At a time when so many Americans inject jingoism into their veins and claim global superiority, our national sports landscape is providing a compelling rebuttal. Nowhere is the evidence more potent than in the NBA, where the United States has been shut out for eight consecutive Most Valuable Player awards.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a Canadian citizen who plays for Oklahoma City, last month won the award for the second straight year. Furthermore, no American finished among the top four in the voting. Detroit’s Cade Cunningham was fifth.
While there still is plenty of exceptional talent in the U.S., this should sound alarms.
Theories are plentiful, but much of the blame for the national slide is directed not at the NBA but at the development levels, where poor habits and other influences are pervasive. The general belief is that it is the first place in need of a reset.
Former Warriors center Zaza Pachulia, who won two championships with Golden State, has two sons, both of whom play prep basketball in the East Bay. Davit, 17, at De La Salle in Concord, and Saba, 16, at Las Lomas in neighboring Walnut Creek.
Pachulia, born and raised in Eastern Europe, is among the parents displeased with what he has seen not so much at high schools but within the amateur circuit. He shared his thoughts during a guest segment on the Dubs Talk podcast.
“This is all new for me,” Pachulia, whose family has settled in America, said on the latest episode of NBC Sports Bay Area’s “Dubs Talk” podcast. “I was born and raised in Georgia, and played in Turkey before I got drafted (in 2003). So, I’m coming from the European culture, right? So, this is new for me. And it’s mind-boggling, to be honest. It’s sad. I feel like I feel I genuinely feel bad with what I see on the grassroots in basketball.
“Hopefully, it’s going to change. I’m not going to get into a lot of details, because there’s so many things to talk about because it’s really broken in my opinion.”
Though Pachulia did not call out the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), it has been a target for at least the last two decades. Its influence – and the amount of money involved – has grown exponentially over the past 20 years. In some cases, the AAU circuit can be an introduction to college or the G League. In other cases, its emphasis on tournaments over structured practices can be detrimental to developing skills.
Meanwhile, the European model, with a shallower pool of elite athletes, focuses more on the essential elements of basketball. There tends to be more structure, with a consistent emphasis on fundamentals.
“Some 16-year-olds trained in Europe have more advanced skills than some 20-year-olds in America,” one NBA scout told NBC Sports Bay Area.
There was a time not so long ago when NBA franchises paid little attention to basketball beyond American shores. What began in the 1980s as a curiosity, with few foreign-born players making an impact – Vlade Divac, Sarunas Marciulionis, Dikembe Mutombo, Hakeem Olajuwon, Drazen Petrovic to name five – has become a movement.
All 30 NBA franchises now have multiple scouts flying all over the planet in search of talent. They usually get there after players with NBA potential have been discovered by agents who have associates or contacts planted on every broadly inhabited continent.
The NBA decades ago expressed a goal of becoming a global force, and it has succeeded.
“It’s great for the game, in my opinion, that you have players from different parts of the world that come in this amazing country and amazing league and being really, really good,” said Pachulia, whose 16-year NBA career ended in 2019. “It’s only going to raise the bar. And at the end of the day, it’s a competition, right?”
The U.S. has a clear advantage in the depth of elite NBA talent. But the league’s longtime standard bearers – Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and LeBron James – are aging out. The last of the three to finish among the top five in MVP voting is Curry (in 2021), who also is the last to win the award (2016).
Gilgeous-Alexander, 27, won the 2026 MVP award by a decisive margin. Finishing was Denver center Nikola Jokić, the 31-year-old 7-foot Serbian who won the award in 2021, 2022 and 2024. In fourth place was Lakers guard Luka Dončić, born in Slovenia. At 27, he would like to believe he will have many opportunities to hoist the award in the future.
Or maybe not. The third-place finisher was center Victor Wembanyama, born in France but the future of San Antonio. At age 22, his impact is potent enough to keep SGA from winning a third MVP award, Jokić from winning a fourth or Dončić from winning his first.
Wembanyama’s presence with the Spurs, who are built to contend for many years, also will make it difficult for young American stars such as Anthony Edwards, Paolo Banchero, Cooper Flagg or Cunningham to win the award.
The trend that began in 2019, Giannis Antetokounmpo, born and raised in Greece, won the first of his back-to-back MVP awards, is unprecedented in the NBA. And unlikely to fade anytime soon.
“Don’t be too dramatic (when implying) international players are dominating the league,” Pachulia said. “That’s beautiful. I’d say that’s embrace it. That’s celebrated.
“But at the same time, I would say, hopefully, grassroots in [the] U.S. will be better than what is now. It’s sad what I see. It’s disgusting. I’m disgusted with it, to be honest. It’s so much politics, so many wrong things. And this country is so powerful, man, and . . . I just expect and want to see grassroots to be better here.”
New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (62-20, second in the Western Conference)
San Antonio; Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Spurs -4.5; over/under is 218.5
NBA FINALS: Spurs host first series matchup
BOTTOM LINE: The San Antonio Spurs host the New York Knicks to open the NBA Finals. San Antonio and New York tied the regular season series 1-1. The Knicks won the last regular season meeting 114-89 on Sunday, March 1 led by 25 points from Mikal Bridges, while Victor Wembanyama scored 25 points for the Spurs.
The Spurs have gone 32-8 in home games. San Antonio is 8-5 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Knicks are 23-19 on the road. New York is seventh in the league with 45.6 rebounds per game. Karl-Anthony Towns paces the Knicks with 11.9.
The Spurs make 48.3% of their shots from the field this season, which is 2.3 percentage points higher than the Knicks have allowed to their opponents (46.0%). The Knicks are shooting 47.8% from the field, 2.7% higher than the 45.1% the Spurs' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Wembanyama is averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks for the Spurs. Stephon Castle is averaging 19.5 points over the last 10 games.
Towns is averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds for the Knicks. Jalen Brunson is averaging 27.4 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 51.8% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 6-4, averaging 116.3 points, 47.9 rebounds, 25.0 assists, 8.9 steals and 6.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.3 points per game.
Knicks: 10-0, averaging 123.8 points, 45.0 rebounds, 28.8 assists, 9.5 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 53.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 99.2 points.
INJURIES: Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle).
Knicks: Mitchell Robinson: day to day (finger).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
It’s been almost three weeks since the NBA Lottery, when the #2 pick was given to the Utah Jazz. My guess is that a lot of Jazz fans were preparing themselves for disappointment, as always. But instead, it was shock and elation at their pick jumping in the lottery for the first time.
Now, the anxiety of hoping the Jazz jump has turned into the anxiety of who the Jazz will pick. If we’re being honest, there are only two real options: AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson.
Now, the issue for Utah is that that decision is likely being made for them, but let’s consider the Wizards make the analytical pick and take Cam Boozer, who is the upside pick and who is the best fit between Peterson and Dybantsa?
This could be argued in a myriad of ways, but when you look at the Jazz roster, the starting unit as it stands is likely Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler. That’s a huge lineup that will be really interesting next season. The issue? There’s not a lot of reliable ball-handling and playmaking with that roster. The other thing to consider is if Ace Bailey is ready to be an unquestioned starter. In my opinion, he’s not quite there yet, and come draft night, regardless of whether the Jazz draft Dybantsa or Peterson, Bailey is likely coming off the bench. So in that scenario of Bailey as your 6th man, Darryn Peterson is definitely the better fit. Both he and Dybantsa can handle the ball, but Peterson would slide into the 2-spot seamlessly. He can play off of Keyonte George and be an off-ball shooter, whereas Dybantsa, as of right now, is more effective with the ball in his hands. Considering how lethal Peterson is as a shooter, it immediately makes the Jazz offense a candidate for top-5, if not the best, if the best-case scenario happens.
But where Peterson is the best “fit,” Dybantsa is definitely the upside pick between the two. His size at 6’9”-6’10” with shoes combined with his length and an astounding 42” vertical at the combine makes his ceiling as high as they get. You can see Dybantsa becoming an absolute demon once he becomes a more consistent three-point shooter. He also has the best ability in the draft to penetrate the paint and get to the rim, thanks to his body control, strength, and crazy-long strides. As soon as you see Dybantsa with NBA spacing, you’re going to see a player that is going to control games for 15 years.
With all that said, the Jazz can’t go wrong with either pick. Both Dybantsa and Peterson are worthy of the #1 pick. Right now, FanDuel has the odds strongly in favor of AJ Dybantsa going #1. In the rare occasion that the Jazz can pick between Dybantsa or Peterson, and the choice was up to you, should they go with fit or upside?
The last time the Spurs and Knicks met in the NBA Finals, you could not have watched highlights from the game on your iPhone — the first iPhone was eight years away. There also would have been no highlights on YouTube (2005), Twitter (2006, now X), or Instagram (2010).
Yet there are some similarities between those 1999 Finals and this year's showdown. The Spurs are led by a big man (Tim Duncan then, Victor Wembanyama now), with quality perimeter players around them (Avery Johnson and Sean Elliott then, Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox now). The Knicks were gritty and found ways to win then, just as they do now, even if the roster makeup is a very different style (Patrick Ewing-focused rather than Jalen Brunson-focused).
In 2026, San Antonio enters as the betting favorite even though the Knicks have won 11 in a row and enter the Finals on a historic hot streak. Who do the NBC Sports experts expect to take home the title, the Spurs in a repeat of 1999, or the Knicks getting some revenge and their first title since 1973? Here are our picks.
Predictions
Kurt Helin (lead NBA writer): Spurs in 6
I preface this pick with an acknowledgment: The Knicks can win this series. If they stay red hot from 3, if they dominate the offensive glass (as they did in the NBA Cup Finals matchup of these teams), and if their wings OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges can put up big numbers, they can take the Finals and hoist a banner at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks match up as well as anyone with Wemby, and the best way to attack the Knicks is not the Spurs' preferred style of play.
I just don't believe New York can keep that going at a high enough level to win four of seven. I think the soft East has led to a perception that this good team is a little better than it actually is. In the end, talent wins out in the NBA and I think the Spurs are more talented, more versatile (especially with De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper looking healthy again), and will ask questions the Knicks just can't answer. This San Antonio team is different — better, more confident, and now battle-tested — than the one the Knicks beat during the season. New York will win a couple but not enough, and the Spurs take the series.
Raphielle Johnson (fantasy basketball lead writer): Knicks in 7
Entering the playoffs, many assumed that the winner of the Western Conference would waltz to the NBA title. However, since Game 4 of its first round series against Atlanta, New York has been flat-out dominant. Playing more through Karl-Anthony Towns has paid dividends, and Mikal Bridges' resurgence from Game 6 of the Atlanta series onward has been huge. OG Anunoby and Josh Hart have filled their roles, and the bench has stepped up, most notably Landry Shamet and Miles McBride.
Last but not least is the captain, Jalen Brunson. He's capable of taking over a game with his scoring, but the subtle changes made by head coach Mike Brown have lightened the workload some, especially in the first three quarters of games. As good as San Antonio has been, the Knicks have appeared to figure things out after an, at times, uneven regular season. I think this series goes the distance, with the extra rest that New York has picked up after the last two rounds being a factor in the end.
Jay Coucher (NBC lead betting analyst): Spurs in 7
The Knicks pose interesting matchup issues for the Spurs with the sheer size and strength they can throw at Wemby in the frontcourt, but ultimately the Spurs are the more talented team here and have home court advantage. De'Aaron Fox looked much more spry last game as his ankle continues to heal, and the extended rest schedule of the Finals should favor San Antonio - Wemby, with Sean Sweeney's weaponized defensive gameplans, should be an unstoppable force in this series.
New York vs San Antonio NBA Finals Schedule 2026
All times are Eastern (* = if necessary). Game 1: New York at San Antonio, Wednesday, June 3 (8:30 ET, ABC) Game 2: New York at San Antonio, Friday, June 5 (8:30 ET, ABC) Game 3: San Antonio at New York, Monday, June 8 (8:30 ET, ABC) Game 4: San Antonio at New York, June 10 (8:30 ET, ABC) *Game 5: New York at San Antonio, June 13 (8:30 ET, ABC) *Game 6: San Antonio at New York, June 16 (8:30 ET, ABC) *Game 7: New York at San Antonio, June 19 (8:30 ET, ABC)
SAN ANTONIO — Dylan Harper is too young to have seen the Knicks in the NBA Finals.
Gregg Popovich, left, talks with Victor Wembanyama on the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets March 5, 2024,
“I’ve been to so many Knicks playoff games, Knicks games — I live 25, 30 minutes from the arena — … It’s a dream come true,” Harper said after the Spurs defeated the Thunder in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. “My dream has always been to play in [Madison Square] Garden in the NBA Finals and I get to do that my first year. I’m not gonna take [anything] for granted.”
Harper, the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s NBA draft and an All-Rookie First-Team selection, was in high school just two years ago, leading Don Bosco Prep to a state title.
Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs handles the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NBAE via Getty ImagesGregg Popovich, left, talks with Victor Wembanyama on the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets March 5, 2024. AP Photo/David J. Phillip
Last year, he paired with Ace Bailey to form Rutgers’ greatest recruiting class, but they were unable to lead the Scarlet Knights to a winning record (15-17).
“I think that if you would have told [me] this last year, I would have told you you’re crazy,” Harper said. “I think that you kind of go through what you go through to get to moments like this.”
The 6-foot-5 guard’s arrival to San Antonio enabled the Spurs to elevate from a non-playoff team to their first NBA Finals in 12 years. In his first postseason, Harper has exuded the confidence of his five-time champion father (Ron), ranking first among all guards in the postseason in true shooting percentage (57.9) while averaging 13.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals in less than 26 minutes per game.
After being slowed by an adductor injury during the Western Conference finals, Harper received a message from Gregg Popovich — the five-time champion turned Spurs President of Basketball Operations — with the team one loss from elimination.
“After Game 5, he texted me personally,” Harper said. “(He was) just like, ‘You’ve got to find a way to get the job done.’ ”
In Game 6, Harper scored 18 points (6-of-9 shooting) with six rebounds and four assists in 22 minutes, repeatedly reaching the rim against one of this era’s best defenses.
Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) and guard Dylan Harper (2) celebrate after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7. Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
“When he’s switched on mentally and aggressive, he’s pretty damn good,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “He’s got all the talent in the world, the makeup to do whatever he wants.”
In Game 7, Harper made a series of timely plays — finishing with 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists — including a huge stepback 3-pointer with under four minutes remaining to put his team on the doorstep of the NBA Finals.
Just as he long imagined.
Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs talks to the media after the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals. NBAE via Getty Images
“I think just answering the call, that’s kind of what I’ve always done, is just put myself in that position, and just double down on myself every time,” Harper said. “Everyone does a great job of empowering me to go out there and make plays and be myself. When the time comes, I just kind of go out there, and I just trust my instincts.
“It feels like I’ve been in the league for a little while now. I feel like I belong.”
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 20: NBA star Stephen Curry attends Rakuten x CANVVS Reveal "Art of the Game" Sneaker Competition Winner Chosen By Judges Including Stephen Curry at Splash Sports Bar at Thrive City on February 20, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thos Robinson/Getty Images for Rakuten) | Getty Images for Rakuten
Steph Curry’s sneaker free agency is over. In November, the Golden State Warriors superstar announced his shocking departure from Under Armour, the company he had been with for 13 years, and that he had signed a long-term deal with less than three years prior. What followed was one of the largest sneaker free agencies in NBA history.
Over the course of the 2025-26 season, Curry wore countless different sneakers from different brands, often paying homage to the team or players that he was going up against on any given night. And in the end, the winner in the race for Curry’s services, image, and brand, is a Chinese company that many basketball fans have never even heard of: Li-Ning.
Curry announced the partnership on social media on Monday, with ESPN’s Shams Charania reporting additional facts, including the news that it’s a 10-year deal.
The two-time MVP took his standalone Curry Brand with him upon his Under Armour exit, and that will now get an even larger audience while working with such a global company. According to Charania, the partnership will include not just basketball shoes and athleisure but, in true Curry fashion, an entire golf line as well. It also features the ability for Curry to sign athletes to his brand going forward, and you can certainly expect that to happen — Curry not only has great respect among his NBA peers, but has a lot of connections in the WNBA as well, and on the PGA Tour.
Li-Ning shoes are known in the basketball world for having exceptional support and comfort, which no doubt factored into the decision for Curry, who has dealt with ankle issues for his entire career. Critically, the company is also endorsed by Curry’s friend and teammate Jimmy Butler III, which no doubt played a role (and hopefully the company is giving Butler a nice little reward for that). Li-Ning’s other high-profile basketball endorsement is Dwyane Wade, who joined the company after leaving the Converse division of Nike. The brand has a handful of other active NBA players as well, including D’Angelo Russell and Fred VanVleet. Warriors legend Baron Davis and all-time great Shaquille O’Neal are among the brand’s former athletes.
According to Charania, the deal with Curry will include Curry Brand specific stores in both the US and China. Currently the brand, which was formed by Olympic gold medalist gymnast Li Ning, has more than 4,000 stores worldwide, as well as American headquarters in Portland, Oregon.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) shoots a free throw against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter.
Monday brought status quo for Mitchell Robinson.
For the second day in a row, Robinson — who is dealing with a broken right pinky — did individual work at Knicks practice Monday. Just two days before the NBA Finals begin, the Knicks remained noncommittal about his Game 1 availability.
“I’m just waiting on the medical staff,” coach Mike Brown said. “He just did individual work today. I’m waiting on the medical staff to let me know what the next step is.”
Robinson’s individual work was with assistant Mark Bryant. Robinson has been wearing a protective device on his right hand.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) shoots a free throw against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter. Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Robinson last week had surgery for the broken right pinky. The Post’s Stefan Bondy reported that he fractured the fifth metacarpal, the bone connecting the wrist to the pinky.
How Robinson suffered the injury is unknown — the Knicks aren’t giving specifics beyond that it did not occur in a game or practice.
They are hopeful he will be able to play Wednesday, The Post previously reported.
The Knicks are introducing “Knicks Talk Live” shows on non-game days. The show will air on MSG Networks at 8 p.m. weekdays.
The network will also have a show during media day Tuesday.
MSG Networks’ one hour pregame and postgame shows will continue throughout the Finals.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson #23, speaking to Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell #45, in the 4th quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Ahead of Karl-Anthony Towns’ Knicks debut last season — an Oct. 6, 2024 preseason game against the Hornets — he wore a shirt from the 1999 Finals featuring the Knicks and Spurs.
Now, the two teams are set for a Finals rematch.
“I found that shirt in my first days of actually being on the team,” Towns said. “I found it in Charleston (S.C.), funny enough. While they were practicing, I was out vintage shopping in the city and I found the shirt and funny enough, I wore that shirt for the first game and here we are. Looking back at that shirt as an omen.”
NY Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz set friendly wager ahead of states' showdown in NBA Finals.
New Yorkers and Texans are ready for their states to square off in the NBA Finals — and Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Ted Cruz even agreed on a wager in a rare show of friendly sportsmanship across the political aisle.
The New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs are set to tip off at Frost Bank Center, the Texans’ home court, Wednesday night. Tensions are already flaring between die-hard fans, including MAGA Republican Cruz and Democrat Gillibrand.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz made a bet with New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Getty Images
Cruz tagged Gillibrand in a post on X and suggested betting on their respective states’ teams.
“If the [Knicks] win (not gonna happen!) the series, then you & your team get Texas BBQ, Shiner Bock beer & Blue Bell ice cream. When the [Spurs] win, the loser wears the winner’s jersey. Deal?” Cruz pitched.
Gillibrand and Cruz agreed to take the winner and their staff out to dinner. Getty Images for Human Rights Campaign
Gillibrand agreed and said she would treat Cruz and his staff to a hearty meal at “the world-famous Joe’s Pizza and Brooklyn Lager” if the Knicks fall to the Spurs.
“Go NY Go!” she added.
The politicians’ uncharacteristically amicable tête-à-tête came after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott trolled New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on X.
Abbott posted an AI-generated image on Sunday depicting himself in a Spurs jersey “dunking” on Hochul, clad in a Knicks jersey, with President Trump laughing from the sidelines.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott posted a less-friendly picture of himself “dunking” on New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. X / @GregAbbott_TX
“Spurs about to dunk on Knicks like Texas has been dunking on New York. Go Spurs Go,” Abbott wrote.
Frank Olivieri, proud owner of Philadelphia’s iconic Pat’s King of Steaks, and Louis Cretella, co-owner of Dario’s Pizza in West Hempstead, agreed to cook in the winner’s restaurant while decked out in the opposite team’s gear.
When the Knicks came out on top in Game 4, Olivieri assured he would make good on his promise and cook for Cretella — while decked out in Knicks merchandise.
SAN ANTONIO — Growing up, Karl-Anthony Towns rooted for the Knicks.
So, this run holds a special place in his heart, to see how excited New York City is about the Knicks again, after some dark times.
“I can remember draft day a while ago. The Knicks were not good, and people didn’t seem to care as much about [them],” he said Monday before the Knicks flew to San Antonio as they continued preparations for Wednesday’s NBA Finals opener against the Spurs. “It’s been an honor to be part of this team, be part of this organization, like bring the word ‘hope’ back to the city. To have the Knicks be where we’re at right now and to be so respected in the city.
“I’ve always said the best currency you could earn in New York City is not money, it’s respect. And to have the respect of the fans in the city, we’re rich beyond belief here in the city.”
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and the New York Knicks hold up the Eastern Conference Finals trophy at the end the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
The Knicks have given fans plenty to be proud of. They will enter the NBA Finals riding a franchise-record 11 straight playoff victories. They have won those games by a stunning average of 23.8 points.
To say coach Mike Brown’s team cruised into the final round would be an understatement. They have made it look easy since trailing the Hawks 2-1 in the opening round of the playoffs.
It has been a long time coming, 27 years since the Knicks last reached the NBA Finals. Although, it should be noted, this has been a gradual build, the fifth time in the last six seasons the Knicks have reached the playoffs. Team president Leon Rose and superstar guard Jalen Brunson have made them matter like it was the 1990s again.
Knicks fans have taken over the opposing arena in each round — first in Atlanta, then Philadelphia and most recently Cleveland. This is a fanbase starved for a title — the Knicks last won it all in 1973 — and a team that appears hungry to deliver one.
Karl-Anthony Towns drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen during the first quarter of game two of the eastern conference finals during the 2026 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
“I don’t think anybody who’s made the finals would say they don’t feel like a winner. And I also think that when you get an opportunity like this, you have to maximize it,” Towns said. “You never know if you get another chance, you never know what life has in store for all of us. And these opportunities are very far and few between, and you gotta make the most of them.”
One of the underlying storylines of this Knicks team is the bond the current group has with the franchise.
Brunson’s father, Rick, was a Knick during the last run to the finals. Towns grew up in Piscataway, N.J, and was a Knicks fan. Jose Alvarado is a Brooklyn native and also rooted for the orange and blue.
They have players from here who understand the fans’ passion. It is another reason the city has fallen in love with this team.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Former Iowa State sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic has committed to Kentucky, giving coach Mark Pope one of the best players in the transfer portal.
Momcilovic announced his decision on Instagram on Monday, less than a week after pulling his name out of the NBA draft.
A 6-foot-8 forward, Momcilovic led the nation in 3-point shooting at shooting 48.7% on 7.5 attempts per game last season and was fifth nationally in 3-pointers made. He made at least five 3-pointers in a game 10 times in 2025-26, including eight in a last-second loss to Arizona in the Big 12 tournament.
Momcilovic averaged 16.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while leading Iowa State to the Sweet 16 for the third time in five years. He shot 43% from 3 in three seasons with the Cyclones.
Momcilovic announced in April he planned to enter the transfer portal and test the NBA waters before pulling out just before the deadline last Wednesday.
Momcilovic withdrew his name from the 2026 NBA Draft ahead of the deadline May 27 and stands to make a significant amount of money in a lucrative NIL deal in Lexington.
He was one of the most efficient players offensively last season and picked the Wildcats over reported heavy interest from Louisville and Arizona.
Momcilovic averaged 16.9 points per game last season, and as a 6-8 wing who shot 48.7% from 3-point range on 7.5 attempts per game last season, he is a seamless fit for Pope’s up-tempo, 3-heavy offense.
This past season, Momcilovic was named to second-team All-Big 12 and scored double figures in 30 of the Cyclones' 37 games. In Iowa State's NCAA Tournament second round game against Kentucky, Momcilovic had 20 points and five rebounds.
It’s been a challenging offseason for the Wildcats, who have whiffed on many of their top recruiting targets, but those misses may have served them well in their quest for Momcilovic. Not only will UK have a bigger role in the team’s offense than his other suitors might have offered, but it figures to be able to have the most money to offer, without as many NIL resources tied up in other high-profile transfers.
Momcilovic is Kentucky's sixth portal add this offseason, joining guards Zoom Diallo (Washington), Alex Wilkins (Furman), Jerone Morton (Washington State), forward Justin McBride (James Madison) and center Franck Kepnang (Washington).
Victor Wembanyama’s block numbers — he averaged 3.1 per game in the regular season and is averaging 3.5 per game in the postseason, both most in the NBA — don’t even properly reflect just how much of an impact he has inside. Because those don’t measure how many shots weren’t even taken due to his presence around the basket.
No player affects more shots than Wembanyama, the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year.
The Knicks are averaging 53.3 points in the paint this postseason — most among all playoff teams. It has been a central part of their offense. Finding shots in the paint away from Wembanyama will be critical in the Finals.
“Obviously, you have to figure out how to get him out of the paint, how to run him, those little things,” Miles McBride said Sunday. “I feel like OKC did a decent job of that. But he’s a special player.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama, right, blocks a shot by Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein during the second half of Game 4 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series in San Antonio, Sunday, May 24, 2026. AP Photo/Darren Abate
“Honestly, what I think they do a great job … their guards put a lot of pressure on the ball handler, which is forcing him into Wemby. If you’re playing off the ball, not setting screens and allowing him to roam freely without being touched, it’s different if somebody is screening you and then you’re getting over things. So I feel like just being physical and bringing a presence to him and to their team.”
Wembanyama likely won’t actually spend most of his time matched up with Karl-Anthony Towns. It’s much more likely he’ll primarily guard Josh Hart, who is largely considered the worst 3-point shooter in the Knicks starting lineup. It would allow Wembanyama to camp in the paint and act as a roaming help defender, a strategy the Knicks have faced plenty this year. That’s why it’s so paramount Hart keeps Wembanyama honest with his 3-point shooting.
And it also means that Towns will have a much smaller defender on him. Outside of Wembanyama, the next-tallest Spurs starter is Julian Champagnie at 6-foot-7.
“I imagine Wemby won’t guard him as much,” coach Mike Brown said Monday. “They put a small on KAT quite a bit. Either way, whether Wemby is on him or a small is on him, we always wanna try to move KAT around. Hopefully we’ll be able to do that against San Antonio.”
Towns operating as a facilitator from the elbows emerged as a dangerous offensive system this postseason for the Knicks. That becomes much easier with a smaller defender on him.
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) goes up for a shot as Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) jumps to defend during the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
His ability to hurt the Spurs from the perimeter could force them to switch Wembanyama onto him, which in turn would help the Knicks drag Wembanyama farther out of the paint.
“Obviously, Karl’s shooting is something that anybody has to honor,” Landry Shamet said Monday. “That changes the game plan entirely; you have to prepare for that. Pick-and-roll with Jalen [Brunson] and KAT with the versatile shooting big who can also roll and make plays in the pocket, as well as he’s been passing the ball and facilitating, I can go on and on about what KAT brings to us. That’s a factor in itself.
“However they decide to match up with it, [there’s] gonna be pros to that, there’s also gonna be cons to that. Areas that we’re gonna try to exploit.”
For his own part, Towns doesn’t look at himself as the key to limiting Wembanyama’s defense. He pointed to the other end of the court.
Creating turnovers would certainly help the Knicks play fast and get out in transition. Wembanyama can’t be in the paint if the Knicks beat him down the floor.
“For me, it’s not even a personal thing,” Towns said. “For me, it’s about our team doing what we’ve been doing, which is playing high-level defense and utilizing those turnovers and the defense to get our offense going. As long as our team plays with that kind of energy and discipline and game plan and execution, we have a chance to win.”
There are different ways to accomplish it, but getting the giant out of the paint is the Knicks’ top priority.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 11: The Los Angeles Lakers lay out T-shirts before the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round Two Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 11, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
While the Finals are set to start this week between the Spurs and Knicks, the Lakers are firmly into their offseason.
It’ll be an important one, kicking off with the NBA Draft at the end of June. After that, the franchise will head into one of the most important offseasons in recent memory as they look to build around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
Naturally, there are plenty of questions about the draft, free agency and the offseason as a whole. So, fire away with any of them. And if you have any questions about the young WNBA season, send them as well.
SPRINGFIELD, MA - SEPTEMBER 11: Rick Adelman. speaks to the crowd during the 2021 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony on September 11, 2021 at MassMutual in Springfield, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Rick Adelman, a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee who played for seven NBA seasons before becoming one of the game’s all-time winningest coaches, has died, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced Monday.
Adelman, the father of Denver Nuggets coach David Adelman, was 79. The cause of his death was not immediately announced.
“The Denver Nuggets were extremely saddened to learn of the passing of Hall of Fame Head Coach Rick Adelman,” the Nuggets said Monday night. “Our thoughts are with head coach David Adelman, the entire Adelman family and the many friends and loved ones that were lucky enough to know Rick.”
Rick Adelman won 1,042 games as an NBA coach, 10th-most in league history. Only four other coaches — Pat Riley, Gregg Popovich, Jerry Sloan and George Karl — coached more games and had a better winning percentage than Adelman, who took the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA Finals twice and also was head coach in Sacramento, Houston, Minnesota and Golden State.
“Adelman will be remembered not only as a coach and a player, but also as a mentor to so many in the basketball community,” read a statement from the coaches’ association, which honored Adelman with its Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.
“Rick Adelman’s NBA coaching career has been highlighted by innovation, integrity and excellence,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said when the NBCA presented that award three years ago. “His teams always played to their strengths, and Rick always found subtle ways to reinvent NBA basketball to help his players thrive. His quiet, unassuming nature belies his impact as one of the great NBA coaches of all time.”
Adelman also played in the NBA from 1969 through 1975 as a point guard for five different teams — but found his calling as a coach.
The Kings, in paying tribute, said Adelman “will be remembered for the way he inspired those around him — with humility, integrity, kindness, and an unwavering belief in the power of teamwork.”
Adelman’s path to the NBA, as a coach, was unintentional.
He thought he would become a high school coach, though his lack of experience was a deterrent. He then started his coaching career at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon.
“We had great success there,” Adelman said in his Hall of Fame enshrinement speech. “The one thing I did not realize is Jack Ramsey was following my team.”
Ramsey was coaching the Portland Trail Blazers, and invited Adelman to interview when a position opened on his staff. Adelman worked under Ramsey for three seasons and Mike Schuler for 2 1/2 more, then took over as interim coach with 35 games left in the 1988-89 season.
“We had a team that was ready to win,” Adelman said in 2021.
Blazers owner Paul Allen told Adelman he could coach the 1989-90 season. The rest is history. Portland won 59 games that season with Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, Jerome Kersey and Buck Williams leading the way, getting to the NBA Finals and falling to Detroit.
Adelman was off and running. He took the Blazers back to the NBA Finals two years later, falling then to Chicago. After his Portland era, Adelman coached two years at Golden State and then went to Sacramento — where he had eight winning seasons in an eight-year stint, with players like Vlade Divac, Peja Stojaković, Mike Bibby, Chris Webber, Jason Williams, Bobby Jackson and current Kings coach Doug Christie. And in those Sacramento years, Adelman was widely credited for running some types of offenses that the league had never seen.
“He was a brilliant strategist and teacher of the game, and an even better person,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.
Adelman had 210 players appear in at least one NBA game for him.
“He actually challenged me and poured into trusting me,” 20-year guard Kyle Lowry said Monday night. “That was important for me. He didn’t have to. He could have done everything else, he could have played other players, but he believed in me. ... He just trusted his players. He just wanted to win. And if it wasn’t for him, I don’t know what career I would have. It’s a sad day.”
Among Adelman’s accomplishments: He engineered a 22-game winning streak with Houston in 2008, a run that is the fourth-longest in NBA history.
“Coach Adelman guided the Rockets with professionalism, integrity, and a deep commitment to the game,” the Rockets said in a release. “His role in leading the team during the 22-game winning streak in 2008 remains one of the most remarkable achievements in franchise history and will always be remembered by Rockets fans.”
The Blazers noted that not only did Adelman lead the team to the finals twice, but he was a player on the inaugural Portland team in 1970.
“Rick was one of the most influential figures in franchise history,” the Blazers said.
Former Knick Jamal Crawford, who is an analyst for NBC Sports and called the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock alongside play-by-play man Mike Tirico and analyst Reggie Miller, takes a shot at some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: Your thoughts on Wemby (Victor Wembanyama)?
A: Transcendent, generational. His off-the-court view of life, his point of view of life are even more impressive than the stuff you can see on the court. He’s just different. And we use the term different so much in today’s culture, but he’s even more different than the people we call different.
Q: How about on-the-court different?
A: He could do everything. Look how the game’s evolved. We saw a 6-[foot]-9, 6-10 in T-Mac (Tracy McGrady), and that kinda graduated to Kevin Durant, who’s 7 feet, did the stuff T-Mac did but even more efficiently, and now if you stretch it out even more and go 7-4, 7-5 with Victor Wembanyama, so with him, he can do all those same things, but he has a whole different altitude that he’s doing it from, being that tall. He is just something special.
Q: Why does the city love the Knicks so much?
A: That fanbase and the connection to the fanbase, it’s one of the truly remarkable things in sports — in any sport. They’re like how the Cowboys are loved, how the Yankees are loved, how the Lakers are loved. It’s a different type of love.
Here’s an example: I came to a game a couple of years back, playoffs against Cleveland. And when I left, it was like I played and I had 30 in the Garden the night before, the fans were going crazy. I’m like, “This is crazy, I have not played here in almost 20 years at that point, and they still show that kind of love.” Once A Knick, Always A Knick, and they truly make you feel that.
Q: Paint the picture for me what the city would be like if the Knicks won the NBA championship.
A: They’ll literally party for one year straight like it’s 1999. It would be IN-credible. I don’t mean 1999 as a real year, I mean 1999 that Prince was talking about. It’s gonna be crazy.
Jamal Crawford and Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs shake hands after the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Q: What impresses you most about the way the Knicks are playing?
A: They’re playing with a certain belief, like no matter the situation. no matter the outcome, they feel like they can win the game, like no matter how they start, if they get down during the course of a game, they play with a different belief. And the belief is like the strength in numbers. They’re believing that somebody will step up, somebody will provide a spark — obviously Jalen [Brunson] and KAT [Karl-Anthony Towns] and OG [Anunoby] and Mikal [Bridges] and Josh [Hart] — but then you’ll have Deuce [Miles McBride] come in, Mitchell Robinson to come in and get some offensive rebounds. They have so many different weapons, and they’re all pulling in the same direction, they have a different type belief in each other.
It’s really a championship-contending type belief.
Q: What makes Jalen Brunson unique?
A: I think most star players, superstar players, feel like they have to be the superstar all the time, and I think that he lets the game come to him and he lets other guys say, “Oh, they got it going, oh, this guy hasn’t taken a shot, oh, OK, I can kinda sit back and then take over for these next six minutes and give my team confidence.”
He just has a crazy, crazy feel of knowing what to do, how to do it and when to do it, and I think that’s what makes him special.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson #11, during the 1st quarter.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Q: What adjectives would you use to describe his game?
A: Smart … competitive … gritty … winner.
Q: So you’re not of the Becky Hammond belief that a small man cannot be the alpha champion?
A: No, I think anybody can be a champion. I think sometimes heart goes over height. I also think thinking quick on your toes and having supreme basketball IQ can negate even the biggest people.
Q: If the Knicks were to win, where would that place Brunson in Knicks lore?
A: Mount Rushmore, easy. And the funny thing about that is last season, before I started calling Knick games, I was watching the games and my wife was like, “Look, No. 11’s in the crowd, they’re wearing your number!” I said, “No, no, no (laugh), that’s Jalen Brunson’s number. I’m old news.”
Q: Does Josh Hart remind you of John Starks?
A: I think that No. 3 can be as beloved as Starks if they win a championship, that’s for sure. Yeah, he has some Starks, I think he has some Doug Christie in him when Doug was in Sacramento and just kinda made winning plays or whatever it took, he’ll guard the best player and he’ll provide toughness, he’ll provide extra ballhandling duties, he’ll provide a big shot.
Q: What impresses you about OG Anunoby?
A: That in chaos, he’s calm. When things are really going crazy or whatever, he can provide a big steal, a big rebound, a big shot, and I’m sure he has that internal fire, but on the outside, it looks just so calm, he’s kinda at peace with whatever he’s doing, a la Kahwi Leonard a little bit.
Q: What was your reaction when the Knicks traded for KAT (Karl-Anthony Towns)?
A: I told KAT, actually, I told KAT that he was gonna love it, he was gonna be beloved in New York ’cause I played with him in Minnesota. You can ask him, I was one of the first people that kinda said that to him. He’s so skilled, he’s so like transcendent in that way being a big guy who can do everything on the court. And I think that’s why him and Brunson work, to be honest with you. They both can float between 1A and 1B in the same game, in the same quarter, and they don’t care. There’s no ego in it. That’s what kinda helps make them special as well.
Q: When you played with KAT he was not the facilitator he is now, right?
A: No. At times he could see things. I was playing with a young KAT, I think I played with him the year he made his first All-Star game. He was kinda establishing himself as a player, as a scorer. I think he likes being the hub.
Clint Capela #15 of the Houston Rockets drives to the basket defended by Jamal Crawford #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 in the first half during Game One of the first round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 15, 2018 in Houston, Texas. Tim Warner
Q: Does Mikal Bridges look like the star player he used to be prior to the Knicks?
A: I don’t know if he looks exactly like a star player, but on this team I don’t think he has to be. I think he has to be shades of who he was at his best in different places — shades of Phoenix, shades of Brooklyn. I think all those different shades can show up at different times whenever the game calls for it, and I think he’s done that.
Q: What are your thoughts on the job Mike Brown has done and how well do you know him?
A: I know him well. I think he’s done a phenomenal job. Imagine the pressure of taking over a team that went to the Eastern Conference final. Anything not going further than that is like a fail, right? But he stepped up to the challenge. It was rocky at times during the season, it was like “What are we doing? We had Thibs,” and Thibs (Tom Thibodeau) did an unbelievable job, no shade to him whatsoever, he set the foundation. But Mike Brown’s kinda taken it up a notch and taken it to another level, and I think that’s what you’re seeing right now from the New York Knicks.
Q: Mitchell Robinson?
A: I think he brings something different to the game. I think his offensive rebounding, his numbers are like off the charts. His energy he plays with. Obviously, he can do better at the free-throw line, but everybody can do better at something. But what he does do, it brings a different type energy to the team. He’s tough too.
Q: How good is the Knicks bench?
A: I think they have specialists. Look at Deuce, you look at Shammy [Landry Shamet], look at Mitchell coming off as a specialist as well, just different guys who provide different things and right now, they seem to believe they can’t lose, and maybe one of the best things for everybody on the Knicks side if you’re a Knicks fan is the slugfest that the Spurs and the Thunder were in. Because now it provides you more rest, more recovery, and you’re getting like a full scout of both teams.
Q: Thoughts on Shamet?
A: Whenever he shoots with no hesitation, it usually goes in. When he’s like hunting his shot, he’s like, “Hey, I’m shooting it regardless,” he usually shoots it with more confidence. I think when he hesitates, that throws him off just a little bit.
Q: Tell me about Leon Rose.
A: Always been the same way, very laid-back, very professional. Very thoughtful. Very real and authentic. I was always very fond of Leon Rose, when he was an agent back when I was with Rick Brunson in 2003 with the Bulls. Rick was a client of Leon’s so I met Leon in passing then.
Jamal Crawford smiles before the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves against the San Antonio Spurs during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 4, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Q: What do you recall about Rick Brunson?
A: He had hair and he thought he was like The Man at the time, he was coming from the Knicks, and came with this swagger. And I actually shot with Jalen in the Berto Center. He was like 8 years old when he’d come up to visit.
Q: What are some of your favorite Knicks memories (2004-08)?
A: Absolutely scoring 52 in the Garden. Absolutely seeing superstars and actors coming to watch me play. And probably the most important thing is I never got booed in 4 ¹/₂ years and that was a big thing for me. At times we weren’t very good, and I never got booed, so I took that as a badge of honor.
Q: You mentioned celebrities — anybody in particular?
A: Jay-Z, who I knew a little bit before, but our relationship really grew. I remember going after I had a big game at the Garden early in the season in my first year, I saw Adam Sandler at Tao, and I knew he knew me ’cause he was just at the game when I had 25, so that was cool. I didn’t actually meet Heath Ledger, but he was at the game I had 52, and I got a letter from a friend that came with him to the game probably a few years ago now and he told me how it kinda helped Heath Ledger’s love for basketball watching me play.
Q: What was the key to you being such a great Sixth Man?
A: Getting over myself. It wasn’t about me. I had no problem letting others shine. I had no ego when I was coming off the bench. I just wanted to provide what I could provide in the game. And I’m like, this is really cool, I can just watch the game, make some adjustments before I actually go in and provide some extra punch to my team so we’re better.
Reggie Miller, Jamal Crawford and Mike Tirico talk to media before the game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Six of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 28, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NBAE via Getty Images
Q: Who gave you the J Crossover nickname?
A: My childhood friend David Hudson actually came up with it, and it just really stuck with my style of play and my initials, it worked out.
Q: You were the oldest player to score 50 points in a game.
A: Yeah, and the goal was only 25 that night. I just wanted to get 25 so it could be me, Kareem and Kobe to be that far in our career to score 25 three straight games. I had 25 going into the fourth quarter so I said, “Hey, I might as well let it rip.”
Q: How would you sum up your NBA career?
A: Unique. I think it was very unique. I wasn’t the main actor in the movie, but I was the actor who had smaller roles that you wanted to see more of, and he left an impression.
Q: Any regrets over not winning a ring?
A: No, you know what? I think my ring for me personally was actually playing in the NBA. As a kid, when I was 8 years old, it wasn’t to win a ring, it was just to make it. And I made it, and I played 20 years, and in some regards I left my mark on the game. So for me, I think that was my ring.
