The 2026-27 NBA season is here, and 26 former Kentucky Basketball players are on opening day rosters. That’s the most of any college program and is the 15th straight season in which the Wildcats led the way.
Kentucky has at least one player on 19 of 30 NBA teams. The Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs lead the way with three Wildcats on their rosters, while the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and Houston Rockets each have two.
This past season, Karl-Anthony Towns won an NBA championship with the New York Knicks, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won his second consecutive NBA MVP award, which came a year after he won a title with the Thunder.
Here’s to hoping for another banner year for former Wildcats in the NBA!
Kentucky Wildcats in the NBA for the 2026-27 Season
The Boston Celtics’ 2026-27 campaign began with what will likely be one of their worst losses all season.
During Tuesday’s season opener in Detroit, the Celtics held a comfortable 22-point lead early in the third quarter after offseason addition Paul George drilled three 3-pointers in under a minute. They had all of the momentum on their side, then watched it slowly slip away as the third quarter went on.
By the end of the third, the Pistons cut the deficit down to six. They pulled ahead in the fourth quarter with a resounding 23-0 run, fueled by timely buckets from bench contributors Duncan Robinson and Javonte Green.
Boston was outscored 76-55 in the second half, resulting in a devastating 121-113 defeat. The loss spoiled a stellar Celtics debut for George, who finished with 38 points on 12-of-21 shooting (7-12 3-PT).
Former Celtic Eddie House shared his instant reaction to the collapse on Postgame Live.
“They were making shots, we weren’t making shots in that fourth quarter. They went on a big run and we could not stop it,” House said. “We had our main guys on the bench that whole time, especially a guy like Paul George who in 31 minutes had 38 points. You would think that you would try to put him out there, but at the same time, it’s game number one, you can’t overreact to it.
“But at the same time, you do want to react to the fact that you were up 22 and squandered that lead. You were in control of that basketball game, and the next thing you know, they were in control of the basketball game.”
NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics insider Chris Forsberg echoed House’s sentiments, noting that blowing a lead in this manner isn’t exactly new for the Joe Mazzulla-led C’s.
“That second half was pretty embarrassing, and really over the three minutes that they kicked away the lead and watched them go on an 18-0 run that snowballs to 23, you’ve just got to be able to collect yourself quicker in that instance, whether that’s Joe doing what he can to get them reeled in or the players themselves finding a way to settle down,” Forsberg said.
“This is something the Celtics have been prone to in previous seasons. Discouraging to see it crop up this early. It takes away from a lot of the good they did late in that first half, overcoming an ugly start.”
Mazzulla’s group will look to improve in several areas when they host the New York Knicks for their home opener on Friday. They were outrebounded 49-39, with their top two centers Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta combining for only seven boards. They also turned the ball over 14 times.
Superstar Jayson Tatum scored only 13 points on 6-of-23 shooting (0-7 3-PT). He tallied 11 assists, but he simply didn’t do enough offensively to keep the C’s afloat while the Pistons got red-hot in the fourth.
Fortunately for the Celtics, they have plenty of time to turn things around. Game 2 of the season vs. New York is set for 7 p.m. ET Friday at TD Garden.
Watch the full Celtics Postgame Live segment below:
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 16: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors shoots the ball during their preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Chase Center on October 16, 2026 in San Francisco, 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. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
During the Golden State Warriors’ open practice on Sunday afternoon, Stephen Curry hobbled off the floor and into the locker room, which sparked some uncertainty for his status in Golden State’s season opener Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Steph Curry limps off the court at open practice and he just went back to the locker room @NBCSWarriors
Although the scene itself suggested Curry might’ve injured the same knee that kept him out for roughly a third of the 2025-26 season, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr clarified Curry tweaked his ankle and is “fine.”
Steve Kerr said he talked to Steph after practice and said “he’s fine.” Kerr said it was an ankle tweak, not the knee. pic.twitter.com/i0UPFZdYsw
Kerr said Curry practiced Monday morning and is expected to play Wednesday against the Lakers.
Steve Kerr told reporters that Steph Curry went through practice this morning and the Warriors expect him to play in the opener in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.l vs Lakers.
While Curry is not the MVP supernova of a decade ago, he remains a surefire All-NBA-caliber player. Last season, he averaged 26.6 points, 4.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals while shooting 39.3% beyond the arc and 58.4% on 2-pointers, the latter of which was the third-highest mark of his career. He’s still the league’s preeminent shooter whose vast long-range talents, movement, quick decision-making and motor constantly stress defenses like nobody else around the league can.
Assuming he plays, his presence will certainly test a revamped Lakers defense, with the likes of Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams all presumably getting chances to try and slow Curry down.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Lakers dole out all their defensive assignments Wednesday night. The Warriors are not a big team but the forward tandem of Draymond Green and Yaxel Lendeborg will still be beefier than whoever Los Angeles starts alongside Grimes. I imagine Al Horford starts at center but the Lakers may prefer to keep Walker Kessler inside as much as possible and let him roam off of Green, though that comes with risks, given Curry and Green’s two-man connection.
Nonetheless, the Warriors should have their own challenges figuring out how to adequately slow both Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, so the entire chess match between Kerr and JJ Redick could be quite fascinating throughout Wednesday’s matchup. And the NBA is always more fun when Curry is healthy doing his preposterous Curry things, so it’s nice to hear he should be available, even if it makes the Lakers’ lives harder.
DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 19: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons plays defense during the game against Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics on January 19, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
DETROIT — The Celtics will start Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Jayson Tatum, Paul George, and Mitchell Robinson in their Opening Day game against the Detroit Pistons.
In the Celtics’ two full-strength preseason games, Joe Mazzulla started the same five-person squad. The team went 4-0 in the preseason and finished first in net rating, defensive rating, and rebounding percentage.
The Pistons, meanwhile, will start Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, and Jalen Duren.
Joe Mazzulla stressed pregame that he thinks too much stock is put into the starting lineup
“In all honesty, I think people care about it too much — it lasts five minutes,” Mazzulla said. “There’s still 43 minutes left in the game. end-of-quarter lineups are important, start-to-quarter lineups are important, end-of-game lineups are important. So I think it just gets overblown.”
Mazzulla explained that he gameplans lots of different lineups for different in-game situations, and that all are equally important.
“I put in just as much thought as I do as an end-of-line-up as I would a starting lineup, versus an end-to-half lineup, versus a lineup when you’re winning, a lineup when you’re losing, a need-three lineup,” he said. “There’s 10 different lineups, so they all carry the same weight to me.”
Mazzulla also noted that the starting lineup on Opening Night rarely holds throughout the entirety of the season.
“The year is 82 games,” Mazzulla said. “It’s a long year. I guarantee you tonight’s won’t be the same one for 82 games. But, I put just as much stock in the other 9 lineups that we may or may not need to go to within a particular game.”
Payton Pritchard, for one, isn’t worried about coming off the bench
At practice on Monday, Payton Pritchard, the 2025 Sixth Man of the Year, made it clear he wasn’t concerned about starting.
“To me, a starter is the amount of minutes you play,” he said. “Do you finish games? Are you playing 30-plus minutes? Then you are a starter.”
“How you impact the game is what really matters to me. I don’t really care. This might be an ego thing — like I don’t really care to hear my name called at the beginning of the game. The first five minutes of the game really have no effect on the game.”
Last year, when at full strength, the team started Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Neemias Queta. Hauser started 49 games, but Jordan Walsh (25 games), Baylor Scheierman (20 games), Ron Harper Jr. (3 games), and Hugo Gonzalez (3 games) also got opportunities to start at the wing spot.
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The road to “Knicks in 5” Pt. II starts tonight.
A little over three months after their historic NBA Finals victory, Jalen Brunson and the defending champion New York Knicks will launch their 2026-27 NBA season at Madison Square Garden this evening.
At 7 p.m. ET, they’ll take on LeBron James’ new-look Philadelphia 76ers who, in addition to King James, added Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown over their busy offseason.
They join the club’s already-solid nucleus comprised of perennial All-Star Joel Embiid and young guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Half an hour before tip-off, New York will bask in the glory of their summer ’26 championship run one last time before the next season officially gets underway. Players and coaches will receive rings, a banner will be hoisted to the rafters and a video commemorating their journey to owning the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy for the first time in 53 years will play.
“It’s gonna be a great night,” Brunson said, with a smile.
If you want to tune in to today’s primetime Knicks vs. 76ers opening night showdown, here’s what you need to know.
76ers vs. Knicks game time
Today’s (Oct. 20) 76ers vs. Knicks game is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. ET.
As noted above, the pregame ceremony starts a half hour before at 6:30 p.m. ET.
How to watch 76ers vs. Knicks for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the 76ers vs. Knicks game for free.
DIRECTV is our favorite service for trying live TV for free. Right now, you can take advantage of a five-day free trial before payment kicks in. We recommend the MySports Genre Pack ($49.99/month) or the MyNews Genre Pack ($39.99/month). Both include NBC among their 20+ sports-focused channels.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
The Washington Wizards have officially ruled out No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, AJ Dybantsa, for their regular season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, Oct. 21, after he suffered an ankle injury during the team’s final preseason game.
On Tuesday, Wizards head coach Brian Keefe confirmed that Dybantsa will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.
Wizards HC Brian Keefe says AJ Dybantsa is out for Wednesday’s regular season opener vs. MilwaukeeDybantsa remains day-to-day after suffering an ankle injury in the preseason finale vs. New Orleans https://t.co/ZI5czBHh08
The injury occurred in the preseason matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. While attempting a mid-range jump shot, Dybantsa landed awkwardly on his right ankle, immediately collapsing to the court in visible pain. Medical staff quickly attended to him as he grasped his ankle before he managed to get up and limp off the floor to the locker room for further evaluation. Keefe said that Dybantsa had suffered a mild ankle sprain
Before the injury, Dybantsa tallied 12 points in just 15 minutes of action.
While the team has ruled him out for the season opener, Keefe did not provide further details regarding the severity of the injury or a potential timetable for Dybantsa’s return, leaving his status uncertain.
MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 14: Michael Porter Jr. #17 of the Brooklyn Nets moves the ball against the Miami Heat on October 14, 2026 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. 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 Eric Espada/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Is Michael Porter Jr. a short-termer in Brooklyn. Brian Windhorst of ESPN thinks so. As he noted on his Hoop Collective podcast Monday:
“I would just say that one player to watch this year just in general is Michael Porter Jr. There’s been a lot of attention paid to whether Karl-Anthony Towns got a contract extension which naturally why wouldn’t there be, the man’s a champion. Porter has not gotten a contract extension, he’s in the last year of his contract and he had a pretty good year last year after getting traded there by Denver and you know if a guy’s not in the contract extension you think about you see a possible trade candidate.”
Brian Lewis in the New York Post’s season preview thinks so too. As he wrote over the weekend in Nets season preview.
“Acquiring Porter (and Denver’s unprotected 2032 first-round pick) for Cam Johnson is a home run deal by any measure. The sweet-shooting small forward led Brooklyn in scoring last season, and could again. But Porter is on a $40.8 million expiring contract and still hasn’t signed an extension since becoming eligible for one on July 6. Is he a building block or asset? If Porter isn’t extended, he’s going to have his name bandied about in trade rumors right up until the Feb. 11 deadline. And if the Nets do move him, is it going to be for future assets? Or do they kick in draft picks of their own for an upgrade?”
Neither Porter Jr. nor Sean Marks has expressed any level of panic about an extension. After all, the Nets have until June 30 to proffer him a contract and Marks has spoken about how much he likes Porter Jr. as a player and as an individual. In return, MPJ has continually expressed his desire to stay, praising his young teammates and being the first Net to publicly suggest off-season moves and internal improvements could take the franchise from its third worst win total ever — 20 — to its second highest — 50.
As everyone knows, Porter Jr. had his best season ever last year, delivering 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists. On the other hand, he missed 30 games and admitted that after he was snubbed for his first All-Star berth and with all that tanking, he lost interest. Not to mention the steady stream of controversies engendered by his “Curious Mike” podcasts
“One thing I regret is that once I didn’t make that All-Star game, I kind of let my foot up off the gas because there was really nothing we were playing for anymore,” Porter said on “Curious Mike” last month. To which Draymond Green responded on “The Draymond Green Show,” his podcast, “You weren’t snubbed! If you finish the rest of that year strong, everybody’s now on the top of their mind coming into the season like, ‘Yo, we got to watch Michael Porter Jr.’ Now, because he didn’t finish the year strong, then people’s just like, ‘Oh man, he’s just out there playing on a bad team to make an All-Star game.’”
The implication was that not only did he hurt himself, he hurt his reputation around the league. Indeed, a lot of what MPJ has said on his “Curious Mike” and others’ podcasts has done that. Last season, in fact, the Nets had to take him aside and let him know he’s in New York now and his comments will get magnified, often to the detriment of him and his team.
Specifically, the organization was offended, as were many of its fans, by his comments on misogynist Andrew Tate — saying he would “test girls” on “their beliefs” by playing them audio of Tate, whose entire persona revolves around toxic masculinity. Tate is currently fighting extradition from the U.S. to the U.K., where he and his brother face a total of 59 criminal charges, including rape and human trafficking for sexual exploitation.
Since then, Porter Jr. said he’s opposed to gay sex but admitted that he “kicked it” with a transsexual woman in Taiwan a couple of years ago adding he didn’t realize she was trans because gender-altering surgeries in Asia ”are so good.” Indeed, Porter’s podcast controversies have become so common that no one in the media (including us) even asked him about it at Media Day.
Of course, he’s not required to tow any line or avoid others. His speech is protected as is every American’s and he often takes on subjects that no one else will. The players’ union contract offers more protections. However, as the Tate commentaries attest, your employer is also within his or her rights to condemn you or simply ask that you understand there are boundaries.
Most recently, Porter Jr. decided to interview SNEAKO, another in the long list of right-wing social media activists born out of the gaming community. His views have been identified as homophobic, antisemitic, misogynist and violent, getting him banned at one point or another from YouTube, Twitch, TikTok and Instagram. Like his controversial ally, Nick Fuentes, his views on Jews have been deemed particularly hateful. He’s wished Adolf Hitler a happy birthday, said “I’ll be the Nazi and I’ll shove you in the oven like a dirty Jew.”
A lot of the criticism of the interview revolved around giving SNEAKO a forum, While much of the interview was a discussion of various conspiracy theories, the presence of demons in American life, the afterlife, Jeffrey Epstein, and other topics popular with his mostly young male audience, there was commentary on the power of the Jewish community.
After SNEAKO suggested that Jews as a people have outsized influence throughout the world — a trope used by the Nazis to justify their antisemitic laws and ultimately the Holocaust — Porter responded. “That community specifically, you can call people this name, that name, you can use any slur you want. You start talking about the Jewish community, that’s a completely different animal. That’s the only group you literally cannot say anything derogatory towards. or it can ruin your entire life. your entire image… They band together for sure.”
SNEAKO noted at one point that forty percent of NBA owners are Jews. Porter did not endorse SNEAKO’s positions and after the interview criticized him.
In the same interview, Porter also expressed frustration about how so many fans at Barclays Center are rooting for other teams, citing the Nets recent preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers which was LeBron James first appearance in a Sixers uniform.
“We just played a preseason game the other night against Philly. You would’ve thought we were in Philly. We gotta get the Brooklyn Nets fans back in there and actually be louder than the opposing team. When we play (New York) Knicks, (Boston) Celtics, Philly, (Los Angeles) Lakers, it’s mostly their fans. It’s crazy,” said Porter.
How much of all of this affects negotiations, how much is used by Nets? It’s hard to know and again, free speech matters. But, it’s difficult to imagine how it helps. And how far apart are they on money, on years? Also hard to tell. The final year of his five-year, $170 million deal signed will pay him $40.8 million.
Last season, even after the first round of controversy, the Nets didn’t bite on trade packages reportedly offered at the deadline. Then, there’s the key question: what would the Nets want in return? They already have 13 first round picks, second to the OKC Thunder’s 15. Stay tuned. Maybe you’ll find out on “Curious Mike.”
An international audience will see a Pistons team led by star Cade Cunningham and coming off its first 60-win season in two decades face the Celtics, who will be playing their first game since the offseason trade of Jaylen Brown left Jayson Tatum as the team's undisputed franchise centerpiece.
It's a compelling matchup of two teams with Eastern Conference title aspirations, and USA TODAY Sports will be chronicling all of the opening-day festivities to start a new NBA season. Follow along here for live game updates and analysis, highlights and reaction from Little Caesars Arena and downtown Detroit.
Both the Pistons and Celtics have altered their lineups after playoff runs a year ago, and a few of those new additions have contributed immediately. Celtics veteran Paul George, acquired in the Jaylen Brown trade, hit his first two shots with Boston, including a 3-pointer. Pistons forward John Collins, who Detroit traded for this offseason to replace Tobias Harris, is the team's leading scorer early with four points. The two teams are tied at 13 at the first timeout of the first quarter.
Celtics vs Pistons starting lineups, injury report
03:00 PM ET, October 20 2026, Mark Giannotto
The official starting lineups and final injury report for the Oct. 20 NBA season opener between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons are out. Take a look:
Why Celtics vs Pistons will open NBA season in afternoon daytime game
02:49 PM ET, October 20 2026, Mark Giannotto
The first game of the 2026-27 NBA regular season will officially tip off in the middle of the afternoon, and NBC hopes it can become an annual addition to the league's traditional opening night schedule.
The Detroit Pistons are set to host the Boston Celtics at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 20, with "College Gameday-style activations," a "Blue Carpet" experience, a marching band rendition of "Roundball Rock" and other special festivities planned around Little Caesars Arena and downtown Detroit throughout the day, according to NBA league officials. The afternoon tip is an experiment conceived by the NBA and NBC entering Year 2 of their massive 11-year, $27-billion media rights partnership, with the goal of turning opening night into an all-day event.
"We kind of challenged the NBA," NBC Sports Executive Vice President Justin Byczek told USA TODAY Sports. "We think opening day should be expanded, and we'd love to be the network that gets behind it, and over the course of the next decade, let's try to understand where opening day can get to."
How to watch Celtics vs Pistons: TV, live streaming for NBA opening game
02:40 PM ET, October 20 2026, Mark Giannotto
The opening game of the 2026-27 NBA regular season between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, Oct. 20, will be broadcast nationally on NBC. It can also be watched via live stream on Peacock and Fubo.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 11: Jaylon Tyson #20 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks to the media after the game against the Orlando Magic during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 11, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers announced on Tuesday that they have “exercised their fourth-year team option on guard Jaylon Tyson” for the 2027-28 season. Tyson is expected to make $5.64 million in the final year of his rookie contract.
We have exercised the fourth-year team option on Jaylon Tyson. #LetEmKnow
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This news is far from a surprise, as Tyson has shown real growth over his two seasons. Entering the league as the 20th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft from California, Tyson spent the majority of his first season toggling between NBA reserve and G League play. However, last season, Tyson really stepped into his own.
Tyson suited up for 66 games, including 42 starts, for Cleveland and put up 13.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, averaging out to 26.9 minutes per game. Not only that, but the shooting splits averaged out to an impressive 49.3% field goal percentage and 44.6% three-point percentage, which was fourth-best in the NBA.
Tyson has a development path that could see him earn more minutes and an expanded role this season. He has also emerged as a fan favorite as well as a locker room favorite. Both Donovan Mitchell and James Harden have mentioned taking Tyson under their wing as someone to mentor.
“I was just trying to build a relationship with Jaylon because he does have the skills and tools to make a lot of money in this league,” Harden said. “Anything where I can see I can help him at, I try to be there for him.”
Mitchell has been cultivating a relationship with Tyson dating back to last season. Mitchell earlier in camp stated, “Him (Jaylon) and I constantly talk. If I’m ever tired, he’s always talking to me, and vice versa.”
Having relationships and backing from two superstars like Harden and Mitchell only emphasizes the belief the team has that Tyson has untapped levels to his game. The Cavaliers clearly agree as they have optioned the fourth year.
The NBA attracts the top basketball talent from around the globe.
As proof, there are 125 international players on NBA rosters to open this season, the league announced. That's 27.8% of the available NBA roster spots going to international players
The NBA today announced that opening-night rosters for the 2026-27 season feature 125 international players from a record-tying 43 countries across six continents.
All 30 teams feature at least one international player.
It's not just the number of players, which is down slightly from last season (135), it's the quality and impact those players have on the league. Four international players have won the last eight NBA MVP Awards: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2025 and 2026), Nikola Jokić (2024, 2022 and 2021), Joel Embiid (2023) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019 and 2020). More than that, last season also was the fifth consecutive year that three international players filled out the top three in MVP voting. Last season it was Gilgeous-Alexander (No. 1), Jokić (No. 2) and Victor Wembanyama (No. 3).
More than that, a record 19 international players on opening-night rosters have been NBA All-Stars. At least three international players have made the All-NBA teams every season since 2019.
If you're wondering why a lot of people — *raises hand* — believe France as a genuine threat to the USA winning another gold in Men's Basketball at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, consider this: France has a league-high 17 international players on NBA rosters, the most of any country (Canada is next with 16). France can field an entire roster of NBA players, led by Victor Wembanyama, who alone should strike some fear in American hearts.
The NBA's representation of players from, or with direct ties to, Africa — a continent where the NBA has worked hard to grow the game of basketball — continues to grow. Including both international and American players, more than 60 players were either born in Africa or have at least one parent born on the continent, a new record. Among those players are seven-time NBA All-Star Joel Embiid (Cameroon), NBA champion and four-time NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam (Cameroon), three-time NBA All-Star Bam Adebayo (ties to Nigeria), Antetokounmpo (parents born in Nigeria), two-time NBA champion OG Anunoby (ties to Nigeria) and 2026 No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa (ties to the Republic of the Congo).
NBA opening-night rosters also feature 70 European players, the second consecutive season with at least that many.
The Knicks will be raising their championship banners and collecting their rings during a heavily anticipated pregame ceremony ahead of their season-opener against the 76ers Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
For a 76ers team – now with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown as part of a core that already had Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe – with their own championship expectations, it will be a gauntlet of Knicks emotions and celebrations.
Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00), guard Jalen Brunson (11) and center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) react off the bench late during the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors at MSG on Oct. 15, 2026. Jason Szenes for NY Post
“The environment is gonna be tough,” Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said Tuesday morning during 76ers shootaround at MSG. “There’s gonna be a lot of people in here, it’s their ring ceremony night. It’s gonna be a long night for us. But just gonna be competitive. I know they’re gonna come out ready but we just gotta be ready as well.”
Embiid has already said that he plans to stay in the locker room during the ceremony.
But once the game starts, are the 76ers relishing the opportunity to spoil the festivities? To make a statement of their own?
“We’re not looking at it that way,” Caldwell-Pope said. “But it’s always fun competition when you can. I’ve had a few ruin my [ring] nights before, it’s not fun. But my team, we want to start off great as well. So if it’s their ring night, they gotta take the first loss.”
Caldwell-Pope has won two championships – with the Lakers in 2020 and with the Nuggets in ‘23.
He knows what banner and ring night entails.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics on October 16, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
“You have to just focus on one thing at a time,” Caldwell-Pope said.
“It’s gonna be a lot of emotions going on. They get their rings, it’s gonna be so much emotion. Their families are gonna be here. The atmosphere is gonna be crazy.”
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - OCTOBER 16: AJ Dybantsa #4 of the Washington Wizards is defended by Jeremiah Fears #0 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half of a preseason game at Smoothie King Center on October 16, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Washington Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa is out for tomorrow’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks due to an ankle sprain he suffered in the preseason. He is day-to-day, per our own Greg Finberg.
NEWS: AJ Dybantsa (ankle) is officially OUT for Wednesday's season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Dybantsa remains day-to-day, which provides some optimism for a return in the very near future.https://t.co/xlzMFS8KZO
It stinks that the Wizards’ star will not be able to play on the season opener, but we should see him play many games this season and in the weeks ahead. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 04: Nae'qwan Tomlin #35 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket against Jaden Ivey #23 of the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Rocket Arena on January 04, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be tipping off their season on Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers without one of their rotation players. The team announced on Tuesday morning that Nae’Qwan Tomlin was “diagnosed with a lower back stress reaction following an evaluation by the Cavaliers medical team.”
Per the Cavaliers’ statement, the team’s medical group identified this injury during an evaluation. Tomlin will be re-evaluated in three to four weeks.
I wouldn’t assume that this timeline is definitive, especially with something like this that could vary in severity. It is also fair to note that, with the physical and athletic style of play Tomlin utilizes, the recovery not be as straightforward as other, more standard injuries.
Without Tomlin, the Cavs are left with Mario Hezonja and Thomas Bryant as the two established backup bigs. That is far from an ideal group, as Hezonja is still an unknown at this point, while Bryant is a volatile option.
This is definitely a missed opportunity for Tomlin to flash. Tomlin hasn’t been able to show much growth in areas of need for his game thus far, and the Cavaliers’ bench feels far from concrete at this point. The start to this season could have been one of the last chances Tomlin had to show he’s deserving of a steady role going forward.
With at minimum a month to be missed to start the year, this injury is far from ideal both for Tomlin and the Cavaliers.
Last season, Tomlin averaged 5.8 points and 2.9 assists in 64 outings and 15.2 minutes per game.
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The NBA General Manager Survey, which consists of 48 questions answered by all 30 NBA general managers, came out this past Thursday and there are many things to react to when you look at the responses with a Timberwolves centric lens.
*Keep in mind, GMs could not vote for their own players/team
Some of the best in the league
The GMs named Anthony Edwards the best shooting guard in the league by a wide margin. Meanwhile they named Jaden McDaniels as a top five perimeter defender, and the team as a whole was tied with the San Antonio Spurs as the team that will be the most fun to watch in the league. What I find most interesting is the fact that there seems to be a clear oxymoron in the way that the GMs voted when regarding the season outlook for the Timberwolves.
When asked to rank the teams in the Western Conference, the Wolves were ranked as the clear cut number three team, receiving 53% of the third place votes which was 23 points higher than the next team. What I found odd was the next category. When voters were asked about which team’s success will be the toughest to predict, Minnesota ranked second with 17% of the responses. That doesn’t make a ton of sense to me, as why would they be ranked as the third best team in the west when they’re going to be tough to predict?
Most of the questions pertaining to a potential successful season for Minnesota revolve around LaMelo Ball, Jonathan Kuminga, and the bench unit. I understand those uncertainties, but at what point can those just be explained away?
The LaMelo Ball mystery
LaMelo Ball will play in a true winning environment for the first time in his career, a phenomenon that most pundits don’t know what to do with. I’ll just tell you from my basketball experience, there is a noticeable bump in quality of play when you’re in a winning environment compared to a losing one. It’s easier to make the extra pass, make multiple efforts on defense, or actually attempt to box out when you feel like you have a chance.
Look no further than LaMelo’s last year in Charlotte when he was actually surrounded with some talent. They won 40 out of their last 64 games, not including a technical postseason play-in game. No offence to Kon Knueppel or Brandon Miller, but his supporting cast this year will be undoubtedly better.
Another concern about LaMelo is his potential fit as a ball dominant guard next to Anthony Edwards, who certainly will have the ball in his hands plenty. To the doubters of that fit with Ant, I want to pose a question to you: What was LaMelo’s first competitive basketball experience?
Well, it was being a facilitator for his brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo, of course. I see no reason why he can’t take those skills he learned in his basketball infancy and apply them with his new teammates, most notably Ant and Jaden McDaniels.
Kuminga conundrum
Let’s now move on to Jonathan Kuminga.
I understand the questions. I truly do. I know it didn’t work out in Golden State, and I know his time in Atlanta ended with a whimper. What I also know is that Steve Kerr had it out for him in Golden State, and that Atlanta never really committed to him. At a baseline, he’s a microwave scorer with major athletic upside, shows an affinity to run the floor, and is a big enough body to be able to match up physically. When you look at the other four Timberwolves starters, JK’s archetype is exactly what they need in a four-man. A fourth scorer behind Ant, LaMelo, and Jaden McDaniels, and a capable defender next to Rudy Gobert and Jaden.
Kuminga is even a capable shooter, but I don’t worry about that as much. Minnesota will have plenty of shooting in the starting lineup, though it’s nice to know that there is some ability there. There is also some need for scoring with the second unit (more on that later) but JK could easily be appeased with some offensive opportunity when on the floor with the second unit.
Depth pieces to prove
The last of what could be called one of Minnesota’s main concerns is the quality of the bench guys. Ayo Dosunmu got paid, but behind him there’s not a ton of proven commodities, just some potential. Guys like Joan Beringer, Terrence Shannon Jr., Bones Hyland, and Jaylen Clark all have plenty to prove.
But prove what, exactly?
Needing someone to spell Rudy Gobert? Even with his fouling problems, Beringer is more than capable of that right now as a rim runner, rebounder, and shot blocker, to say the least. Need some ball handling? Bones Hyland can and will play with the speed this team wants to play at and TSJ can be a menace attacking with his left hand above the break. Jaden is in foul trouble and you need a point of attack defender? As the warden of Clark County Jail, the former college Defensive Player of the Year can handle it, and has shown some shooting improvement in the preseason.
We don’t exactly know what we’re going to get from Cody Williams this season, but anything Finch can get from a trade piece that came back from a salary dump is an automatic plus. His shot is a work in progress, but he can defend in rotation and has shown the ability to punch gaps to get to the rim with good ball movement.
I’m not saying there aren’t genuine concerns about the Minnesota Timberwolves this season, what I’m saying is that the NBA GMs who voted for the Timberwolves to finish third in the Western Conference are probably more on the nose than those who voted them as the team whose success is most difficult to predict.
What do you think? Are the Wolves a clear cut three seed or are they more hard to predict? Sound off in the comments below.
