The NBA regular season is over, which means many teams are shifting their focus entirely to the 2026 NBA Draft.
With nearly half of the teams done with games for the season, their scouts and front office executives will soon determine which future pros they may add to their roster for next year. After an exciting March Madness tournament won by the Michigan Wolverines, several prospects showed exactly what they can offer in the league.
As many collegiate players announce their intention to declare early entry to the 2026 NBA Draft, we can start to develop a more clear picture of what this class may look like.
The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, which will determine the order of picks one through fourteen, will be held May 10 in Chicago, followed immediately that week by the draft combine, also in Chicago.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the No. 11 pick will play out with Golden State Warriors making the selection.
Our draft order is based on Tankathon.com and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
Golden State Warriors 2026 projected draft picks
No. 11 and No. 54 (via LAL)
Golden State Warriors 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 11 overall, Labaron Philon Jr., G, Alabama
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
The Warriors will be seeking more reliable players in the backcourt and could find a fairly compelling player in Alabama sophomore Labaron Philon. Even though the All-SEC guard was not playing at 100 percent during March Madness due to injury issues, he played well in the tournament, recording 35 points during a loss against Michigan. He also notched 29 points in his first-round game and 12 assists in his second. The guard averaged 22.0 points per game this season, and he improved his 3-point shooting from 31.5 percent as a freshman to 39.9 percent as a sophomore, while also managing 5.0 assists per game in the process.
The NBA regular season is over, which means many teams are shifting their focus entirely to the 2026 NBA Draft.
With nearly half of the teams done with games for the season, their scouts and front office executives will soon determine which future pros they may add to their roster for next year. After an exciting March Madness tournament won by the Michigan Wolverines, several prospects showed exactly what they can offer in the league.
As many collegiate players announce their intention to declare early entry to the 2026 NBA Draft, we can start to develop a more clear picture of what this class may look like.
The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, which will determine the order of picks one through fourteen, will be held May 10 in Chicago, followed immediately that week by the draft combine, also in Chicago.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the No. 12 pick will play out with Oklahoma City Thunder making the selection.
Our draft order is based on Tankathon.com and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
Oklahoma City Thunder 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 12 overall, Aday Mara, C, Michigan
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
After winning the 2025 NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder could add even more lottery-caliber talent, like Michigan center Aday Mara, in the 2026 NBA Draft. While leading his team to win the NCAA championship, Mara became one of the prospects who helped himself the most during March Madness. The 7-foot-3 big man, who transferred from UCLA, is a fantastic rim protector. Opponents only attempted 20.4 percent of their field goals at the rim when the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year was on the court, per CBB Analytics, which ranks near lowest among all NCAA players. He can also pass well, finding some awesome outlet looks in transition and at the rim.
Oklahoma City Thunder 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 18 overall, Karim Lopez, F, International (Australia)
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
The Thunder have drafted multiple players from Australia's NBL and could dip into this well again by selecting Karim López with their pick from the Philadelphia 76ers. While the Mexican-born forward still needs some development, he is physically gifted and widely seen as the top prospect from this class currently playing overseas. He exploded for 32 points (11-of-13 FG) with eight rebounds, two blocks and one steal against Melbourne on Jan. 30. Even if he is a draft-and-stash player, that is ideal for a team with a rotation as crowded as the Thunder.
The NBA regular season is over, which means many teams are shifting their focus entirely to the 2026 NBA Draft.
With nearly half of the teams done with games for the season, their scouts and front office executives will soon determine which future pros they may add to their roster for next year. After an exciting March Madness tournament won by the Michigan Wolverines, several prospects showed exactly what they can offer in the league.
As many collegiate players announce their intention to declare early entry to the 2026 NBA Draft, we can start to develop a more clear picture of what this class may look like.
The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, which will determine the order of picks one through fourteen, will be held May 10 in Chicago, followed immediately that week by the draft combine, also in Chicago.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the No. 21 pick will play out with Detroit Pistons making the selection.
Our draft order is based on Tankathon.com and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
Detroit Pistons 2026 projected draft picks
No. 21 (via MIN)
Detroit Pistons 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 21 overall, Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
While they are one of the best teams in the league this season, the Pistons are still struggling from the perimeter and will want more talented 3-point shooters on their roster. A simple fix would be drafting Texas Tech sophomore Christian Anderson, who had the most unassisted 3-pointers (61) among high-major players, per CBB Analytics. After moving from the two-guard to point guard, the All-Big 12 Most Improved Player recorded more than twice as many assists per 100 possessions as a sophomore compared to when he was a freshman.
The NBA regular season is over, which means many teams are shifting their focus entirely to the 2026 NBA Draft.
With nearly half of the teams done with games for the season, their scouts and front office executives will soon determine which future pros they may add to their roster for next year. After an exciting March Madness tournament won by the Michigan Wolverines, several prospects showed exactly what they can offer in the league.
As many collegiate players announce their intention to declare early entry to the 2026 NBA Draft, we can start to develop a more clear picture of what this class may look like.
The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, which will determine the order of picks one through fourteen, will be held May 10 in Chicago, followed immediately that week by the draft combine, also in Chicago.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the No. 14 pick will play out with Charlotte Hornets making the selection.
Our draft order is based on Tankathon.com and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
Charlotte Hornets 2026 projected draft picks
No. 14 and No. 17 (via PHX)
Charlotte Hornets 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 14 overall, Braylon Mullins, G, UConn
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
Braylon Mullins, a five-star recruit and former McDonald's All-American, was a breakout star in the NCAA tournament after hitting one of the most improbable 3-pointers in March Madness history. Mullins continued to show a winning mentality, helping the Huskies earn a spot in the national championship game. The Big East All-Freshman wing shot 40.7 percent on 3-pointers during his first 18 games in the starting lineup. He is a useful off-ball threat, too, which gives him an immediately practical role at the next level.
Charlotte Hornets 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 17 overall, Jayden Quaintance, F, Kentucky
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
Jayden Quaintance recorded just one start during his sophomore campaign as he recovered from a torn ACL, meniscus and fractured knee. The big man is still one of the youngest players in this class, but he has shown flashes during his time at Arizona State and Kentucky. When healthy, he is arguably the most talented defender in this draft class and could help a team that desperately needs frontcourt help, like the Hornets. But health may cause some concern for evaluators.
They started calling Hector Cortes, "Sombrero Man," because it was Latino Night at a Charlotte Bobcats game more than a decade ago. The Spectrum Center jumbotron showed this local middle school teacher wearing his oversized charro hat "dancing like a maniac," he recalled, and soon enough the sombrero became part of Cortes's identity as a Charlotte resident, as much as his Mexican roots and upbringing rooting for the Lakers in the Los Angeles area.
The gimmick was part of the distraction on most nights. From the heartbreak of losing the original version of the Charlotte Hornets to New Orleans in 2002 and the heartache of watching another expansion team that has yet to win a playoff series in the 21 years since the NBA brought pro basketball back to Charlotte. The current version of the Hornets, which changed its name from Bobcats before the 2014-15 season, hasn't even made the playoffs in a decade.
So Cortes can't quite explain exactly what's happening to his favorite NBA team, only that he figured out the vibe was unmistakably different by March 26. The New York Knicks were in town and however loud "Sombrero Man" gets, he usually can't match the transplant New Yorkers that fill up Spectrum Center. Only this time, "The Hive" was alive with the sounds of Hornets fans.
"It's finally paying off, all the years. But now it almost feels weird, like 'Oh my God, we're winning games,'" Cortes said in a telephone interview. "Forget about winning games, we're winning games by 20, 30 points, which is for us, the Charlotte fans, unbelievable and unreal."
After starting the year with a 4-14 record, the Hornets won more than 62% of their remaining games playing an aesthetically appealing style. They have the NBA's best offensive rating since Jan. 1 and rank among the top 10 in the league in NET rating. They feature the first rookie to lead the NBA in 3-pointers (Kon Knueppel) and an intriguing star point guard (LaMelo Ball) maturing alongside a lineup whose leading scorer is another homegrown draft pick (Brandon Miller). A promising front office executive (Jeff Peterson) hired one of the current favorites for NBA coach of the year (Charles Lee).
As the Hornets began to win this season, an entire fan base began to re-emerge.
"We talk about it every day. The Hornets are this city's first love. It was the first pro sports franchise in the city," said Kyle Bailey, host of "The Kyle Bailey Show" on WFNZ Radio in Charlotte and the Hornets pregame radio show. "It's just been such a long run of not just bad, but futile basketball, front office, all of it. It was almost like they tried to suck the life out of people here they were so bad. This is without a doubt the most connected people have been to this team in a long time."
So this happened today! Had a quick FT call with @MilesBridges today in class and since I couldn’t make it to the game after all, I’d like to think that mine and my students good vibes helped Miles and the team get that W against the Knicks!!!! #HiveMentalitypic.twitter.com/aDPjz0HN0x
The Hornets set a new single-season record for sellouts (25) at the Spectrum Center this season, including a record 15 in a row to close the regular season. The franchise went from 22nd in the NBA in attendance last year to 13th this season. They drew over 100,000 more fans to their games than two years ago, when the team ranked last in the NBA in total attendance.
It has conjured up memories of the original Hornets, who routinely led the league in attendance at the old Charlotte Coliseum as Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning and Dell Curry helped introduce the city to the NBA during the 1990s.
"This fan base has been waiting to just show up and support a team they can be proud of and I think they're seeing it now," said Curry, the former Hornets guard who now serves as a team ambassador and local broadcast analyst. "Even when the Hornets first got here, we didn't win a lot, but people understood we played hard and people wanted to come out and support and that feeling is here in the building and in the city right now."
This postseason run could last just one game due to the single elimination format of the play-in tournament. The Hornets would still need to win a road game against either the Philadelphia 76ers or Orlando Magic to secure a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
But unlike previous years when the Hornets entered the postseason as a longshot, this appears to be the beginning of the organization's rise under new ownership after Michael Jordan sold his majority stake in the team in 2023 to a group led by private equity investors Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall. Only one player in the Hornets' starting lineup is older than 24 years old and they're all under contract at least through next season.
"I think this group has earned the respect or notoriety of the league," Lee said. "The last couple years haven't gone the way I think that we wanted, or that we would have hoped, and this year the progress that we made as individual players but also as a collective group and organization is definitely just raising people's attention levels to the Hornets."
Sometimes, he still has to remind them. Like before Sunday's win over the Knicks in the Hornets' regular season finale.
Knueppel said he and his teammates caught themselves reflecting on being at Madison Square Garden during the preseason, and how it didn't feel like much time had passed. In the locker room, however, Lee showed them the NBA standings when their record stood at 4-14 and where the NBA standings stand now.
He wanted them to remember just how long it has been.
The NBA regular season is over, which means many teams are shifting their focus entirely to the 2026 NBA Draft.
With nearly half of the teams done with games for the season, their scouts and front office executives will soon determine which future pros they may add to their roster for next year. After an exciting March Madness tournament won by the Michigan Wolverines, several prospects showed exactly what they can offer in the league.
As many collegiate players announce their intention to declare early entry to the 2026 NBA Draft, we can start to develop a more clear picture of what this class may look like.
The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, which will determine the order of picks one through fourteen, will be held May 10 in Chicago, followed immediately that week by the draft combine, also in Chicago.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the No. 19 pick will play out with San Antonio Spurs making the selection.
Our draft order is based on Tankathon.com and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
San Antonio Spurs 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 19 overall, Hannes Steinbach, F, Washington
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
German big man Hannes Steinbach is a name worth watching in the 2026 NBA Draft. While his team missed the tournament, the All-Big Ten post is an instinctive rebounder with great hands, including an absurd 24 rebounds against USC on March 4. Additionally, the center is one of the more prolific pick-and-roll finishers in college basketball. He shined during the FIBA U19 World Cup, too, and scouts love that he is a smart basketball player who can make great reads. Steinbach could make an excellent backup to Victor Wembanyama.
The NBA regular season is over, which means many teams are shifting their focus entirely to the 2026 NBA Draft.
With nearly half of the teams done with games for the season, their scouts and front office executives will soon determine which future pros they may add to their roster for next year. After an exciting March Madness tournament won by the Michigan Wolverines, several prospects showed exactly what they can offer in the league.
As many collegiate players announce their intention to declare early entry to the 2026 NBA Draft, we can start to develop a more clear picture of what this class may look like.
The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, which will determine the order of picks one through fourteen, will be held May 10 in Chicago, followed immediately that week by the draft combine, also in Chicago.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the No. 2 pick will play out with Indiana Pacers making the selection.
Our draft order is based on Tankathon.com and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
Indiana Pacers 2026 projected draft picks
No. 2
Indiana Pacers 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 2 overall, Cameron Boozer, F, Duke
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
Duke freshman Cameron Boozer was dominant during his first NCAA season, earning national collegiate player of the year honors. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, rival teams believe Boozer would be the "preferred selection" for the Pacers because of his "potential fit" alongside Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac. The ACC Player of the Year isn't a human highlight reel, but he offers consistency and a diverse, impactful skill set. More importantly, he can bring a culture of winning after multiple championships in high school and an elite Duke team that made it to the Sweet 16 before a heartbreaking last-second loss.
It’s hard to believe, but we have arrived at game No. 82 for the 2025-26 Pittsburgh Penguins, though it seems like just yesterday they were at Madison Square Garden opening the season against the New York Rangers. Not many fans thought there was going to be more than the standard 82 games for the Penguins this season, but we now know there is more hockey yet to be played with the Penguins qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs. First though, the Penguins will put a cap on the regular season with a matchup against the St. Louis Blues later this evening.
Puck drop is scheduled for 9:30 PM ET and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and ESPN.
Pens Points…
For now, there is only one game remaining on the Penguins 2025-26 schedule, a meeting with the St. Louis Blues later this evening to wrap up the regular season. More games of course will be added, likely this weekend when the Penguins begin Stanley Cup playoff action. [Pensburgh]
Who the Penguins will play when those playoff games are added remains to be seen, but we could know by the time this post goes live with the Philadelphia Flyers just two points away from locking down the final playoff spot and guaranteeing a “Battle of Pennsylvania” meeting in the first round. [Pensburgh]
There were a bunch of regulars missing from the Penguins lineup over the course of their weekend back-to-back with the Washington Capitals. That opened the door for some depth players to get back in the lineup and make one last audition before the playoffs begin. [Pensburgh]
For maybe the last time, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin met in an NHL game this weekend. If that was indeed the end of their two decade rivalry, then it was an absolute treat to watch all these years, and the two combatants seem to agree, the memories will last forever. [PPG]
It didn’t appear so at the time, but the moves Kyle Dubas made over the summer helped build the Penguins into the playoff team they are today. Add in a handful of other transactions he made during the season and at the draft, and you will exactly how he built the Penguins into a contender. [Sportsnet]
NHL News and Notes…
With the regular season winding down, the race for the NHL’s individual awards are also coming to a close. Nikita Kucherov is will positioned to win his first Hart Trophy and Zach Werenski could take home his first Norris while Matthew Schafer should waltz away with the Calder. [ESPN]
Anton Forsberg has backstopped the Los Angeles Kings into a playoff spot out west with a spotless week in goal and he has been named the NHL First Star of the Week as a result. Fellow goalie Linus Ullmark has named Second Star while Dylan Larkin rounded out the trio of honorees. [NHL]
The Islanders finish their season-killing homestand by hosting a longtime nemesis, the Carolina Hurricanes, who have nothing to play for and every reason to rest with first place in the East locked up. That didn’t stop them from forcing the Flyers to a shootout last night before Philadelphia clinched the final playoff spot and set up a Battle of Pennsylvania in the first round.
I’m still processing my feelings — disappointment? low expectations ultimately met but via a mostly fun route? hope for offseason improvements? — from how this season petered out, but we solved a lot of it in comments/group therapy yesterday so I think many of us are ready to start 2026-27, at least if we are given the reins to make the moves we know to be needed.
But there is still business to finish! Matthew Schaefer needs a goal tonight. I don’t care if they play him at forward like an early ‘80s Phil Housley, or if they set him up on the doorstep on the power play, or have him cherrypick like Daniel Briere — whatever they need to do, make this happen and give him exclusive possession of the NHL record for goals by a rookie defenseman.
They probably get shut out though.
The final First Islanders Goal picks of the season go here. BIG thank you to Commenter69420 for managing this all season and keeping it going for you FIG-addicts.
Islanders News
Will we get news of a callup or even NHL debut today? (Victor Eklund is getting that, according to THN) Figure knowing one way or other after the morning skate.
And this won’t be answered today, but will it be Anders Lee’s final game as an Islander? (Doubtful, but possible.) Or any of the other longtime Islanders? (More likely.)
This is actually a tough vote for Goal of the Year: the Palmieri Instant ACL Legend or the Schaefer Leaf-Slayer goal. [Isles]
What an up and down season, ending with a thud that makes Dan and Mike feel pretty low. [Islanders Anxiety podcast]
Talking to Islanders and Rangers about their memories of their rookie lap. [Newsday]
Pete DeBoer says getting a few games with this team means he is “way ahead” of where he would be had he been hired sometime this summer. [Post]
Prospect Report: Kashawn Aitcheson continues to accumulate points, Quinn Finley’s Wisconsin falls short, and a few others are still active in the CHL playoffs. [Isles]
The Islanders, Devils and Rangers have made history: This is the first time all three have missed the playoffs. [Post]
Elsewhere
Lots of games and additional clinchings last night. Though the Isles are done, there are actually two more days of games after tonight.
Matt Moulson’s brother-in-law calls it quits at 40, finishes with a loss as a Ranger, following a long tradition of former greats going to the Smurfs to kill off their career. [ESPN]
The Stars have a guy named Mavrik Bourque and he just got a hat trick. [Sportsnet]
Here’s all the roster turnover Kyle Dubas did to get the Penguins one last playoff appearance before the tanks roll in. [Sportsnet]
Jerry West’s legend was so well established when he retired from the Los Angeles Lakers in 1974 that he’d already been the inspiration for the NBA’s logo. Half a century later, West remains seventh all-time in points per game and holds the points-per-game record for a playoff series, numbers even more remarkable because he did it without the three-point shot.
But, of course, West wasn’t done. As a scout and general manager, he was a key architect of the Showtime Lakers teams of the 1980s and later acquired both Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal to build another dynasty. West also was an executive for the Golden State Warriors in their heyday, providing crucial advice on player personnel.
Through it all, however, West struggled with depression and a sense of self-loathing, and had trouble with intimacy, much of it a by-product of a hardscrabble childhood in West Virginia with a domineering father.
That dichotomy, his outer success and inner turmoil, are the heart of “Jerry West: The Logo,” a new documentary for Prime Video, from “black-ish” creator Kenya Barris, directing his first documentary.
“I’m from L.A. and was a fan of the Showtime Lakers growing up,” Barris says, so he put his name in for the project figuring he’d at least get to meet a hero. “But we immediately hit it off and I felt a kinship with him.”
That ability to connect was part of West’s magic, as attested to by the string of NBA legends who pay tribute to him in the documentary, including Lakers such as Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Pat Riley and O’Neal, along with Steph Curry and Michael Jordan.
Vlade Divac was traded by West to secure the rights to Bryant, but he selected West to introduce him at his Hall of Fame induction. In a recent phone interview, Divac praised West as “a father figure when you needed it and a friend when you needed it. He was very honest and he cared about people and helped you achieve your goals. He's one of the best guys I ever met. Period.”
Barris, who did extensive interviews with West before the Laker icon died in 2024, spoke by video recently about making the documentary, which also includes NBA Commissioner Adam Silver acknowledging for the first time that West was the sport's logo. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Jerry had already opened up about his life in his memoir, "West by West," but do you think this was still cathartic for him?
His book really drew me to doing the documentary because it was so honest. I think the idea of him actually saying these things out loud in front of a camera with his kids and his grandkids around was a catharsis for him.
Did he feel he was nearing the end?
Jerry would say, "I feel like I'm in God's waiting room." He didn't like getting old because he was so much in touch with his body as an athlete — he could jump higher and run farther than his friends. When I first met him, he was on the treadmill and jogging with weights. He was in his 80s but was saying, "I used to be able to jog with more weights."
He was feeling old but I don't think that he thought he was about to pass.
Was he annoyed by his depiction in HBO’s Lakers series “Winning Time,” which generated controversy in 2022?
The show was entertaining, but it really bothered him and he didn’t think it was fair. I think that series might've pushed him into wanting to do this, if I'm being completely honest.
He and his family talk openly on camera about his mental health issues. Was it hard to balance that tonally with his great accomplishments in basketball?
I did not want to make something that was morose or a melodrama. But it would not be complete if he didn't talk about the struggles. When I first met him, he was just coming out of a depression and anyone who's ever been through that understands that it is actually a struggle. So forming a whole picture of who this character was was really important. And also it was important for his family because they lived through this with him as well. They were sad to see him suffer, but they had suffered through it too.
We wanted to really talk about who this character was and what formed him. Most of who we are is formed between the ages of 0 and 12 and in those years, Jerry saw a lot and went through a lot of stuff.
When his older brother was killed in Korea and his father put the casket by the Christmas tree …
That was crazy. If we could get the audience to understand who this man was, it would give them empathy for everything after.
As a GM [general manager], he was a white guy in this predominantly Black sport, but he came in with a chip on his shoulder, too, and he saw these young players who hadn’t had strong father figures and came from socioeconomically deprived places like he did and he was able to build real relationships with them.
He didn't want to talk about it a lot in the doc, but he did a lot for civil rights and for players' advocacy of the NBA, for the Black players, who didn’t have the same voice that he had. But he did it quietly.
One thing the documentary avoids is the contentious relationship with Phil Jackson — who isn’t even mentioned — and the cause of West’s departure from the Lakers right after he built that dynasty. Did he not want to discuss it?
We spoke about it. You can't have that long a career and not rack up some controversial things. But I did not want this to be a salacious look at the negative accounts. I got in there the idea of a strain with the Lakers, but I wanted to make sure to not defile that relationship based upon certain things that I wasn't going to dig into. It was not a gotcha sort of documentary. It was more of a tribute to him.
People have wondered if he had stayed on, whether he could have stopped the relationship between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal from going south, and I would have been interested to know what he thought.
We did talk about that. He believes that he could have got them to stay together and he said that he believes they could have gone on and won four or five more championships.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers in action during the first quarter of the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. 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 Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Alas, the 2026 NBA postseason is upon us. It took a while to get here. About six months, in totality.
The regular season was an entertaining one, for sure. Let’s not get that mistaken, however, it became a war of attrition, on many fronts. Some teams limped across the finish line.
The Los Angeles Lakers were one of those teams, as both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves suffered season-ending injuries that has their opening round postseason series against the Houston Rockets in doubt. But according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Doncic will be getting re-evaluated on Tuesday.
Sharania joined the Pat McAfee Show and provided an update on Doncic’s injury prognosis.
“The expectation is that Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves will both be out to start the first round.
Luka Doncic spent the last week in Spain and he underwent multiple injection treatments in that hamstring.
He will be re-evaluated on Tuesday.”
Sharania added that Reaves will likely be out through the first week of May, with an oblique injury that has kept him out of commission and away from the hardwood since April 2nd. It goes without saying that the Lakers are a much different team without Doncic and Reaves.
It also shouldn’t be penciled in that they will both be sidelined through the entirety of the series. Players typically are willing to risk their bodies during the postseason.
Even a limited version of Doncic is far better than whomever the Lakers are forced to replace him with. As for the Rockets, they will need to capitalize on the matchup, regardless. They’ve played down to their competition throughout the season, having lost to teams that they’ve been much better than.
Tanking teams, even. Houston lost games against the Dallas Mavericks (twice), Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings (twice), New Orleans Pelicans and Chicago Bulls, who jumped out to a 41-21 lead after the opening period.
Part of his basketball education was learned, not on the court, but in the car. It was during road trips to games that he and his coach Stacy Dooley would talk fundamentals, crack jokes and develop a bond.
It was also where a pact was made. Powell was in the passenger seat of Dooley’s car when his journey to the NBA officially began.
“You’re my coach now,” Powell told him. “I’m serious about this. We have to start doing training and stuff now. So, since you’re my coach, it’s kind of your job now.”
A job that Dooley accepted.
Stacy Dooley stands on the basketball court where he once coached Norman Powell in San Diego, California. (NBC)
“I said, ’You know what? You’re right,” Dooley recalled. “I said, ‘We’ll go ahead and do this.’ I said, ‘If you’re serious about it, I’m going to be serious about it, as well.’ That’s when it kind of took off.”
It was a long road ahead, but it took Powell from his hometown of San Diego to UCLA and then to the NBA, where he just completed the first All-Star season of his career with the Miami Heat. And the entire way, Powell said Dooley was not just his coach, but his mentor and father figure.
“He saw something in me,” Powell said when he and Dooley had a surprise reunion on NBC’s “Launching Legends.” “Potential, or just a kid with a single-parent household that he related to. But he really took me under his wing and helped me every step of the way.”
‘I don’t want to let this family down’
The first step in their basketball relationship had been gaining the trust of Powell’s mother Sharon.
Dooley was coaching at the Boys & Girls Club in San Diego when a 12-year-old Powell joined his team.
“My first impression of Norman was he was a really quiet guy, but he was super serious,” Dooley said. “At 12 years old, he had a ton of energy. I mean, he could run for days.”
He became Powell’s first basketball coach.
“And since that day,” Powell said, “[Dooley] has always been a big brother, mentor for me.”
As Powell’s talent became evident, Dooley suggested he play club ball against older competition. For that he would need Sharon’s permission.
“She mulled it over a little bit, and she eventually agreed to doing it,” he said. “But there were some stipulations involved.”
One of which, he said, was when driving to practice, Sharon did not want older children in the car with her young and impressionable son. He agreed.
“I took him to our first practice, and it was just me and him,” Dooley said. “And when I came back, she was waiting there and she saw that it was just Norman coming out of my car that went a long way with her. We established some trust at that point.”
With Dooley still in his 20s at the time, he said it was the first time someone put that kind of trust in him.
“I took that as a badge of honor,” he said. “And I’m like, you know what? I don’t want to let this family down.”
He never did.
“He wasn’t just one of those coaches that wanted to use a player for their talents, to get ahead,” Powell said. “He actually, really cared.
“He was always there. If my mom needed help. If I needed help with anything. He was a sounding board, for me … He took a lot of time just being there for me, coaching me, teaching me, life lessons on and off the court.”
Having bonded with Powell, and earned the trust of his mother, Dooley said he felt a sense of responsibility.
“He kind of started to fill that dad void for me and role,” Powell said.
With that came some tough love.
Norman Powell and Stacy Dooley pose for a photograph. (Courtesy of Stacy Dooley)
The first example of that may have been having Powell compete against older players.
“He let me practice with the older guys, and I think that really helped me develop my skill and understanding of basketball and what it was going to take to be really good,” Powell said.
Dooley described himself as a serious coach and a no-nonsense guy, attributes that helped him build a rapport with Powell, who was serious about basketball from a young age.
“’I’m tough on you right now, but it’s for your benefit,” he’d tell Powell. “So, don’t take anything I say personal. And then I would finish it off with a joke.”
The jokes would continue on their car rides during travel ball, with Powell saying the humor lightened the mood in between games.
“It would be random stuff,” Dooley said. “Basically, things I would observe on the street, different people. I’m a people watcher.”
‘That kind of validates the trips’
He watched as Powell developed into an NBA prospect, winning a state title at Lincoln High School and going on to play at UCLA for four years.
“As time went by, I was like, ‘You know what? This is actually going to happen,'” Dooley said.
Powell was drafted in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and traded to the Toronto Raptors. He spent five-plus seasons with the Raptors, helping to lead the team to its first championship in 2019.
“Wow, that was really amazing,” Dooley said. “So, it’s already a little surreal seeing someone you know, that you’re close to, on TV playing professional basketball. And then when it got to a point where they’re in a NBA championship run.”
Three teams and six seasons later, at the age of 32, Powell became a first-time NBA All-Star.
Dooley was at All-Star Weekend to celebrate the latest accomplishment in Powell’s career.
“Super thankful for your part in it and being the first coach to coach me, take me under your wing, show me right from wrong, be hard on me in every single drill, trying to bring the best out of me,” Powell said to Dooley on “Launching Legends.” “So many different memories that we’ve had … All the different jokes and things that have happened with our road trips. But I’m super grateful for you. I wouldn’t be where I’m at if it wasn’t for your time and dedication and sacrifice.”
And for being behind the wheel on his long road to success.
“That kind of validates the trips and the jokes and the tough love and everything,” Dooley said. “That’s pretty amazing.”
The NBA regular season is over, which means many teams are shifting their focus entirely to the 2026 NBA Draft.
With nearly half of the teams done with games for the season, their scouts and front office executives will soon determine which future pros they may add to their roster for next year. After an exciting March Madness tournament won by the Michigan Wolverines, several prospects showed exactly what they can offer in the league.
As many collegiate players announce their intention to declare early entry to the 2026 NBA Draft, we can start to develop a more clear picture of what this class may look like.
The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, which will determine the order of picks one through fourteen, will be held May 10 in Chicago, followed immediately that week by the draft combine, also in Chicago.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the No. 3 pick will play out with Brooklyn Nets making the selection.
Our draft order is based on Tankathon.com and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
While he is no longer perceived as the near-certain No. 1 overall pick that he once was due to relative inconsistency and injury issues, many scouts and evaluators feel that Darryn Peterson is the most talented player in this class. The Nets had the worst offense in the NBA and could change the course of the franchise by selecting Peterson. It is incredibly rare to find a prospect who is able to score as efficiently as Peterson did while holding a usage rate as high as his was this season.
The NBA regular season is over, which means many teams are shifting their focus entirely to the 2026 NBA Draft.
With nearly half of the teams done with games for the season, their scouts and front office executives will soon determine which future pros they may add to their roster for next year. After an exciting March Madness tournament won by the Michigan Wolverines, several prospects showed exactly what they can offer in the league.
As many collegiate players announce their intention to declare early entry to the 2026 NBA Draft, we can start to develop a more clear picture of what this class may look like.
The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, which will determine the order of picks one through fourteen, will be held May 10 in Chicago, followed immediately that week by the draft combine, also in Chicago.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the No. 5 pick will play out with Utah Jazz making the selection.
Our draft order is based on Tankathon.com and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
Utah Jazz 2026 projected draft picks
No. 4
Utah Jazz 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 5 overall, Kingston Flemings, G, Houston
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
The Jazz had the worst defensive rating in the Western Conference and could potentially improve that by selecting Houston freshman Kingston Flemings to join Keyonte George in their backcourt. The All-Big 12 guard has several games when he has recorded at least three steals, notching eight against Arizona State earlier this season. He scored 42 points against No. 11 Texas Tech on Jan. 24. Flemings helped lead Houston to the Sweet 16, and with highs as high as his were this season, it will not take long for him to hear his name called on draft night.
The NBA regular season is over, which means many teams are shifting their focus entirely to the 2026 NBA Draft.
With nearly half of the teams done with games for the season, their scouts and front office executives will soon determine which future pros they may add to their roster for next year. After an exciting March Madness tournament won by the Michigan Wolverines, several prospects showed exactly what they can offer in the league.
As many collegiate players announce their intention to declare early entry to the 2026 NBA Draft, we can start to develop a more clear picture of what this class may look like.
The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, which will determine the order of picks one through fourteen, will be held May 10 in Chicago, followed immediately that week by the draft combine, also in Chicago.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the No. 1 pick will play out with Washington Wizards making the selection.
Our draft order is based on Tankathon.com and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
Washington Wizards 2026 projected draft picks
No. 1, No. 51 (via MIN) and No. 60 (via OKC)
Washington Wizards 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 1 overall, AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
The Wizards finished with the worst record in the NBA and would benefit tremendously from a lottery win. They had the second-worst offense in the league and could instantly inject life into their offense by selecting AJ Dybantsa, the NCAA scoring champion and Julius Erving Award winner. He emphasized that point during his one game for BYU in March Madness, putting up 35 points and 10 rebounds. The Big 12 Rookie of the Year led the nation in unassisted points scored (680) by a wide margin this season, per CBB Analytics. The emerging star also had 40 points against Kansas State in the Big 12 Tournament on March 10 and averaged a stellar 28.8 points per game over his final 17 appearances.
