Category: Basketball

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.

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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.
• Monday, January 18th at 5:00pm on NBC: @ New York Knicks
  • 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.

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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.

THE DATE IS SET. pic.twitter.com/wvmXvSCKem

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) August 14, 2026

Best Stretches of the Season

Ringing in the New Year

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.

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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.

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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.

welcome to all the new Wolves fans. 😉 pic.twitter.com/phizD4pEXe

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) August 13, 2026

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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.

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.

His answer?

“LeBron [James],” Thompson said on a Twitch stream.

“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.

(via @PlaqueBoyMax/ Twitch)pic.twitter.com/gNdpOLTbpp

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 15, 2026

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.

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.

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.

The next shortest span was William D. Cox, who owned the Philadelphia Phillies for 253 days from March 15, 1943, to Nov. 23, 1943.

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.

However, the sale of the Dallas Mavericks in 2023 took just 28 days.

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.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The Lakers’ record sale has another twist: Mark Walter’s brief tenure

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.

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You can watch the full interview here:

The newest member of the Philadelphia 76ers, LeBron James, is hitting the links and he’s taking fans on his golf journey.

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.

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

— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 15, 2026

“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.

On July 24, James announced he would be signing with the 76ers. It is the next and likely final chapter in his days as a professional basketball player.

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.

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.

Dont forget to check out our sponsor FanDuel for all your basketball odds. The Rockets are a +3000 to finish with the number one seed in the Western Conference next season, which means if you bet 100 and the Rockets finish first in the Western Conference, you win 3100 dollars.

Thank you to the SB Nation community for voting!

A federal judge threw out a lawsuit filed by Charles Oakley against Madison Square Garden, saying the former NBA player has not proved that he was assaulted before he was kicked out of "The World's Most Famous Arena" during a 2017 game.

During the Feb. 8, 2017 game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Oakley was arrested after an incident with security while seated near New York Knicks owner James Dolan.

Oakley's first attempt at suing MSG was filed in February 2020, and this is the third time the lawsuit has been thrown out.

In court documents filed in the Southern District of New York and obtained by USA TODAY Sports, Judge Richard J. Sullivan detailed at least six reasons why he dismissed the latest appeal, in part saying Oakley "has produced no evidence to support his claim that he was assaulted by MSG security guards."

Sullivan also said Oakley's objections are overruled based on those six factors stemming from Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky's ruling on Oct. 31, 2025, that Oakley must pay $642,337.65 in attorneys' fees and costs filed by MSG Networks, Inc., Sphere Entertainment Group, LLC, and Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. to the defendants.

"We are disappointed with the Court’s rulings. 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," Oakley's attorney Douglas Wigdor said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports.

"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 in his ruling.

MSG, in a statement, ripped Oakley and his legal representation, saying they knew their claims against them were frivolous and that MSG is "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."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Charles Oakley's assault case against Madison Square Garden dismissed

How Warriors' offseason deals with four returning players were graded by ESPN originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors haven’t signed anyone new this offseason, but ESPN doesn’t view the contracts they’ve handed out in a negative light.

As the team missed out on big fish like LeBron James this summer, Golden State re-signed Kristaps Porziņģis, De’Anthony Melton, Al Horford, Gary Payton II and Draymond Green ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season and is running it back with the same squad that finished its last campaign as a play-in tournament participant.

While that certainly isn’t music to Dub Nation’s ears, ESPN handed out grades for four of those five signings — a majority of which are favorable.

Draymond Green

Terms: One year, $27.7 million

Grade: C

“Before the offseason began, the expectation was that Green would play out the 2026-27 season on a $27.7 million deal. He had a player option for that amount and likely wouldn’t have received any more on the open market as a 36-year-old with more value to the Golden State Warriors than any other team.

That expectation changed for about a month, after Green declined his player option to give the Warriors the financial flexibility to pursue free agent LeBron James. But after James went to Philadelphia 76ers rather than northern California, it made sense for Green to re-sign with the Warriors for the same one-year deal he declined a month earlier. Because the baseline for these free agent grades is a ‘C,’ and because Green stuck with the baseline expectation entering this summer, that’s the logical grade to give this deal.” – Zach Kram

De’Anthony Melton

Terms: Two years, $11 million (player option in second year)

Grade: A

“Last summer, Melton signed a two-year deal with the Warriors, with a player option in the second year. He opted out and is going the same route this summer, just with a slightly higher price tag following a strong comeback season from a torn ACL in November 2024.

“Regardless of whether the Warriors’ star ambitions pan out this summer, Melton will be an excellent fit on their roster as a do-it-all guard with a knack for forcing turnovers. He doesn’t need the ball to contribute, and if his 3-point shot bounces back with more time removed from his injury — he was at 29 percent last season, a big step down from his previous 37 percent career mark — he’ll thrive playing off Stephen Curry (and LeBron James?).

“The Warriors had a plus-3.9 net rating with Melton on the court last season, which ranked second on the team behind Jimmy Butler III. Still only 28 years old, he’s squarely in his prime.

“Perhaps he’ll turn in another solid season and do the ‘opt out and re-sign’ dance with Golden State once again next summer.” – Kram

Kristaps Porziņģis

Terms: Two years, $40 million

Grade: B-minus

“This is a low-floor, high-ceiling play for a veteran team that’s angling to become one of the lowest-floor, highest-ceiling squads in the league.

“Porziņģis’ floor is tied entirely to his availability. The 30-year-old center is still an effective player if he’s healthy, but that’s a mighty large ‘if’ at this point: He played just 42 games for the Boston Celtics in 2024-25 and 32 combined games for the Atlanta Hawks and Warriors last season, because of an illness that Boston’s doctors reportedly diagnosed as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).

“He also never played more than 29 minutes in a game with Golden State and averaged a career-low 24 minutes per game over the whole season, as the Hawks and Warriors sought to manage his stamina.

“But Porziņģis averaged 25 points per 36 minutes when he was able to stay in games, right in line with his other recent averages. And his decline in efficiency (58 percent true shooting, his first time below 62 percent in four years) was likely tied to his inability to develop a rhythm, with so many long absences throughout the year. …

“But for now, committing up to $20 million per year — only $3 million is guaranteed for the second season, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater — is a questionable move for a team that hopes to finish the offseason with a crowded cap sheet. There’s a world in which Porziņģis, Horford, Green and [Anthony] Davis all take turns missing games and form a sort of super-center Voltron when they’re available; there’s also a world in which the Warriors miss out on Davis and end up paying Porziņģis about $1 million per game because he plays so infrequently.” – Kram

Al Horford

Terms: Two years, $14 million

Grade: B-plus

“Al Horford got off to a very slow start in Golden State last season, to the point that it seemed as if the veteran big man might be done as an NBA rotation player. Amid various absences, he averaged just 5.6 points per game on 45 percent true shooting before Christmas.

“But he soon rediscovered his typical form and averaged 9.3 PPG on 59 percent true shooting from Christmas through the end of the season — right in line with his 8.8 PPG and 60 percent true shooting from his final two seasons in Boston. He was also one of Golden State’s best performers in the play-in round.

“So don’t close the book on Horford’s career just yet. He is 40 years old now, and he might need plenty of rest throughout the regular season — he hasn’t played 70 games in a season since 2017-18 and appeared in only 45 last year — but he can still play 20 productive minutes per game, supplying savvy defense, offensive spacing and positional flexibility.

“It’s not easy for the Warriors to find role players who belong in their read-and-react system, but with his unselfish play and basketball intellect, Horford is a strong fit.

“Horford is replacing his $6 million option for 2026-27 with a new two-year contract worth just a bit more than that per year. At some point, he’ll inevitably slow down for good. But this is a low-dollar, low-risk deal for Golden State, and Horford seems to have enough left in the tank to make it worth the Warriors’ while.” – Kram

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There isn’t much in the wide world of sports that you can look at and genuinely call a “travesty”. Especially when you consider all of the instability in the world at large, sports are merely entertainment. They’re designed to provide an escape, a distraction, and something for us to care about for a few hours before returning to the things that actually matter.

But much like “sports hate” is different from real hate, I think there’s room for “the sports travesty”. It’s something that isn’t a true tragedy in any meaningful sense of the word, but within the strange little universe we’ve created around games, statistics, legacies, and the people who play them, it feels egregiously wrong.

Tom Chambers not being in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame falls into that category for me.

I’m not alone. Granted, the results of the polling we’ve done here are most certainly biased. Asking a community of Phoenix Suns fans whether Tom Chambers belongs in the Hall of Fame isn’t exactly a scientific exercise conducted under the watchful eye of Gallup. Still, the response showcases that there is some merit to the argument. Tom Chambers should be in the Hall, and 79% of the Bright Side community concurs.

Why? I’ll start with something that occasionally gets lost in these conversations. This is the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. It isn’t the NBA Hall of Fame. It isn’t the College Basketball Hall of Fame. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame encompasses all aspects of the sport. It exists to honor, recognize, and celebrate the history of basketball in its totality. Careers are supposed to be viewed through that wider lens, which makes Chambers’ absence increasingly peculiar the longer you stare at it.

Start with 20,000 points. Chambers scored 20,049 of them during his NBA career, and he is one of only four eligible players in NBA history to cross the 20,000-point threshold and remain outside the Hall of Fame. The others are Antawn Jamison, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Joe Johnson. That’s the list. How many of those guys hold the all-time single-season points per game record for a franchise? Still, Chambers isn’t among the names ESPN’s Ben Golliver identifies as being on the waiting list for the Hall of Fame. Joe Johnson is, as is LaMarcus Aldridge.

Of the 156 NBA players who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, 43 scored at least 20,000 points. Chambers did something that has historically served as one of basketball’s great monuments to longevity, production, and sustained excellence, and somehow he remains standing outside the gates. That doesn’t automatically make him a Hall of Famer. No single statistic should. But when you’re searching for historical oddities, places where the numbers make you stop, scratch your head, and wonder how the hell we arrived here, Tom Chambers scoring more than 20,000 points and never receiving the call from Springfield is a pretty damn good place to start.

Going a step further, Chambers played during an era of basketball loaded with stars, and he still found a way to thrive offensively. Perhaps his career average of 18.1 points is viewed as some kind of gatekeeper, a number that doesn’t quite scream “Hall of Fame” when you first see it. Once you start digging through the players who are actually in Springfield, however, that argument begins to lose some of its weight. Chambers averaged more points for his career than Kevin Garnett, Kevin McHale, Scottie Pippen, and plenty of other players whose Hall of Fame credentials have never been questioned. In fact, 80 of the 156 NBA players currently in the Hall, or 51.3%, averaged fewer than Chambers’ 18.1 points.

There will always be another side to the argument, especially when discussing the Hall of Fame. Chambers never won a championship. He never made an All-NBA First Team. His résumé lacks that one obvious achievement you can point to and declare the conversation over.

Still, we’re talking about a player who was a quality and effective forward for more than a decade, scored more than 20,000 points, was a two-time All-NBA Second Team recipient, made four All-Star teams, won an All-Star Game MVP, and averaged more points than half of the NBA players who have already been enshrined. At some point, the accumulation of accomplishments has to matter.

Then there is Chambers’ place in NBA history, and this is where I believe his case becomes even more interesting. Tom Chambers was the first unrestricted free agent in NBA history, and his decision to sign with the Phoenix Suns in 1988 represents a seminal moment for the league.

Think about how much of the modern NBA revolves around free agency. Think about the television specials, the airport tracking, the social media detectives, the cap space clearing, and the annual hysteria surrounding where the biggest names are going next. There had to be a first domino, and Chambers was it. A star player exercised his newfound freedom and chose to leave Seattle for Phoenix, helping usher the NBA into an era that now defines how teams are built and how players control their careers.

And yet, he’s probably not going to make it. I’m not sure what the FanDuel odds are, but Basketball Reference gives Chambers a 5.2% probability of reaching the Hall of Fame, which feels remarkably low when you stack everything together. The 20,000 points, the 18.1 points per game, the All-Star appearances, the longevity, the production, the historical significance as a pioneer of unrestricted free agency. Individually, perhaps you can poke holes in each piece of the argument. Collectively, they tell the story of somebody who mattered to the NBA, both in what he accomplished on the court and what he represented off of it.

For a place tasked with preserving and celebrating the history of basketball, you’d think that would matter. Apparently, it hasn’t mattered enough. And that’s a damn shame.

The idea of playing a balanced schedule is a rarity in American professional sports. An NFL team that finishes in first place in their division one year draws other first-place teams on the schedule the next year. NHL calendars lean heavily on divisional matchups and regional rivalries. MLB moved to a more balanced schedule in 2023, reducing the number of division games and increasing interleague play to even things out.

The NBA does not play a balanced schedule, but the biggest factor in an individual team’s success often feels like it has more to do with the travel arrangements than who they’re playing on a particular night. Trimming the NBA’s 82-game regular season schedule always felt like a silver bullet for many of the league’s most pressing problems. Until that happens, teams are still jetting around the country every night to try to sell out as many arenas as possible.

The 2026-27 NBA schedule came out this week. Read our take on the league’s 10 biggest rivalries for the upcoming season. With a little help from Shamit Dua’s NBA Schedule Dash Board, these are the teams who got hit the hardest by the schedule makers this year.

Boston Celtics

The Celtics’ 16 back-to-backs are in a five-way tie for the most in the NBA. They play 22 times in a stretch of three games in four nights, which ranks as the eighth hardest in the league. They are -4 in “net rest” games, which measures who the more tired opponent is in a given game. The Celtics aren’t just dealing with the loss of Jaylen Brown this season, they’re also needing to navigate one of the league’s hardest travel schedules. I still think the Celtics will be a regular season wins machine, and I wouldn’t count them out for grabbing the No. 1 seed in the East, but the road to get there looks more daunting after the schedule release.

New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans have the hardest schedule in the NBA this year. New Orleans plays a league-leading 16 back-to-backs, they’re the only team in the NBA with 27 ‘three in four nights’ stretches, and they have a -5 net rest disadvantage. The Pelicans already had the league’s seventh-lowest over/under at 29.5 wins coming into the season, and it feels like it’s going to be an uphill climb to even hit that number. New head coach Jamahl Mosley has his work cut out for him. After years of believing in Zion Williamson, I’m finally giving up the dream that he can be one of the NBA’s best players. At this point, I’m more interested in seeing what Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen can do together.

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls are one of the league-leaders with 15 back-to-backs this season. They play a stretch of three games in four nights 24 times, which is the fourth most in the league. They’re -3 on “net rest,” which is third-hardest in the league. The Bulls also have five time zone crossings on no rest, which is the fifth-most in the league. The first 15 games of the season are especially brutal for Chicago, with two games against Boston, two games against the Knicks, two games against the Sixers, and one game each vs. San Antonio, Minnesota, and Cleveland. The Bulls are starting yet another rebuild, but it’s going to be difficult for this fanbase to be patient when the team has the third worst cumulative record in the NBA after the last nine seasons. This year is more about figuring out if they have a future star in Caleb Wilson, and seeing how Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey develop in their third year together. The Bulls actually have a decent bench led by Leonard Miller, Jalen Smith, and Tre Jones, and they’re going to need it with this type of schedule.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs missed out on LeBron James and got a tough schedule to boot. Cleveland is tied for the league-lead with 16 back-to-backs. They have 23 ‘three in four nights’ games, which is the sixth hardest in the NBA. They’re a -2 in rest advantage, also sixth hardest. The Cavs have done a whole lot of nothing this summer coming off the world’s least convincing conference finals run, but there’s still time to potentially land Peyton Watson or swing a big trade. I just get the sense that Cleveland’s Eastern Conference rivals are passing them by … unless Evan Mobley has another leap left in him.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks have 16 back-to-backs (tied for the most in the league), and they’re at a -3 net rest advantage. It will be fascinating to see how Dallas manages Kyrie Irving as he returns from a torn ACL at age-34. The team will also have to manage Dereck Lively II, because the 22-year-old big man still hasn’t been cleared to run after having foot surgery in December. I could see a world where Cooper Flagg takes a big leap and carries the Mavs to playoff contention, but it’s important to remember Flagg won’t turn 20 years old until just before Christmas. It might be wise for Dallas’ new front office to take a more long-term view around their franchise star.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers play 15 back-to-backs. They face three games in four nights 26 times, which is the second most in the league. There’s so much riding on Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves this year. Both of them dealt with injuries last year, playing 115 out of a possible 164 games. That’s not going to cut it this year. Doncic and Reaves need to carry this offense every night without LeBron James around, and the Lakers probably don’t want to know what happens when Quentin Grimes needs to be their first or second option for a night. Will the Lakers have a plan to save Luka in some back-to-backs? It’s going to be a battle in the Western Conference every night, but the Lakers really just need him healthy for the playoffs, unlike last year.

The 2026-27 regular season schedule has been released, and it isn’t necessarily kind to the Cleveland Cavaliers. They have 16 sets of back-to-backs — which is tied for the most in the league. On top of that, their schedule is incredibly difficult out of the gate, with most of their marquee matchups happening in the first two months of the season.

With that in mind, let’s run through the 10 games I’ll be looking forward to most this season.

10. March 1 vs. 76ers

We could get into all the storylines that make games with the Philadelphia 76ers must-watch TV. However, those aren’t necessarily what make this matchup interesting.

Cleveland’s schedule is front-loaded. As such, there aren’t many opportunities against great teams down the stretch, aside from a few West Coast games during their annual MAC Tournament road trip at the beginning of March.

This game against the Sixers will serve as a good litmus test for where the Cavs are at this point in the season. It comes a few weeks after the trade deadline, meaning both teams should have their playoff rosters set. And, it’ll be far enough away from the end of the regular season where teams start resting players. As such, we should get a good preview of what could be a playoff matchup.

9. Jan. 5 vs. Raptors

The Toronto Raptors pushed the Cavs to the brink last postseason. This upcoming season, they should be even better — assuming the Kawhi Leonard deal actually goes through.

This will be their first of four meetings. Toronto proved to be a tough matchup for the Cavs last season. Will that still be the case by the time they meet in the middle of next regular season?

8. April 1 vs. Celtics

The Boston Celtics only come to Cleveland once this upcoming season, and we have to wait until the very end of the year for that to happen.

Late-season matchups can be great tests or completely inconsequential. We won’t know which one this will be until right before the game. But this has the potential to be a preview for what we could see in a postseason series.

7. Nov. 20 vs. Pacers

We never got to see a rematch of the Cavs and Indiana Pacers after their 2025 playoff series. Tyrese Haliburton missed all of last season with injuries, causing Indiana to go from title contenders to a lottery team.

This upcoming season’s Pacers won’t resemble that 2025 team much. Myles Turner and Bennedict Mathurin aren’t in the picture anymore. Instead, they will be built around a much more imposing front line featuring Ivica Zubac.

This will also be an important NBA Cup group stage game. I know the in-season tournament doesn’t mean much, but it would be encouraging to see the Cavs fare well in a difficult group with the Sixers, Pacers, and New York Knicks.

6. March 9 at Pistons

This will be the Cavs and Detroit Pistons’ final matchup of the season. Last year, they met in the playoffs for a seven-game series. Could the same happen this upcoming year?

5. Nov. 29 at Knicks

The Cavs play the Knicks four times before Christmas. This matchup will actually be their third time facing off.

Each of Cleveland’s home games are the second leg of a back-to-back, so I’m not going to highlight either of those. I chose this late November meeting over their first trip to Madison Square Garden because it’ll be an NBA Cup group stage game.

Again, whether or not you think the in-season tournament matters is up to you. What I will say is that it would be meaningful if the Cavs could advance out of the group stage for the first time in franchise history. And as the Knicks showed last year, winning the NBA Cup can actually lead to playoff success.

4. Dec. 15 vs. Spurs

Victor Wembanyama has only played in Cleveland once during his career and is winless in three total meetings. We’ll see if that changes when the Cavs host the San Antonio Spurs for their annual trip.

Wemby vs. Cleveland’s frontline of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley is an intriguing matchup. Both Allen and Mobley have size and speed to make life difficult for Wemby. That’s incredibly important in a league that could be dominated by Wemby for the next decade.

3. Dec. 31 vs. Clippers

Darius Garland made a huge impact on the Cavs during his seven seasons here. He helped turn what was a rudderless team when he was drafted in 2019 into a legitimate championship contender. This includes being the lead ball handler for the 2024-25 team that put together the second-best regular-season record in franchise history.

This will be Garland’s first game back in Cleveland since he was traded away for James Harden last deadline. Seeing him back in Cleveland will be bittersweet, even if the marriage ending when it did was best for both sides.

2. Oct. 22 at 76ers

The adrenaline is always a little higher on opening night. It coinciding with LeBron James’s first home game with the Sixers should up that even more.

There were presumably many in the organization who thought LeBron would sign with Cleveland at some point this summer. His spurning them for a conference rival likely makes this sting worse. Fortunately, the Cavs won’t have to wait long to show James that he made the wrong choice.

1. Nov. 6 vs. 76ers

LeBron’s annual visit over the last eight years has served as an opportunity for Cleveland to show their hometown hero how much he means to them. That joyous atmosphere won’t be here when he returns this time around after he chose to likely end his career with a conference rival instead of his hometown team.

There won’t be close to the anger and vitriol there was for James’s first game in Cleveland as a member of the Miami Heat in 2010. However, there will be more than a handful of boos, which would’ve been hard to fathom at this time last year.

On top of that, this will be another matchup between two of the top teams in the East and an NBA Cup game. If the Cavs want to advance in the group stage, they’ll likely need to take care of business here.

Which game are you most looking forward to this season? Let us know in the comments below.

Candace Parker is widely regarded as one of the best women's basketball players of all time with three WNBA championships, two league MVPs, one Finals MVP, and seven All-Star selections to her name.

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Add first-ballot Basketball Hall of Famer to the list.

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Parker was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026 during an induction ceremony at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts on Saturday, Aug. 15, alongside Elena Delle Donne, Chamique Holdsclaw, Doc Rivers, Amar’e Stoudemire, Mike D'Antoni, Mark Few, Joey Crawford and the 1996 USA Basketball Women's National Team.

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USA TODAY Sports provided live coverage of the Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday, including speeches, highlights and more. Catch up below:

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More: From snubs to future locks: Early Basketball Hall of Fame candidates for 2027

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Candace Parker recalls inspiration from Kobe Bryant

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In her HOF speech, Candace Parker recalled a text message she received from the late Kobe Bryant ahead of Game 5 of the 2016 WNBA Finals against the Minnesota Lynx.

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“I wanted my story to be despite. Despite the 10 knee surgeries, one shoulder surgery, two foot surgeries, I still could and I did. Commercial flights, practice gyms at community college… The overseas grind in the off season. But through that, I learned from barely losing that winning was about attention to detail and the little things,” Parker said.

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“Finally, in 2016, game five at Minnesota for the title, I get a text from Kobe. He says, ‘Do it the hard way. It's always better that way. You can't die with bullets in the chamber.’ I finally just had played that game like I was a kid again. I was free, not worried about the outcome. I really, in fact, just hooped. We won off an offensive rebound by Nneka Ogwumike. It turns out Pat (Summitt) was in fact right. Offensive rebounds do matter."

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Parker called her career a “full circle” moment, reveling in the fact that she “came in as a rookie with Lisa Leslie and her greatness” and “got to pass the torch to a GOAT in A’ja Wilson on my way out.” 

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Parker was joined on the stage by Tamika Catchings (‘20), Allen Iverson (‘16), Cheryl Miller (‘95) and Dwyane Wade (‘23). She closed her induction speech speaking directly to a basketball that she brought out stage. 

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“My muse. We did a lot together,” she said. “We dunked on UConn at UConn. Oh yeah. We going to talk our stuff. We shimmied over our right shoulder and hit that sick fade away off the glass so many times. We had our own signature shoe. We were the first woman to grace the cover of NBA2K. We traveled from Milan to Tokyo. We assisted. We were position-less. We wanted every level for every team we played for. And now we stand on the podium as first-ballot Hall of Famers.”

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Candace Parker is now officially an enshrined member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. #26HoopClasspic.twitter.com/zkqA2CGJcw

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) August 16, 2026

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Amar’e Stoudemire: 'You can persevere through anything'

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Amar'e Stoudemire was one of a handful of high school players to make the jump to the NBA and be successful. He was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns and made an immediate impact, winning the 2002-03 NBA Rookie of the Year.

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"The most important aspect that I can give that I experienced when you're growing up in an environment where it's not always easy to make it out of, the most important factor for me was first of all, stay out of trouble," he said. "That was the first and foremost thing for me to stay out of trouble, stay positive, stay focused, stay meaningful. And always keep in mind that perseverance, no matter what one goes through, you can persevere through anything."

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"The most important factor for me was first of all stay out of trouble... stay positive, stay focused, stay meaningful... always keep in mind that perseverance, no matter what one goes through, you can persevere through anything." - Amar’e Stoudemire #26HoopClasshttps://t.co/8ZH0ulGOtY

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) August 16, 2026

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Doc Rivers: 'Coaching stole my voice'

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Doc Rivers said he didn’t always have the raspy, deep voice that he's become known for. While leading five different franchises throughout his career - Orlando Magic (1999-2003), Boston Celtics (2004-13), Los Angeles Clippers (2013-20), Philadelphia 76ers (2020-23), and Milwaukee Bucks (2023-26) - Rivers said “coaching stole my voice from me.”

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"I want you guys to know a couple of quick things, that this isn't my real voice," he said during is induction speech. "I swear I used to have a high voice. I used to be able to really sing. Can't do that anymore." 

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Rivers selected Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, members of the Boston Celtics' 2008 championship team, as his presenters. Rivers also acknowledged Rajon Rondo in the audience.

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"You win a title and, everyone in here who has one understands, it's like having a blood transfusion," Rivers said. "You are connected for the rest of your lives. You really are. And I want you guys to hear that and understand that. So thank you."

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As the Clippers head coach, Rivers made NBA history when the team signed his son, Austin, making them the first-ever father-son coach-player duo in league history. "One gift that basketball gave me... I was the first to coach my son, Austin," Rivers said. "We did that, Austin, and no one can ever take that away from us, man."

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"Never coach a person for who they are today, but to push them to who they should be someday." - Doc Rivers #26HoopClasshttps://t.co/tPLQ7Dq0Ya

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) August 16, 2026

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1996 U.S. Women's National Team laid 'foundation' of WNBA

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Rebecca Lobo, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017, said the 1996 U.S. Women's National Team she was part of "was the foundation of what the WNBA became." The league is now celebrating its 30th anniversary.

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"All of us get to look around and watch WNBA games and see the growth and the popularity of the WNBA and college basketball and explode at a level that we have never seen before," Lobo said. "And I hope all of the women here and all of our teammates sometimes just take a second to smile and appreciate the role that this team played in that being a foundational piece. But it was that year. It was that year together of hard times and laughter that made our team be able to be what it was."

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Lobo added, "People have asked me how would this team compare to some of the incredible teams that have come since then? We're the only one who trained for a year straight. We trained for a year straight. We'd be on the road about three weeks and then we'd get a couple days at home with our family. Then we'd be on the road for three weeks. And we went all over the U.S. and played against college teams.

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"We went all over the world. Siberia in February, we were in China, we were in Australia. And this group just really came together and bonded. And it was such a fortunate time that we got to be a part of."

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1996 @usabasketball Women’s National Team is now officially an enshrined member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. #26HoopClasspic.twitter.com/CvphIBDBo5

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) August 16, 2026

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Elena Delle Donne fights back tears thanking teammate

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Elena Delle Donne getting choked up talking about former teammate Sylvia Fowles ('25) was incredibly wholesome. Delle Donne's voice quivered when she began talking about Fowles' impact on her career and how she treated her like an equal from the beginning. "Ooo, I can't look at you," Delle Donne said, fighting back tears.

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"Having you as my vet helped his once very nervous rookie find her footing." 🥺

Elena Delle Donne to her former teammate Sylvia Fowles during her Hall of Fame speech ❤️ pic.twitter.com/kpdYbKFmN4

— espnW (@espnW) August 16, 2026

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Mark Few says HOF induction is 'absolutely mind boggling'

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Mike Few acknowledged his humble beginnings. He was born in Creswell, Oregon, a town with that “had a population of around 1500 people that had one stoplight,” he recalled. 

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“To be here standing where I am today is absolutely mind boggling. I say that because people have asked me, is this a dream come true? And I'm telling you, I couldn't even think about dreaming such a thing where I came from,” Few said during his induction speech. “(God has) been the greatest navigator in mine and my family's life. How else does a guy get from Creswel, Oregon to Springfield, Massachusetts? Come on now. Wow. The only Springfield I ever thought about …was Springfield, Oregon, 10 miles north of Creswell.”

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Few has guided Gonzaga from being a nice little Cinderella story to a national powerhouse this century. He coached Gonzaga to NCAA title game appearances in 2017 and 2021, and the Bulldogs have appeared in 25 consecutive NCAA tournaments. 

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He recalled making “a whopping $1,500 a year” starting out as an assistant at Gonzaga in 1990–1999. 

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“I really want to acknowledge and thank Dan Monson for not only getting my start in college coaching, but probably more importantly, allowing me to stay rent-free on his couch in his apartment for my two first years of Gonzaga,” Few said. 

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Few took over as head coach in 1999, where he still remains today. 

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More: Gonzaga coach Mark Few inducted into Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

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“People see one coach standing on this stage tonight. I'm telling you, I see generations of players.” - Mark Few #26HoopClasshttps://t.co/a7OExiOk6b

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) August 16, 2026

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Mike D’Antoni says he's the 'luckiest man in the world'

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Through his 16 NBA seasonsas a head coach, Mike D'Antoni racked up nearly 1,200 career wins. He was named NBA Coach of the Year twice (2005 and 2017). He served as an assistant coach for the gold medal-winning 2012 U.S. Olympic Team and was also recognized as one of the 50 Greatest Contributors in EuroLeague history in 2008.

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His wife Laurel, however, teases about one accomplishment he fell short of. 

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“Laurel, you've been my greatest partner and supporter,” D’Antoni said. “I know you're especially excited about the incredible 1996 Women's National team inducted tonight. You're one of the biggest supporters of women's basketball and someone who was gifted a Phoenix Mercury Championship ring. And she reminds me, at least somebody in our house got a ring.”

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Many of the D’Antoni’s former players were in attendance for his Hall of Fame induction, including Steve Nash (Class of 18), Amar’e Stoudemire (’26), Jeremy Lin and James Harden, who D’Antoni took time to acknowledge. 

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“We signed this long-haired Canadian soccer player, Steve Nash. Steve, I am proud that your two MVP titles with the (Phoenix) Suns. All of you guys, all of you guys are the reason why coaching is so rewarding," D'Antoni said of Nash, who he coached in Phoenix (2003–2008). He then turned his attention to Harden, who he coached in Houston (2016–2020): “(James Harden's) one of the most skilled players I've ever coached, and I appreciate the trust he gave me."

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He added, “The Hall of Fame is about leaving an impact and mine is simple. We made the game a little faster, a little brighter, and a heck of a lot more fun. Luckiest man in the world. Spent my life doing what I love alongside people I love.”

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“I’m the luckiest man in the world. Spend my life doing what I love alongside people I love. - Mike D’Antoni #26HoopClasshttps://t.co/YFZ3cJg76a

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) August 15, 2026

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Longtime NBA referee Joey Crawford quotes Muhammad Ali

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Joey Crawford officiated 2,561 regular-season NBA games over 39 seasons, including a record 374 playoff contests and 50 NBA Finals games. He worked in 23 consecutive NBA Finals before retiring in 2016 at the age of 63.

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"As the great Muhammad Ali once said, it ain't bragging if you did it," Crawford said during his induction speech, drawing a loud applause.

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Crawford credited his father with showing you could make a living as a referee. Crawford's father, Shag Crawford, served as a MLB umpire for two decades.

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“I didn't have to look very far for my inspiration to become an NBA ref. He was standing right in front of me. It was my dad,” Crawford recalled. “He umpired more than 3,000 games, three World Series. At a young age, I would ask my mom, 'Where's dad?' … She would pull out the newspaper and she'd tell me Chicago, where the Cubs are, the Dodgers in LA, St. Louis Cardinals. She laid it all out for me. And then she would say, 'Joseph, this is how we pay the bills.'

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"That's when it came to me. Oh my Lord, you could actually make a living doing this."

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More: NBA referee Joey Crawford inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame

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Joey Crawford is now officially an enshrined member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. #26HoopClasspic.twitter.com/jH7fwYY5Qd

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) August 15, 2026

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Chamique Holdsclaw pays tribute to late Pat Summitt

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Chamique Holdsclaw will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame alongside the 1996 USA Basketball Women's National Team, the very team that "made me believe that this dream could become a reality."

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"I have to honor and acknowledge a team that changed everything for me. The 1996 United States Olympic team," Holdsclaw said in her induction speech on Saturday, Aug. 15. "Teresa Edwards, Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, Dawn Staley. Those were the women whose posters were on my wall. Black women, strong, confident, dominant, graceful... And standing here tonight, it feels full circle."

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Holdsclaw selected Tamika Catchings (Class of 2020), Tina Thompson (‘18) and Teresa Weatherspoon (‘19) as her presenters, and they all stood by Holdsclaw's side. But there was one presenter Holdsclaw wished could have joined her at Symphony Hall.

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"One person I wish was here tonight as my presenter, my demanding and wonderfully supportive college coach, Pat Summit, the one and only," said Holdsclaw, who played under Summitt at Tennessee from 1995–1999. "Coach Summit allowed me to grow as both the player and the person. She stood by me 10 toes down during life's highs and lows. She showed me a conditional love and support. Also showed me support is not defined. Family is not defined by blood. I miss her dearly."

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.@Chold1 is now officially an enshrined member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. #26HoopClasspic.twitter.com/D4z61LaB7K

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) August 15, 2026

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What time is the Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony?

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The Class of 2026 Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. ET at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Class of 2026 will walk the red carpet ahead of the ceremony, starting at 6 p.m. ET.

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Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony: TV, streaming

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• Date: Saturday, Aug. 15
• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• Location: Symphony Hall (Springfield, Mass)
• TV: NBA TV
• Stream: Fubo

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The first woman to appear on the cover of SLAM Magazine, Holdsclaw was a six-time All-Star, a three-time All-WNBA selection, a two-time league-rebounding champ and the scoring champ in 2002. Selected No. 1 overall out of Tennessee, she was the Rookie of the Year in 1999 and helped Team USA win gold at the 2000 Olympics. Holdsclaw twice averaged a double-double in seasons for the Washington Mystics and finished in the top 10 of MVP voting six times in her career.

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Elena Delle Donne is in the building

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Elena Delle Donne, the 6-foot-5 unicorn from Delaware, donned a white tuxedo for her induction.

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Welcome to the Hoophall @de11edonne. 🏀 #26HoopClasspic.twitter.com/6HPmPO1o3G

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) August 15, 2026

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Mike D'Antoni arrives

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The inductees are arriving and leave it to longtime head coach Mike D'Antoni to be the first to arrive.

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Can always count on coach to be first. @coachdantonihof 😂🔥 #26HoopClasspic.twitter.com/6kWs27r2R9

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) August 15, 2026

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Stream the 2026 Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony on Fubo

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Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen spotted on red carpet

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Kevin Garnett stopped on the red carpet to take a photo with fans ahead of the Class of 2026 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where he will serve as a presenter for former head coach Doc Rivers. Rivers coached Garnett on the Boston Celtics from 2007 through 2013, winning an NBA championship together in 2008.

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Ray Allen was also on hand to support Rivers. Allen was on the Celtics' championship squad in 2008 and played under Rivers from 2007-2012.

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Selfie with @KevinGarnett5KG 🤳🏀 #26HoopClasspic.twitter.com/aidgvaG9t5

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) August 15, 2026

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#18HoopClass member Ray Allen here to support his coach @DocRivers tonight at the #26HoopClass Enshrinement Ceremony. pic.twitter.com/9S7PjVqj8P

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) August 15, 2026

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2026 Hall of Fame Inductees, presenters

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• Joey Crawford - Danny Crawford (Class of 2025), Rod Thorn (‘18)
• Mike D’Antoni - Jerry Colangelo (‘04), Bob McAdoo (‘00), Steve Nash (‘18), Amar’e Stoudemire (‘26), Rod Thorn (‘18)
• Elena Delle Donne - Sylvia Fowles (‘25), Marianne Stanley (‘22)
• Mark Few - John Calipari (‘15), Grant Hill (‘18), John Stockton (‘09)
• Chamique Holdsclaw - Tamika Catchings (‘20), Tina Thompson (‘18), Teresa Weatherspoon (‘19)
• Candace Parker - Tamika Catchings (‘20), Allen Iverson (‘16), Cheryl Miller (‘95), Dwyane Wade (‘23)
• Doc Rivers - Kevin Garnett (‘20), Paul Pierce (‘21)
• Amar’e Stoudemire - Jerry Colangelo (‘04), Mike D’Antoni (‘26), Grant Hill (‘18), Tracy McGrady (‘17), Steve Nash (‘18), Rick Welts (‘18)
• 1996 USA Basketball Women’s National Team - Teresa Edwards (‘11), Lisa Leslie (‘15), Rebecca Lobo (‘17), Katrina McClain (‘12), Dawn Staley (‘13), Sheryl Swoopes (‘16), Tara VanDerveer (‘11)

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Candace Parker, 2026 class inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame: Highlights

On Saturday, August 8th, the Spurs hosted the fifth annual Back to School Bash. The event supported over 3,000 local students as they prepared for the 2026-2027 school year with school supplies, haircuts, and a variety of health screenings as well as information booths for extracurricular activities and support services.

Spurs Sports and Entertainment shared some images from the event.

Jayden Quaintance, Maliq Brown, and Ja’Kobi Gillespie all helped greet the students and hand out supplies including Spurs notebooks and water bottles.

While Victor Wembanyama and Harrison Barnes are halfway across the world working out with the French Rigby Team, the newest members of the Spurs are brightening the day and setting a tone for local youngsters as the new school year approaches.

It’s been a busy summer for the Spurs draftees, and it is about to get busier. The Spurs schedule has been released and preseason is just two months away.

The SS&E Back to School Bash has drawn 17,000-plus attendees over its five years. Over the past two, the addition of screenings has reached 2,500 patrons while distributing an excess of 23,000 school supplies.

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Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

Bill Plaschke should have consulted with his colleague Laurence Darmiento before writing his ill-informed column on the sale of the Lakers. Had he done so he would’ve realized that Joshua Kushner, who is co-buying the Lakers, is a lifelong Democrat, and therefore President Trump‘s showing up for a Lakers’ tip-off as suggested by Plaschke is off the table.

Jack Wishard
Los Angeles

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In 2025, when Mark Walter acquired his majority stake in the Lakers, he said, “It’s a privilege to work alongside Jeanie Buss as we maintain that excellence and set the standard for success in this new era, both on and off the court.”

That era concluded quickly, undone by his hubris and deceit. Did he mean to say “error” both on and off the court? That he did quite well.

David Griffin
Westwood

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Like in real estate, the Lakers were flipped by Dodgers majority owner Mark Walter after only 10 months of ownership. One person took a “flip in his grave,” previous owner Jerry Buss, who died in 2013. The Lakers as an organization have never been the same since his passing.

Wayne Muramatsu
Cerritos

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Former Disney head honcho Bob Iger, et al., owning the Lakers? Can’t wait to see Goofy and Mr. Toad as ushers at the Crypt!

Jack Wolf
Westwood

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Lakers previous owner Mark Walter is under federal investigation for possible loan fraud, and new Lakers owner Joshua Kushner’s company, Thrive Eternal, participated in the recent FIFA private equity scandal. Why can’t NBA owners avoid financial shenanigans? Thank God for Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. … Oh, wait.

Jonathan Curtiss
Sherman Oaks

Pros and cons

The WNBA has seen a very positive increase the last few years in viewership, ratings and salaries, which is good for them. Not so good for them, the poor image of themselves they are presenting to the public. They need to act like professionals and stop acting like contestants on a reality show. It seems like every game a player (and or coach) has to issue a racial slur, a sexual slur, a flagrant foul or something similar.

They are getting headlines for the wrong reasons and setting bad examples for the young women in middle school and high school who emulate them.

The league office needs to send a directive to all team owners, coaches, players and referees, to stop this behavior and play like professionals.

Russell Morgan
Carson

Celtic touch

Don Nelson’s record, as a player and a coach, speaks for itself. For the last 57 years, however, I have found it impossible to forget Nelson’s shot off the back rim at the very end of Game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals that went 10 feet into the air and dropped through, thus once again defeating the Lakers.

Now, however, I am a senior citizen who can look at events with the benefit of perspective and hindsight, and thus I have decided to forgive Don Nelson.

Someday.

Ronald O. Richards
Los Angeles

Spoiler alert

I came home from an event and thought I would watch the Dodger replay that is shown after the actual game. However, I noticed that they gave the final score every five minutes on the lower screen so I had to close my eyes each time. What’s the point of watching the replay if they show you the final score? I hope that they eliminate the scores in the future.

Jeff Hershow
Woodland Hills

Line of sight

I highly recommend that Andy Pages get a referral for the same ophthalmologist that Max Muncy saw a few years ago. It really helped Max with his hitting and would most definitely help Pages with the untimely ABS challenges he makes to no avail in the early innings.

Peter Schwab
Marina del Rey

No relief here

The Dodgers’ loss to Milwaukee on Thursday will prove to be the worst of the season, come October. The question must be asked is why manager Dave Roberts using Edwin Díaz in the ninth inning? Because he’s the best he has or the most expensive?

Fred Wallin
Westlake Villlage

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Edwin Díaz enters from the bullpen to the trumpet track “Narco.” The trumpeter should be playing “Taps.”

Tom Moore
Los Angeles

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In one year, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has successfully achieved signing two of the biggest free-agent busts of all time: Kyle “Can’t Hit” Tucker and Edwin “Blown Save” Díaz. The combined salary of these underachievers is $309 million. These two signings alone will be one of the catalysts for a salary cap. See y’all in 2028. Thanks, Andrew!

John C Borrego
Safety Harbor, Fla.

Revolving door

MLB rosters are set at 26 players, but it seems the Dodgers are playing with, in essence, 28 to 30 men each week. They continually call up guys, have them make one appearance and then no matter how successful they are sent down for a “fresh arm.” Over the past few days, Seth Halvorsen was called up, pitched brilliantly and then sent down and replaced by Landon Knack, who recorded a multiple-innings save (wish Edwin Díaz could do that), was lauded by the manager and The Times for saving a tired ‘pen and immediately replaced by Jonathan Hernández.

Sadly or maybe justly, the Dodgers have drifted into ineptitude of late, while the Tarik Skubal-less Tigers have suddenly gotten hot and leapfrogged several teams to move into the last wild-card slot.

Mike Dudnikov
Union, N.J.

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