The lottery drawing for the 2026 NBA Draft was always going to have massive stakes. A.J. Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer have been hyped as an elite trio at the top of the class going back to their high school days, and their presence caused a tank-off for the ages this season. Add in a breakout freshman year from North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson, and the draft now offers major prizes at all four spots drawn in the lottery.

The tanking was so bad this season that the NBA is ready to push through lottery reform starting next year. The bottom three teams will suddenly have worse odds than those in the 4-10 range, and the floor for the worst teams has fallen out of the top-10. The odds are going to be flattened so much throughout the order that the results will feel completely random. Bad teams better cash in now on this lottery, because the chances of landing a top pick are going to be greatly diminished in the near future.

At this point, anyone who follows the draft closely has already run hundreds of lottery simulations. But who actually deserves lottery luck? We’re here to answer that. This is all very subjective, but there are still right answers. Here’s how the lottery will play out if there’s any justice in the drawing.

14. Charlotte Hornets

Odds at top-4 pick: 2.4%

The Hornets feel like the East’s team of the future after closing the season with the best net-rating in the league after Jan. 1. Landing a power forward who can defend and space the floor or a bigger rim protecting center would be ideal with this pick. Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara would both be a great fit here, but if they’re both gone, I’d also like their teammate Morez Johnson Jr. in this spot.

13. Miami Heat

Odds at top-4 pick: 4.8%

The Heat never tank, and for that I was tempted to move them into the top-four. The odds are just extremely long for that to happen. If there’s a miracle coming Miami’s way, a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade feels more likely than a jump into the top-4.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder

Odds at top-4 pick: 7.1%

The Clippers failing to make the playoffs puts the Thunder in the lottery. OKC moving up is the nightmare scenario for the rest of the league, but it’s not likely to happen. OKC should be able to land a very good prospect even if it stays at No. 12, and I’ll just point out that Yaxel Lendeborg was already telling me about how he’d fit next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during March Madness.

11. Golden State Warriors

Odds at top-4 pick: 9.4%

The Mavs moved up from No. 11 in the lottery to the No. 1 overall pick last year for Cooper Flagg. Could the Warriors get the same bit of luck? Golden State has a convincing case for deserving some good luck after getting screwed over by Jimmy Butler’s torn ACL. It would be wonderful to see Steph Curry play meaningful basketball again before he retires, and a top pick could help him get there whether Golden State trades it or keeps it. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Warriors move up, and I think it would be kind of cool. They just missed the cut-off for the top-4 picks in these rankings.

10. Milwaukee Bucks

Odds at top-4 pick: 13.9%

The Bucks owe a pick swap to Atlanta, who also has the rights to New Orleans’ pick, so Milwaukee can only land in the top-4 if the Hawks are ahead of them. The Bucks moving up might be the most explosive possible outcome for the lottery that doesn’t involve OKC landing a top pick. Taylor Jenkins is the new head coach here, and Giannis trade rumors are likely to be kicking into high gear again this summer. Landing a top pick might make Giannis more likely to stay. I could see it happening.

9. Dallas Mavericks

Odds at top-4 pick: 29%

The Mavs cashed in on a 1.8 percent chance to land Cooper Flagg last year. Do they really deserve more lottery luck after that? This pick will be extremely important for Dallas regardless of where it ends up because the team doesn’t control its first round pick until 2031 after this year due to a series of deals made to build around Luka Doncic. Whoops. Flagg needs a co-star in the worst way, but getting super lucky two years in a row would feel like a little much.

8. Memphis Grizzlies

Odds at top-4 pick: 37.2%

The Grizzlies tore down the roster because they thought they were stuck in the middle, but it certainly feels like they sold high on both Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. Memphis has a good young core already emerging led by Zach Edey and Cedric Coward, and I feel confident this front office will find more good players in this draft (they also own Phoenix’s pick at No. 16 this year) even if they don’t move up. The Grizzlies have put themselves in position to get lucky, and no one can hold it against them if they do.

7. Utah Jazz

Odds at top-4 pick: 45.2%

Utah was at the forefront of tanking shenanigans this year by resting their best players in the fourth quarter of close games. They were already fined for this, and their main goal was just to keep their pick inside of the top-8, otherwise they would have to send it to the Thunder (seriously). You can make a case that a lot of teams deserve lottery luck this year, but the Jazz aren’t one of them. The good news for Utah is that they should be a lot more competitive next year with a core of Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Keyonte George. They can land a premium talent in this range like Illinois’ Keaton Wagler or Arizona’s Brayden Burries even if they don’t move up.

6. Brooklyn Nets

Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%

The Nets toed the line of gunning for a top pick without outright tanking the way Utah and Washington did. Brooklyn hasn’t gotten any lottery luck since moving off its Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden core from a few years ago, and next season they don’t own their first-round pick because Houston has swap rights. The Nets have a great young head coach in Jordi Fernandez, and they have a very good veteran wing in his prime in Michael Porter Jr. who enjoyed a career renaissance under Fernandez this year. You can’t be mad if the Nets land in the top-4.

5. Washington Wizards

Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%

Congrats to the Wizards: they were the worst team in the NBA with 17 wins, and because of that they can’t fall further than fifth in this draft. That still isn’t exactly a cause for celebration though because to me it feels like there’s a big drop off in talent between pick No. 4 and pick No. 5. It felt like Washington tanked hard and rested players at every opportunity, but they were never fined for it. It almost feels like the Wizards know they aren’t getting lucky after trading for Anthony Davis and Trae Young mid-season to accelerate their timeline. Getting a top pick would completely change Washington’s two-timelines approach, especially with rumors that AD doesn’t want to be there. The Wizards fell to their pick floor last year when they landed at No. 6, and I could see it happening again.

4. Chicago Bulls

Odds at top-4 pick: 20.3%

The Bulls have the fourth-worst cumulative record in the NBA over the last nine seasons, but they haven’t landed a top-3 pick over that time, and the only time they moved up they got stuck with Patrick Williams. Chicago actually has a little bit of hope right now after firing Arturas Karnisovas and landing the Portland Trail Blazers’ pick at No. 15 overall (which finally conveyed from the 2021 Lauri Markkanen trade), but ultimately they’ll need some lottery luck to actually start to build something sustainable. The Bulls have refused to tank for years, and spent the entirety of the AK era pushing for a play-in tournament bid to try to backdoor into the playoffs. This roster is pretty bleak beyond Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey, and the hope that last year’s lottery pick Noa Essengue can provide something in his second season. If the league really wants to punish tanking, the Bulls deserve to move up into the top-4.

3. Atlanta Hawks

Odds at top-4 pick: 43.2%

The Hawks made a brilliant trade during the 2025 draft to earn New Orleans’ unprotected first-round pick, and they can add it into their swap rights with the Bucks for a convincing chance at moving up. The Hawks have a nice foundation in place and just stole a couple games from the Knicks in the first-round of the playoffs, and moving up in the lottery would make this a fantastic season for the franchise. The Hawks still feel like they’re searching for a No. 1 option even after Jalen Johnson’s rise this year, and landing a player like Darryn Peterson or A.J. Dybantsa could set them up with success for a long time. Atlanta absolutely whiffed on its No. 1 overall pick in 2024 with Zaccharie Risacher, but that front office has been fired, and the team has made a lot of good moves since then. It would be fun to see the Hawks move up.

2. Indiana Pacers

Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%

The Pacers gave the NBA a thrill on their underdog run to the 2025 NBA Finals. Indiana was on the doorstep of a championship when Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in Game 7, and the result was a lost season this year in his absence. The Pacers have more at stake in this lottery than any other team after trading their top-4 protected first-round draft pick for Ivica Zubac at the trade deadline. If this pick lands at No. 5 or lower, it belongs to the Clippers. It’s easy to imagine a world where Pacers immediately become the class of the East again next season with a healthy Haliburton, a full season of Zubac, and a top-4 pick like Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, or Wilson. I’d like to see them rewarded after putting together such an inspiring run before Haliburton’s injury.

1. Sacramento Kings

Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%

Don’t lump the Kings in with all the other tankers this year. Sacramento badly wanted to win this season; they just failed spectacularly at doing so. A roster led by Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis, and Russell Westbrook was ill-conceived from the start, but not because the Kings were trying to lose on purpose. Sacramento has been very bad for a very long time, and it feels even more painful right now after watching Haliburton and De’Aaron Fox go on to enjoy success with other teams after they were drafted in Sacramento. The Kings haven’t had the No. 1 overall pick since 1989 when they drafted Pervis Ellison despite finishing in the lottery 19 of the last 20 years. I think Sacramento fans deserve a little luck at this point. I’m also just worried the gap between Sacramento and the rest of the West is going to get even more stark in the coming years with the new lottery odds. In a season where tanking brought the NBA great shame, the Kings put forth a real effort every night. Plenty of other teams tried to manipulate the odds to their favor. The Kings were just flat out bad.

Before his team’s first round playoff series victory over the Rockets, Lakers coach JJ Redick laid out what needed to happen for his team to have success: take care of the basketball and prevent offensive rebounds.

The Lakers won early in the series despite struggling in those areas, before finding the right formula in a series-clinching Game 6 victory.

Now, they’re doubling down on the first emphasis ahead of their second round matchup against the Thunder, the defending NBA champions, with Game 1 set for Tuesday night at Paycom Center. 

“The reality of their defense is that whatever moments we felt Houston pressuring, like the maximum amount of pressure they put on us, that’s OKC’s baseline,” Redick said. “That’s their core.”

The Thunder have had the league’s top-ranked defense for the last two seasons for multiple reasons. 

They’ve been the best team in the league at protecting the rim from an accuracy standpoint for three seasons in a row. 

In general, the closer opponents get to the basket, the stingier the Thunder’s defense gets. 

But on the perimeter, they’re the most disruptive team in the league. 

They were one of two teams, along with the Pistons, during the regular season to be top-five in deflections (league-most 20.7), steals (second-most with 9.7), blocked shots (second-most with 6.4) and turnovers forced (second-most with 16.7).

But unlike the Pistons, they don’t commit a lot of fouls, ranking No. 7 in personal fouls per game during the regular season compared to the Pistons being last in the league (No. 30). 

“You’re talking about a team that’s top five in every category that’s disruptive-base: Steals, blocks, turnovers forced, all that stuff,” Redick said. “And they don’t foul. They somehow do all of that without fouling, which is one of the most remarkable things I think in NBA history.”

Whether Redick was being sarcastic with his comment about the Thunder’s lack of fouling, that’s the challenge the Lakers will be facing during against the Thunder: Taking care of the ball and trying to create quality offense against a Thunder defense that has very few weaknesses. 

This was one of the biggest struggles for the Lakers during the four games of their regular season series against the Thunder.

They committed 17.5 turnovers per game against the Thunder, including 20 in the Nov. 12 loss and 18 in the April 2 loss in Oklahoma City.

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The Thunder averaged 25 points off turnovers in those home wins over the Lakers, and 22.3 per game during the regular season series. 

“You can’t hear yourself,” Ayton said of the environment at Paycom Center. “It’s definitely the “Thunder” for a reason. Their fans are thunderous. You can hear the floor shaking, the bleachers, you can’t even hear a play call. You gotta be super dialed in.”

Realistically, the Lakers can’t be expected to have a low turnover rate.

Even in their losses, the Thunder won the turnover battle by a decent margin, still recording 14.2 takeaways per game.  

Their physicality forces and playstyle force errors.

And with the Lakers being a more frequent passing team with the absence of Luka Doncic, there will be openings for the Thunder to take advantage of.

The Lakers’ focus will be on limiting their mistakes. 

Limiting the types of turnovers that feed the Thunder’s ability to go on quick runs that put the game out of reach. 

“They’re really good at runs, and part of that is how good their defense is, their ability to create turnovers,” Redick said. “The live-ball turnovers really kill you. And they don’t get out in transition a ton, but when they do, they’re the best in the NBA in terms of [points per possession]. Limiting their runs, [Pacers coach] Rick Carlisle is the master of that, the quick timeout. 

Redick added: “I’ve already told the staff, already told the players, I’ve got to be  more diligent than I normally am. I like my timeouts, I like going into the fourth quarter with four timeouts, I like having two in the last 30 seconds. I don’t think you have the luxury of worrying about that because the games get away from you so quickly because of how explosive they are when they go on their runs and they do that to everybody. It’s what they do. Mitigating the 12-15-point runs, I think, is really important.”

The Lakers are marching towards a storm. 

It’s in the form of a defense that encircles its opponents, obscuring their vision, sapping their energy, rendering them shells of themselves. 

The Lakers have lost to the Thunder in all four regular-season meetings, by an average of 29.3 points per game. Now they face them in the second round of the playoffs. 

The question on everyone’s mind: Do they have a chance?

So much must go right for the Lakers to compete against the reigning champions, who are younger, faster, deeper and more physical.

The Thunder have the top-rated defense in the NBA. The Lakers are missing the league’s leading scorer in Luka Doncic, who averaged 33.5 points per game before sustaining a strained hamstring on April 2.

That’s not exactly a recipe for success.

For the Lakers to stand a chance in this series, near-perfection is required.

They need to make their 3-point shots. They need to drastically reduce their turnovers. They need to control the pace.

The 41-year-old LeBron James, who’s the same age as both teams’ coaches in this series, needs to once again put the team on his shoulders and carry them as the first offensive option.

Austin Reaves, who returned in Game 5 of the first round from an oblique strain, needs to shake off his postseason struggles over the last two years and play the All-Star-caliber basketball he displayed for much of this season.

Luke Kennard, who led the league in 3-point shooting (44.8%), needs to be aggressive and hunt for his shot as though he were a star instead of deferring to his teammates.

Marcus Smart needs to channel his Defensive Player of the Year campaign in 2021-22, using all of his basketball IQ and energy to try to slow down reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Deandre Ayton needs to be DominAyton, the most dominant, forceful version of himself, not the guy whose intensity wavers.

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Doncic needs to… return.

The Lakers aren’t just facing an uphill battle. They’re facing the Mt. Everest of opponents.

Lakers coach JJ Redick likened them to the Bulls of 1995-97 and Warriors of 2015-2017.

“The Thunder is one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history,” Redick said. “It’s just the reality. They’re that good.”

It’s easy to look at this series and say the Lakers have no chance. But somehow this team thrives under those desert-like, harsh conditions.

When they were counted out of their first-round playoff series against the Rockets without Doncic and Reaves, they responded by taking a 3-0 series lead.

When James was dismissed as being too old to carry a bunch of role players into the second round, he responded by outplaying guys nearly half his age.

When Ayton and Smart were viewed as has-beens who were slipping out of the league, they reminded us that the former was the No. 1 overall pick in 2018 and the latter was considered the league’s top defender.

Doncic’s absence sharpened everyone. It heightened their awareness. It made them become the best version of themselves.

“As much as we see that narrative and feel bad, you would think that it hurts us not having him, but it actually helps,” Smart said. “It forces guys to have to elevate their game to a whole other level.”

Each rotation player has met the challenge.

Against the Thunder, the tide must rise even more.

Smart didn’t hesitate when asked where guarding Gilgeous-Alexander ranks among his toughest challenges.

“No. 1,” he said.

Ayton’s task is just as difficult.

He has to try and outmatch the skills and physicality of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.

“He’s the person that changes our ceiling the most,” Redick said of Ayton.

The Thunder have no holes. No weaknesses. Their defense is notoriously suffocating. Offensively, they were rated seventh.

They’re a group of guys who like each other. Who play for each other. Who know how to win.

“You can respect the team,” Jake LaRavia said. “But you can’t fear them.”

The Lakers need to believe they belong.

They need to be hyper-focused. They need to star in their roles. They need to take their games to another level.

The storm is coming.

How will they weather it?

Luka Doncic is still building towards a return, but it won't come in time for Game 1.

The Los Angeles Lakers will be without Doncic for the start of their second-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported on "Inside the NBA."

Charania reports the Lakers are evaluating Doncic on a week-to-week basis, and he is currently on a "slow path" in his recovery from a Grade 2 hamstring strain that has kept him sidelined for the past month.

"He's doing more and more on the court," Charania said. "But right now, still not full-fledged running or full-contact workouts."

Fresh off an opening-round sweep of the Phoenix Suns, the Oklahoma City Thunder will continue their title defense tonight as their second-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers tips off at Paycom Center. OKC is the heavy favorite over the Luka Doncic-less Lakers, but they'll also be down one of their own key players for Game 1 Tuesday, May 5 with star forward Jalen Williams still sidelined.

Williams, who sustained a grade 1 left hamstring strain in Game 2 against Phoenix, has been officially listed as out for Game 1 on Tuesday in the latest NBA injury report.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault told reporters Monday, May 4 that Williams was "progressing according to plan," but declined to put a timeline on his return.

"We're not going to release that," Daigneault told reporters. "We’ll continue to let you guys know on a week-to-week basis."

Mark Daigneault on Jalen Williams: “He's progressing according to plan, I would say. In terms of timeline, we're not going to release that. We’ll continue to let you guys know on a week-to-week basis.” pic.twitter.com/zxM3HW8IjF

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) May 4, 2026

Here's what to know about Williams' status against the Lakers:

Is Jalen Williams playing tonight?

No. As stated above, Williams is listed as out for Game 1 on Tuesday and is considered week-to-week with a left hamstring strain.

The Thunder aren't putting a definitive timeline for his return publicly, but reporting by The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY Network, estimates that the usual recovery window for a grade 1 hamstring strain is 1-2 weeks. Williams went down on April 22, so that would theoretically put his return sometime around Games 3-5.

Williams exited in the third quarter when he went up for a layup attempt, grabbed his left hamstring after landing back on the court and has not played since.

Jalen Williams left Game 2 vs. the Suns with an apparent hamstring injury. pic.twitter.com/P47wjF0c9T

— ESPN (@espn) April 23, 2026

The 2025-26 season has been a frustrating one for Williams, who established himself as an All-Star last season and was one of OKC's biggest contributors to their title run. But injuries have added up over the course of this season.

Williams underwent wrist surgery after the NBA Finals, which forced him to miss the start of the regular season. He later missed 49 games with a right hamstring strain.

Jalen Williams stats

Jalen Williams averaged 17.1 points and 5.5 assists per game this season, a major reason the team posted the best record in the league this season. Williams recorded 22 points and seven rebounds in Oklahoma City's Game 1 win over Phoenix and had 19 points in 23 minutes before his injury in Game 2.

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t assemble the highest-paid roster in the league just to get out of the first round.

“We haven’t done anything,” Donovan Mitchell said after his team closed out the Toronto Raptors in seven games. “It’s just the first round.”

The Cavs will have their hands full against a 60-win Detroit Pistons team that proved to be one of the best defenses in the league all season. That said, there’s a path to winning the series and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. Let’s get into the keys for Game 1.

1. Reestablish the pick-and-roll

Both Mitchell and James Harden struggled to shake free of Toronto’s perimeter defenders. The top-locking defensive strategy, coupled with their ability to switch every screen and not be at a distinct disadvantage because of it, made it difficult for them to establish a consistent scoring rhythm. At least not the kind we’re used to seeing.

Detroit is a better statistical and traditional defense than Toronto. They were the second-best unit in the league for a reason. Their ability to run teams off the three-point line, funnel them inside, and then provide tough contests from there made them difficult for teams to crack, especially with two imposing centers in Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart.

At the same time, they aren’t a switch-heavy team like the Raptors, which does present some additional openings for the Cavs to attack mismatches.

Cleveland’s best offense this year has been when they can create advantages off the pick-and-roll. They should be able to get into those actions much easier, given Detroit’s drop coverage.

2. Exploiting the weak links

The Raptors weren’t the most talented team in the playoffs, but there aren’t many groups that had as many passable two-way players. There really weren’t any weak links to attack on offense or ignore completely on defense.

The Pistons have more talent, but there’s more guys who aren’t high impact on both sides of the ball.

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Duncan Robinson is a great shooter, but he’s someone that the guards can go after in a matchup much easier than any of Toronto’s rotation players. On the other end, Ausar Thompson is a phenomenal defender, but you can cheat off him defensively due to his lack of playmaking and shooting.

The Cavs also have several players that teams can take advantage of as well. Opponents mostly ignore Dean Wade on offense and attack guys like Mitchell and Harden on the other end.

The team that can hide its weaker players and exploit their opponents could come away with the win.

3. Find the three-point shot

The Cavs won their first-round series without ever getting the three-ball going. They shot just 34.1% from beyond the arc throughout the series. This included shooting below 30% in three games, including the Game 7 victory.

Cleveland isn’t the outside-shooting juggernaut they were at times last year, but they’re still one of the better shooting teams in the league as they connected on 36% of their shots in the regular season.

This is an advantage they should have over Detroit. The Pistons aren’t a high-volume three-point shooting team, and they don’t connect on them particularly well. That came through repeatedly in their first-round victory over the Orlando Magic, even in some of their wins.

4. Win the possession game

Head coach Kenny Atkinson has preached the need to grab rebounds and limit turnovers all season. The Cavs struggled at times throughout their first-round series with both, but closed the Raptors out in Game 7 by winning this category by nine.

That same focus will be needed against the Pistons.

Cade Cunningham was at his worst in the first round when he was turning the ball over. He averaged 5.9 giveaways per game against Orlando. This includes averaging 6.7 in Detroit’s three losses.

As a team, the Pistons aren’t great at protecting the ball. They finished the regular season 22nd in turnover percentage (15%) as an offense. However, what they made up for that in other areas, particularly in offensive rebounding and forcing turnovers of their own.

Detroit was second in offensive rebounding percentage in the regular season. They grabbed 34.3% of their missed shots.

On the other end, the Pistons had the highest turnover percentage in the league as a defense. They turned opponents over on 16.8% of their possessions.

However, despite their good offensive rebounding, they struggled ending possessions, as they finished 20th in defensive rebounding percentage.

There are areas the Cavs can attack here. They could be disruptive on the offensive glass and force Cunningham into turnovers. But they have to be careful not to fall victim to those same issues themselves.

5. Can Dean Wade make things difficult for Cade Cunningham?

Stopping a player as good as Cunningham is a complete team effort, but you’d expect Wade to draw the primary assignment on the superstar guard.

Wade has been the team’s best wing defender all season. He did an excellent job of taking Brandon Ingram away at the beginning of the series against Toronto and shifted onto Barnes as the series progressed.

Cunningham struggled against Orlando when he was guarded by Franz Wagner. Wagner’s size and strength presented real issues. It wasn’t until a calf strain forced Wagner out of the lineup that Cunningham really got going.

Wade has some of those same qualities. He has good length, quickness, and strength. Wade has continually shown he’s comfortable defending on the perimeter against an opponent’s primary offensive engine.

The key to this will likely come down to the other end of the court. For Wade’s defense to be its most effective, his offense needs to be good enough to justify staying on the court. That was an issue at times in the first round as Wade’s outside shot left him for stretches.

Outside of Wade, the Cavs don’t have many good options to turn to for guarding Cunningham. Max Strus has shown a willingness to battle with bigger wings, but he doesn’t have the strength or size to present the same issues for Cunningham. Jaylon Tyson has had stretches of looking like that guy, but it’s fair to question whether he’s ready for such a big assignment.

Cunningham is the head of the snake. There’s no situation where the Pistons get past the Cavs if he isn’t playing at an All-NBA level. That puts a premium on Wade and the rest of the team’s defense against Cunningham.

Good morning, BBN!

It is officially one of the greatest times of the sports calendar as the NBA and NHL Playoffs are in full swing. Now, while there are not a lot of former Kentucky Wildcats riddled across the NHL, there are plenty of them in the NBA.

On top of that, there are still several Cats fighting for a chance to win an NBA Championship this season.

As the second round gets underway, we have eight teams remaining: Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, and the Philadelphia 76ers. Only one team does not have a former Cat on the roster: The Pistons.

So who is still playing? Here is a quick list:

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)
• Cason Wallace (OKC)
• Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL)
• Julius Randle (MIN)
• De’Aaron Fox (SA)
• Keldon Johnson (SA)
• Olivier Sarr (CLE)
• Karl Anthony-Towns (NYK)
• Tyrese Maxey (PHI)
• Justin Edwards (PHI)

At the moment, it looks like the chances of another former Wildcat bringing home an NBA Championship are quite good. Should be a fun few rounds left to watch who cuts down the nets.

Tweet of the Day

Plenty of people are spending on college basketball this offseason.

Headlines

SEC Tournament Tuesday Schedule Update – UK Athletics

Kentucky Softball is set to play Mississippi State around 2 PM ET.

ABS system approved for SEC Tournament- KSR

FINALLY!

New 2026-27 preseason projection poll has Kentucky sitting outside the top 40- KSR

The Cats have room to go forward.

Doubling Up: Bell, Van Cleave Earn SEC Weekly Honors- UK Athletics

A big week for a few Cats.

Kentucky continues to improve its chances with three-star RB Kelsey Gerald- Cats Pause

Will Stein is continuing to stay hot on the trail.

Tigers’ Tarik Skubal to undergo surgery on left elbow- ESPN

A huge loss for th Tigers.

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards to play in Game 1 vs. Spurs- ESPN

He’s Baaaack.

Way-too-early 2027 NFL Mock Draft- CBS

These are always great to follow.

With Louisville, Tennessee thriving, Mark Pope’s hot seat intensifies amid Kentucky’s portal struggles- CBS

Never good when your recruiting struggles continue to make national news.

Jerry Krause doesn’t get enough credit for what he did with the Chicago Bulls. Not only did he not make the mistake that Houston and Portland made in not taking Michael Jordan (the Bulls took him at #3 in the 1984 draft), he quickly paired him with Scottie Pippen.

For the first three championship teams, the Bulls put guys like Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, and John Paxson around their Dynamic Duo.

Jordan, of course, stepped away from basketball after the 1993 championship, but came back in 1995.

The team to an extent had already been rebuilt, notably with Grant being traded, but Krause again put together a brilliant group. He still had Pippen, and of course, Jordan was back. But the core of the rotation had been rebuilt, and brilliantly.

Chicago brought in shooter Steve Kerr, Aussie big man Luc Longley, Ron Harper, Dennis Rodman, and a player Krause had long coveted, Toni Kukoc.

Krause had long celebrated Kukoc, a native of Croatia, to the point where Jordan and Pippen were sick of hearing about him, so they went out of their way to shut him down when the Dream Team played Croatia in the 1992 Olympics.

But Krause wasn’t wrong: Kukoc was great. Not really good. Great.

At 6-11, Kukoc had point guard skills, as you’ll see here, and he meshed perfectly with that team. You wanted to keep Jordan and Pippen on the court as much as possible, but you could add Rodman, Kukoc, and Harper to almost anyone else on the floor and have possibly the most versatile team in NBA history.

That team really did invent positionless basketball, and did it decades before the term was even considered.

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