Category: Basketball

Though the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft figures to be spent on Kansas' Darryn Peterson, BYU star freshman AJ Dybantsa doesn't figure to make the decision easy.

The Cougars star had another monster night in a 99-94 win over Baylor, scoring 36 points, tied for his second-highest total this season.

NBA MOCK DRAFT: Projecting the first round post-trade deadline

Dybantsa also ran the offense effectively, notching seven assists for BYU. He was efficient from the field and nearly impossible to guard, going 14-for-20 shooting from the field. He was 7-for-8 from the free throw line. While things got dicey down the stretch for BYU, they were ultimately able to hold off the Bears to move to 18-6 (6-5 Big 12) on the season. His teammate Robert Wright III, who transferred from Baylor and endured chants of traitor from Bears fans, also had his first 30-point game in college in the effort.

BYU is now 4-1 when Dybantsa scores 30-plus this season, the lone loss coming in a 36-point effort against Oklahoma State that ended in a 99-92 loss and saw the Stillwater fans storm the court after. Dybantsa has shot over 60% from the field in all of his 30-plus point games.

AJ Dybantsa stats vs Baylor

Dybantsa scored 36 points on 14-of-20 (70%) shooting, and was 7-for-8 from the line. He had seven assists and five rebounds in the effort as well, along with a steal and a turnover.

BYU came back from a 12-point first half deficit to snap a four-game losing streak, giving the Cougars a big win after falling to .500 in the Big 12 following a loss to Houston on Feb. 7.

AJ Dybantsa mock draft

USA TODAY Network's Bryan Kalbrosky has Dybantsa going No. 2 to the Kings, with Darryn Peterson going No. 1 to the Wizards. Of Dybantsa, Kalbrosky writes:

The Sacramento Kings have had an utterly disappointing season and could use a new identity. Drafting a player like BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa would given them that. The young star recently became the youngest player in NCAA history with a 30-point triple-double against Eastern Washington on Dec. 22, then he had 43 dominant points against in-state rival Utah on Jan. 24.  

Cameron Boozer of Duke also figures to be a top pick. Dybantsa's competition this year is stiff, but he has shown time and time again he has the talent to contribute early at the next level. Feb. 10 was just the latest example of that. BYU's next opponent is Colorado on Feb. 14.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AJ Dybantsa stats: How many points did BYU star score vs Baylor?

There has been so much discourse this season about the Knicks needing more from Karl-Anthony Towns.

But what if they actually need less of him? 

This Knicks surge, in which they entered Tuesday’s game against the Pacers at Madison Square Garden having won nine of their past 10 games to save their season from spiraling away from them, has come with noticeably less usage from Towns.

And during that stretch, the Knicks were elite on both ends of the floor. 

Towns has gone from the clear No. 2 Knicks option behind Jalen Brunson to a rebounder and perimeter scorer, often on the bench late in games due to his defensive shortcomings. 

He missed one game in that stretch — they went 9-0 in the nine games he played.

In those nine games, Towns averaged just 27.2 minutes and 14.2 points per game, way down from his season averages of 31.4 minutes and 19.7 points.

His rebounding was up, though, to 13.0 per game, an increase from his already Eastern Conference-high 11.9 for the season. 

He took fewer shots, down to 11.0 per game during that stretch compared to 14.0 for the season. But it wasn’t like that led to Towns being more efficient.

He shot 44.4 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from 3-point range compared to 46.3 percent and 35.3 percent for the season.

And it’s not like he became more of a playmaker or distributor either, averaging 2.4 assists per game compared to 2.9 for the season. 

There has simply been… less involvement on the offensive end of the floor.

He has become more passive, funneling his energy toward the glass. 

“There are a lot of ways he can impact the game,” coach Mike Brown said before Tuesday’s game. “The way he moved in Boston was probably his best game, just moving. He doesn’t have the gravity that Landry [Shamet] has, but for a big guy, he has pretty good gravity because he can score. And they pay so much attention to him. That’s one of the focal points. That’s why they’re putting the four on him and trying to double-team with the five and all the other stuff. 

“When he moves the way he did on both ends — because he was really good defensively, too — he’s highly impactful.” 

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Towns became the fourth-leading Knicks scorer during that period — behind Brunson (23.6 ppg), OG Anunoby (19.6) and Mikal Bridges (14.9).   

And it’s hard to argue with the overall results.

The Knicks had an offensive rating of 117.5 during that stretch — sixth best in the NBA — and defensive rating of 110.8, best in the league. 

Some of the change in minutes is a result of foul trouble Towns constantly finds himself in on a nightly basis. But there’s been a clear shift in both his approach on offense and in how Brown is using him, particularly late in games. 

Often, Brown has preferred Robinson and his defensive prowess in crunch time.

Towns was notably benched for the last 6:51 of the Knicks’ win over the Kings during that stretch. 

In the eight games Robinson played during that stretch, he averaged 21.3 minutes per game, up from 19.8 for the season. 

Right now, less Towns involvement is working. But whether that will work in the playoffs, or if the Knicks will need a more aggressive Towns, is another story. 

And Towns’ acceptance of that role will be a story to continue monitoring. 

NEW YORK (AP) — Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram will replace injured Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday.

Curry, who was voted a starter, is out with knee pain. Commissioner Adam Silver chose Tuesday to have Ingram fill Curry's spot on Team Stripes.

It's Ingram's second All-Star selection. He is averaging 22.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game this season and has helped Toronto post a 32-22 record, good for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

Ingram's Raptors teammate, Scottie Barnes, is on the USA Stars. Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic will coach the World team.

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

Welcome to February Daily Topics at Golden State of Mind. A question (almost) every day this month to give the community a prompt to talk about!

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The 2026 NBA trade deadline was, in a word, bizarre. The one big move that had gained steam — a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade — not only failed to materialize, but turned into smoke and mirrors before our very eyes.

And yet, while that move floundered, one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, James Harden, was shockingly traded. Another Hall of Famer, Anthony Davis, was shipped across the country. And former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. was … traded to a team that’s openly tanking? Am I reading that correctly?

The Golden State Warriors, for their part, hung around in the middle. They didn’t acquire Antetokounmpo, or make a franchise-altering move like last year, when they traded for Jimmy Butler III. But they did acquire an All-Star in Kristaps Porziņģis, while ending their saga with Jonathan Kuminga and clearing future money off the books by getting rid of Buddy Hield.

Unlike last year, when the Los Angeles Lakers shockingly nabbed Luka Dončić near the deadline, there’s no clear winner this February. But there are a lot of teams that made good moves — both postseason contenders who bolstered their roster, and rebuilding squads who strengthened their future.

Who, in your eyes, made the best moves at the deadline?

For me it’s the Cleveland Cavaliers. Harden may have his fair share of both foibles and detractors, but I love the move for the championship-contending Cavs. It gives Donovan Mitchell a co-star to shoulder the scoring burden, while allowing them to keep their dynamic defense centered around their two bigs, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. And with Harden likely to opt into his player option for next season, it makes Cleveland the clear Eastern Conference favorites next year if LeBron James decides to return home for a final season, as has been rumored lately.

My runner-up is the Memphis Grizzlies, who got a trio of first-round picks for Jackson, as they started their rebuild right on time, rather than waiting too long.

What team do you think did the best at the deadline?

LeBron James will not play tonight against the San Antonio Spurs, making the Lakers star ineligible for postseason awards and ending his run making the All-NBA team at 21.

Under the current NBA rules, players must appear in 65 games to be eligible for awards. James can now play in a maximum of 64 games if he does not sit out another.

The previous record for making All-NBA teams was 15, which was held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan.

The Lakers will also be holding out NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain) for the third straight game, along with Austin Reaves (left calf injury management) and Marcus Smart (right ankle).

James is playing in his unprecedented 23rd season. He missed the first 14 games because of sciatica after not participating in training camp. He has played in back-to-back games at times since getting healthy, but the Lakers have monitored his health closely in hopes of keeping him fresh for the stretch run.

James is averaging 21.7 points, 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds over 34 games this season. The Lakers (32-20) are in the thick of the West playoff race despite having James, Doncic and Reaves all in the same lineup for just 10 games so far this season.

Associated Press and nba.com contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

BOSTON — Xavier Tillman arrived in Boston in the middle of Jordan Walsh’s rookie season. Walsh was 19 at the time, the youngest member of the squad, and Tillman almost immediately took him under his wing.

So, when Walsh rarely played throughout his first two seasons, Tillman was often in his ear. That same mentorship continued into this season, when Walsh began playing meaningful minutes for the very first time, ultimately starting 20 straight games for Boston.

But, as of Thursday, Tillman is no longer on the Celtics roster. The veteran big man was traded to the Charlotte Hornets in the final hours of the NBA’s midseason trade deadline, and Walsh is not sure who to lean on when it comes to dealing with the ups and downs of the season.

“It used to be X — X is my guy,” Walsh said. “Now I’m trying to figure out who that is. Me and JB [Jaylen Brown] are really close, so it might just end up being him, but he just wants to put me in a headlock.”

Walsh’s and Tillman’s friendship was on display throughout the year.

Earlier this season, for example, when Walsh was just beginning to break into the rotation, Tillman excitedly crashed his postgame interview. The Celtics had just defeated the Orlando Magic, and Walsh hit a big three-pointer down the stretch to help secure the victory.

“He’s the king of the lockdown,” Tillman said, grinning. “He can guard anybody. The bigs, the littles, the wings, they don’t matter. Call Jordan, he’s your guy.”

OMG Xavier Tillman just crashed Jordan Walsh's postgame interview as he was talking about his dagger three pic.twitter.com/8FNAdNNMyC

— Danielle Hobeika (@DanielleHobeika) November 10, 2025

Tillman’s leadership extended throughout the locker room.

“He’s almost become, quickly, a vet for us,” Joe Mazzulla said earlier in the season. “I’ve been very appreciative of how he’s handled just the trajectory of his role here.”

Tillman isn’t the only teammate that Walsh, and the rest of the Celtics, lost

The Celtics traded Anfernee Simons to the Chicago Bulls, Chris Boucher to the Utah Jazz, and Josh Minott to the Brooklyn Nets.

All of the losses hurt.

“[All] those guys, I got close to while they were here,” Walsh said.

After the deadline, Mazzulla said his focus was on the players’ general well-being: “It’s the time of year where you spend time worrying about the person more than the player.”

For Walsh, there is an inevitable adjustment period after having lost such a close teammate.

“It’s tough. That first game back…. me and X were like this,” Walsh said, crossing his fingers. “And so that first game back, I’m always looking for somebody to talk to, for inspo, points, or whatever it may be, and he just wasn’t there. And I was like, dang it just feels different. Everything feels different.“

Walsh is excited to reunite with one former teammate on Wednesday, when the Celtics host the Bulls for their last game ahead of the All-Star break.

Anfernee Simons, who is averaging 20 points in three games for Chicago, will return to Boston just a week after his trade.

“Fortunately, I’ll see Ant [tomorrow],” Walsh said. “We’ll have to destroy him, though. But, it’ll be good to see him again, have him back in the Garden. But missing those guys, having them gone, it definitely leaves a void in the arena.”

The Dallas Mavericks (19-33) stay on the road Tuesday night to match up against the Phoenix Suns (31-22). Dallas has now lost seven in a row, most recently to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night. Phoenix has now lost two in a row, most recently to the Philadelphia 76ers, and is looking for a get-right game. Phoenix won the first match-up of the season way back in November.

Here’s the main things you need to know before tipoff.

• WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Phoenix Suns
• WHAT: Road trippin’
• WHERE: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Arizona
• WHEN: 8:00 pm CST
• HOW: KFAA Channel 29, MavsTV streaming, NBA League Pass

The injury report is a little confusing at first glance for the Dallas Mavericks. All three two-way guys are listed as doubtful, so no Ryan Nembhard and no Moussa Cisse (Miles Kelly doesn’t get much burn anyway). Klay Thompson is listed as questionable with “rest” but we know he was at Meg Thee Stallion’s birthday, so I bet it’s a matter of if he gets to Arizona in time and if he feels good to play. The only Sun of note that’s out is Grayson Allen with a knee issue.

I am not sure what to expect out of this matchup, or any matchup from here on out, if we’re honest. Dallas isn’t favored, but they don’t have bad players. Tanking organizationally may be in the cards but game by game, Dallas is trying to win. They simply haven’t been able to.

Keeping Devin Booker in check is the surest path to a Dallas victory, but that’s not going to be an easy task. I’m curious who will get the defensive assignment early on, particularly if PJ Washington comes off the bench. Keep an eye on Cooper Flagg’s three-point shooting, which has been very good on low volume since the 20-game mark. I’d put money on this being a clutch game again.

Be sure to chime in with your predictions in the comments!

Consider joining Josh and me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube, we should start LATE. Thanks so much for spending time with us here at Mavs Moneyball. Let’s go Mavs!

The Washington Wizards head to Ohio on Wednesday to take on a streaking Cleveland Cavaliers team at Rocket Arena.

Game info

When: Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, Ohio

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network, League Pass

Injuries: For the Wizards, Kyshawn George (back), Anthony Gill (hamstring), and Bilal Coulibaly (heel) are questionable, while Trae Young (knee, quad), Anthony Davis (hand, groin), Cam Whitmore (shoulder), and D’Angelo Russell (uncertain future) are out.

For the Cavaliers, Dean Wade (ankle), Evan Mobley (calf), and Max Strus (foot) are out.

What to watch for

The two East teams that drastically revamped their rosters at the NBA trade deadline are set to face off on Wednesday night. While the Wizards’ newest acquisitions, Anthony Davis and Trae Young, are not playing anytime soon, the Cavaliers have hit the ground running with James Harden.

The Cavs scored big wins in each of Harden’s first two contests with his new squad, improving the team’s record to 9-1 over their last 10 games. The Wizards, meanwhile, have leaned even further into the youth movement.

Will Riley, Jamir Watkins, Sharife Cooper, and Tristan Vukcevic have all received extended run over Washington’s last three games. There’s no reason to expect that to change against the Cavs with the Wiz still looking to secure more draft lottery combinations.

The 2026 NBA All-Star Game is nearly here.

The rosters have been set, and the game’s biggest stars will congregate in Los Angeles for the 75^th edition of the NBA All-Star Game.

The league opted to use a “U.S. vs. World” format in a round-robin tournament that will feature three teams, one of which will be composed of international players.

The game, however, will be missing some key players because of injury, most notably last season’s Most Valuable Player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 NBA All-Star Game:

When is the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?

The game will take place Sunday, Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. ET.

Where is the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?

Los Angeles will serve as host of All-Star weekend and all of its events, including the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, the Slam Dunk Contest and the 3-Point Contest. Events will take place at the Intuit Dome, the home venue of the Los Angeles Clippers.

How to watch 2026 NBA All-Star Game

The game will be broadcast on NBC and will be available for streaming on Peacock. The first game in the round-robin tournament will tip off at 5 p.m. ET. This is the first time in 24 years that the event is broadcast on a network other than TNT.

Who is participating in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?

Team Stars

• Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors)
• Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
• Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons)
• Jalen Duren (Detroit Pistons)
• Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)
• Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder)
• Jalen Johnson (Atlanta Hawks)
• Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers)

Team Stripes

• Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics)
• Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks)
• Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)*
• Kevin Durant (Houston Rockets)
• Brandon Ingram (Toronto Raptors)
• LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)
• Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers)
• Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)
• Norman Powell (Miami Heat)

Team World

• Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)*
• Deni Avdija (Portland Trail Blazers)
• Luka Dončić (Los Angeles Lakers)
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)*
• Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets)
• Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets)
• Alperen Şengün (Houston Rockets)
• Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers)
• Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks)
• Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)

*injured, will not play

2026 NBA All-Star Game format

The NBA is introducing an entirely new format in the All-Star Game: U.S. vs. The World.

Two teams of U.S. players and a team of international players will compete in a round-robin tournament in four 12-minute games, all to be held on the final day of All-Star Weekend — Sunday, Feb. 15 — the NBA announced Tuesday, Nov. 11.

All round-robin games will be played on Sunday, Feb. 15, and here’s how the tournament works:

Team A will play Team B in Game 1. 

The winning team from Game 1 will play Team C in Game 2.

The losing team from Game 1 will play Team C in Game 3.

After Game 3, the top two teams by record will play each other in the championship game. But, if all three teams have a 1-1 record after Game 3, the point differential in each team’s two round-robin games will serve as the tiebreaker.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA All-Star 2026 schedule: Dates, time and TV channel

Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Clippers

February 9, 2026

Location: Toyota Center – Houston, TX

TV: Space City Home Network, NBA TV

Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790

Online: Rockets App, SCHN+

Time: 7:00pm CST

Probable Starting Lineups

Rockets: Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun

Clippers: Bennedict Mathurin, Kawhi Leonard, Kris Dunn, John Collins, Brook Lopez

Last year’s number one overall draft pick Zaccharie Risacher was overlooked on the initial list for the 2026 Rising Stars event at the All-Star Weekend that will take place in under a week’s time. I outlined his injury-riddled disappointing second season earlier.

But with Ajay Mitchell of the Oklahoma City Thunder ruled out for the challenge due to injury, the NBA needed to backfill one of the sophomore spots. Today, we got some fortunate news for Risacher:

Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher will replace Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell on Team T-Mac in the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars (2/13, 9 PM ET, Peacock).

Risacher will compete in Rising Stars for the second straight year. Mitchell is out with an abdominal strain. pic.twitter.com/3wh51WecGK

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 10, 2026

Risacher is averaging 10.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per game — both figures fewer than his rookie season when he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting.

Tonight at Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks (34*-19) host the Indiana Pacers (13-40). The Knicks are riding high, winning nine of their last ten tries, while the Pacers are dutifully clearing the conference drain of clogs. For tonight’s tilt, Mitchell Robinson (mgmt) and OG Anunoby (toe) will be out. With New York slated to play in Philly tomorrow night, a smart strategy would be for the healthy starters to slam the lid on this one early and let the bench crew—Kolek! Alvarado! Diawara! McCullar!—shovel the dirt on the coffin.

Tip-off is 7:30 pm EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Indy Cornrows. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Enjoy each other’s company, respectfully. And go Knickerbockers!

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to roll into the All-Star break on a five-game winning streak. The only thing standing in their way is a less-than-stellar Washington Wizards team.

Wednesday will be James Harden’s first game in Cleveland as a Cavalier. He’s made a great first impression with the team as he’s come up big in the clutch against the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets. We’ll see what he has in store for his home debut.

The Wizards aren’t exactly trying to win games at this point in the season. Their midseason trades for Anthony Davis and Trae Young were done with next year in mind.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (33-21) vs. Washington Wizards (14-38)

Where: Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH

When: Wed., Feb. 11 at 7 PM

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass

Point spread: Cavs -18.5

Cavs injury report: Dean Wade – OUT (ankle), Evan Mobley – OUT (calf), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Emanuel Miller – OUT (G League)

Wizards injury report: Bilal Coulibaly – QUESTIONABLE (heel), Anthony Davis – OUT (finger), Kyshawn George – QUESTIONABLE (ankle), Anthony Gill – QUESTIONABLE (hand), D’Angelo Russell – OUT (not with team), Cam Whitmore – OUT (shoulder), Trae Young – OUT (knee)

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merrill, Jaylon Tyson, Jarrett Allen

Wizards expected starting lineup: Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, Justin Champagnie, Alex Sarr

Previous matchup: The Cavs needed 48 points from Donovan Mitchell to narowly defeat the Wizards 130-126 in December.

Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

	Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating	Net Rating
Cavs	117.8 (7th)	114.2 (11th)	+3.6 (9th)
Wizards	110.3 (29th)	121.3 (29th)	-11 (30th)

BERLIN, Germany (AP) — Freiburg advanced to the semifinals of the German Cup after a 5-4 penalty shootout win at Hertha Berlin on Tuesday.

Freiburg goalkeeper Florian Muller saved Pascal Klemens' sudden death spot kick in the Olympiastadion in Berlin to secure his team's place in the last four of the competition. Yuito Suzuki's strike had put the visitors 5-4 in front, meaning Klemens had to score to keep the shootout going.

After the game ended goalless in regulation time, Yuito Suzuki fired Freiburg ahead in the 96th minute. Eight minutes later the game was level again when Fabian Reese struck with a shot into the top corner.

Muller denied Michael Cuisance earlier in the shootout, but Freiburg's Johan Manzambi then saw his spot kick saved by Hertha keeper Tjark Ernst.

___

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

With another week of college basketball complete, the next wave of NBA prospects continues to take shape.

Here’s the latest edition of The Long Forecast on NetsDaily, breaking down the latest regarding prospects in the 2026 NBA draft.

Where do the Nets’ picks sit?

Since last week’s column, the Nets went 1-2 and currently hold the league’s fifth-worst record at 15-37. Their only win came over the Washington Wizards, who currently sit one spot ahead of the Nets in the tank race at 14-38.

As for Brooklyn’s second-round selection, they are currently slotted at No. 35 and 43 overall.

Here are the latest mock drafts from Tankathon and Bleacher Report.

Risers

Bennett Stirtz, Iowa

Against Northwestern on Sunday, Stirtz was unstoppable, pouring in 36 points while shooting 12 of 20 from the field (60%) and knocking down 3 of 4 3-pointers, leading Iowa to a 76-70 victory.

Bennett Stirtz goes OFF for Iowa against Northwestern 👀👀

36 points
3 rebounds
2 assists
2 steals
12-20 FG
4-6 3PT
8-8 FT

Who does he remind you of? 🤔🤔

Future NBA PRO? 🔮🔮 pic.twitter.com/d4lCnjJLQs

— The Portal Report (@ThePortalReport) February 9, 2026

After playing at Drake last season, Stirtz is in his first season as a Hawkeye. Across 23 games with the program, the 22-year-old is averaging 19.9 points, 4.8 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting a blistering 40.6% from three-point range.

Some highlights from Bennett Stirtz’s ridiculous shooting night vs Oregon pic.twitter.com/qzTCGTvhBM

— Draftday.HQ (@Draftdayhq) February 2, 2026

He is a talented perimeter shooter who can score at all three levels. The main concern, though, regards his athleticism, as Stirtz is not a particularly explosive athlete.

Fallers

Myles Colvin, Wake Forest

After getting off to a hot start this season, Colvin has cooled down in recent weeks.

His biggest knock last season was his inconsistency from 3-point territory. To open this season, it appeared that he had addressed those issues, as he was shooting over 40% from beyond the arc through the season’s first nine games.

However, that mark has dipped. Now, in 23 games, he is shooting 35.1% from 3. Colvin is also averaging just 12.4 points per game and hasn’t reached double figures in two of his past four games.

To build his stock back up, Colvin must find consistency from 3-point range and make more of an impact as a scorer.

Spotlight of the Week

Keaton Wagler, Illinois

Wagler has been rock solid as a freshman at Illinois, averaging 17.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 32.5 minutes per game this season.

He is shooting 45.9% from the field while converting a whopping 43.3% of his 3-point attempts, contributing to a 57.3% eFG%.

Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler's rise to college superstar is one of the best stories in college basketball ‼️

The freshman just went off against No.5 Nebraska 🔥

28 PTS | 7-15 FG | 4-9 3PT | 5 REB | 5 AST pic.twitter.com/PZ7hHJGglW

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) February 1, 2026

The 19-year-old is a poised combo guard who spaces the floor and rarely turns the ball over, averaging just 1.6 turnovers per game this season.

For someone that gets criticized for his lack of athleticism, Keaton Wagler doesn’t seem to have any issues getting into the paint. Then when he gets downhill it feels like he always makes the right decision. Really nice pass here before he relocates for an open 3.

Stud. pic.twitter.com/iToeedUcQ4

— Jim (@Wiz_Weekly) February 4, 2026

At the next level, Wagler projects as a high-IQ, plug-and-play piece in the backcourt.

Sleepers

Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt

Tanner is putting together a strong sophomore campaign at Vanderbilt, averaging just over 18 poins, 5.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists across 31.6 minutes per game.

This was a special performance from Tyler Tanner. There’s always a roster spot in the league for guards who generate a ton of paint touches, shoot almost 40% from three, and finish at a 66% clip from the rim with only 29% of those attempts being assisted.
pic.twitter.com/6vHsnSZz9f

— JPR (@Scouting_Col) February 8, 2026

A crafty playmaker with great shiftiness, similar to Wagler, Tanner can score efficiently at all three levels.

Tyler Tanner is playing like an All American

Didn’t start a single game last year and only averaged 5.7 PPG

He is a great testament to sticking with a situation and growing by getting better

Didn’t run from hard, just got better

pic.twitter.com/blo6aUKXra

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) January 8, 2026

If he continues to produce at this caliber, he will rise up draft boards, as NBA talent evaluators will buy into his scoring and creation combo.

This week’s watch guide

Here is a list of NCAA games fans should tune in to this week.

• February 10, 8:00 PM tip-off: Wisconsin @ Illinois
• February 14, 12:00 PM tip-off: Clemson @ Duke
• February 14, 1:oo PM tip-off: Kansas @ Iowa State
• February 16, 9:00 PM tip-off: Houston @ Iowa State
• February 17, 6:30 PM tip-off: Michigan @ Purdue