spit out takes on TikTok these days.  

Mowing down five-straight Big 12 teams after those back-to-back losses was nice, sure, but, like, whatever? You can only get so excited about blowouts against the unimpressive middle and bottom of the Big 12. 

Not only has it been two months since Iowa State beat the Boilermakers (and Iowa days after that), but it’s been two months since we’ve even seen the Cyclones play well against a high-level team. 

You can reset that clock to zero on that front, and put the Cyclones right at the front of the national college basketball conversation.

That happens after outplaying and overwhelming the country’s hottest team, No. 9 Kansas, 74-56, to snap the Jayhawks’ eight-game winning streak, get a measure of revenge for last month’s 21-point loss and reassert themselves as a Final Four contender. 

“I’d definitely say we made a statement,” Iowa State freshman Jamarion Batemon said. “This is a huge opportunity to bounce back and show that we’re one of the best teams, if not the best team, in the country.  

“It was a great opportunity, and I feel like we definitely made that impact.” 

How far the reverberations from that impact travel will no doubt be influenced by what the Cyclones do 48 hours later when No. 3 Houston comes to Hilton Coliseum for Big Monday. But for this weekend, at least, the Cyclones offered up a compelling case for just how damn good they are. 

Five days after Kansas became the first team to beat Arizona, the Jayhawks got bullied, beaten and, at times, embarrassed by the Cyclones. 

Iowa State’s ball pressure would have had Isaac Hayes singing falsetto.  

The Jayhawks were consistently on their heels, playing backward and even had a pair of backcourt violations as the Cyclones allowed them no quarter. Much of Iowa State’s issues in its trio of losses came from an inability to disrupt opponents, but their dialed-up intensity against the Jayhawks kept their visitors uncomfortable and unsuccessful all afternoon. 

“Our whole mindset was just to not let them be comfortable,” Tamin Lipsey said after a three-steal day. “We wanted to push them up the floor as much as we could.” 

Just as important as the harassment Iowa State doled out defensively was a whole-of-rotation effort that saw all eight Cyclones who played make real contributions to winning. 

Batemon, who by any measure is the last man in the rotation, set a tone with a level of aggression we haven’t seen from the freshman. His two 3-pointers and forceful drive and layup in the first half helped lift an offense that was struggling. Reserve center Dom Pleta’s offensive rebounding did much the same. Nate Heise had five boards and a steal in 26 minutes that also saw him provide a defensive presence on the perimeter. 

And those are just the reserves. 

It’s almost an afterthought that Joshua Jefferson had 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal, or that Lipsey had 11 points, three boards and four assists. Blake Buchanan? A cool 11 and six while going 5 of 6 from the floor. 

There was, though, no missing Milan Momcilovic. 

The country’s best 3-point shooter had 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including 4-of-9 from deep. His fading-to-his-left, falling-to-the-floor, over-the-arm-of-6-10-Flory-Bidunga triple might be the best of his career and one of the more incredible makes Hilton Coliseum has seen in its half-century. 

“That was probably the craziest shot I’ve seen in person,” Lipsey said. 

It, simply, was a great game from a team whose greatness seemed to have been forgotten.

“I’m proud of our guys for how they worked this week,” said Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger, “and for the effort that they sustained for 40 minutes.  

“That’s not easy to do, and I felt like that was as complete of a 40 minutes as we’ve had this season.” 

If there was concern about the victory poisoning the Cyclones ahead of Monday’s huge matchup with Houston, well, they didn’t sound too impressed with themselves Saturday evening. 

“I feel like we could have beat (Kansas) by more,” Momcilovic said after the Cyclones toppled KU by the largest margin of victory ever at Hilton Coliseum in the series. “Our offense got a little stagnant in that little five-minute stretch in the second half. 

“I think it shows we’re still  really good, and we can beat anyone night in, night out.” 

If nothing else, the Cyclones have everyone’s attention. 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Iowa State basketball win over Kansas a reminder of March Madness potential

Arizona men’s basketball alum and current Miami Heat Keshad Johnson outlasted fellow former Wildcat and current San Antonio Spur Carter Bryant to win the 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

Johnson marks the first NBA Wildcat to win the contest after four players before him did not win. On their first dunk attempt, Johnson received a 47.4 and Bryant received a 45.6. 

Keshad Johnson over E-40 at @ATT Slam Dunk 😳

Tap to watch: https://t.co/BpnjnxQ8vCpic.twitter.com/zGQfU8kDdR

— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026

Bryant earned a spot in the championship first after scoring a 49.2, and Johnson followed with a 45.4 on his dunk. 

In the championship round, Johnson was the first to go and received a 49.6. He was upstaged by Bryant who received a perfect 50 score on his first dunk.

CARTER BRYANT WITH A 50 🔥

He needs a 47.5 on his final attempt to win @ATT Slam Dunk!

Tap to watch: https://t.co/Cc3TznvNLrpic.twitter.com/YMeqAi2whh

— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026

After another impressive and athletic dunk, Johnson got a 47.8 on his second dunk which put all the pressure on Bryant to win. Unable to complete his complicated final dunk, Bryant had to settle for a regular dunk and did not earn enough points to beat Johnson.

RUNNING WINDMILL JAM FOR THE WIN!

Keshad Johnson is your 2026 @ATT Slam Dunk Champion 🏆 pic.twitter.com/jAhyHzesvr

— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026

Finishing with a final score of 97.4 in the championship round, Johnson won the competition over Bryant, as well as Orlando Magic guard Jase Richardson and Los Angeles Lakers forward Jaxson Hayes.

"Everybody's journey is different… to all the kids out there, keep dreaming!"@kj_showtime0 with a message to the next generation of hoopers after being crowned the 2026 @ATT Slam Dunk Champ 🏆💥 pic.twitter.com/UrNe1OVST8

— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026

Even though it was a second place finish for Bryant in the dunk contest, he did not leave the NBA all-star weekend empty handed.

Bryant was a part of the Rising Stars championship team. Playing for Team Vince, who was coached by NBA hall of famer Vince Carter, he scored nine points between the two games he played.

Rising Star Champion 💫🏆#TeamVince | @carterdbryantpic.twitter.com/sDONGSSvtn

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 14, 2026

Johnson and Bryant added to the list of former Wildcats to participate in the dunk contest, putting the overall total at six players and an overall total of appearances at eight.

Aaron Gordon was the last Wildcat to participate in 2020. He has also previously participated in the 2016 and 2017 competitions.

The first former Arizona player to participate was Richard Jefferson in 2003. In between Gordon and Jefferson were Andre Iguodala in 2006 and Chase Budinger in 2012.

Gordon, Iguodala, and Budinger all had second place finishes, with Gordon being the only former Arizona player to have two second place finishes.

Given the performance both Johnson and Bryant put on this year, perhaps both will be called back for next year’s competition.

The NBA is on the brink of something seismic. So when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stepped to the podium Saturday for his annual state of the league address, he wasn’t just talking about the midseason showcase. He was outlining a continental land grab. 

The NBA’s proposed “NBA Europe” league, tentatively targeting an October 2027 launch, is no longer a whisper campaign. It’s now a blueprint.

Silver made it clear the league office has moved into what he called a “new phase,” working alongside financial heavyweights JPMorgan Chase and the Raine Group, with dozens of prospective ownership groups already signed to nondisclosure agreements and reviewing projections. The message was unmistakable: This is real money, real infrastructure, real ambition.

The structure being discussed reads like a hybrid between American franchise stability and European meritocracy. A 12- to 16-team model is under serious consideration, with 10 to 12 permanent “A-license” spots reserved for elite clubs, and four to six places earned through qualification from existing European competitions. 

“We want to be respectful of the existing teams,” Silver said. “We want to be respectful of a passionate fan base and move as quickly as possible.”

That respect, however, does not mean retreat.

The NBA is targeting some of the most powerful brands in global sport: Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü and Anadolu Efes. These are institutions with soccer empires and basketball pedigrees, clubs that command hundreds of millions of global followers. Silver understands the leverage that comes with attaching NBA intellectual property to those crests.

“If someone is a Real Madrid football fan,” Silver said, “and they also have a great basketball organization, a relaunch league may bring a lot of those historic fans with them.”

The financial threshold will not be for the faint of heart. Expansion fees are projected to range from $500 million to $1 billion. Silver did not sugarcoat the timeline for profitability. “People who are looking for a short return should probably look elsewhere,” he said. This is generational thinking — a decades-long build designed to reshape the basketball map.

The league is also exploring modern arena infrastructure across Europe, acknowledging that world-class competition requires world-class buildings. It’s part sport, part urban development strategy.

“One of the things we’re focused on is building a new arena infrastructure in Europe,” said Silver regarding the need to invest in new structures in which teams can play. “It’s badly needed.”

And then there’s ownership.

Silver confirmed the NBA is in discussions with the Players Association about allowing current NBA players to invest in NBA Europe franchises. Lakers superstar Luka Dončić is already in talks with former Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson to purchase Italian basketball team Vanoli Basket Cremona, with plans to relocate it to Rome. 

Roughly 15% of the NBA is European-born. Some of its brightest stars — from Serbia, Greece, France and Slovenia — already define the league’s MVP conversation. The idea of global superstars becoming transcontinental stakeholders is not a side plot. It’s the future.

Of course, the elephant in the room is the EuroLeague, the continent’s current top-tier competition. Silver struck a diplomatic tone, citing “constructive discussions” with new EuroLeague CEO Chus Bueno. Still, make no mistake: Coexistence will require compromise. The NBA’s semi-closed model, salary cap principles and revenue-sharing philosophy are foreign concepts in much of European sport. Translating that system overseas will test lawyers and economists as much as coaches.

Silver admitted as much. “Nothing is easy here,” he said. “There are reasons why this hasn’t been done before. But I think we’re up to it.”

Behind the scenes, the league is already contemplating cross-continental competitions — perhaps a basketball version of a Club World Cup — pitting NBA teams against their European counterparts.

As Silver fielded questions about NBA expansion in Las Vegas and Seattle, he joked about the bags under his eyes. But when he spoke about Europe, the fatigue vanished. This is the heavy lift. This is the swing-for-the-fences opportunity to take the game to even higher heights than ever before.

If October 2027 becomes reality, it won’t simply mark the birth of a new league. It will signal the NBA’s transformation from a North American powerhouse with global reach into a truly bicontinental empire.

The commissioner knows the clock is ticking. Europe’s basketball culture is rich, proud and fiercely independent. Silver isn’t asking it to freeze in time. He’s asking it to evolve.

And in typical NBA fashion, he’s betting big that the world will follow.

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All season, it seemed as if the narrative around the Texas Tech basketball team has been they're just sort of there.

In a long season such as this, when the college basketball is as good as ever, there are more great teams than ever and so much attention is given to the star-studded freshman class, players like JT Toppin and teams like the Red Raiders can go under the radar.

That shouldn't be the case after the team's latest triumph over one of the presumed No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament. Beating Arizona 78-75 in overtime on the Wildcats' home floor may be a shock to some, but it's merely more of what can be expected of Grant McCasland's team.

You just have to be paying attention long enough to understand that.

More Big 12: Iowa State win over Kansas a reminder of Cyclones' Final Four potential

Granted, the Red Raiders have taken their lumps this season. There's no erasing that 30-point drubbing at the hands of Purdue in November. Losing to UCF in Orlando also wasn't great — Kansas did it too, but they didn't have Darryn Peterson, so it can be forgiven, to some extent.

Winning against Duke in Madison Square Garden got some deserved attention, though that didn't last long. Having that win come just before Christmas made some forget about Tech being the only team (until last week) to hand the Blue Devils an L.

Even when Texas Tech's gotten the better of Houston (nobody beats Houston in Big 12 play) and BYU, the focus coming out of those games was that the Red Raiders are really tough at home and most of the attention went to Kingston Flemings doing well and AJ Dybantsa not doing so well.

Some of that will follow Texas Tech again after this victory. Arizona's own star freshman Koa Peat left the game with an injury and did not return. That certainly changed how the Wildcats were able to operate. That, too, will be a big talking point that will detract from what was achieved by the Red Raiders.

Shame, since the Red Raiders didn't get that same benefit of the doubt when Christian Anderson missed the Kansas game. Sure, that was mentioned (briefly) before it became the, 'Did you see what Darryn Peterson did?' news cycle.

All of these freshmen are terrific. No doubt about it. Surefire lottery picks in the 2026 NBA draft. The issue at hand, though, is college is not the pros, and what those freshmen are doing isn't anywhere near what Toppin has done this season, and he showed once again why any conversation around the Big 12 player of the year and first team All-America honors can't continue without Toppin being at or near the top.

Toppin went for 31 points on 13-of-22 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds, seven coming on the offensive glass against a much lengthier and physical Arizona frontline, with or without Peat. These are run-of-the-mill numbers for Toppin at this point, so commonplace they can be taken for granted.

It wasn't just another manimal-like performance from Toppin, it was historic. He's just the second player in the past 30 years to total 30 points and 10 rebounds in a road win against the No. 1 team in the country. It was just fourth similar stat line against nationally ranked teams this season, which is the most for any player of the past 20 years.

The two biggest plays of the night by Toppin didn't involve him looking for a bucket. The first came with 2:05 left in overtime, when Toppin kicked it out to Donovan Atwell for what was a crucial 3-pointer.

And in the final seconds of the game, he collected an offensive rebound and got it to LeJuan Watts, who hit the free throw to make it a three-point game with four seconds left.

This Texas Tech team isn't perfect, not by any stretch. But knocking off the Arizonas and Dukes and Houstons of the world is what this team is capable of on any given night. They probably won't win every game the rest of the way (road trips to Iowa State and BYU await), but don't forget the Red Raiders when filling out your March Madness bracket.

And in the meantime, remember the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year is also the player most deserving of the award again this season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: JT Toppin leads Texas Tech past No. 1 Arizona in OT thriller

Warriors' Steph Curry has positive retort to question about NBA tanking problem originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry believes the NBA is in a great spot competition-wise, despite ongoing league-wide frustration over teams tanking.

The Warriors superstar was asked Saturday at NBA All-Star Media Day what he believes the league should do to combat tanking and offered a positive retort to the question.

Steph Curry was asked what he thinks the NBA should do to reduce tanking:

“Is it really that big of a problem? I’m asking. We feel like there’s obviously a lot of competition. It’s something I’m sure every year the NBA wants to address, why the Play-in Tournament exists. Things… pic.twitter.com/tMVMb1VaNK

— aly ✶ (@jinthirty) February 14, 2026

“Is it really that big of a problem? I’m asking,” Curry said. “We feel like there’s obviously a lot of competition. It’s something I’m sure every year the NBA wants to address: why the Play-in Tournament exists. Things evolve, problems arise, and everybody wants to shine a spotlight on all the negatives of the league. But let’s focus on the positives of how great the competition is at the top. There still is relevancy regular season-wise of the seeding and playoff chase.

“I know there’s a conversation around how many games we’re playing. That’s probably where I would focus more the attention. Let’s not forget the league is in great place overall in terms of the attention, the skill level, the global reach, all of that stuff. Every year you’ll address the issues. I don’t have those answers though.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, whose league office just fined two teams, the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers, $500,000 and $100,000, respectively, for “overt” tanking behaivor, also spoke to reporters on Saturday and discussed the ongoing tanking efforts and what he believes is part of the problem.

“We got to look at some fresh thinking here,” Silver said. “We’re doing, what we’re seeing right now, is not working. There’s no question about it.”

“I think part of the problem is that if you step back, the fundamental theory behind the draft is to help your worst-performing teams restock and be able to compete. The issue is if teams are manipulating their performance in order to get higher draft picks, even in a lottery, then the question becomes, even if teams were rewarded for draft picks purely according to predicted odds of the lottery, are they really the worst performing teams?”

Neither players, like Curry, nor leaders in the league office, like Silver, seem to have a clear solution to how the NBA can combat tanking, and it does not appear a resoultion is imminent.

For now, the majority of teams, like Curry and the Warriors, will do everything in their power to win as many games as they can down the stretch in order to punch their ticket to the playoffs.

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The New York Knicks captured the revived Shooting Stars title Saturday night at NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, defeating three wannabe squads to claim the event’s first championship since its return to the ASW after an 11-year absence.

Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and former Knicks All-Star Allan Houston, with the assistance of smooth passer Rick Brunson, combined for 47 points in the final round at Intuit Dome, beating Team Cameron’s 38.

KNICKS ARE SHOOTING STARS CHAMPS ⭐️⭐️⭐️ pic.twitter.com/dESqyElGH1

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) February 14, 2026

Team Knicks advanced to the final after posting 31 points in the opening round, the highest of the four teams. They then outscored Team Cameron (Jalen Johnson, Kon Knueppel and Corey Maggette) in the championship round, albeit not with a little bit of drama, with Brunson (how surprising!) and the legendary Houston converting late long-range four-pointers to secure the win.

The other teams included Team All-Star, led by Scottie Barnes, Chet Holmgren and Richard RIP Hamilton, and Team Harper, featuring Dylan Harper, Ron Harper Jr. and Ron Harper.

Captain Clutch 🫡 https://t.co/leTrxnUFvspic.twitter.com/N9cDB4hJg2

— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026

Saturday’s program also included the 3-Point Contest and Slam Dunk Contest, as has been the case for years on end.

To the surprise of everybody, Damian Lillard won the 3-Point Contest for a third time while still rehabbing from am Achilles injury, joining Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the only three-time champions. Lillard scored 29 points in the final round to edge Devin Booker.

Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson won the Slam Dunk Contest, defeating Carter Bryant in the final round. Adam Silver, please, kill this thing or entirely rebuild it.

🌟 USA vs. WORLD in the City of Angels 🌟

Watch the NBA's brightest stars take center stage at Intuit Dome for the 75th NBA All-Star Game, Sunday at 5:00pm/et on NBC & Peacock! pic.twitter.com/tHArXNLHt9

— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026

Coming up next, the All-Star Game on Sunday, which will feature a new format with players divided into three teams: two American squads (youngins and oldies) and one World team.

About your Knicks: Brunson is a member of the younger cohort of Americans while Towns will represent the World side due to his Dominican Republic raíces.

All-Star Game Details

Date: Sunday, February 15, 2026

Time: Starting at 5:00 PM ET. Championship game at around 7:10 PM ET

Place: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA

TV: NBC | Streaming: Peacock

Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

Anthony Edwards comically claims he's Warriors star Steph Curry's ‘alter ego' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors star Steph Curry has seen it all with Anthony Edwards, from high-stakes NBA playoff games against the Minnesota Timberwolves guard to winning Olympic gold side by side on Team USA.

Curry, who is far closer to the end of his storied career than its beginning, paid homage to the face of the league’s next generation during NBA All-Star media day Saturday, rocking Edwards’ shoes for the festivities — and the 24-year-old was honored.

“Hey, Curry the GOAT,” Edwards said when he saw the 12-time All-Star in his sneakers. “That’s really my dog.”

Then, Edwards, who is known for his elite-level trash talk and alpha attitude, made a pretty funny comparison between himself and the more laid-back Curry.

“Like, he don’t know it but he’s really me,” Edwards continued. “His alter ego is me.”

"His alter ego is me." 🤣

Ant reacts to Steph rocking his kicks today! pic.twitter.com/2OxT1nRr6g

— NBA (@NBA) February 14, 2026

Curry, like Edwards, certainly is known to bring out his petty side when the moment is right, hitting the “night night” in opponents’ faces, shimmying down the court after big shots and dropping slyly sarcastic responses in his postgame press conferences.

But the “Petty King” is a title that belongs all to Curry himself, no matter how badly Edwards — jokingly or not — wants to take the credit.

As for the GOAT label, Dub Nation certainly would agree Edwards has that one right.

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Steph Curry offers potential solution for addressing All-Star Game ‘competition' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The NBA All-Star Game could use some work.

And while he might not be participating in the 75th edition — hosted at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles — on Sunday due to a right knee injury, Warriors superstar Steph Curry shared his thoughts on how the event can improve in future years.

“Unfortunately, I can’t help this year because I’m not playing,” Curry told reporters during NBA All-Star media day Saturday. “But I think the only thing I would think about is shortening the game. That might be the only real suggestion I would have, just because it’s hard to replicate the intensity of a regular-season game. Nobody’s asking anybody to act like it’s a playoff game with those types of stakes. But a shorter game, maybe.”

“I know they’re doing a great job of trying to shorten the day for us as All-Stars because we’re sort of used to a certain game day prep that gets your body ready to go. The timeouts aren’t as long, and the breaks in between games aren’t as long. The league is doing a great job in trying to address that. That’s the only suggestion I would have. The 40-minute game, maybe? If you’re going back to the 2 teams format. But in this situation, short and sweet is better. I think that would help the competition.”

Most fans and players would agree with Curry’s sentiment that a competitive, “short and sweet” star-studded contest would be ideal.

The 2026 NBA All-Star Game, however, will consist of a mini round-robin tournament with four 12-minute games featuring two teams of American players and one team of international players — and all three squads probably won’t be breaking much of a sweat.

But when Curry speaks, people listen.

Time will tell if NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the league incorporate the 12-time All-Star’s ideas when potentially adjusting the game’s format for increased competition.

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TESERO, Italy (AP) — Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo has won a ninth gold medal in cross-country skiing, setting a Winter Games record, at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

The 29‑year‑old anchored Sunday’s 4 x 7.5-kilometer relay in the men’s competition for his fourth gold at the 2026 Games.

He had shared the record with three retired Norwegian athletes, Marit Bjoergen and Bjoern Daehlie in cross-country skiing and Ole Einar Bjoerndalen in the biathlon.

He now stands alone at the top.

___

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