March Madness is underway and today's college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer's NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Duke's Patrick Ngongba II is expected to go in the first round.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the center's draft night will play out.
Patrick Ngongba II 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 23 overall, Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers could use a big man like Patrick Ngongba II, who is an above-average passer for his position. His assist rate is the highest among underclassmen listed at 6-foot-11 or taller, per Bart Torvik, and he is at the top of his game when passing to a driving perimeter player. Ngongba is a big-bodied prospect who can carve out space as one of the most prolific cutters in college basketball. He is on an encouraging development track, displaying year-over-year improvement from his freshman to sophomore campaign.
March Madness is underway and today's college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer's NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, North Carolina's Henri Veesaar is expected to go in the first round.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the center's draft night will play out.
Henri Veesaar 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 29 overall, Cleveland Cavaliers
We have seen a remarkable improvement from Henri Veesaar after transferring from Arizona to North Carolina. The 7-foot big man from Estonia has an excellent shot diet on offense. The All-ACC big man is scoring efficiently at the rim (especially when cutting or rolling) and on 3-pointers, while also holding his own as a rebounder and passer. Any team looking for a big man who can provide NBA minutes on an expedited timeline, like the Cavaliers, will have him high on their priority list.
March Madness is underway and today's college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer's NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Arkansas's Darius Acuff Jr. is expected to go in the first round.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the guard's draft night will play out.
Darius Acuff Jr. 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 6 overall, Dallas Mavericks
Now led by Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks need to find players who can help Dallas stay competitive on offense and Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. can do exactly that. The SEC Player of the Year is excellently efficient at operating ball screens or in isolation. He leads freshmen for points created per 40 minutes (43.1) either by himself or through an assist, per CBB Analytics. He can score well from either side of the court and is among the freshmen leaders in both alley-oop assists (15) and field goals made in transition (62) this season. There is a reason rival coach Sean Miller thinks this generational guard should have his name in the mix at No. 1 overall.
After rising to the challenge against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night, the Montreal Canadiens will play another do-or-die game on Thursday night, this time on the road against the Detroit Red Wings. As things stand, the Wings have the second and last wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with 82 points.
The Bruins have the same number of points and games played, but hold the first tiebreaker with 27 regulation wins to Detroit’s 26. The hosts put an end to a three-game losing streak when they beat the Calgary Flames 5-2 on Monday. Todd McLellan’s men are 4-2-2 in their last 10 games, while the Canadiens are now 5-3-2.
Neither coach has yet confirmed who will start in net, and the Canadiens will not hold a morning skate. Martin St-Louis will speak to the media at 11:45, when we should find out. Jakub Dobes was great in the last game, and it will be interesting to see if that earned him another tour of duty. The Czech netminder has only played one game against the Wings so far, which he won. He has a 1.00 GAA and a .968 save percentage. Meanwhile, Jacob Fowler has also played one game against Detroit, but he lost it and has a 3.18 GAA with a .870 SV%. As for Samuel Montembeault, who still seems to be on the sidelines, he has a 4-1-2 record, a 2.67 GAA, and a .914 SV%.
At the other end of the ice, John Gibson and Cam Talbot both have winning records against the visitors. The former has seen the lion’s share of the work this season and was in the net on Monday for the Wings’ win over the Flames. He’s 8-3-1 against the Habs with a 2.40 GAA and a .922 SV%. As for the latter, he’s 9-4-1 with a 1.60 GAA and a .939 SV%. Needless to say, whoever is in net, it won’t be an easy game for the Canadiens.
After the win over Boston and with Kirby Dach sidelined, it would be surprising to see Martin St-Louis make any changes. Brendan Gallagher is the Canadiens’ top point producer against the Wings with 34 points in 39 games, including two points in as many games this season. Captain Nick Suzuki comes in second place with 18 points in just 21 games, while Phillip Danault also has 18 points in 27 games. Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky are currently running four-game point streaks, while Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson are both on three-game point streaks.
James Van Riemsdyk leads the Wings in points against the Habs with 35 points in 50 games, followed by Patrick Kane, who has 25 points in just 29 games, and captain Dylan Larkin, who also has 25 points, but in 36 games. Unfortunately for the Wings, however, Larking is currently sidelined and won’t be ready to return for at least another week. It’s worth mentioning that Alex DeBrincat has 22 points in just 21 games, and the diminutive winger is currently on a four-game point streak.
Each team has won one of the two duels they’ve played so far this year, and they’ve split the last 10 games evenly, winning five each. The game is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch it on FDSNDET, TSN2, and RDS. TJ Luxmore and Kelly Sutherland are set to officiate, while Tyson Baker and CJ Murray will be the linemen.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 10: Luke Kornet #7 of the San Antonio Spurs and Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics talk before the game on March 10, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When the Boston Celtics passed through San Antonio on March 10, former teammates Derrick White and Luke Kornet reconnected.
This season, White and his college roommate Alex Welsh launched the White Noise Podcast. Together, they tell stories from their time together at the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs as well as highlighting aspects of White’s professional career.
In this, Episode 24, White and Welsh sat with Kornet at the Spurs practice facility and discussed a variety of basketball topics including Kornet’s moves to San Antonio, playing with Victor Wembanyama, and Luke’s transition away from being a three-point shooter.
Kornet and White have a great rapport, they riff off one another leading to some humorous anecdotes. At one point, White asks Kornet how he feels about losing his starting spot to Victor Wembanyama. The exchange underscores Kornet’s quick wit and self-effacing nature.
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Feb 20, 2026; Sarasota, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Trevor Rogers (28) throws a pitch in the first inning against the New York Yankees during spring training at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Hello, friends.
We are now just one week away from Orioles Opening Day. It’s true! Real baseball that counts will be back at Oriole Park at Camden Yards next Thursday afternoon. Hopefully that will be fun. Until then, there are another six exhibition games to get through, including a split-squad day today. Road Orioles play the Yankees at 1:05, while home Orioles play the Pirates at 6:05. The night game will be televised locally on MASN. The day game has only a Yankees broadcast for TV. Neither game has a radio broadcast.
In yesterday’s spring training action, the Orioles played the Blue Jays. They were victorious by a 3-2 score, with each of Ryan Mountcastle and Adley Rutschman recording multi-hit games and Jeremiah Jackson hitting his first homer of spring training. The starting pitcher, Albert Suárez, gave up a run in four innings while striking out five batters in what could be his last big audition to make the roster before camp is over. The O’s improved their Grapefruit League record to 9-11-3 with this win. Four games in Florida remain.
This deep into spring training, it’s around the point where I’d like to start seeing good results from players who are going to be on the roster and getting regular playing time. Some guys are doing pretty well and not giving much reason to worry about them. Others are more in the “Well, it’s a good thing that doesn’t count” category.
These guys who I think are likely to be in the Opening Day lineup are OPSing over .800:
Adley Rutschman (.880 OPS)
Samuel Basallo (.946)
Coby Mayo (1.131)
Taylor Ward (.960)
Additionally, Gunnar Henderson was a hot hitter in the World Baseball Classic when Team USA’s idiot manager put him in the lineup. He had not been doing well early on before leaving for Team USA. I am choosing to be more excited about the recent results. Tyler O’Neill, who only had 11 PA before joining Team Canada, has also had a split spring with interesting things going on.
Riding the struggle bus for spring with an OPS below .700:
Colton Cowser (.564)
Blaze Alexander (.653)
Heston Kjerstad (.669)
Leody Taveras (.595)
Kjerstad probably starts in the minors, especially since his bat has cooled. Taveras isn’t here for his bat. Those other guys, though… it’s time to get it going. Cowser is the expected regular center fielder and Alexander is likely to play a lot this season between Jackson Holliday’s and Jordan Westburg’s injury situations. Maybe they’ll start to make us feel a little better about them in the next few days.
Orioles stuff you might have missed
Two more roster cuts gets Orioles camp down to 47 (Baltimore Baseball) Reliever Jose Espada and pitching prospect Luis De León were reassigned to minor league camp yesterday. Neither was ever likely to make the Opening Day roster, so no surprises there. De León is a guy I’ll be following curiously this season.
Bryan Ramos keeps building sleeper case to make Orioles Opening Day roster (Orioles.com) If I had thought it worth including Ramos above, he definitely would have made it on the “who’s hot” list. There is a case for him, if the Orioles aren’t worried about the last infielder on the bench being able to play shortstop.
Orioles begin construction on flag court bar that will open midseason (The Baltimore Banner) There were multiple announcements involving corporate sponsorships yesterday. As those corporations have not paid me to promote them (but if they want to, my rates are reasonable) I will not be doing so at this time. This one is about a beer company sucking up flag court real estate. This one is indistinguishable from some stupid idea John Angelos could have had. Maybe he even did have it. I hope it doesn’t turn out like an eyesore.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Nothing of particular note has been recorded for this date in Orioles history. That probably won’t change today unless there’s bad news.
There is one lone former Oriole with a birthday today. Happy 52nd birthday to Rocky Coppinger, an Orioles pitcher from 1996-99. He had a 5.68 ERA in 45 games with the team. Young Mark was excited about him once.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: explorer David Livingstone (1813), O.K. Corral gunfighter Wyatt Earp (1848), Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren (1891), author Philip Roth (1933), and rapper Yung Gravy (1996).
On this day in history…
In 1284, the Principality of Wales was incorporated into the Kingdom of England after the Statute of Rhuddlan was enacted by the king of the time, Henry I, who had conquered Wales following a rebellion over the previous two years.
In 1831, the first recorded bank heist in American history took place as burglars took $245,000 in 1831 dollars from City Bank on Wall Street in New York City. City Bank still operates today as Citibank.
In 1918, Congress established time zones in the United States and granted approval for daylight savings time.
A random Orioles trivia question
I received a book of random Orioles trivia questions for Christmas. I’ll ask a question each time it’s my turn in this space until I run out of questions or forget. The book gives multiple choice answers, but that would just make it too easy for us, so you don’t get them. Here’s today’s question:
Who was the only player to ever record his 500th home run in Memorial Stadium?
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on March 19. Have a safe Thursday.
Build Your Winning Bracket!
SB Nation’s CBB expert Mike Rutherford and resident bracketologist Chris Dobbertean will answer all your questions this week and help guide you to bracket glory! Drop in SB Nation’s March Madness Feed all week long and we’ll have both on hand! (All times ET)
Mar 17, 2026; Miami, FL, United States;United States first baseman Bryce Harper (24) reacts after hitting a home run against Venezuela in the eighth inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Championship game at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
We’ve officially hit the part of spring training where spring training has gone on too long. How do I know that you ask? Well Garrett Stubbs hit leadoff and played third base yesterday. Get me to Opening Day. On to the links
The Athletic is asking for your help with the Hope-o-meter, their annual surgery of fan optimism for each team. ($)
Build Your Winning Bracket!
SB Nation’s CBB expert Mike Rutherford and resident bracketologist Chris Dobbertean will answer all your questions this week and help guide you to bracket glory! Drop in SB Nation’s March Madness Feed all week long and we’ll have both on hand! (All times ET)
MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 31: A general view of the field prior to the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Monday, March 31, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
We are just one week away from Opening Day of the 2026 season! The Milwaukee Brewers are wrapping up Cactus League play and have a lot of cut-down decisions still to make. Entering today, the Brewers still have 38 players in major league camp. They’ll have to get that number down to 26 by next Thursday.
How that initial 26 will look is still up for debate. Even so, the Brewers have reiterated many times over the years that the Opening Day roster is just for one day, and they can and often have made changes heading into the second game of the season.
Still, tough decisions are going to have to be made for the Brewers to make it down to 26. Here’s how things currently project for that first game against the White Sox next week.
Catchers (2): William Contreras, Gary Sánchez
There’s not much controversy here. William Contreras will be the starter once again for the Brewers and will play the vast majority of games with no desire to take a rest day. While there was some belief earlier in the offseason that the Brewers could roll with Jeferson Quero as backup catcher, once Gary Sánchez was signed, that put those beliefs to bed. Sánchez provides a veteran backup that also can easily be pushed aside once Quero is ready.
Infield (6): Andrew Vaughn, Jake Bauers, Brice Turang, Joey Ortiz, David Hamilton, Luis Rengifo
Right before spring training, the Brewers made a surprising trade, sending out their entire third base depth chart to the Red Sox. The deal returned David Hamilton to the organization, and a few days later, the Crew signed Luis Rengifo to help cover third base. Prospects like Jett Williams, Brock Wilken, and Cooper Pratt aren’t quite ready yet for the MLB roster.
Tyler Black has made a push this spring, but the role he fits best is occupied by Jake Bauers, who has also had a strong spring.
Outfield (5): Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, Blake Perkins, Sal Frelick, Christian Yelich
Little in the way of surprises here as well. Chourio, Frelick, and Yelich are all guaranteed locks. Mitchell and Perkins have remained healthy this spring, which makes them very strong favorites to handle center field duties once again.
The tough decision is Brandon Lockridge, who has overhauled his swing in the offseason and has had a tremendous spring training. He’s certainly pushing for a roster spot, but the problem is that there are only so many to go around. It’ll come down to Mitchell most likely, and whether or not he’s ready to go after shoulder surgery last year. He needs to get the at-bats and physically be able to handle the kind of workload they need. If he can do that, he’ll get the spot. If not, Lockridge will take it.
Starting rotation (5): Brandon Woodruff, Jacob Misiorowski, Chad Patrick, Kyle Harrison, Robert Gasser
It seems to be tracking as if Brandon Woodruff will not need an IL stint to start the season. Whether or not Woodruff will start on Opening Day remains to be seen, but if his spring training start later today goes well, he certainly could get that call. Still, he’s in this rotation.
Murphy has already confirmed Misiorowski and Patrick are in this group as well. As for the final two spots, that’s been the battle all camp. It looks as if Kyle Harrison has the inside track for a spot after coming over in that Durbin trade. However, Harrison did just leave his outing on Wednesday with a blister, so that does throw a wrench into things. Still, as of now, I’m projecting Harrison to make the team and the rotation.
The final spot I have going to Robert Gasser. I think it’s between him and Brandon Sproat, but I give the edge to Gasser because he’s been in the organization a bit longer, and the Brewers aren’t looking to have him work on tweaks as they have been with Sproat. They might want to give some more time to Sproat to work on those changes. Plus, Gasser is scheduled to start Saturday’s game for the Brewers, while Sproat only has a few game outings this spring. This is the time of year the Brewers line up the guys they want, and with Gasser in there, I give the edge to him.
Bullpen (8): Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, Jared Koenig, Ángel Zerpa, Grant Anderson, DL Hall, Aaron Ashby, Easton McGee
The bullpen picture looks a little different than we might have been expecting not long ago. Rob Zastryzny, who is out of minor league options, has a rhomboid strain and will be on the IL until mid-April, so that takes him out of this bullpen. His potential replacement, Craig Yoho, is dealing with a calf injury as well, so he is also out of the running.
Megill, Uribe, Koenig, Zerpa, Anderson, and Ashby are all locks for this roster. DL Hall likely can be considered one as well. That leaves just one spot remaining, and with the injuries that happened, McGee is sitting in a pretty good position to get that spot.
It’s just McGee and Sammy Peralta left in big league camp as true relievers for that last spot. Peralta is a lefty and McGee is a righty, so choosing McGee would give the Brewers four righties and a more balanced bullpen. There’s a chance that Sproat or Shane Drohan could end up taking that final bullpen spot as a long reliever type, but with Ashby and Hall already in this bullpen, there’s really no need for a third long reliever.
Injured List (4): Quinn Priester, Rob Zatryzny, Craig Yoho, Akil Baddoo
Quinn Priester is working through a wrist issue that has plagued him all spring. The aforementioned Zastryzny and Yoho came down with new injuries late in camp here, which are unfortunate. Akil Baddoo, who was still on the outside looking in for this outfield picture, has a quad strain that will keep him out for a couple of weeks, so he will also find himself on the IL to start the year.
March Madness is underway and today's college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer's NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg is expected to go in the first round.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the forward's draft night will play out.
The Grizzlies could add to their rebuilding core after trading away Jaren Jackson Jr. by selecting Yaxel Lendeborg, who is perhaps the most NBA-ready player in this draft class. The Big Ten Player of the Year offers a bit of everything on both sides of the ball and has silenced skeptics who were unsure how his game would scale after transferring from mid-major UAB to high-major Michigan. The Grizzlies have drafted players with similar trajectories like Jaylen Wells and Cedric Coward.
March Madness is underway and today's college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer's NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Michigan's Morez Johnson Jr. is expected to go in the first round.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the forward's draft night will play out.
Morez Johnson Jr. 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 25 overall, New York Knicks
Morez Johnson Jr. is one of the best, most underrated two-way players in the NCAA. He is a crucial part of the Michigan identity this season and has thrived since transferring to the Wolverines from Illinois. Johnson's shooting form at the free throw line looks good, and he scores well near the rim, especially when cutting to the basket. The former FIBA U-19 Team USA standout and All-Big Ten big man is a trustworthy defensive playmaker, too, and should find minutes at the next level.
March Madness is underway and today's college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer's NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Houston's Kingston Flemings is expected to go in the first round.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the guard's draft night will play out.
Kingston Flemings 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 5 overall, Utah Jazz
The Jazz currently have the worst defensive rating in the league but could potentially improve that by selecting Houston freshman Kingston Flemings. 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 and had a strong performance against Baylor, recording 21 points with seven assists and two steals on March 4. With highs as high as his thus far, it will not take long for him to hear his name called on draft night.
March Madness is underway and today's college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer's NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, BYU's A.J. Dybantsa is expected to go in the first round.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the forward's draft night will play out.
The race for the No. 1 pick is a tight one, but if the Pacers get the pick, the most likely candidate is AJ Dybantsa. Even though he has flirted with the idea of returning to college, he is the perfect missing piece (around Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac) for this roster. The Big 12 Rookie of the Year leads the nation in unassisted points scored (680) by a wide margin this season, per CBB Analytics. The emerging star became the youngest player in NCAA history with a 30-point triple-double against Eastern Washington on Dec. 22. Highlighted by his 43-point performance against in-state rival Utah on Jan. 24 and 40 points against Kansas State in the Big 12 Tournament on March 10, he has averaged 28.4 points per game over his last 16 appearances.
March Madness is underway and today's college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer's NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Illinois' Keaton Wagler is expected to go in the first round.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the guard's draft night will play out.
Keaton Wagler 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 7 overall, Atlanta Hawks
After trading away Trae Young, the Hawks could find their point guard of the future in Illinois standout Keaton Wagler using a first-round pick they received from the Pelicans. The 19-year-old guard scored 46 points while shooting 9-of-11 on 3-pointers against No. 12 Purdue on Jan. 24. He projects as one of the best 3-point shooters in this class, shooting 41.0 percent from beyond the arc as a freshman this year. The Big Ten Rookie of the Year is a cerebral basketball player who is also averaging 4.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season.
March Madness is underway and today's college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer's NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Vanderbilt's Tyler Tanner is expected to go in the first round.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the guard's draft night will play out.
It is unusual to find a 6-foot sophomore projected in the first round of a mock draft, but if there were ever a player who has earned that kind of praise it's Tyler Tanner. Despite his size, the All-SEC guard has found meaningful ways to contribute on both sides of the floor. He can score efficiently, dunk, block shots, steal the ball, and he is more than serviceable as a floor general capable of earning rotation minutes for a team like the Timberwolves. His performance on March 3 against Ole Miss included 34 points (3-of-6 on 3-pointers), five rebounds, seven assists and five steals. It was his second performance with at least 30 points in a 30-day stretch.
March Madness is underway and today's college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer's NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Michigan's Aday Mara is expected to go in the first round.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the center's draft night will play out.
Aday Mara 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 27 overall, Boston Celtics
As the Celtics continue to exceed expectations, they do have some holes to fill in their frontcourt after losing both Kristaps Porzi??is And Al Horford. After selecting Hugo Gonzlez from Spain in the draft last season, they could potentially target his former FIBA U18 European Championship tournament teammate Aday Mara. The 7-foot-3 big man who transferred from UCLA is a fantastic rim protector. Opponents only attempt 18.7 percent of their field goals at the rim when the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year is on the court, per CBB Analytics, the second-lowest among all NCAA players. He can also pass well, finding some awesome outlet looks in transition.
