Category: Sports News

The tests kept coming in the month of March for the Lakers and they responded with the same resounding answer: We’re ready.

Yet, even though the Lakers posted a 15-2 record last month, even though they beat some of the best teams in the NBA, they still have another big test on the horizon that will further show whether they're ready.

The Lakers will meet the defending NBA champion Thunder in Oklahoma City Thursday night, and it will be the test of all tests because OKC is just as hot as L.A. and owns the best record in the NBA.

The Thunder have their own unstoppable force in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, last season’s most valuable player who is in line to win it again this season, just as the Lakers have their own unstoppable force in Luka Doncic, another MVP candidate this season.

Oklahoma City produced a 14-1 record in March. The Thunder have a 60-16 record, tops in the league.

So for the Lakers, Thursday will be a measuring stick against the best the league has to offer.

“Yeah, 100%. I mean, I feel like we've been in a couple playoff games here recently," Lakers forward Jake LaRavia said. "This is obviously going to be another one, you know, best team in the West. So it's going to be a good test for us as we're nearing the playoffs. And, yeah, it's going to be the same thing. We have to be physical. We have to play defense collectively. We're gonna have to just play together as a team.”

The Lakers finished March with a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers and have won 13 of their past 14 games.

They had impressive victories over New York, Minnesota, Denver, at Houston twice, at Miami and at Orlando during March.

Read more:Luka Doncic matches Michael Jordan for the most magical March in NBA history

Now they get the Thunder.

“Obviously they are the defending champs,” Lakers guard Austin Reaves said. “They play at a high level. Obviously one of the best teams in the league, if not the best team, and we have an opportunity to go into OKC and battle them.”

The Thunder have one of the NBA’s best defenses. OKC holds teams to 107.6 points per game, second-best in the league, and 43.5% shooting, the best in the NBA.

Oklahoma City ranks fifth in the NBA in scoring (118.6) and fifth in shooting percentage (48.2).

So, yes, the Lakers will have their hands full.

“They're great on both sides of the ball,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “They're gonna make you work for things defensively because of how physical they are. And then, they just do a great job of driving. You really have to do your best to keep them outta the paint, have you to do your best to be square of the ball. … They just are really good at what they do. And they've been doing that now for five years. And they know all the nuances. They know all the tricks. They all know the timing of everything. They're just a tough team to guard.”

Lakers' ultimate teammate

The Lakers all view Marcus Smart as the ultimate teammate, a selfless member of their group and a true leader the team can count on for his willingness to compete on both sides of the basketball.

Smart and Deandre Ayton sit next to each other in the Lakers’ locker room and that has been a good thing for Ayton, who relies on Smart for his wisdom and guidance.

And even though Smart missed his fifth straight game Tuesday night against the Cavaliers with a right ankle contusion, Ayton and the Lakers still felt his presence.

“Yeah, I think there's a built-in level of respect and, in some ways, acceptance with Marcus because of how hard he competes and how much he gives every single time that he steps on the floor,” Redick said. “That's an easy way to build trust with your teammates — ... to play as hard as you possibly can every single night and do it with a competitive gusto. And that's what Smart does.

" I think for [Ayton,] he's just been a great calming voice for him throughout the year. ... Marcus has been there, throughout halftimes, huddles, on the court. ... It's really allowed D.A. to be more consistent as we've gotten towards the end of the season.”

Read more:How Luka Doncic's season stacks up against the NBA's other MVP contenders

Smart has been recognized for being such a great teammate.

The NBA announced on Tuesday that Smart is one of 12 finalists for the 2025-26 Twyman-Strokes Teammate of the Year Award. It’s an honor that recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on-and-off the court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players and commitment and dedication to his team.

“He’s like a brother’s keeper,” said Ayton, who had 18 points and nine rebounds against the Cavaliers. “He sees everything, just like [LeBron James] and [Austin Reaves] and Luka [Doncic]. But he’s definitely going to bring it up. He reminds me a little bit of [former Suns teammate] Jae Crowder, that guy who is always going to be the one saying the right thing at the right time. Just our enforcer, our pit bull and he’s the one that set the tone, really, and we all follow. He throw a punch, we all going to throw a punch. You got 1,000 punches, you know what I’m saying? That’s Marcus.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

On Tuesday, a pair of the league’s citizenship awards were announced. Two members of the Silver & Black received nominations.

Congrats to @hbarnes on being named a finalist for the 2025-26 NBA Sportsmanship Award 👏 pic.twitter.com/8MAs7VnK5u

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) March 31, 2026

Harrison Barnes was nominated as an NBA Sportsmanship Award Finalist. The award is given to a player who most “exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court with ethical behavior, fair play, and integrity.”

He was nominated alongside former Spurs guard Derrick White, T. J. McConnell, Bam Adebayo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Al Horford.

And per league, Harrison Barnes is one of six finalists for its annual Sportsmanship Award, a field that includes former Spur Derrick White. pic.twitter.com/tP3e4PH87w

— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) March 31, 2026

Avery Johnson, David Robinson, and Steve Smith all won the award as members of the San Antonio Spurs.

Additionally, De’Aaron Fox was nominated for the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award.

Congrats to @swipathefox on being named a finalist for the 2025-26 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award 🤝 pic.twitter.com/QLUCjYApAZ

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) March 31, 2026

This comes on the heels of receiving some high praise from Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra.

The award “recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other players, and commitment and dedication to team.”

Fox is joined by nominees Desmond Bane, Jalen Brunson, Pay Connaughton, Jeff Green, Jrue Holiday, Deandre Jordan, Duncan Robinson, Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, Garrett Temple, and Jaylin Williams.

De’Aaron Fox is 1 of 12 finalists for the NBA annual award that “recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other players, and commitment and dedication to team.” pic.twitter.com/WclY9T73yC

— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) March 31, 2026

The NBA presents the winner with the Twyman–Stokes Trophy and gives a $25,000 donation to a charity of the recipient’s choice.

Spurs legend Tim Duncan won in in 2015.

Jrue Holiday has been awarded the honors three previous years.

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Your Atlanta Hawks are red-hot, having won 17 of 20 games since the All-Star Break.

In a season where the Hawks were supposed to contend for a top six place in the Eastern Conference, the team took a very circuitous route to get here. The team’s starting point guard and starting center at the beginning of the season are now elsewhere, and for a long time the Hawks found themselves floundering below .500 in the ninth and tenth spots in the standings.

But with this recent surge, they now find themselves fifth — a game and a half up on the Philadelphia 76ers in seventh and half a game above the Toronto Raptors.

The remaining six games for Atlanta are, in order, at Orlando, at Brooklyn, home against New York, at and home to Cleveland, and finish at Miami. That’s a tough slate.

So I ask you, loyal readers, would it be a disappointment if the Hawks slipped below sixth into the Play-In Tournament? The results of the poll will be posted later this week.

Draymond Green didn't want to play for Bucks if he was included in Giannis trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It appears Draymond Green dodged a bullet.

The Warriors forward, who, along with a handful of future draft picks, reportedly was included in Golden State’s trade offer to the Milwaukee Bucks for superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, ultimately stayed put past the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline with the only team he has known throughout his 14-year career.

However, that did not always appear to be the most likely outcome for Green before the Bucks eventually decided not to trade Antetokounmpo this season.

“This is probably it,” Green told ESPN’s Anthony Slater about what he told himself in the days leading up to the deadline. “And I got to be OK with that. You see so many people leave places bad and I just didn’t want that.”

“I’m a human being. There was a second of me [at the deadline] that felt like, ‘Damn, they really going to do that to me?'”

While Green initially might have been hurt by the possibility of being traded, he certainly understood why Golden State was willing to part with him, even if it resulted in him playing for a team that he, admittedly, had no interest in playing for.

“I understand this business probably [as] good as any player,” Green shared with ESPN. “I understand like, ‘Yo, this is Giannis Antetokounmpo. They not just about to trade me for a bag of peanuts.’ It would’ve almost been a point of pride.

“I’ll be honest though. I didn’t want to play for Milwaukee.”

Warriors superstar Steph Curry, who has accomplished so much in his illustrious NBA career alongside — and in part, because of Green –also understands why the franchise would have to part with his longtime teammate.

“I didn’t spend time on the conversation,” Curry told ESPN about the possibility of Green being traded. “But I guess Giannis is the only one that would’ve made sense. And I think, to his point, any team would’ve looked at that. But we never got there. I guess I’m the only one that is off the board, out of the conversation, but you have to be naïve to not understand the business side of it.”

Green and Curry will close out their 14th season together before the Warriors embark on an offseason that, once again, could result in a major roster shake-up.

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At this stage of the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament, if you do not know who Yaxel Lendeborg is, you're either lying or haven't been paying attention.

The same holds for the Michigan basketball star, is true for Arizona's Koa Peat, Illinois' Keaton Wagler and Connecticut's Terrian Reed. These four have been among the best players in March Madness, but have also proven themselves over the course of the season.

MORE: 2017 FBI probe sent coaches to prison, got others fired. This March Madness was a reunion

For either the Wolverines, Wildcats, Fighting Illini or the Huskies to win the 2026 national championship, they'll need their best players to shine in the biggest moments of the year when the quartet plays in the Final Four on Saturday, April 4, from Indianapolis.

However, just because a star has a big game, it does not mean these teams can easily be knocked off. Just ask Alabama and Labaron Philon. The Crimson Tide star matched a career-high of 35 points, but got little help from his supporting cast, causing Alabama to lose to Michigan in the Sweet 16.

All four stars will need help from a potential unsung hero for their team to win a national title. Here's a look at some potential candidates who could step up in that role:

Trey McKenny, Michigan

Trey McKenny, the freshman from Flint, Michigan, is potentially finding his stroke at the right time. On the season, he is averaging 9.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game on 46.2% shooting from the field, incluidng 38% from 3-point range.

However, McKenny scored at least eight points in every NCAA Tournament game, including 17 points against Alabama and followed it up with a 12-point performance against Alabama. Against the Crimson Tide, he connected on three 3-pointers.

In addition to his hot outside shooting, McKenney has also gotten to the free throw line 11 times over the last two games, knocking down 10 of them. While Lendeborg is the present for the Wolverines, McKenney is likely the future, already declaring his intention to return next season.

Could he give a glimpse into why he was a top-20 recruit in the 2025 class to help Michigan win its first title since 1989?

Motiejus Krivas, Arizona

Could the first-year starter and junior for Arizona, Motiejus Krivas, be a key for the Wildcats to win their first national title since 1997?

On a team full of scorers, Bradley is fourth on the team with his career-best 10.4 points per game, while averaging a best 8.2 rebounds per game. He shoots 56.9% from the field. He has started all 38 games for Arizona this season after making just one start in his first two seasons.

He is capable of a big scoring performance, as he did when he scored 25 points against Kansas State on Jan. 27, on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and making 11 of 12 free throws.

Kylan Boswell, Illinois

With Wagler's emergence, it could be easy to forget his fellow backcourt mate, Kylan Bowell, at times. However, Boswell is the model of consistency for Brad Underwood's Illinois team.

The 6-foot-2 senior guard from Champaign, Illinois, is averaging a career-high 12.5 points per game on 45% shooting from the field, to go along with 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.

Boswell had a 25-point performance against UConn earlier this season, while he also had 22-point performances against Texas Tech and Alabama. He also scored 20 points against Nebraska, proving he's capable of big games when called upon.

Silas Demary Jr., UConn

UConn's strength is having many players whom it can turn to for a shot with the game on the line. Case in point, freshman Braylon Mullins hitting the game-winning buzzer-beater against No. 1 seed Duke in the Sweet 16.

For this exercise, Mullins is too well-known now. So another player to keep an eye on is junior Silas Demary Jr. The UConn junior is averaging 10.4 points, 5.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game on 45.5% shooting and 40.5% 3-point shooting.

The transfer from Georgia had 23 points and 15 assists on Jan. 7 against Providence, proving he is capable of a major game when it is needed.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Final Four players who can become March Madness unsung heroes

Will two Big Ten teams face off with a national championship on the line? No. 3 seed Illinois and No. 1 Michigan are on opposite sides of the Final Four in 2026, and could guarantee the Big Ten the NCAA Tournament championship with wins in the national semifinals.

The Fighting Illini take on No. 2 Connecticut, while the Wolverines face fellow No. 1 seed Arizona, each on Saturday, April 4. The winners will move onto the national championship game on Monday, April 6, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

REQUIRED READING: Final Four predictions: Who will advance to national championship game?

The last Big Ten school to win a national championship was Michigan State in 2000, Tom Izzo's fifth season at the helm. The Huskies, meanwhile, are looking for their third national championship in four seasons under Dan Hurley, who's quickly rising the all-time coaching ranks.

The Wildcats have won one national championship in their history, which came in 1997. They last made the Final Four in 2001, and are looking to get back to college basketball's mountaintop.

What does Artificial Intelligence think about the Final Four in 2026? Here's how AI predicted the two matchups to go:

AI predicts Final Four games

No. 3 Illinois vs No. 2 UConn

Microsoft Copilot is impressed with Illinois' offense, but also thinks UConn's veteran presence and ability to win games late is important.

"Best offense left in the tournament," Copilot said of Illinois. "Illinois brings elite scoring versatility, with multiple shooters and one of the nation’s best offensive rebound rates."

The AI was also complementary of true freshman Keaton Wagler, one of the top remaining players in the NCAA Tournament.

"Since their November loss to UConn, Wagler has become a top‑10 NBA prospect and a dominant scorer — far more impactful than in the first meeting," Copilot said.

On the other hand, Copilot acknowledges Tarris Reed Jr. could be a matchup problem for Illinois, and that UConn wears teams down defensively.

"He’s averaging dominant numbers inside and could force Illinois into foul trouble or defensive adjustments," Copilot said of Reed. "They just survived Duke on a last‑second 3 and have shown resilience in multiple close games."

Copilot actually predicts an upset, taking Illinois in a close one.

"Illinois’ offensive versatility, improved defense, and Wagler’s rise give them the edge in a matchup where UConn’s inconsistent perimeter shooting could finally catch up to them," Copilot said.

• Score prediction: Illinois 76, UConn 71

No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 1 Michigan

Copilot noted both teams' dominance in the Men's NCAA Tournament as reasons to be excited for the Final Four matchup between Michigan and Arizona, noting Michigan outscored its opponents by 90 points in March Madness to Arizona's 82 points.

Copilot also noted Michigan's balance, acknowledging the Wolverines rank No. 1 in adjusted defensive efficiency and No. 5 in adjusted offensive efficiency, per KenPom. It also is impressed by Yaxel Lendeborg, a first-team All-American who scored 27 points against Tennessee in the Elite Eight.

But Copilot likes Arizona's balance and interior scoring a bit more than Michigan.

"Their starting lineup is the deepest and most balanced in the Final Four," the AI said. "Analysts consistently note Arizona’s edge on the glass and at the rim will be key in a game this evenly matched."

Ultimately, Copilot is going with Arizona to take down mighty Michigan for a spot in the national championship.

"This is the heavyweight fight everyone expected, but Arizona’s superior rim finishing, rebounding edge, and deeper scoring options give them a slight advantage," Copilot predicts.

• Score prediction: Arizona 78, Michigan 74

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Final Four predictions: Who does AI pick to make March Madness championship?

Boston fans know the team is in another golden age of contention.

But how long can it last?

The Celtics secured their fifth consecutive 50+ win season since 2021-22 with a 114-99 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night — the franchise’s 38th season with 50+ wins and its fourth time hitting that mark at least five seasons in a row (the most of any team in the league.)

That alone puts this run amongst some of the greatest prolonged stretches of contention in NBA history.

I mean, sure, the team hasn’t won 11 championships in 13 years like the Bill Russell Celtics or racked up 18 consecutive 50+ win seasons while winning five rings like the San Antonio Spurs.

Nevertheless, it is a rare accomplishment for NBA teams to win 50+ games in at least five straight seasons. Out of 30 teams in the league today, 14 have never done it (15 if you don’t count the Seattle Super Sonics’ history for the Oklahoma City Thunder.) That includes the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks — originally the Tri-Cities Blackhawks — despite being two of the league’s 11 founding franchises alongside the Celtics.

That includes historically bad teams like the Charlotte Hornets and the Washington Wizards, but it also features teams that have had dominant stretches over the years, like the Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets.

Overall, at least five consecutive seasons of 50+ wins has only been accomplished 22 times throughout NBA history. Only 11 of those instances featured runs of more than five consecutive seasons and only four were runs of at least 10 straight seasons with 50+ wins.

The latter is topped by the Spurs’ aforementioned 18-season run from 1999-00 to 2016-17, the Los Angeles Lakers’ 12-year stretch from 1979-80 to 1990-91, and the Dallas Mavericks’ 11-season run from 2000-01 to 2010-11. Boston’s own 10-season run from 1958-59 to 1967-68 completes the list.

The Celtics also recorded nine consecutive seasons with 50+ wins under Larry Bird from 1979-80 to 1987-88, starting with 61 wins in Bird’s first season.

While it may be outlandish to say the team’s current five-season run could stretch on long enough to compete with the Spurs for the top spot, Boston’s own franchise record could very well be within reach of the current core.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been at the core of the team’s current five-season run of 50+ wins since it began in 2021-22, when the Jays led the Celtics to 51 wins and the Finals for the first time under Coach Ime Udoka.

Despite flaming out against the Warriors and losing Udoka to scandal, the run only ramped up the next year under the leadership of Coach Joe Mazzulla, who revamped the offense, unlocked Derrick White, and steered the team to 57 wins.

After falling one win short of another Finals trip, General Manager Brad Stevens used some of his managerial magic to acquire Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis. The newly assembled team then rattled off 64 wins and won the 2024 NBA Finals.

Boston again broke the 60-win threshold in 2024-25 with 61 wins, even though the Celtics struggled with injuries and diminished play in key roles over the year. The team then lost Tatum to a ruptured right Achilles tendon in the Eastern Conference Finals and offloaded Holiday, Porziņģis and Al Horford in the offseason. Boston even lost backup center Luke Kornet to the Spurs in free agency.

That’s where this run of 50+ win seasons probably should have ended. But, as we’ve seen this season, this team is simply too good for that.

In lieu of Tatum for 62 games and four of the 2024-25 team’s other top-nine players, Brown, Mazzulla, Pritchard and White still led the team to a 50+ win season. At the same time, Stevens brought the team below the second apron and repositioned it for future financial flexibility, all while maintaining every piece of the core.

And now, Tatum’s back — and dropping 32 points against a red-hot Hornets team on 52.2% shooting from the field and 50% from three-point range.

So, if the team didn’t fall short of 50 wins this year, when will it?

Well, it could be a while. Maybe even long enough to meet or surpass the team’s 9- and 10-season runs.

The two biggest pieces of the core, Brown and Tatum, are still only 29 and 28 years old, respectively. They both have three guaranteed years remaining on their contracts after this season ends. Derrick White, who many may consider to be the third core piece, is 31. He’s locked up for another two years and has a $34,844,000 player option for a third, at which point he’ll be 34 and may no longer field offers of more than $30 million per year from other teams.

Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser are both 28 years old. Pritchard’s contract extends through 2027-28 and Hauser’s through 2028-29.

If Stevens can find a way to lock up Neemias Queta when his current deal ends in 2026-27, the 26-year-old could be the Celtics’ starting center for years to come. That may be difficult, given Queta’s breakout this season and Boston’s delicate financial situation, but it should be possible since the team will have the Bird rights to re-sign him.

The team also features a deep bench full of young players who could prove vital to Boston’s future success. Baylor Scheierman, 25, Hugo González, 20, and Jordan Walsh, 22, have all shown their worth this season and could grow to become important complementary pieces.

Even Boston’s leadership is relatively young. Mazzulla is 37 years old and the youngest coach in the NBA. Stevens is 49 years old, which isn’t exactly young for the role, but young enough to foresee years to come with him at the helm. As made apparent this season, both remain at the top of their games.

In order to meet or surpass the franchise record for consecutive 50+ win seasons, the team needs to string along another five seasons following this one.

Age shouldn’t be a problem. While White will be 36 in another five years, Brown and Tatum should be 34 and 33, respectively. The Jays will have the rest of their athletic primes to pursue the record over the five seasons before that, then a couple more years of elite play to potentially surpass it before aging out of stardom. Mazzulla will be just about as old as the average NBA head coach by then.

Reaching 50 wins with the Jays in their primes shouldn’t be too much to expect, either. Hell, the Celtics only had one of them for the majority of this season and the team may still finish it with almost 60 wins (58 if they win out.) If Stevens can retain them when their contracts expire and maintain a decent roster around them, 50 wins should be within reach every year they remain at an elite level.

However, despite the team’s seemingly sturdy footing halfway through the trek to 10 consecutive seasons of 50+ wins, any Celtics fan who watched the 2007-08 season knows that, as Kevin Garnett screamed after winning the Finals, anything is possible — and not always in a good way.

There is a reason five consecutive seasons of 50+ wins has only occurred 22 times in all of NBA history. Between injuries, free agency, financial complications and the natural decline of aging players, teams need to be both well-piloted and outright lucky to make such a streak happen. For this team to match the franchise record, it would need to accomplish that rare feat twice in a row.

The biggest questions for the Celtics moving forward will be: 1) can Stevens continue to maintain a competitive roster while walking the veritable financial tightrope that is the 2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement? and 2) how much will Tatum’s Achilles injury impact his availability and effectiveness in future seasons?

In answering the first question, I think this year works as a perfect demonstration that Stevens is up for the task. He piloted the Celtics out of the second apron while maintaining a roster that can compete for a chip. Assuming Boston remains under the luxury tax next season, the repeater tax will reset and Stevens will be free to once again spend on a contending team.

As for the second question, only time will tell. Despite struggling with efficiency, Tatum has looked impressive since his return. He’s racked up rebounds at an even higher rate than he did before his injury and stepped right back into his role as floor general, using his ever-present gravity to lure help defenders before stringing a pass to an open man. On top of that, Tatum has had multiple stretches where he has caught fire from the field, dropping midrange shots and step-back threes reminiscent of his best days before the injury.

Nevertheless, Achilles injuries have notably impacted other players’ longevity over the years. Even Kevin Durant, the model of how to return from an Achilles injury, has averaged almost 16 fewer games played per season than he did before his return (not counting this year.) On a positive note, Durant has played 71 games so far this season and 75 in 2023-24. But, if Tatum misses more time moving forward, it will at the very least reduce the team’s margin of error for reaching 50 wins per season. If Brown suffers a long-term injury and Tatum can’t be his usual workhorse self, Boston’s 50+ win season streak would be at high risk of snapping.

Whether this Celtics core reaches the franchise record or not, their run of five consecutive 50+ seasons is already cemented in history amongst only 21 others, and fans should be happy to know that they may be watching one of the greatest prolonged stretches of contention in NBA history.

Draymond reportedly not expected to opt out of Warriors contract this offseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green has spent his entire 14-year NBA career with the Warriors, but could that change this summer?

The Warriors forward has a $27.6 million player option for the 2026-27 season, giving him the option to explore other possibilities this offseason.

But Green opting out of his contract to test the free-agent market isn’t anticipated, team and league sources told ESPN’s Anthony Slater.

“The expectation is that Green will either opt in — keeping him as a bulky $27.6 million expiring deal that the Warriors could either hold or move — or work out a multiyear extension starting at a lower number, signaling a greater likelihood he finishes his career with the Warriors,” Slater wrote in a column published Wednesday.

Green shared that he and his agent, Rich Paul, “had a very quick one-minute talk” about the possibilities they could explore this summer.

“Maybe you opt out and do a longer deal. Maybe you opt in and extend,” Green said. “I earned it, the right to be in this position. I won’t misuse it. I won’t abuse it. I never have. You don’t get 14 years out of place if you were abusing it. All of that s–t matters.”

Green was involved in trade discussions with the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this year for two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, per multiple reports. Additional reporting indicated that had a trade occurred, Green would have pushed to be rerouted elsewhere rather than stay in Milwaukee.

Slater reported, citing league sources, that a reroute to the Los Angeles Lakers or Los Angeles Clippers was “on his radar” before the February trade deadline.

The last time Green was a free agent was during the summer of 2023, when he had a $27.6 million player option that he declined.

Barring any blockbuster trade in the coming years, it appears more and more likely that Green will remain a Warrior for his entire career.

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Who is and isn't a blue blood in college basketball is often a heated debate. By definition a blue blood is a program with elite lineage.

UConn's blood line of elite success didn't get going until the 1990s. The Huskies reached six Sweet 16s in the decade before breaking through in 1999 with the program's first national title.

The Huskies arrive at this week's Final Four looking to win a seventh national title (and third in four years). It's a run unmatched in modern history and winning at a level we haven't seen since the Wizard of Westwood.

In-depth: 2017 FBI probe sent coaches to prison, got others fired. This March Madness was a reunion

Final Four predictions: Who will advance to national championship game?

If UConn wins the 2026 national championship, they would move into sole possession of third place on the NCAA's all-time title list, trailing only UCLA (11) and Kentucky (8).

Is UConn a blue blood or a new blood? How about both.

Members of the USA TODAY Sports staff debated for an hour. "It's an inexact science," they said. Challenge accepted. Using that 1999 season as the marker, we looked at which programs have been the most successful by devising a super scientific formula:

• 20 points for national title
• 10 points for Final Four
• 6 points for regular-season conference title
• 5 points for Sweet 16
• -5 points for losing season

Here's how the math shook out:

10. Arizona (156 points)

• 10 Pac-12 regular season championships, 1 Big 12 title
• 14 Sweet 16s
• 2 Final Fours
• 0 national titles
• 0 losing seasons
• 709-250 (.739)

This might just be Arizona's first Final Four trip since 2001, but the Wildcats have been a model of consistency as one of the West's powerhouses.

9. Villanova (158 points)

• 8 Big East regular season championships
• 8 Sweet 16s
• 4 Final Fours
• 2 national titles
• 2 losing seasons
• 659-291 (.694)

Life without Jay Wright hasn't been great, but his run of two titles in three years (2016, 2018) and two more Final Fours land the Wildcats on this list.

8. Kentucky (185 points)

• 10 SEC regular season championships
• 14 Sweet 16s
• 4 Final Fours
• 1 national title
• 1 losing season
• 724-255 (.740)

A blue blood that still cracks this list. Kentucky fans will tell you they belong higher up on this list, but the numbers don't lie. Kentucky's eight national titles in program history are second-most in NCAA history, but the Wildcats have just one since 1999. In fact, UK hasn't been to a Final Four since 2015.

7. Florida (192 points)

• 7 SEC regular season championships
• 10 Sweet 16s
• 5 Final Fours
• 3 national titles
• 2 losing seasons
• 686-284 (.707)

Surprised to see Florida this low on the list, but sandwiched in between Billy Donovan and Todd Golden, the Mike White years were truly forgettable.

6. Gonzaga (234 points)

• 24 WCC regular season championships
• 14 Sweet 16s
• 2 Final Fours
• 0 losing seasons
• 801-163 (.831)

OK, so the 24 West Coast Conference titles are doing some heavy lifting here. But don't scoff at the 14 Sweet 16s. That's a remarkable run of steadiness, first as a Cinderella, then as a favorite. They played for the national title twice, losing to North Carolina in 2017 and Baylor in 2021. No one was won more (801) than the Zags.

5. Kansas (236 points)

• 11 Big 12 regular season championships
• 14 Sweet 16s
• 6 Final Fours
• 2 national titles
• 0 losing seasons
• 788-206 (.793)

No Sweet 16 appearances since winning the 2022 national title kept the Jayhawks from appearing higher on this list, that was actually the only Sweet 16 in the past seven tournaments for KU.

4. Michigan State (245 poins)

• 10 Big Ten regular season championships
• 17 Sweet 16s
• 8 Final Fours
• 1 national title
• 0 losing seasons
• 709-269 (.725)

The last Big Ten team to win a national title, Tom Izzo's staggering 17 Sweet 16s and eight Final Fours are a model of consistent excellence.

3. North Carolina (251 points)

• 11 ACC regular season championships
• 13 Sweet 16s
• 7 Final Fours
• 3 national titles
• 2 losing seasons
• 709-284 (.714)

Hubert Davis got the Tar Heels to a national championship game in Year 1, and then a Sweet 16 in 2024, but back-to-back first round losses didn't cut it at a school with much higher aspirations, as their spot on this list illustrates.

2. UConn (270 points)

• 5 Big East regular season championships
• 11 Sweet 16s
• 8 Final Fours
• 6 national titles
• 3 losing seasons
• 682-279 (.710)

Not even its six national titles could push UConn to the top of this list. Those three straight losing seasons (2017-19) were the anchor weighing the Huskies down. But also, a lack of conference titles cost them the top spot. If UConn wins this year's title, they'll take the crown.

1. Duke (284 points)

• 9 ACC regular season championships
• 20 Sweet 16s
• 7 Final Fours
• 3 national titles
• 0 losing seasons
• 792-181 (.814)

Hate them all you want, Duke has earned its place atop college basketball. Twenty Sweet 16s! Now, the Blue Devils haven't won a national title since 2015, but they've been ranked No. 1 in seven of the past 10 seasons. Perhaps there should have been more March success, but the sheer volume of wins (nearly 800) is second only to Gonzaga.

Is Indiana still a blue blood?

Nah, the Hoosiers have bled out. Indiana has five national titles and eight Final Fours. But the last title was in 1987 and the last Final Four was in 2002. The program has had more coaches (four) than NCAA Tournament appearances (three) over the past 10 years. But hey, at least the football team is good now.

New blood or blue blood: Ranking college basketball's best teams

Based on our formula, calculating team success since 1999 (explained above).

1. Duke – 284
2. UConn – 270
3. North Carolina – 251
4. Michigan State – 245
5. Kansas – 236
6. Gonzaga – 234
7. Florida – 192
8. Kentucky – 185
9. Villanova – 158
10. Arizona – 156
11. UCLA – 110
12. Wisconsin – 105
13. Syracuse – 89
14. Ohio State – 80
15. Xavier – 78
16. Louisville – 77
17. Maryland – 73
18. Purdue – 70
19. Michigan – 69
20. Butler – 69
21. Virginia – 67
22. Illinois – 65
23. Tennessee – 59
24. Houston – 56
25. Texas – 53

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Blue bloods or new bloods? Ranking college basketball's top programs

LONDON (AP) — Defending champion Arsenal has a two-goal advantage to defend when it visits Chelsea on Wednesday in the second leg of their Women’s Champions League quarterfinal.

Arsenal underlined its credentials for back-to-back titles by beating English rival Chelsea 3-1 in the first leg last week on Tuesday.

That London derby marked the first time in Women’s Champions League history that teams from the same city faced off.

Last year, Chelsea did manage to overcome a two-goal deficit in the second leg of its quarterfinal against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge to advance to the semifinals.

“It’s only halftime, so there’s a lot of work still to do for us, and that’s how we’re going to approach the game,” Arsenal coach Renée Slegers said.

The winner will meet Wolfsburg or Lyon in the semifinals.

Making its debut in the quarterfinals, Manchester United travels to Germany after losing to Bayern Munich 3-2 in the opening leg at Old Trafford.

Bayern is trying to reach its first semifinal since 2021. No English team has beaten Bayern away in the competition.

The winner of that quarterfinal will face Barcelona or Real Madrid.

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