Geno Auriemma and UConn are in a familiar place, atop the Big East preseason poll. The Huskies were a unanimous choice by the coaches Tuesday to win the conference again. The Huskies are coming off a 12th national championship led by preseason player of the year Sarah Strong.
St. John’s, Rick Pitino edge UConn, Dan Hurley in Big East men’s basketball preseason poll
St. John's and coach Rick Pitino finished atop the Big East men's basketball preseason poll, edging out UConn and coach Dan Hurley
St. John’s tops Big East preseason poll for 1st time since 1991
St. John's is No. 1 in the Big East Conference preseason poll for the first time in three decades. The Red Storm received seven of the first-place votes from the conference's coaches Tuesday. UConn garnered the other four.
NCAA president urges conferences and schools to be cautious of equity deals
The president of the NCAA is urging schools and conferences tempted by riches offered through potential deals with new equity sources to think about the long-term repercussions before jumping into the deals. “My message to everybody on this would be really simple: Be really careful,'" Charlie Baker said Monday at a Big East roundtable on the future of college basketball. With schools and conferences under increasing pressure to raise funds to pay their players, reports of them negotiating with new equity sources for college sports are becoming more frequent.
Purdue’s Braden Smith earns unanimous AP preseason All-America honors, joined by Texas Tech’s JT Toppin
Braden Smith played with Zach Edey and followed his large footsteps by becoming an All-American last season. The Purdue guard had a chance to leave for the NBA over the summer, but, like Edey before him, decided to return for another chance at a national championship under coach Matt Painter.
Florida, UConn and Duke highlight MSG college basketball schedule featuring 9 national champs
Reigning national champion Florida is one of 12 teams in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 college basketball poll scheduled to play at Madison Square Garden this season. UConn and Duke will make multiple appearances inside “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” which is set to host seven programs ranked in the top 10 and nine that have won an NCAA title. No. 5 St. John's, the defending Big East champion, will play 12 regular-season home games at MSG in its third year under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino — the school's most since 1951-52.
Portland reaches extensions with Shaedon Sharpe (4 years, $90 million), Toumani Camara (4 years, $82 million)
There are legitimate questions about what the Portland Trail Blazers will look like on the court in a few years and which parts of their young core will be part of that future, but an athletic scoring wing and an All-Defense forward can fit in any plan.
Which is why Portland locked down two key young players on Sunday with rookie contract extensions. The Blazers and Shaedon Sharpe agreed to a four-year, $90 million extension, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN. The Trail Blazers have also agreed to a four-year, $82 million contract extension with defensive forward Toumani Camara, a deal also broken by ESPN’s Charania.
This is fantastic work by the Portland front office — they have locked up their two best wing players for the next five years at a price that will be less than 15% of the salary cap (hat tip to Keith Smith).
Sharpe is an athletic wing who averaged a career-high 18.5 points a game last season, adding 4.5 rebounds a night, but seems poised for a breakout season. He needs to improve his efficiency — 31.1% on 3-pointers last season and a 55.1 true shooting percentage that was a tick below the league average — and on the defensive end, but if he does, this will be a steal of a contract. His athleticism and ability to throw down dunks are not in question.
A lot of people around the league thought Sharpe's extension would end up north of $100 million, to get him at $90 million for the four years is a win for the Trail Blazers.
The Camara extension locks up a 25-year-old All-Defense Team player from a year ago who has been improving on offense each season. Camara's max extension would have been four years, $87 million, and that would have been a fair price. To get him on a contract worth less than $21 million on average is a great deal from Portland's front office.
Camara was almost a throw-in part of the three-team trade that sent Damian Lillard to Milwaukee and brought Deandre Ayton to Portland, but he ended up being one of the best parts of it for the Blazers. On top of being an elite defender, Camara is improving on offense and averaged 11.3 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 37.5% from beyond the arc last season.
From oops to aahs, Jaxson Hayes and Lakers work to catch more of Luka Doncic's passes
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes avoided major injury on his right wrist after a hard fall in Friday’s preseason finale as X-rays taken after the game came back negative and an MRI scan revealed what Hayes on Sunday called "a light sprain."
The 7-footer missed the second half of Friday’s exhibition game with a right wrist contusion after he caught a lob from Luka Doncic and was bumped in the air while jamming a two-handed dunk in the first quarter. He stayed in the game for the second quarter and expects to be ready for Tuesday’s regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors.
“Being a dummy,” Hayes said after practice Sunday of how he got hurt on the play. “I shouldn't have tried to catch myself, should've just fallen."
Hayes scored six points in the preseason loss to the Sacramento Kings, all on soaring dunks. He and Doncic connected on Hayes’ first basket of the game as they were playing together in the preseason for the first time.
Read more:Luka Doncic sharp again, but Kings rally to beat Lakers
Doncic’s wizardry in the pick-and-roll makes him an athletic rim-running center’s dream as the crafty point guard drops passes from every imaginable angle. But in Doncic’s first training camp with the Lakers since last year’s midseason trade, players, including new center Deandre Ayton are still adjusting to Doncic’s passes.
While coach JJ Redick said he was happy with the Lakers’ 28 assists to 10 turnovers in the preseason game against the Kings, he estimated the team missed seven assist opportunities because of misfired lobs or overly complicated passes.
“For all bigs and point guards, when you start playing with a new big or a new point guard, it's a learning period,” Hayes said. “You just learn how they like their screens. You learn how they like you to roll to the hoop. It's just little things. You learn where they like to pass you the ball. … It's just those guys [Doncic and Ayton] are figuring each other out, just like me and Luka did last year."
The chemistry between Hayes and Doncic has gotten so strong that Hayes is being recruited to join the Slovenian national team and said he is working on getting a Slovenian passport. He and Doncic are both clients of agent Bill Duffy, and Doncic and his family have been involved in the process for about a year and half, Hayes said.
Hayes watched Slovenia’s run to the quarterfinals in EuroBasket with a careful eye knowing that joining the team could be a possibility for him in the future. FIBA allows each national team to have one naturalized player, which the international basketball governing body defines as a player who obtains their passport for that country after turning 16.
Hayes said he had hopes of representing the United States, but USA Basketball does not have open tryouts for senior national teams.
“I wanted to just play on that stage,” Hayes said. “So I'm going do whatever it takes to play on that stage."
Etc.
The Lakers cut down their roster to 14 standard contract players on Saturday, waiving RJ Davis, Augustas Marciulionis, Anton Watson and Nate Williams after training camp officially ended. The team kept center Christian Koloko and guards Chris Manon and Nick Smith Jr. on two-way contracts. ... Manon was nursing an ankle injury during training camp but was a full participant in practice on Sunday. Bronny James (ankle) and rookie Adou Thiero (knee) went through a modified workout.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Where Steph Curry ranks on NBA's current, future all-time career earnings list
Where Steph Curry ranks on NBA's current, future all-time career earnings list originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Stephen Curry hasn’t just changed the way basketball is played — he has changed how it’s valued.
Spotrac released its updated list of the NBA’s highest career earners, and Curry currently sits third, behind Kevin Durant and LeBron James. Durant passed James for the top spot on Sunday after signing a two-year, $90 million extension with the Phoenix Suns, which includes a player option for the 2027–28 season.
Other members of the top 10 include Devin Booker, Paul George, Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid, Damian Lillard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jayson Tatum — a mix of established stars and younger faces quickly climbing the list.
That younger wave could soon reshape the standings entirely. With Booker, Gilgeous-Alexander and Tatum all still in their late-20s and already on max extensions, they’re on pace to shatter the totals set by Curry, James and Durant as new TV deals and cap increases drive salaries even higher.
Curry, though, has been at the forefront of the league’s salary evolution. In 2017, he became the first player in NBA history to sign a $200 million contract, a five-year deal worth $201 million. Two years later, he became the first to make more than $40 million in a single season.
He topped that milestone again in 2021, signing a four-year, $215 million extension that made him the first player ever to sign multiple $200 million contracts. That deal helped him become the first to earn over $50 million in 2023–24, and by 2026–27, he is set to be the first player to surpass $60 million in a single season.
Over the past few years, Curry has climbed steadily up Spotrac’s career earnings rankings. He first appeared in the top 10 at No. 7 through 2022–23, rose to No. 4 through 2023–24, and reached No. 3 this year, where he is expected to remain for the foreseeable future as his current deal runs through 2026–27.
Curry’s journey into the NBA’s top three career earners reflects more than a decade of sustained excellence — and positions him to stay there as new deals reshape the league’s financial landscape.
Kings' Domantas Sabinis out for first week of season with hamstring strain
Sacramento coach Doug Christie wanted to get some run together for his core starters last Wednesday night in one of the team's final preseason games, but that always comes with risk, and it has bitten the Kings.
Domantas Sabonis suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain against the Clippers and will be out for at least the first week of the season, the Kings announced. A Grade 1 strain usually keeps a player out about 10 days, but that time can vary.
Sabonis is not the only Kings' starter out. Keegan Murray underwent surgery on a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb, which will keep him out for at least a month.
Sabonis, a three-time All-Star, averaged 19.1 points and 13.9 rebounds a game, shooting 41.7% on a couple of 3-pointers a game but 62.7% inside the arc. Dario Saric will get the start with Sabonis out, but that's a lot of scoring and rebounding to make up (plus, Sabonis serves as a hub for the Sacramento offense).
It's a rough way to start for the Kings, a team without much margin for error in the West if the goal is to make the postseason. The Kings open the season at the Suns on Oct. 22, then come home for two games over the weekend against the Jazz and Lakers.
Kings' Domantas Sabonis out for first week of season with hamstring strain
Sacramento coach Doug Christie wanted to get some run together for his core starters last Wednesday night in one of the team's final preseason games, but that always comes with risk, and it has bitten the Kings.
Domantas Sabonis suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain against the Clippers and will be out for at least the first week of the season, the Kings announced. A Grade 1 strain usually keeps a player out about 10 days, but that time can vary.
Sabonis is not the only Kings' starter out. Keegan Murray underwent surgery on a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb, which will keep him out for at least a month.
Sabonis, a three-time All-Star, averaged 19.1 points and 13.9 rebounds a game, shooting 41.7% on a couple of 3-pointers a game but 62.7% inside the arc. Dario Saric will get the start with Sabonis out, but that's a lot of scoring and rebounding to make up (plus, Sabonis serves as a hub for the Sacramento offense).
It's a rough way to start for the Kings, a team without much margin for error in the West if the goal is to make the postseason. The Kings open the season at the Suns on Oct. 22, then come home for two games over the weekend against the Jazz and Lakers.
New Kings guard Russell Westbrook amazingly refuses to sign fan's Lakers jersey
New Kings guard Russell Westbrook amazingly refuses to sign fan's Lakers jersey originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Russell Westbrook isn’t interested in revisiting his Los Angeles Lakers days — at least not with a Sharpie in hand.
At the Kings’ preseason matchup against the Lakers, Westbrook greeted a line of young fans holding jerseys from all the teams he played with across his NBA career. He signed two Oklahoma City Thunder jerseys, skipped over two Lakers ones, and then autographed a Houston Rockets jersey.
“I don’t know about signing that jersey,” Westbrook said. “I’ll sign something else for you, though.”
The clip surfaced shortly after Westbrook agreed to a one-year, $3.6 million free-agent deal with the Kings.
Westbrook’s journey to Sacramento has been a long and winding one. When he joined the Lakers in 2021, expectations were sky-high, but the fit quickly soured. Westbrook’s ball-dominant style clashed withLeBron Jamesand Anthony Davis, and his shooting inconsistencies became a lightning rod for criticism throughout the 2021-22 NBA season.
By February 2023, the Lakers dealt Westbrook to the Utah Jazz in a three-team trade — ending his turbulent stint in purple and gold. Utah bought out his contract within days, clearing the way for him to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers.
In the summer of 2024, the Clippers traded Westbrook to Utah once again in a sign-and-trade, and he promptly was waived. He then signed with the Denver Nuggets, where he continued to add to his historic résumé — becoming the first player in NBA history to record 200 career triple-doubles and later surpassing 26,000 career points.
Now 36, Westbrook joins Sacramento as one of the NBA’s most experienced and accomplished guards — and, judging by his reaction to those Lakers jerseys, a man ready to fully embrace his next chapter.
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Kings star Russell Westbrook bluntly addresses NBA retirement upon 18th season
Kings star Russell Westbrook bluntly addresses NBA retirement upon 18th season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The 2025-26 NBA season will be new Kings guard Russell Westbrook’s first campaign in Sacramento and the star’s 18th overall in the league.
So, given that the Kings are Westbrook’s seventh different team and “The Brodie” is 36 years old, it’s fair to wonder if the coming season will be his last.
Westbrook was asked if that’d be the case on Sunday at Kings practice, and he bluntly shut it down.
“Yeah, right,” the former NBA MVP told reporters when asked if he’d retire upon the season’s end.
The idea of calling it quits isn’t in Westbrook’s DNA.
Instead, the 6-foot-4 guard, with career averages of 21.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists, intends to keep playing for the foreseeable future.
Westbrook followed his frank response by sharing what keeps him going.
“Family,” he said. “My family. My supporters. The ability to be grateful and blessed to be able to wake up and have limbs and things that work, and be able to use them. Using this platform to build other parts of my life and business.
“You know, just the overall fun I have while playing and enjoying the game; I think it’s something I never ever take for granted, and I’m thankful to be able to do that again.”
The last few seasons have been rough for Westbrook.
But the Kings are betting on the veteran to remain a productive player after he averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists over a promising 75 games a season ago.
And it appears Westbrook is betting on the Kings to help him have fun, as he avoids talk of retirement.
Warriors' starters for regular-season opener still unknown with Moses Moody out
Warriors' starters for regular-season opener still unknown with Moses Moody out originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – Moses Moody officially is out for the Warriors’ regular season opener Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers while still rehabbing a strained calf, coach Steve Kerr announced Sunday.
Moody did not practice Sunday. He went through individual work on the court and in the weight room, but has not scrimmaged since missing the Warriors’ final three preseason games.
Jimmy Butler and Jonathan Kuminga, both coming back from ankle issues, scrimmaged Sunday and everything went well for them physically. The two forwards will be listed as questionable for the season opener with the expectation being they’ll be able to play.
Losing Moody for at least the first game of the season already throws a wrench in Kerr’s plans for his starting lineup and how he’ll use different combinations. Moody started both preseason games he played in and averaged 14.5 points on 52.4 percent shooting and was 7 of 12 (58.3 percent) on 3-pointers. The Jimmy Butler trade last season cemented Moody into a role of being a go-to on-ball defender who can hit open threes.
Moody’s versatility as someone who can play up as a forward in smaller lineups or down as a shooting guard in bigger lineups proved key down the stretch last season. And it also has Kerr trying to fill a missing piece.
“I honestly have not decided yet who’s going to start on Tuesday,” Kerr said.
Which prompted the question: Do you know who will start on Tuesday?
Sprinkling in some sarcasm, Kerr rattled off the obvious choices of Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Butler, assuming he’s healthy enough. He then made it clear who at least the fourth person will be.
“With Moses out, that’s kind of the question,” Kerr said. “[Brandin Podziemski] will be out there. BP will be out there.”
Kerr mentioned veteran center Al Horford as an option, as well as Kuminga, but he could go a number of ways. The Warriors don’t want to play Horford, 39 years old, more than 20 to 25 minutes per game, making it tricky to decide if he’s better served as a starter or coming off the bench. If he starts and the Warriors want to close games, that means long lulls on the bench in between.
“What we have to think about is, what does that do to the rotation and what does that mean coming off the bench,” Kerr said. “Honestly, we have not decided yet and we’ve got to talk to guys as well.”
The player who will be most affected by the fifth spot is Green. Starting Horford would slot Green into his more natural position of power forward. But if Kerr opts to go smaller and start Kuminga, Green would continue rising above as a small-ball center.
None of this is new to Green, who joked that if he has to play the five “I’m going to ask for a trade.” The 6-foot-6 defensive genius has probably played more center than Kerr would have liked over the years, but he’s also a main piece of the modern NBA’s revolution. The deciding factor going into Green’s 14th season is the same that it’s always been for someone so decorated.
What’s best for the team? What is going to help the Warriors win? And what will put them on the path to contending for another championship?
“I’ve teetered with it my whole career. Sometimes at the five, sometimes at the four,” Green said. “I think you all know me. Whatever helps this team, whatever puts us in the best position to win, that’s what I’m going to do. I train to prepare myself for whatever’s to come. Playing the five isn’t always about the size, it’s about the size of the heart and I think my heart is as big – if not bigger – than anyone’s in the league. I always trust in that.
“I think my brain helps me get by quite a bit. I can outthink some guys. I just use the tools that I have. But I’m not putting no huge emphasis on whether I play the four or the five. In life we all have ideally what we would like. I have ideally what I think it would look like. But I also know that I play a team sport and in playing a team sport, what may be best for you personally or what you think is best, if that’s not best for the team then you’re being selfish. And I take pride in not being selfish.
“So whatever that looks like, wherever I can help … if that’s like, ‘Oh man, you sliding to the five is going to help this lineup, that’s going to help this rotation,’ then great. If it’s sliding to the four, great. Ultimately, Steve proved in Year 1 that he knows how to do these things, so I’m not going to be the idiot to sit here and question him. I’ll move on in my life and get ready for whatever’s ahead.”
Lakers head coach JJ Redick is expected to use Gabe Vincent, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton as his starting five against the Warriors. LeBron James remains out because of sciatica.
Who Kerr slots in next to Curry, Podziemski, Butler and Green is to be determined, and always, Draymond is ready for however the cards are shuffled.
Why ‘doubt' about Kings excites Russell Westbrook for new endeavor with team
Why ‘doubt' about Kings excites Russell Westbrook for new endeavor with team originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
An epic facial expression, a bit of trolling with a reporter in a back-and-forth exchange and laughter filled the Kings’ practice facility on Sunday morning.
Russell Westbrook has arrived.
“It feels great, truly,” Westbrook said when asked how it feels to be a member of the Kings. “I’m blessed to be able to have an opportunity to play and enjoy a place that wanted me to come here. So I’m grateful for that.”
Westbrook signed a one-year contract with Sacramento after a lengthy unrestricted free agency kept him teamless for roughly four months.
But alas, he found his new home.
“I don’t know how it all came together so quickly, but obviously I have a lot of friends and guys I’ve played with on this team before,” Westbrook said. “Not just that, but also an organization that [my agent] had been in contact with, trying to figure out ways to make it happen. With salary cap and all these different rules that I’ve come to learn, things you can and can’t do, and things just kind of meshed together that way. And I’m here now.”
Westbrook, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, widely is regarded as one of the most fiery players and personalities in the league.
You love him … or you don’t. Regardless, Westbrook won’t ever change who he is.
Now entering Year 18, symbolized by the No. 18 he’ll wear with the Kings, Westbrook is used to the criticism.
“To be honest, it’s really been like this my whole career,” he said. “It’s nothing new, unfortunately. I’m grateful and blessed for the doubt, the ‘if I can and will play.’ I know what I’m capable of when given the opportunity. So when the season starts, I’m going to do what I’ve always done and compete. There’s going to be people who love it. There’s going to be people who hate it. That’s life for me. I didn’t make it 18 years on accident.
“I’m grateful. The chip has always been on my shoulder, and it won’t go nowhere until I’m done playing.”
But Westbrook isn’t just motivated by the chip on his shoulder, as the external doubt and criticism of the Kings’ roster as a whole also lights a fire under him.
“The doubt that everybody has against us,” Westbrook said when asked what intrigues him about the team.
The triple-double king spent the last season with the Denver Nuggets, where in 75 games (36 starts), he averaged 13.3 points on 44.9 percent shooting from the field, with 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists 1.4 steals in 27.9 minutes.
He remains in great shape among point guards across the league, while doing the things coach Doug Christie is looking for, such as rebounding, play-making, providing high energy and getting after it defensively.
His high momentum and contagious energy are fitting for the arena he’ll now call home.
Westbrook can’t wait to finally be on the home side of the “loud” Golden 1 Center crowd after fans have “talked a lot of mess to me when I was here” as an opponent over the course of his career.
“Very excited. I think fans are one of the reasons why I love to play the game,” he said. “It’s one of the reasons why I continue to go out and give everything I have. Being on the road side, I know how great this fanbase can be. I’m grateful and excited to be able to get out there and have them on my side and feed off their energy.
“And yes, ultimately light the beam.”
Westbrook is a nine-time NBA All-Star, nine-time All-NBA member, former league MVP, two-time scoring champion and likely a future Hall of Famer.
Nearly two decades into this, accolades have become less and less important to him as much as being healthy and able to even step foot onto the hardwood. While he acknowledged winning a championship would be a great addition to his already illustrious NBA resume, he’s more focused on having a lasting impact on the things he does and the people he comes across.
That includes on and off the basketball court.
“I think since I’ve been in this league, leadership is not just something that you guys see on the floor,” he said. “My job, and I think one of my traits as a leader, is to be able to learn about guys’ journeys off the floor, how they got to this point, what inspires them, what pushes them. Being able to do that allows me to be a better teammate [and] a better brother to my teammates.
“To me, that’s what I look forward to most. Being able to impact and inspire someone daily is always my goal to run into somebody and maybe I can inspire them to do something they didn’t think they could do.”
It appears Christie and Westbrook already are on the same page when it comes to what the Kings are expecting out of the star point guard in his first season with the team.
“I want Russ to be Russ,” Christie said last week.
It sounds cliche. It sounds like propaganda. Even a great public relations answer. But Russell Westbrook might literally be incapable of being anyone other than himself.
And he hopes Kings fans can enjoy that player, and more importantly, the person in Sacramento.