Marques Johnson is a hoops legend. He is a Crenshaw High School icon who helped lead the UCLA Bruins to a national championship at the end of the John Wooden era (and was the first winner of The Wooden Award), was a No. 3 pick of the Milwaukee Bucks in 1977 and went on to play 11 years in the NBA, was a five-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA player who averaged 20.1 points and 7 rebounds a game for his career.
Johnson has been dunking on his birthday for 15 years, ever since, as a joke, he jumped over two Matchbox cars in a joking play off Blake Griffin's over-a-car dunk at the 2011 All-Star Game.
At 70, the long-time Bucks color analyst can still throw it down.
Remember the 1998 movie “Sliding Doors“? It represents how minor, coincidental or inconsequential actions can lead to major, life-changing consequences. The “what if …” or parallel universe phenomenon.
Well, there are sliding door moments in sports history, too, and today’s is that Michael Jordan, not Kobe Bryant, could have been the original “Black Mamba.”
According to Baxter Holmes of ESPN, back in 2003, inside a sleek conference room at Nike headquarters, executives studied a braided, black industrial sleeve called Tech Flex. It looked like a snake. It felt like a snake. Someone typed “most badass black snake” into a search bar and found their answer: the black mamba. Lightning fast. Deadly. Precise. The perfect metaphor for Jordan as he prepared to launch the Air Jordan 19 sneaker.
The Washington Wizards Michael Jordan (L) of the East Squad of the NBA All-Stars brings the ball upcourt against Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half of the 52nd annual NBA All-Star game. REUTERS
There was just one problem that nobody knew about.
Jordan was afraid of snakes.
Not mildly uncomfortable. Not uneasy. Terrified. The kind of phobia that makes a competitor who never blinked in the Finals suddenly shift in his chair during a marketing pitch. He allowed one print ad — a black mamba coiled around the $165 sneaker in ESPN The Magazine — and then he shut it down. Reconcept. Move on. Kill it before it kills the brand.
In the March 13, 2004, issue of ESPN The Magazine, a two-page spread featured the full ad — the Air Jordan 19, wrapped by a black mamba snake.
And so the “Black Mamba” slithered into the archives of history, but only briefly before it was reborn.
A year later, fate intervened in the dark glow of a television screen. “Kill Bill Vol. 2” flickered across the room as Bryant watched Darryl Hannah’s assassin introduce a venomous serpent as “Death Incarnate.”
Bryant, drowning in scandal, scrutiny and a Colorado courtroom, needed armor. He needed separation from the noise. He created the Black Mamba — not as a sneaker pitch but as a survival mechanism.
Nike insiders insist Bryant never knew the moniker was once floated for Jordan. Different silos. Different eras. A coincidence so bizarre it feels scripted.
But imagine if Jordan had embraced it.
Imagine “Mamba Day” belonging to No. 23. Imagine sneakers textured in snakeskin before Bryant ever held one for that iconic SLAM cover.
The first image of Bryant with the black mamba snake appeared on the cover of SLAM Magazine in the summer of 2006.
Imagine “Mamba Mentality” attached to the man already nicknamed “Air Jordan.”
It wouldn’t have worked.
Jordan was a predator, yes — but he was myth built on flight, not venom. He soared. Jordan’s other nickname, “His Airness,” was apropos.
Kobe Bryant was different. Yes, he studied Jordan on VHS tapes as a kid. Yes, he also could jump high and dunk with the best of them — just ask Dwight Howard. But when Kobe was in kill mode, he struck. Just like a deadly snake.
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A long break didn’t help the Flyers a whole lot Wednesday night.
After a 19-day layoff because of the Olympics, the Flyers fell to the Capitals, 3-1, at Capital One Arena.
Noah Cates scored the team’s lone goal.
The Flyers (25-21-11) had a chance to tie the game with 48.4 seconds left when they emptied their net for a two-man advantage on a power play, but Washington converted at shorthanded.
Rick Tocchet’s club has dropped 13 of its last 16 games (3-9-4), a stretch in which it has scored just 2.44 goals per game.
The Flyers are 1-1-0 in their four-game regular-season series with the Capitals (30-23-7).
• Dan Vladar surrendered two or fewer goals for the 21st time in 33 starts this season.
He converted 26 saves on 28 shots, but the effort went wasted.
Rasmus Sandin opened the scoring with 6:08 minutes left in the second period, handing the Flyers their 38th 1-0 deficit.
Cates responded with a deflection just 29 seconds into the third period.
Washington, though, scored its game-winner with 5:52 minutes to go on a Trevor van Riemsdyk marker. The Flyers didn’t seem to have a good line change, leaving Travis Sanheim and Rasmus Ristolainen to defend an odd-man rush.
Capitals netminder Logan Thompson stopped 23 of the Flyers’ 24 shots. He faced only six in the third period.
• The Flyers failed to take advantage of the third-place Islanders being idle.
They’re eight points back of New York in the Metropolitan Division race with 25 games to go. They entered Wednesday with a 12.4 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to Hockey-Reference.com’s probabilities report.
“It’s something that is obtainable and our guys believe in,” assistant coach Todd Reirden said a week ago. “If we can get back to playing the way we were playing in the beginning of the season, I think we give ourselves a really good chance.”
• Emil Andrae went into the break having sat out the Flyers’ last five games. The 24-year-old defenseman remained a healthy scratch Wednesday night.
Tocchet and Reirden have been rolling with Noah Juulsen for his righty shot and penalty kill responsibilities.
“Emil has had a really good year,” Reirden said last Thursday. “I mean, he has already passed his career numbers. In terms of where his path is for this year and in terms of how we’re using him game by game, sometimes it’s situational, sometimes it’s handedness.
“He’s doing everything he can to get himself in a situation where he’s fighting to be in that lineup every night. We’ll continue to go through that discussion. … This is a player that has definitely improved and continues to improve. Being able to just keep that level of consistency for us is important.”
• The Flyers are right back at it Thursday when they visit the Rangers (8 p.m. ET/ESPN).
Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong had an opportunity to clarify his comments about Los Angeles Dodgers fans that appeared in an article inside Chicago Magazine recently.
Instead, he added gasoline to the fire.
The 23-year-old All-Star, who grew up in the shadow of Los Angeles Dodgers blue, doubled down this week on his criticism of Dodgers fans. He told Foul Territory that he remembers “nasty stuff” in the stands as a kid, invoking the brutal 2011 beating of Bryan Stow as something that stuck with him. He insisted his comments weren’t about the players or the organization — only the fanbase.
“I grew up going to Dodgers games when they weren’t always good. Their fans go in phases. Putting the Giants fan in the coma stuck with me as a kid. Sitting in the stands, nasty stuff goes on. I didn’t always experience that at other ballparks,” he said in the interview.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong clarified his comments about Los Angeles Dodgers fans recently. Getty Images
Pete Crow-Armstrong says his comments about Dodgers fans have nothing to do with the players.
"They [the fans] go in phases. I remember putting the Giants fan in a coma. That stuck with me as a kid. Just little things, sitting in the stands, nasty stuff goes on." pic.twitter.com/0qWe1LkghE
But here’s the problem: that’s not the song he was singing before.
Crow-Armstrong’s original critique was that Dodgers fans don’t “give a s—,” that they show up to take photos rather than understand the game.
Now the argument has shifted from passion and baseball IQ to violence and ugliness. Those are two very different accusations. One is about engagement. The other is about morality.
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Dodgers fans fired back quickly, pointing to record attendance, division titles, and October thunder. They also reminded Cubs loyalists of their own scars — hello, Steve Bartman.
Crow-Armstrong’s original critique was that Dodgers fans don’t “give a s—,” that they show up to take photos. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Every fanbase has its demons. Every stadium has its shadows. But when you grow up near Dodger Stadium and choose to keep swinging at its people, you better be ready for the fastball back at your face.
Good thing Crow-Armstrong has crushed a few of those into the pavilion before. He’ll hear about it again in when the Cubs come to Chavez ravine in late April.
Miami Heat legend and basketball Hall of Famer Chris Bosh didn't go into specifics but said he received a medical scare, to the point where he woke up covered in his own blood, in a recent social media post.
Bosh, an 11-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion, posted a video of himself to Instagram where he was sitting inside of his car, explaining his recent episode in vague detail because he could not recall what happened.
"It was crazy. It was fast. It was instant. There was no warning. I didn’t have any time to prepare for it,” Bosh said during an Instagram post.
"I was getting ready to go on a date with my wife and the next thing you know, I was, I was on the ground," Bosh said. "I won’t get into specifics, but you can kind of see I’m still recovering. I’m not gonna try to hide that one in case I look different.”
Feb 25, 2026; North Port, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) throws a pitch in the second inning against the Atlanta Braves during spring training at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Pirates fans saw their first glimpse of the 2025 National League Cy Young winner on Wednesday afternoon.
Paul Skenes took the mound for the first time in 2026 against the Atlanta Braves in North Port, Florida.
It’s the only game Skenes is scheduled to pitch for the Pirates before joining Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Facing a Braves order with regulars like Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Michael Harris, and Ozzie Albies in the lineup, Skenes totaled 2.1 innings of work.
Skenes allowed four walks, including back-to-back free passes to Olson and Jurickson Profar in the first frame. He responded by striking out Riley to end the inning.
Skenes worked around two walks in the second inning and stranded a runner on third by inducing an Acuña pop-up to prevent any runs from crossing the plate.
Drake Baldwin led off the third with a triple in the books, but it was misplayed by Oneil Cruz in right-center field. Cruz overran the ball and didn’t track it well enough, but it wasn’t ruled an error. Skenes followed it up by striking out Olson in his final at-bat of the day.
Skenes was replaced by Jarod Bayless, who allowed a two-run homer to Riley to account for Skenes’ lone earned run.
He threw 53 pitches, 27 for strikes, and faced 12 hitters in his first appearance since September 24. Atlanta received strong pitching throughout the game and claimed a 3-1 victory over the Buccos.
The Pirates provided early run support for Skenes. Oneil Cruz led off with an opposite-field base hit, stole second base, and scored on an RBI base hit by Ryan O’Hearn.
While it was a tad concerning to see Skenes walk four hitters, he did work his way out of jams. Oh, and it’s (check notes) February 25.
Skenes won his first Cy Young after leading baseball in ERA (1.97) and fourth in strikeouts (216) and WHIP (0.95) in 187.2 innings.
He is set to start two games for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Team USA is looking to avenge its 3-2 championship loss to Japan and Shohei Ohtani in 2023. The Americans have only won the WBC one time (2017) in five total tournaments, beginning in 2006.
The WBC takes place from March 5 to March 17, leading into Opening Day between the Pirates and Mets in New York on March 26.
PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 24: The sneakers worn by Ron Harper Jr. #13 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Phoenix Suns on February 24, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Joel Armia, Drew Doughty, Adrian Kempe, and Darcy Kuemper have all returned to the Kings organization as they get set to host the Vegas Golden Knights. Joel Armia returned with a Bronze medal, and Drew Doughty and Darcy Kuemper returned with a Silver Medal. Before the Olympic break, the Kings traded for Artemi Panarin, but because of the timing of the trade, he did not play any games for the Kings before the break. For the first time, we will see him today.
Kings Projected Lines
Here are the projected lines for the Kings tonight:
Quinton Byfield - Anze Kopitar - Trevor Moore
Artemi Panarin - Alex Laferriere - Adrian Kempe
Warren Foegele - Alex Turcotte - Andrei Kuzmenko
Joel Armia - Samuel Helenius - Corey Perry
Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty
Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke
Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci
Anton Forsberg
Darcy Kuemper
Golden Knights projected Lines
Here are the projected lines for the Golden Knights tonight:
Ivan Barbashev - Tomas Hertl - Keegan Kolesar
Reilly Smith - Tanner Laczynski - Pavel Dorofeyev
Brandon Saad - Colton Sissons - Alexander Holtz
Cole Reinhardt - Kai Uchacz - Braeden Bowman
Jeremy Lauzon - Rasmus Andersson
Brayden McNabb - Dylan Coghlan
Ben Hutton - Kaedan Korczak
Adin Hill
Akira Schmid
Injuries and Line Changes
With the Kings having all their players who went to the Olympics return to the lineup, they have the advantage because Vegas is missing 5 of its best players. Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin, Shea Theodore, Mark Stone, and Mitch Marner are all scratched for tonight's game. The Kings have scratched Jeff Malott, Jacob Moverare, Taylor Ward and will be without Kevin Fiala after he was injured in the Olympics.
Key Factors
With the Golden Knights missing 5 of their top players, the Kings need to take advantage and get a game closer to a playoff spot. The Kings are currently 3 points back of the Anaheim Ducks for the final wildcard spot. With a win tonight, they would be within 1 point of a playoff spot. The Kings' second line will be the one to watch, as they could have a potential dynamic duo in Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin.
Overall, this game is incredibly important for the Kings, as they can come out of the break strong with a massive win over a divisional opponent. Artemi Panarin makes his debut tonight as well, and Kings and Hockey fans are looking to see what impact he makes in his first game.
Nov 17, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) looks to pass beside Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner (3) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are in a packed portion of their schedule, playing their fifth game in seven nights on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks. There’s a good chance we see them strategically rest a few players tonight. Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell have already been ruled out (Mobley with the calf, Mitchell with a groin strain).
James Harden is also listed as questionable after suffering a fracture in his right thumb last night versus the New York Knicks. It’s impossible to know with this stuff — but it appears Harden’s injury was a best-case scenario and he shouldn’t miss much time. Of course, take that with a grain of salt.
Cleveland is getting a slight relief in their opponent tonight. After facing the Knicks yesterday and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, the Milwaukee Bucks should seem easier. That’s partly why the Cavs are resting a few of their key players. They might not even need them tonight.
With that said, it’s important to never overlook an opponent. The Bucks may be without Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they still have NBA players on their roster who can burn you.
Former Cavalier Kevin Porter Jr. is playing quality basketball recently, scoring 32 points in his last game against the Miami Heat. Bobby Portis is a bucket, as well. He’ll be someone to watch for in this matchup.
Cavs injury report: Evan Mobley – OUT (calf), Donovan Mitchell – OUT (groin), James Harden – QUESTIONABLE (hand), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Tristan Enaruma – OUT (G League), Riley Minix – OUT (G League), Darius Brown – OUT (G League)
Bucks injury report: Giannis Antetounmpo – OUT (calf), Taurean Prince – OUT (neck), Alex Antetokunmpo – OUT (G League)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: Dennis Schroder, Sam Merrill, Dean Wade, Jaylon Tyson Jarrett Allen
Bucks expected starting lineup: Kevin Porter Jr, Ryan Rollins, AJ Green, Kyle Kuzma, Myles Turner
Nov 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) gets out of the way as center Evan Mobley (4) grabs a rebound during the first half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers had one of their best wins of the season as they held the New York Knicks to under 100 points on Tuesday. Many of the players who contributed to that win won’t be available for their game the following evening against the Milwaukee Bucks.
In total, Cleveland will be without at least two starters from yesterday’s win and could be down three. Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley will both be held out of Wednesday’s game.
Mitchell is listed as being out with a right groin strain. Mobley is out due to maintenance from the left calf injury that kept him out for several weeks starting at the end of January.
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The Cavs might also be without the services of James Harden. The team announced that he suffered a broken right thumb during the win over the Knicks, but might not miss any time. He’s officially listed as questionable for the game.
Additionally, the Cavs will also be without Max Strus (foot), who’s yet to play this season. Their three two-way players — Darius Brown, Tristan Enaruna, and Riley Minix — are also unavailable.
If Harden isn’t able to go, the Cavs could be left with a projected starting lineup of Dennis Schroder, Sam Merrill, Jaylon Tyson, Dean Wade, and Jarrett Allen.
The Bucks will still be without the services of Giannis Antetokounmpo who will be missing this game with a calf strain. Taurean Prince (neck surgery) and Alex Antetokounmpo (G League) will also be held out of this game.
VENICE, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves runs out a single during the sixth inning of a spring training game against the Detroit Tigers at CoolToday Park on March 11, 2025 in Venice, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Braves and Pirates tangled in Grapefruit League action on Wednesday afternoon, and the Braves came away victorious by a 3-1 score, taking advantage of rusty-ish Paul Skenes in the process.
Let’s get the key performances out of the way first.
Bryce Elder was, well, Bryce Elder. Especially the kind of Bryce Elder he appears to be when successful. He struck out three in two innings, walked none, and kept the ball on the lower side of the launch angle spectrum. As a result, the Pirates scratched across a run as a result of a couple of hard-hit singles sandwiching a steal, but there wasn’t much else going on.
Austin Riley unloaded his first Spring Training homer, a gargantuan 419-foot shot off the batters’ eye in center. Earlier in the same plate appearance, he had obliterated another high fastball, but pulled that one just foul. He kept this one (way more) fair.
Riley’s homer actually capped the scoring, as Drake Baldwin led off that frame with a weird triple on a less-routine-than-it-should-have-been fly ball to center, and scored on a Jurickson Profar soft liner down the right-field line. Riley drove Profar in with his moonshot.
Beyond that, the Braves had some fun making Paul Skenes, making his Spring Training 2026 debut, somewhat uncomfortable. They drew four walks against Skenes, who completed 2 1/3 innings — while successfully challenging four of Skenes’ called strikes. (In this game, the Braves went 6-for-6 in successful challenges, while the Pirates whiffed on both of theirs.) They didn’t get more than three runs, though, despite the early walks because Skenes carved up Riley in the first with two on and two out, while Mauricio Dubon and Ronald Acuña Jr. couldn’t get a key hit with two on in the second. (Dubon actually had a hard grounder, but Acuña just popped out. Acuña also later hit into a double play ball by hitting a grounder right at an infielder.)
Other than that, very little happened. The Braves used seven different pitchers in relief of Elder:
Tyler Kinley: 1/1 K/BB
Dylan Lee, 1/1 K/BB
Dylan Dodd, 2/1 K/BB in 1 2/3 IP
Tyler LaPorte, who struck out the only batter he faced
Hayden Harris, 2/0 K/BB
James Karinchak, 2/1 K/BB
Javy Guerra, on a redemptive note from his prior horrid outing, 1/0 K/BB
Basically, it was a breezy day at the park. The Braves had a collective 9/6 K/BB ratio offensively, while the Pirates were eaten up to the tune of 13/4 by Braves pitching. The Pirates got a runner on in the ninth to bring the tying run to the plate, but a routine flyout ended the game.
Marcell Ozuna went 0-for-2 with a walk (against Dylan Dodd) in his first uniformed game against his erstwhile mates.
The Braves will now head to Tampa to play the Yankees tomorrow afternoon.
PEORIA, Ariz. — Cal Raleigh has already gone deep this spring, yet the switch-hitting Seattle Mariners catcher isn’t focused on trying to hit 60 home runs again this season.
Raleigh, who had an MLB-leading 60 homers last year, hit a 427-foot homer against the Chicago White Sox in an exhibition game Tuesday. His first spring homer came in his third game.
“I think the elephant in the room is 60 home runs. That’s not something I’m setting out to do,” Raleigh told Seattle Sports this week. “To me, I’m just trying to be as consistent as possible, trying to do what I did last year.”
His 60 homers last season were the most for a player who was primarily a catcher, having started 119 games behind the plate and another 38 at designated hitter. The 29-year-old Raleigh, nicknamed “Big Dumper,” also had a career-high 125 RBIs and finished second in the American League MVP voting behind New York Yankees slugger and third-time winner Aaron Judge.
Judge and Raleigh are both set to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, which begins pool play next week. Judge set the AL record with 62 home runs in 2022.
There are among only seven players with a 60-homer season, and Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are the only ones to do so in consecutive seasons (1998 and 1999). McGwire and Sosa are the only players with multiple 60-homer seasons, and Sosa had a third in 2001.
NORTH PORT, Fla. — National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes lost four strikes to challenges in his first spring training start.
Skenes struck out four and walked four over 2 1/3 innings for Pittsburgh on Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves, who were 4 for 4 against the right-hander on challenges to get called strikes overturned to balls.
The 53-pitch outing is expected to be the only one for Skenes before he joins the U.S. for the World Baseball Classic. He allowed one hit and one run while facing 12 batters. He is going into his third season with the Pirates.
Skenes threw 27 pitches for strikes, along with four other pitches initially called strikes by home plate umpire Chris Segal that Braves hitters challenged through the automated ball-strike system — the so-called robot umpires.
Three of those challenges came on consecutive batters in the first inning.
Matt Olson challenged an 82.3 mph curveball that was called a strike, and had a smile on his face when replay showed indeed that the 1-1 pitch was just off the plate. He went on to draw a walk.
Jurickson Profar then challenged a 98.3 mph fastball for a strike on the first pitch he faced, and it was overturned to a 1-0 count before he also walked. Austin Riley sought a replay when a 99 mph pitch on an 0-2 count was called a strike, but was above the zone, though on the next pitch he struck out swinging on a 98.5 mph fastball just below that.
In the Braves second, Ronald Acuña asked for a review and got a ball on a 97.6 mph fastball off the plate that had been called a strike.
While the overturned strike thrown to Riley was the fastest of the day by Skenes, he was consistently in the upper-90s throughout his outing.
PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 11: Khaman Maluach #10 of the Phoenix Suns looks to pass the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 11, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The injury bug that has chewed through the Phoenix Suns can wear you down if you let it. This team has been a pleasant surprise, but then February showed up swinging. The team entered the month 30-19, but following their loss to the Celtics on Tuesday, they are now 3-7 in the month.
You glance at the calendar and realize March is staring back at you. Which means we have lived through nearly a full month, All-Star break and all, of some truly ugly basketball. But of course, context matters. Guys are playing roles they were never meant to live in, carrying usage they were not built for, and trying to hold things together with duct tape and effort. Still, averaging 79 points over the last two games is not exactly a comfort blanket.
You need some warm n’ fuzzies? Okay. I got you.
As I’ve stated plenty of times recently, injuries create opportunity, and that door is finally open. The rookies are getting real minutes and actual run. It’s not the end-of-bench cardio that shows up in a blowout. They are on the floor when the game still has a pulse. The results have not been perfect, but they have been encouraging. There is something there. Enough to squint, nod, and believe that this stretch, as messy as it feels, might actually be giving the Suns information that matters.
One thing worth celebrating in the middle of all this chaos is that Mark Williams has stayed healthy. In a season where the injury bug has been relentless, Williams has logged more games than he ever has in an NBA season. It deserves recognition. It also deserves context. He is in unfamiliar territory, pushing deeper into a season than his body is used to, and that kind of fatigue shows up in new ways. Some nights, you can see it. The legs look heavy. The tank feels closer to empty.
Okay, that might not be warm. Nor fuzzy. But…
That combination, injuries around him, and a visibly tired Mark Williams, has cracked the door open for Khaman Maluach. The Suns’ tenth overall pick in the 2025 draft, and potentially the last lottery swing they get for a long time, has stepped into real minutes. And honestly, I have liked what I have seen. The moment has not swallowed him. There is poise there. There is purpose. In the middle of a month that has felt like survival basketball, Maluach has quietly given the Suns something to lean into and something to watch closely as this season keeps unfolding.
There has been a steady hum of concern around him all season, mostly because the minutes have been sparse. Before the All-Star break, he appeared in 23 of the Suns’ 55 games and averaged 4.6 minutes a night. When you stack his raw numbers next to the top 10 picks from his rookie class, he trails them across the board. He has logged 137 total minutes. The next lowest among that group is Dylan Harper, the second overall pick in San Antonio, sitting at 1,000 minutes. On paper, it looks alarming.
That lack of playing time has nothing to do with a lack of talent. Anyone tossing around the word “bust” at this stage, especially with a 19-year-old big man, needs to slow their role and stop being a jabroni. Big men take time. They always have. The game asks more of them mentally and physically. And in Khaman’s case, he is still early in his basketball life, having picked up the sport only a few years ago.
The Suns have been deliberate with him. Purposeful. They have given him opportunities without rushing the process, choosing development over exposure. He has been grinding in practices, bouncing to the G League, learning the system, and adjusting to the speed of the NBA game. That patience deserves credit, and it is beginning to show.
In a stretch of the season short on bright spots, Maluach has quietly become one. The minutes are still modest, but the impact is there, and when he is on the floor, he looks like he belongs.
Since February 11, Khaman has appeared in four games and logged 42 total minutes. In that small window, he has put up 22 points and 21 rebounds, shooting 61.5% from the field and 40% from deep on 2-of-5. It is an extremely small sample, but the per 36 numbers jump off the page. 18.8 points. 18 rebounds. Warm! Fuzzy!
It is a reminder that development is never a straight line. There are peaks, valleys, and everything in between, and all of it shapes how a player is perceived. Maluach has had rough nights in the G League, especially against the Rip City Remix and fellow first-rounder Yang Hansen, where he got moved off his spots, turned it over, and raised eyebrows. That happened. He absorbed it. He kept working.
Now, with the door opening after the Nick Richards trade to Chicago, he is landing exactly where you want him. Earning minutes. Feeling resistance. Responding to it.
The Suns have lived through the other version too many times. Lottery picks handed roles before they were ready, development rushed, confidence crushed, careers shortened. This path feels different. Slower. More intentional and methodical. And right now, watching Maluach stack good habits on top of hard lessons, it feels like the right one.
The hope is that Khaman does not become another familiar Suns story, and the deliberate way the organization has handled his development suggests they are aware of that history. In the games he has played in February, he has looked long, physical, and more than anything, tenacious. He wants the rebound. He wants to contest shots. He wants to fit into a system built on disruption and effort, and that matters.
That is the takeaway right now in his young career. You cannot teach height. You cannot teach length. You can scream about effort until you are hoarse, but you cannot teach give-a-shit either. Maluach plays like he cares. The three-ball has looked clean, and that alone opens doors. A big who can stretch the floor changes lineups, spacing, and possibilities, especially alongside someone like Oso Ighodaro.
There is something quietly interesting forming with this young group. The scoreboard might feel heavy during this stretch, but underneath it, long-term pieces are being shaped. Maluach sits right at the center of that, and he is the reason I find myself feeling a little warm and fuzzy watching all of this unfold.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 21: Carlos Lagrange #84 of the New York Yankees pitches during the spring training game against the Detroit Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees’ farm system is deeper than you’d expect from an organization that traded away more than a dozen prospects at the 2025 Trade Deadline. They replenished some talent via the MLB Draft—including Dax Kilby, who has all the makings of a top prospect and looks like an absolute steal with the 29th pick—but the story of the season was the ascension of a trio of pitching prospects who look ready to make their big-league debuts in 2026. Although the Bombers have more than a few exciting players on the verge of the Bronx, there are prospects to be excited about all throughout the system.
Today, we’ll discuss a wide batch of Baby Bombers who I’ll be watching heading into the 2026 campaign. I’ve chosen to step away from Pinstripe Alley, and since this will be my last article, there’s no time like the present to run through ’em. Thank you to everyone who has read and enjoyed my work since I came aboard!
Knocking at the door: Spencer Jones, Elmer Rodríguez, Carlos Lagrange, Ben Hess, Cade Winquest
The aforementioned trio of ascending pitchers are all listed here, as Elmer Rodríguez, Carlos Lagrange, and Ben Hess all have the makings of successful starting pitchers at the big league level. Following a December 2024 trade from the Red Sox system in exchange for catcher Carlos Narváez, Rodríguez established himself as a Top 100 prospect with New York in wake of a breakout 2025 which began in High-A Hudson Valley and ended with the 22-year-old making his Triple-A debut. Rodríguez recorded a 2.26 ERA in 83 innings in High-A with a 29-percent strikeout rate, and was just as good in Double-A with a 2.64 ERA in 61 innings. He’s made significant progress since the Yankees acquired him from the Red Sox last offseason, and he made his spring training debut this week in the opener against Baltimore.
Speaking of spring buzz, Lagrange put his jaw-dropping stuff on display in the second game just days after making waves by striking out Aaron Judge in practice while hitting 102 MPH on the radar gun. Lagrange struggled mightily with control at the start of his career, and despite a breakout 2025, this was still the obvious flaw in his profile. A 7.1-percent walk rate in High-A ballooned to 14.9 percent in Double-A. However, a 33.4-percent strikeout rate across the two levels was enough to offset the walks. There is bullpen risk for Lagrange, but the team should do everything they can to get him into the starting rotation. Just ask Judge, who said “He’s got the potential to be a frontline starter for the New York Yankees.”
Hess was selected out of Alabama in the first round of the 2024 draft, and his first professional season went a long way towards proving the Yankees right about his upside. Hess anchors his arsenal with a lively fastball that sits in the mid-to-high 90s and plays up due to his IVB (induced vertical break), delivery, and extension. He complements it with a curveball, slider, and changeup. The curveball looked especially dominant in his spring debut this week, in which he notched five strikeouts against the Pirates.
There is no prospect more polarizing in the Yankees system or perhaps all of professional baseball than Spencer Jones. Jones started last season repeating Double-A after a disappointing 2024 halted his progress and looked ominous for his career. 2025 was a different story. Jones clobbered 16 home runs with Somerset, just one below last year’s season total in 336 trips to the plate. His walk rate jumped from 9.9 percent to 15.4 percent, his ISO went from .193 to .320, and his wRC+ ballooned to 184. In his first 114 PA after a promotion to Triple-A, Jones was hitting .375/.439/.844 with 13 home runs, 10 steals, a 219 wRC+, and just a 24-percent strikeout rate, before regressing in the season’s final weeks (possibly due to a lingering back injury). His spring thus far has been indicative of his all-or-nothing profile: in six plate appearances he has four strikeouts, a walk, and a home run that looked like it traveled 600 feet. If Jones manages to get to even a mildly subpar contact rate, he could be dangerous.
Cade Winquest was the Yankees’ first Rule 5 draft pick in many years, and it’s highly possible that he starts the 2026 regular season in the big-league bullpen. He flashed big time velocity and a devastating changeup in his spring debut. He could quietly be a pivotal addition during an offseason in which it seemed like the Yankees didn’t do much to improve their relief corps.
Stud shortstops: George Lombard Jr. and Dax Kilby
The consensus top prospect in the organization is George Lombard Jr., and while we need to see a larger sample size from Dax Kilby, it’s well within the range of possibility that he challenges Lombard for the crown by the end of 2026 (some outlets, like Baseball Prospectus, already have Kilby ahead). There are tons of similarities here, as Kilby seems to be following Lombard’s trajectory closely. Lombard was the team’s first-round draft pick in 2023 with the 26th pick, and Kilby went 39th last season due to the Yankees’ pick dropping 10 spots for luxury tax purposes. These appear to be the two best picks the team has made in recent years.
Lombard has proved himself at every level thus far and projects as a starting big-league shortstop. He started last season in High-A and made mincemeat of the level, posting a 194 wRC+ in 24 games before earning a promotion. Lombard struggled against Double-A pitching to start, but acclimated to the new environment over time and finished with respectable numbers, including 8 home runs, 24 steals, a 13.6-percent walk rate, and a 111 wRC+. Scouts still want to see a little more with the bat, but the still-20-year-old Lombard is right on schedule and could earn the starting shortstop job in the Bronx as early as 2027 if Anthony Volpe continues to squander his chances.
Kilby was sent directly to Low-A to start his career, and in his first 81 plate appearances he slashed .353/.457/.441 with 13 walks, 11 strikeouts, two doubles, two triples, and a 159 wRC+. Kilby posting these numbers just after he was drafted is an incredibly exciting development for the Yankees., and several front offices reportedly had near-instant regret for not taking the teenager more seriously as a draft prospect. If Kilby can access his raw power and drive some balls out of the park, he could prove himself as one of the most exciting prospects in the Yankees organization and all around baseball.
Post-injury bouncebacks?: Bryce Cunningham, Chase Hampton, Thatcher Hurd, Henry Lalane
These pitchers’ stocks suffered due to injury, but are seeking redemption with a healthy 2026. Bryce Cunningham started last season (his first full year as a pro) as part of a well-regarded quartet with the ascending Rodriguez, Lagrange, and Hess, but missed two months of the year, struggled upon return, and experienced the nadir of his young career in the Arizona Fall League with a 10.38 ERA in 13 painful innings. Even if he was working on some specific pitches, that’s not a number you want to read.
Once the most highly-regarded pitcher in the Yankees’ farm system, Chase Hampton underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2025 campaign. Hampton possesses the arsenal and command of a big-league starter and will look to bounce back in 2026. His stuff was at its peak in 2023 which is now in the distant past, though New York still felt good enough about him to protect him on the 40-man roster in November. Next season will be a crucial plot point in Hampton’s career. The same goes for Thatcher Hurd, who was selected in the third round of the 2024 MLB Draft but has yet to make his professional debut due to undergoing a Tommy John surgery of his own before the 2025 season.
Henry Lalane is an interesting case, as far more hype has been driven by the frame and upside the 6-foot-7 lefty brings to the table than by his actual performance. Lalane entered last season with excitement building around his name after posting a 34.1 K-BB% in a small sample at the Complex in 2023, but then pitched just 12 innings all 2024. Last year, he made six starts with Low-A Tampa with 16.1 IP, 1.65 ERA (5.01 FIP), 27.4 K%, 17.8 BB%, .179 BAA, 1.41 WHIP. For those who did glimpse him, the stuff wasn’t crackling quite the same.
One of the best seasonal stat lines within the organization belonged to the left-hander Kyle Carr. He doesn’t possess the overwhelming stuff or K-BB% numbers typically found in top pitching prospects, but 2025 provided a large enough sample to prove that what Carr is doing is working to his advantage. He dominated High-A with a 1.96 ERA in 22 starts, but ended the season with three starts in Double-A in which he posted an 8.56 ERA.
Cade Smith’s performance down the stretch for High-A Hudson Valley and in the Arizona Fall League should catch the organization’s eye. Smith has a strong ability to miss bats but struggles at times with walks. In 32.2 innings with the Renegades, he struck out 26 percent of the batters he faced but also walked 12 percent of them and recorded a 2.76 ERA. He controlled his pitches more effectively in Arizona, where he pitched 12.2 innings and struck out 14 batters while only walking two on his way to an AFL Fall Stars Game appearance. Smith has momentum and the talent to capitalize on it in 2026.
Brock Selvidge and Xavier Rivas are two southpaws looking to make a name for themselves in 2026. Selvidge was unprotected in the Rule 5 Draft this offseason, but remained with the Yankees and struck out four in his spring training debut this week. He flashed a horizontal left-handed arsenal with a cutter, a slider, and a four-seamer that hit up to 97 MPH. The 23-year-old Rivas started last season in the Complex League and finished at High-A, with astronomical strikeout and walk rates on the season (31.3/13.9 K/BB%). It was a year of non-linear development for Rivas, who struggled mightily in Low-A with a 5.80 ERA in 40 innings in between posting ERAs of 1.15 in the Complex league and 1.23 in Low-A.
Other 2025 draftees: Kaeden Kent, Pico Kohn, Core Jackson
Kaeden Kent, the Yankees’ third-round pick, has a smooth swing from the left side, strong barrel control, and a patient approach at the plate. The now-Hall of Fame progeny slashed .279/.398/.544 during his season in the SEC, tallying 56 games with 13 doubles, 13 home runs, and more walks than strikeouts. He struggled mightily in his first professional sample, with a putrid .186/.217/.265 slash line and 45 wRC+ in 25 games at High-A. Core Jackson, the team’s fifth-round pick, was similarly bad at High-A with a .183 batting average and 76 wRC+. Jackson is a Canadian shortstop who hit above .360 in each of his last two seasons at Utah. He added some power in 2025, hitting 12 homers while stealing 20 bases, but did not leave the yard once in Hudson Valley.
Pico Kohn is a 6-foot-4 southpaw with an arsenal consisting of a fastball, slider, and changeup. The slider is widely considered his best pitch, but his mid-90s fastball plays up against hitters due to a low arm slot and vertical approach angle. Much like Hess and Cunningham, the Yankees are prioritizing upside with Kohn over previous results. He had a 4.73 ERA in his final season at Mississippi State, though he did fan 32.6 percent of the hitters he faced. He did not make his professional debut in 2025.
Ones to watch for: Richard Matic, Mani Cedeno
To cap off the list, we have two teenage prospects who haven’t yet made their stateside debuts but could find themselves climbing up the organizational ranks in the next couple seasons. Richard Matic was far and away the best player for either of the Yankees Dominican Summer League affiliates in 2025. He slashed .336/.487/.566 with five home runs and 11 steals, and displayed an advanced plate approach with a 20.9-percent walk rate. He’s a third baseman with huge raw power, and saw his contact rate skyrocket from 55 percent in 2024 to 69.6 percent in 2025. He’s the most exciting player in Rookie ball for the Yankees right now, and will likely begin the 2026 season in the Complex league.
Mani Cedeno was considered one of the most advanced hitters in the international free agent class last offseason, and signed with the Yankees for $2.5 million in January. He profiles as a well-rounded shortstop with a natural ability in the field and on the base paths, and the key to his development will be on offense. Cedeno’s status as an honorable mention is based on the upside in his profile rather than the results he’s posted in his minor league career thus far. The 17-year-old has a smooth, right-handed swing and a tendency to be patient at the plate, so if Cedeno can make more contact moving forward he can develop into an exciting young player.
Other players who didn’t quite make the list here but are still worthy of a mention are Brendan Beck, the 2021 second-rounder on the verge of the big leagues in Triple-A and pitching for Great Britain in the upcoming World Baseball Classic; Allen Facundo, the 23-year-old lefty who posted a 2.14 ERA in 33 innings at Low-A; Jace Avina, the powerful right-handed outfielder who dominated High-A pitching in 2025 but hit a bit of a wall in Double-A; and Roderick Arias, the former top international signing who’s looking to bounce back after an immensely-disappointing 2025. With a front office as perpetually active on the trade market as the New York Yankees’, the farm system is ever-changing and guys are constantly shifting between levels, but fans should feel pretty good about where the system is at entering 2026.
Editor’s note: Thank you to Nolan for his diligent and insightful prospect analysis over the past year! We’ll miss him and wish him all the best.
