Category: Basketball

INGLEWOOD, CA — The 2026 NBA All-Star Game is officially a wrap.

An entertaining showcase on Sunday, Feb. 15 resulted in a victory for Team Stars — a squad composed of mostly younger U.S.-born players — reinvigorated the event, which has faced repeated criticism over a lack of competitive play.

In the All-Star Game championship, Team Stars defeated Team Stripes, which mostly featured a collection of more experienced veterans like LeBron James of the Lakers, Kevin Durant of the Rockets and Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards won the Kobe Bryant Trophy, given to the All-Star Game's Most Valuable Player.

Here are the winners and losers from the 2026 NBA All-Star Game:

SEATTLE (AP) — Sayvia Sellers scored 17 points to help No. 25 Washington beat Oregon 51-43 on Sunday night.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Washington shot 38.3% overall and made 6 of 19 from beyond the arc. Oregon shot 30.9% overall and missed 9 of 10 from distance.

Up next

Oregon: Hosts Nebraska on Thursday.

Washington: At No. 2 UCLA on Thursday.

___

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The basketball was elite. The building was electric. But before a single jumper fell inside the $2 billion palace known as Intuit Dome, the loudest roar of the day belonged to two people who weren’t in uniform.

When Barack Obama and Michelle Obama appeared on the video board before tipoff of the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, the crowd cheered and applauded. Not polite applause. Not celebrity courtesy claps. A full-throated ovation that reminded everyone this league has always been bigger than basketball.

Huge ovation for Barack and Michelle Obama at the NBA All-Star Game pic.twitter.com/rSBITsJYq4

— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) February 15, 2026

The Obamas, seated next to Hall of Famer Julius Erving, felt like the center of a night built on spectacle. During an NBC interview with Reggie Miller, the former president addressed the elephant that has hovered over All-Star Weekend in recent years — effort. “Anytime you get Americans vs. International, they want to bring it,” he said. And for once, he was right. The pride between all three teams was palpable.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sat a few rows away, British royalty meeting hardwood royalty.

MEGHAN and HARRY! pic.twitter.com/qGq80njfIJ

— #NBAAllStar (@NBAAllStar) February 15, 2026

The NBA legends were everywhere. Magic Johnson. Allen Iverson. Oscar Robertson. Pau Gasol. Dwyane Wade. Vince Carter. Tracy McGrady. Carmelo Anthony. The past and present colliding under one roof as current stars like Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Damian Lillard soaked in the moment.

Even the entertainment world felt courtside-ready: Jennifer Hudson, Ludacris, Glorilla, Tyla, Brandy, Busta Rhymes, Anthony Anderson, Shaboozey, Charlie Puth, Gayle King, Kelly Rowland, Keegan Michael Key, Teyana Taylor, John Tesh, 2 Chainz, Sterling K. Brown, Queen Latifah, Simu Liu, Spike Lee and Vin Diesel turned the sideline into a living mood board of American pop culture.

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Rams head coach Sean McVay was there with his wife, as were other NFL stars like Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and former Chargers WR Keenan Allen.

That’s the thing about the NBA All-Star Game. It isn’t just a basketball exhibition. It’s a census of influence. Music, politics, fashion, film, sport — all orbiting around a leather ball and a hardwood stage in Inglewood.

California Post Senior Sports Reporter Edward Lewis contributed to this story.

The 2026 NBA All-Star Game was an unquestioned success. The convoluted USA vs. the World format made the game competitive for three of the four quarters, which hasn’t happened in at least three decades. Watching the best players in the world participate in a game that somewhat resembled basketball was awesome. For once, the product actually lived up to the billing

This, however, isn’t the first time an innovation format worked in its initial go-around. The 2018 version, after they introduced team captains, had an exciting ending. And the 2020 game that used the Elam ending was one of the best finishes in recent memory.

The league hasn’t struggled to find new formats that work. The issue has been making them do so for more than just one season. Each of the previous changes led to the same issues the following year, which inevitably caused additional alterations.

Like most of the issues the NBA has been trying to tackle under Adam Silver, they’re trying to fix it by not addressing the actual problem.

The All-Star Game format wasn’t broken on its own. There’s a reason basketball is played under the same rules around the world. The real issue was a lack of effort from the players. And there’s no way to really legislate around that with format changes.

The NBA has tried to fix other issues in similar heavy-handed ways.

They wanted to increase the competitiveness of games down the stretch, so they made up the Play-In Tournament. They wanted to make games more meaningful at the beginning of the season, so they created the NBA Cup. They wanted to end load management, so they instituted a 65-game minimum requirement for awards. They wanted to limit tanking, so they flattened the lottery odds and may make further changes.

These innovations are all somewhat justified on their own, but none of them have meaningfully addressed the actual long-term issues.

The problem with playoff seeding not mattering and the start of the season dragging is the fact that too many teams make the playoffs. If you wanted the regular season to really mean something, you’d cut the number of playoff participants to four in each conference. Although, that wouldn’t seriously be discussed since the league would never get rid of an entire playoff round.

Load management is needed because the regular season is too long, given how fast the game is played. But the league isn’t going to attack either of those issues. They don’t want to shorten the season, and they aren’t going to move to a less offense-friendly style of play. So instead, we have the best player — Nikola Jokic — ineligible for regular-season awards.

And lastly, there’s nothing you can do to keep teams from being bad. Making it harder for them to improve through the draft is just going to keep them where they are, which encourages more teams to tank, instead of fewer.

The league isn’t interested in actually fixing the issues that they see within their product. Instead, they’re content to add band-aid solutions that help alleviate some of the symptoms, but do little to solve the core problem.

And every time you make one of these alterations, you’re signaling to everyone that this thing is broken. Nobody proposes drastic changes to something that is working fine.

In the end, the NBA is left waving giant red flags at known problems, while also not meaningfully confronting any of the root issues. This creates an environment where those paid to comment on the league spend most of their energy talking about what’s wrong and proposing narrow-minded solutions, instead of discussing what’s happening on the court.

The NFL has many of the same problems as the NBA, they just don’t seem to care. Teams tank down the stretch for draft position, some of their weekly on-field offerings are downright awful (I’m looking at you, Thursday Night Football), and the Pro Bowl is a complete joke.

But instead of drawing attention to those things, the NFL keeps rolling and highlights what is working.

When you create an environment that the NBA has, where it’s constantly talking about what’s wrong and trying to fix things that they really don’t have the financial incentive to solve, you only magnify the issues.

If they merely admitted that the All-Star Game was never great and just a glorified exhibition, you would’ve saved yourself from the annual negative press that comes after another disappointing weekend. If you just accepted that the playoffs were really what’s important — and teams should do whatever they can to position themselves best for them — then you’d have the ability to celebrate those three months. And if you just came to terms with bad teams existing and created a system that allowed them to get better, you wouldn’t have the same perennial losers at the bottom of the league year after year.

Or if you want to change these things, actually do so.

Yes, this All-Star Game was a success, but recent history tells us it won’t be next season. And until the league is merely okay with this event being the same mediocre product it’s always been for anyone over the age of 18, it’s going to keep being stuck in this loop of inviting criticism and fixes, without being interested in truly solving the root problems. Which is where the association has been under Silver’s entire tenure.

No real fixes. Just temporary solutions that frustrate everyone eventually.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State fired basketball coach Jerome Tang on Sunday night, four days after many Wildcats fans showed up with bags over their heads for a home blowout.

Athletic director Gene Taylor announced the move in a statement.

“This was a decision that was made in the best interest of our university and men’s basketball program,” Taylor said. “Recent public comments and conduct, in addition to the program’s overall direction, have not aligned with K-State’s standards for supporting student-athletes and representing the university. We wish Coach Tang and his family all the best moving forward.”

The school said an interim head coach will be announced soon, and that a national search for a replacement has started.

“I am deeply disappointed with the university’s decision and strongly disagree with the characterization of my termination,” Tang told ESPN in a statement. “I have always acted with integrity and faithfully fulfilled my responsibilities as head coach.”

On Wednesday night at home in a 91-62 loss to Cincinnati, many fans wore bags over their heads in disgust.

“This was embarrassing,” Tang said after that game. “These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few of them in it next year. I’m embarrassed for the university, I’m embarrassed for our fans, our student section. It is just ridiculous. We’ve got practice at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning, and we will get this thing right. I have no answer and no words.”

Kansas State (10-15, 1-11 Big 12) fell 78-64 on Saturday at No. 3 Houston, the Wildcats' sixth straight loss. In four seasons at the school, the 59-year-old Tang was 71-57 overall and 29-39 in the conference. He led the Wildcats to a 26-10 mark in his first season.

The Wildcats' next game is Tuesday night at home against Baylor, where Tang was an assistant coach for 19 seasons with Scott Drew, including the Bears’ national title in 2021.

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NBA All-Star Weekend festivities wrapped up with the round robin tournament. Sixers All-Star Tyrese Maxey competed for Team USA Stars.

Each matchup was a 12-minute game. In the first matchup Team USA Stars took on Team World in what was a barn burner.

• Team USA Stars was carried by Anthony Edwards, who poured in 13 points, including a clutch three that sent the game to overtime.
• Team World was led by Victor Wembanyama, who went for 14 points on 4-for-5 shooting
• Raptors star Scottie Barnes hit the game-winning three pointers in the first to five overtime period to lift the Team USA Stars to a 37-36 victory.

In the second game, Team USA Stars took on Team USA Stripes in what was another hotly contested matchup.

• Cade Cunningham and Edwards both went for 11 points to pace the Stars team.
• A balanced scoring attack from the Stripes, led by 11 points from Jaylen Brown, paced the team.
• A De’Aaron Fox three-pointer at the buzzer gave the Stripes a 42-40 win.

In the third game Team World took on Team Stripes.

• Kawhi Leonard stole the show going for a loud 31 points in the 12-minute period. Kawhi put on an absolute clinic in ball-handling and shot-making, knocking down 11-for-13 shots from the field including 6-for-7 from beyond the arc. The biggest of them all being an iso three over Karl-Anthony Towns on the Stripes’ final possession which would wind up being the difference.
• The World team was once again led by Wembanyama, who went for 19 points on 6-for-8 shooting. Wembanyama’s last second three-pointer hit off iron to give the Stripes the victory.
• The Stripes win set up the championship final between the Stars and Stripes.

The Championship matchup had the younger Team USA Stars jump out to an early commanding lead at 26-9 halfway through the period. Led by none other than Tyrese Maxey, they stretched the lead to 33-11

• The Stripes could not get anything to fall going as they shot an abysmal 8-for-31 from the floor and 4-for-19 from three.
• The Stars had a balanced attack led Maxey who finished the game with nine points.
• Team USA Stars win the All-Star round robin 47-21.
• Anthony Edwards was named NBA All-Star Game MVP.

Luka Doncic is back.

After missing the last four Lakers games with a hamstring injury, the guard suited up for Team World at Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood.

He only played in one of his team’s two games, and he logged just two points and two assists in five minutes and five seconds of floor time.

But, he told reporters after his squad bowed out of the tournament that his ailing leg held up well.

“It was good,” he said of the hamstring. “Obviously, I wanted to go out there; the fans voted me to be in this game so I wanted to be here, be a part of it a little bit. But it felt good.”

Doncic started Team World’s opening game against USA Stars alongside Victor Wembanyama, Deni Avdija, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.

Each time he touched the ball, he was heckled by the pro-Clippers crowd. At one point, fans aimed “flopper” chants his way.

Doncic was unbothered, though, and looked like his usual self, dribbling with ease while smoothly navigating through defenses.

He never quite appeared to move at 100% pace, but there nonetheless were no apparent signs he was hurting.

After subbing out of Game 1, Doncic threw on a sweatsuit and never returned to game action. He warmed up prior to Team World’s second matchup of the day against USA Stripes and was seen attempting to make a half-court shot.

When asked if his day on the court meant he’d be back for Los Angeles when it takes on the Clippers in its first post-All-Star break game on Friday, he didn’t quite commit to that just yet.

“We’ll see,” he said.

Doncic sustained his hamstring injury on Feb. 5, when the Lakers took on the 76ers at Crypto.com Arena.

He left the game in the first half and did not return. He went on to miss the Lakers’ ensuing contests against the Warriors, Thunder, Spurs and Mavericks.

With Doncic sidelined, the Lakers went 2-2.

The 26-year-old — whom LA acquired in a blockbuster trade last season — said earlier in the weekend he was “almost” ready for the Lakers’ game against his ex-Dallas team last Thursday, “but it wasn’t possible.”

In 42 games for the Lakers this season, Doncic has averaged 32.8 points, 8.6 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game.

Sunday’s All-Star Game marked Doncic’s first as a Laker, and he went on to call the experience “great.”

 “Obviously, it was very busy,” he said. “But I was glad to do all this stuff.”

The NBA All-Star Game has not been great for a while. Over the last few years, the players haven’t taken it seriously, leading the league to implement bizarro changes like the Elam Ending or a round-robin tournament including the winner of the Rising Stars challenge. This year, it was a round-robin tournament with an emphasis on players from the U.S. vs. the World. The gimmick worked, leading to one of the best games in recent memory.

No gimmick alone can change the culture surrounding the game. It starts with the players, and on Sunday night, it started with one player who elevated the competition for everyone: Victor Wembanyama.

“Wemby set the tone,” said the game’s MVP, Anthony Edwards. “He came out playing hard.”

Wembanyama has talked the talk about trying hard in the All-Star Game. He backed it up with a Team World-leading performance in the opening game against “Team Stars,” which featured the younger generation of U.S. all-stars.

The San Antonio Spurs big man came out hot. He won the tip and immediately went to the other end for a dunk to kick off the game. It was the first highlight of a stellar 14-point, 6-rebound, and 3-block performance.

He followed that play up with a three, and then picked up two blocks on the other end. He was locked in playing defense, and Team World was running its offensive game through Wembanyama. A tough stretch of lazy defense and bad turnovers (ASG staples) allowed Team Stars to climb back into the game and make things competitive. In the winding seconds of the first game, Edwards hit a three-pointer to tie the game and send it to overtime.

The first team to score 5 points wins OT. Wembanyama hit a pick-and-pop three-pointer to put Team World up 3-2. Team Stars needed a three-pointer to win the game, and got one when Team World collapsed their defense, lacking the awareness to understand that a 2-pointer would keep them in the game. Scottie Barnes took advantage of the defensive mistake, knocking down a three-pointer to win the game. Wembanyama was not happy. Team Stars won 37-35.

Wembanyama wasn’t the only Spur in the All-Star Game. De’Aaron Fox replaced the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo for his second All-Star appearance. He played for Team Stripes, coached by San Antonio’s head coach, Mitch Johnson. The Stripes were made up of older players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Kawhi Leonard.

For a while, it looked like the Stripes would run away with the game, coming out determined and playing team basketball, which is rare for the ASG. Fox didn’t check in until the four-minute mark in the 12-minute game, but closed the game out with the other starters. Johnson must have wanted his clutch gene, and the decision paid off, as Fox knocked down the game-winning three-pointer to down the Stars 42-40.

Wemby and Team World took the court to face Fox and the Stripes in the third game. The World needed to win by 3 points to move on to the championship game. Wembanyama did everything he could to get them there, but he was outmatched by a familiar face, former-Spurs Kawhi Leonard.

Wembanyama had 19 points in the game, including two clutch three-pointers down the stretch. The World team simply couldn’t overcome Leonard, who had 31 points in the game, including 11-straight points to give the Stripes the lead mid-way through the game. The game was tied with 25 seconds to go, and Leonard abused a mismatch on the switch that left Karl-Anthony Towns guarding him. He nailed the three, leaving the World team 3 seconds to tie the game. Wembanyama got an open look on a clever inbounds play, but couldn’t convert the three-pointer, eliminating Team World from the tournament with a 48-45 loss to the Stripes. Wembanyama finished the entire ASG with 33 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

The Spurs still had a chance to come away winners, with Fox and Johnson facing off against Team Stars in the championship game. Team Stripes came out of the game slowly, looking a bit sluggish and tired against the more youthful Stars. The Stars streamrolled the older Stripes to win the ASG championship 47-21. Fox finished the event with 7 points and 3 assists.

Edwards took home the MVP trophy, scoring 32 points on the evening.

The Spurs may not have left All-Star Weekend with any hardware, but they had an entertaining showing, and more importantly, got out of Los Angeles totally healthy for the stretch run. Wembanyama may not have won any games in the All-Star tournament, but his impact on the event was noticeable to fans and players alike.

“It’s a game I personally cherish,” Wembanyama said. “So being competitive is the least I can do.”

Wembanyama and the Spurs put on a show this weekend and will likely be a staple of the events for years to come. Perhaps the event will get back to its former glory thanks to the inspiring effort by San Antonio’s franchise cornerstone.

For years, the NBA All-Star Game had become basketball’s most glamorous scrimmage. A layup line dressed in designer sneakers. Defense was always an optional accessory. 

On Sunday at the sparkling, $2 billion Intuit Dome, something shifted.

The league scrapped the tired East vs. West, and captains pick teams models, and introduced a USA vs. World format — a three-team, four-game round-robin tournament. Twelve-minute sprints. No coasting. No hiding. The top two teams advanced to a championship game, and suddenly, pride wasn’t just a marketing slogan. It was bragging rights.

The idea was borrowed from the NHL’s wildly competitive 2025 All-Star showcase, where Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States skated with national urgency. The NBA All-Star Game needed a jolt. It got it.

From the opening tip, the temperature was different. Hands were active in passing lanes. Double-teams were executed. Players blocked shots and argued calls. 

The first game went into overtime, where Raptors forward Scottie Barnes drilled a 3-pointer to stun Team World in the first competitive contest.

SCOTTIE BARNES WINS IT FOR USA STARS.

USA STARS VS. USA STRIPES COMING UP NEXT ON NBC & PEACOCK

Tap to watch: https://t.co/UOPqgMKbFupic.twitter.com/IokO8Nhvg0

— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026

The second game featured the Young Stars vs. The NBA OGs. It was one of the more exciting and prideful games.

A back-and-forth battle saw both teams breaking a sweat and giving it their all in the final two minutes.

Anthony Edwards, one of the next faces of the league, scored five straight points to give the Young Stars the lead, but the current face of the NBA, LeBron James, walked the ball up the court and found Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell in the paint, but instead of shooting, he passed out to Spurs point guard De’Aaron Fox — who drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer. 

WILD ENDING OF USA STARS/STRIPES!

ANT LAY TO MAKE IT A 2-POINT GAME.
ANT STEAL.
ANT 3 FOR THE LEAD.
FOX GAME-WINNER.

USA STRIPES SECURES THE WIN pic.twitter.com/EjQ74Twq9p

— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026

The third game delivered the signature moment.

On his home floor, Kawhi Leonard turned the All-Star stage into a personal workshop. He dissected Team World with surgical calm, scoring 31 of his team’s 48 points in a 12-minute sprint that felt like a playoff moment.

With three seconds left, Leonard rose from the right wing and buried a fading 3 over an outstretched Karl-Anthony Towns. The kind of shot that would have meant nothing in past All-Star exhibitions meant everything here.

KAWHI LEONARD FOR 31 POINTS

USA STRIPES IS MOVING ON TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME VS. USA STARS!! pic.twitter.com/8tx2wvG6dA

— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2026

Across from him, Victor Wembanyama poured in 19 points in the loss, stretching arms and expectations in equal measure. The future battled the present. The building leaned forward.

Team World was hampered by injuries. Luka Dončić logged just five minutes in the opener before a hamstring tightened and prudence prevailed.

“I think it was good. The game this year was a little better,” Dončić said afterward. “We didn’t make it. We had some injuries on our team again, but we’ll be better next year.”

The championship game provided the cleanest proof that this format works. It was a rematch of the second game, when the OGs stunned the Young Stars at the buzzer. But this time the young legs had nearly 45 minutes of rest, and in a tournament built on quick turnarounds, that rest was currency.

They spent it immediately.

The Young Stars blitzed to a 12-1 lead, attacking the rim like rent was due. The OGs, proud but winded, tried to summon muscle memory. They simply couldn’t close the gap.

The final game lacked the drama of the first three, as well as Leonard’s heroics, but it delivered something arguably more important: consequence.

Scottie Barnes with the finishing touches…

USA STARS ARE YOUR 2026 NBA ALL-STAR CHAMPIONS pic.twitter.com/MDmX1yp0BC

— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2026

Led by Tyrese Maxey and Edwards, the Young Stars claimed the first USA vs. World Round Robin title for Team USA Stars. Maxey played with the giddy edge of someone who understands that bragging rights carry weight in this league.

“I didn’t want to lose to the OGs again, know what I mean?” Maxey said, grinning. “That gives them trash-talking. If I see these guys in two weeks when we play against them, I now have bragging rights. Those are fun to have.”

There were moments Sunday when bodies hit the floor and no one flinched. When a missed defensive rotation drew visible frustration. When Team World huddled like it was protecting something bigger than Instagram highlights.

The USA vs. World concept taps into the NBA’s most powerful truth: The league is global, and that globalism carries pride. International stars have reshaped MVP ballots for half a decade. American players have heard the noise. You put those identities in a tournament structure, add quick games that demand urgency, and you get something closer to real basketball.

Not perfect. But real.

“Wemby set the tone. He said ‘it’s on!’ and so we had to bring it,” said Edwards, the Timberwolves guard who was named the All-Star Game Tournament MVP. “We had to come out hard and give the red team the victory, and we did that. This was a lot of fun.”

Was every possession played at Finals intensity? Of course not. Let’s not romanticize it. This is still an exhibition wedged into a packed season. But compared with the defensive apathy of recent years, this felt like a correction.

It also helps that the stage matched the stakes. The Intuit Dome didn’t just host the event; it elevated it. On NBC’s broadcast, the arena glowed like the league’s future — sleek, ambitious, unapologetically expensive. A global game in a global city, framed by a format that acknowledges the sport’s shifting balance of power.

“This is the greatest building for basketball in the world. It’s been fantastic. Right now, we’re experiencing real competitive basketball,” Clippers owner Steve Ballmer said, beaming courtside as the arena lights danced off the Dome’s chrome bones.

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The social media reaction was swift and overwhelmingly positive. Fans praised the pace, the stakes, the pride. They noticed the difference because it was impossible not to.

The NBA didn’t just tweak the All-Star Game. It challenged its stars to care — at least a little more. Sunday proved that when you give elite competitors something tangible to play for, even if it’s just national pride and locker-room leverage, they respond.

For the first time in a long time, the All-Star Game wasn’t a punchline.

It was an actual contest.

Texas Tech's bus tires were slashed after the Red Raiders defeated No. 1 Arizona on Saturday, Feb. 14, a Texas Tech spokesperson confirmed to the USA TODAY Network on Feb. 15.

"The team bus had one tired punctured overnight but it was replaced in the morning," the statement read. "There were no disruptions to the team’s travel schedule."

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

A video circulated social media Feb. 15 of a sharp object puncturing a Texas Tech bus tire after its 78-75 upset win over No. 1 Arizona, which suffered only its second loss of the season. One video of the tires being slashed on X has over 670,000 views.

If one didn’t know better, it would be hard to tell the Knicks were involved in the four All-Star games Sunday.

Actually, the only noticeable impact was negative.

A day after the Knicks showed out in the Shooting Stars Challenge, they had a night to forget.

Jalen Brunson’s USA Stripes side lost in the final, while Karl-Anthony Towns’ Team World lost both the games they played.

Brunson was passive in the normally shot-happy games, while Towns’ biggest impact was negative.

When the first game, between Team World and the USA Stars, went to overtime — which was decided by the first to a target score of five points — he airballed on Team World’s first possession.

Then, when the World took a 3-2 lead, he inexplicably helped defensively on a pass to Jalen Duren, leaving his man — Scottie Barnes — wide open behind the arc.

Barnes drilled the 3-pointer, sealing the win for the Stars.

“I would’ve expected us to be smarter right here,” Victor Wembanyama said. “So that was disappointing.”

Wembanyama, who had set an early tone for the competitive level with his effort, put his hands on his head in frustration at the mistake.

A 2-pointer wouldn’t have been a terrible result — a 3-pointer meant a loss for Team World.

And Towns left his man to help on a 2-pointer, leaving his man open for a trey.

“Coming down to defense, especially down the stretch,” Norman Powell said afterward about the sequence. “When we’re up three, not giving up a 3-pointer to tie the game. It’s gonna be the attention to detail, it’s on defense, if we’re gonna compete on every single possession.”

“That feels like a pretty real answer,” said Noah Eagle, NBC’s lead play-by-play announcer.

Towns finished with 10 points in that game, second-most behind Wembanyama.

Then in Team World’s second game, against Brunson’s Team Stripes, he scored six points.

Midway through that third game, Brunson and Towns began guarding each other.

Towns drilled a 28-foot 3-pointer, then Brunson picked him up on the other end.

“I knew no matter what shot I shot, the ball was going in,” Brunson said of matching up with Towns. “Whenever KAT’s guarding me, I know what’s gonna happen.”

But it certainly wasn’t a Knicks-centric show.

Towns’ Team World lost in their second game, meaning he was done for the night.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS

Brunson played in three games — his Stripes side beat the Stars in their first game, beat the World in their second game but were blown out by the Stars in the final.

Brunson took a back seat to his All-Star brethren, scoring a total of 13 points on 7-for-9 shooting between his three games.

It was ironic; Towns, whose foul complaints often go unheard in regular games, found a pair of rare free throws in the first of the usually foul-free All-Star games.

He was fouled by Barnes during the USA Stars vs. Team World game and hit both free throws.

A few minutes later, he drilled a 39-foot 3-pointer.

Later in that game, he was most at fault for the loss.

For one night, he wasn’t the Knicks’ headache.

Jerome Tang is out as Kansas State basketball coach.

The school announced the firing Sunday night, Feb. 15.

“This was a decision that was made in the best interest of our university and men’s basketball program," K-State athletic director Gene Taylor said. “Recent public comments and conduct, in addition to the program’s overall direction, have not aligned with K-State’s standards for supporting student-athletes and representing the university. We wish Coach Tang and his family all the best moving forward.”

Bracketology: Latest March Madness projection

At a Sunday night news conference, Taylor said Tang "has been terminated for cause."

The Wildcats are 10-15 this season with a 1-11 record in Big 12 play, which comes a season after final records of 16-17 in 2024-25 and 19-15 in 2023-24.

The decision comes days after Tang's scorched-earth news conference following Kansas State's 91-62 home loss to Cincinnati on Feb. 11, where Wildcats fans were wearing paper bags over their heads. Tang said his players didn't deserve to wear the school's uniforms after the performance.

Jerome Tang rips K-State players: 'These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform.'

Kansas State is coming off a 78-64 loss to Houston on Feb. 14, in which its players had their names removed from their jerseys for the game.

Becoming an All-Star is probably every player’s dream, and some are able to make it a reality as they climb the ranks in the league. This year, Jalen Johnson put himself in that position, averaging 23.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game midway through the season. Not only was he selected to the All-Star Game, but he was right in his hometown, taking in the moment.

The league made sure to keep Johnson busy throughout the week, and the content was flowing from Friday morning to Sunday night.

Day 1: Touching down in LA, Dunk Contest manifestation?

Starting off when he landed in Los Angeles, and he got the first look at his All-Star jersey.

He already had a pair of shoes in mind, and they matched his jersey.

“This is fire. This is dope,” Johnson said.

Johnson seemed to be getting a scope of everything on Day 1, and he happened to run into another Hawks’ faithful, Dominique Wilkins.

Later on in the day, Johnson met up with some young fans to take some pictures and sign autographs. One of the young kids spoke highly of the Hawks’ star, saying he believed in him since he was drafted.

That night is when the festivities began, and Johnson pulled up to the celebrity game to catch some of the world’s stars go up against each other.

Johnson was interviewed by Monica McNutt during the game, and during the segment, Richard Jefferson called him out by saying he doesn’t think he has enough bounce to participate in the dunk contest. In that same breath, Johnson said that he would be in the dunk contest one day.

That was definitely the highlight of the Day 1 for Johnson, and people will remember those words of him putting in a bid for a future dunk contest appearance.

Day 2: Media Day/ Shooting Stars with Team Cameron

Johnson got Day 2 started with pictures, and meeting up with the other All-Stars on the court.

Here was a sneak peak of Johnson’s team.

After pictures, Johnson sat down for Media Day and answered a few questions, talking about his journey into becoming an All-Star, and how the G-League helped him to get where he is today.

The next event on Day 2 for Johnson was the Shooting Stars challenge, where he was a part of Team Cameron that included Kon Knueppel and Corey Maggette.

The team was able to advance to the final round, where they faced off against Team Knicks.

Unfortunately, their score in the final round was not enough to defeat Team Knicks. After the competition, Johnson spoke with the media. He didn’t seem to be happy with his performance.

Day 3: All-Star Game

Day 3 was All-Star Game time, and Johnson came through clean.

Johnson got another feel for his All-Star jersey, but he would be playing in it this time instead of taking pictures.

It was time to put the jerseys on, and Johnson was introduced for his first All-Star Game.

Johnson’s team was first up, and they faced off against Team World. Johnson was the first player to come off the bench for Team Stars.

Johnson was able to do what he does best to get his first points as an All-Star, and that’s filling the lane and getting a dunk.

Johnson created his own opportunity on this one, getting a two-handed flush over Karl-Anthony Towns.

Johnson made plays on the other end as well, getting a big block.

Both teams ended up tying at the end of regulation, and overtime was the first to five points. Team Stars advanced after a Scottie Barnes three-pointer, and their next challenge was against Team Stripes. Johnson finished Game 1 with four points, one assist, and one block.

In Game 2, Johnson knocked a three-pointer, played some defense, and got a dunk.

Anthony Edwards threw up a lob for Johnson.

It was another game that came down to the final possession, and a buzzer-beater three-pointer from Team Stripes led them to victory. Johnson finished Game 2 with five points, one rebound, one assist, and one steal.

Team Stars was still able to advance to the championship, and they were up against Team Stripes once again.

Johnson only got this dunk with a minute remaining, but his team was already up big.

Team Stars walked away with bragging rights, and it was a great way to end the weekend for Johnson in his first time as an All-Star.

During Sunday’s All-Star Game festivities, Jayson Tatum and the NBA on NBC dropped this trailer:

Per the YouTube summary, the five-part documentary:

For the first time in his life, the game that defined Jayson Tatum was taken away by an Achilles injury. The five-part docuseries THE QUIET WORK follows Jayson through the most challenging stretch of his career as he fights to return to the NBA. From the locker room to the hospital room, through rehab and recovery, and ultimately back to the court, this is the unseen side of his journey and the work no one ever witnesses.

Until now.

Paired with the news this weekend that the Celtics’ March 1st home game against visiting Philadelphia 76ers was rescheduled from 6 pm to primetime at 8 pm and air on NBC, the speculation that Tatum is set return soon seems more and more like a reality. He had previously said that his first game back would be at TD Garden.

Earlier in the week, President of Basketball Operations threw some cold water on the rising expectations that JT was just around the corner from stepping back on the floor, saying, “(It’s) best for Jayson Tatum to come back when he’s 110% healthy, he’s fully clear by everybody that matters in that decision and he’s got great peace of mind and ready to do it. That’s it. That’s the objective and that’s what we’re gonna stick with,” Stevens said.

“When we feel 100%, it’ll be his, it’ll be a group getting together and talking, but I think our medical people are really good, I think his doctors are really good, so we’re gonna listen to them, he’s listening to them. I think he and Nick have had an amazing work ethic through this recovery, and when it’s right, then we’ll all sit down and talk about it, but there’s still no force from us, there’s no pressure from us, but there’s also not going to be any of us saying, well, why don’t you take another week? When he’s ready, he’s ready.”

Then, Tatum’s rehab moved to controlled 5-on-5 including a practice with the Maine squad with Hugo Gonzalez and Amari Williams in tow.

After the workout, Tatum said, “It doesn’t mean I’m coming back or not.” There may still not be a definitive decision made, but all signs — the tea leaves, the media push, the physical ramp up — point to Tatum return on the horizon.

Phoenix Suns star guard Devin Booker made another All-Star appearance this afternoon for Team USA’s “Stars” squad. He played a three-game roundrobin against Team World and Team Stripes, and finished 2-1 overall to win the event.

The first game against Team World went to overtime, where Booker and company were able to secure a 5-3 victory after a Scottie Barnes three. They lost at the buzzer to Team Stripes, who they would end up facing in the third and final “Championship” game.

Game 1 Line: 5 points, 4 assists, 1 rebound, 2-5 FG in 9 minutes, +12

Game 2 Line: 2 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1-3 FG in 9 minutes, -1

Game 3 Line: 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2-5 FG in 9 minutes, +22

FINAL LINE: 12 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 5-13 FG in 27 minutes, +33

Devin Booker strarted for Team USA, alongside Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Maxey, Anthony Edwards, and Jalen Duren.

He connected on his first three point attempt, then missed his next two. Booker had a nice dime to Ant, picking up their chemistry for the Olympic run as teammates.

Devin Booker got high praise from NBC’s broadcast, crediting him for Team USA’s Olympic Gold Medal as an “unsung hero” for the defense and smaller role he took on offensively.

He was one of the first ones subbed out as Scottie Barnes and Jalen Johnson made their debuts.

In his second stint, he got another bucket, a board and dropped three more dimes as the game was winding down. He closed the overtime game out with a win to secure game one for Team Stars.

Team Stars advanced to the All-Star Game finals after Team Stripes defeated Team World with a game-winner from Kawhi Leonard.

In the Finals’ opening moments, Devin Booker drilled a three early to open the scoring.

Book had a nice dime on the move to Maxey for a score, then followed that up with this work in the paint. In typical Book fashion, he didn’t rush or force anything and played steady throughout.

Booker and Team Stars secured the championship in a blowout, winning 47-21. A stark difference from the first three games, which all came down to the final possession(s). A solid showing for Devin Booker. He didn’t win MVP (Anthony Edwards took the honors) but he took on that “Olympic Book” role again to help his team take the win(s).

It’s been quite an eventful weekend for Book, as he finished second in the three-point contest yesterday.

Get ready for the 2027 NBA All-Star Game, Suns fans. We’ll be hosting it in our backyard here in DT PHX.