Mets sign MJ Melendez to Major League deal

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 10: MJ Melendez #1 of the Kansas City Royals singles bats during the game against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium on April 10, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Mets and MJ Melendez agreed to a one year, $1.5m deal (with $500k in incentives) in the twilight of the 2026 offseason, giving the Mets another option to fill out their bench, and giving Melendez a legitimate shot to open the 2026 season on a Major League roster. According to Will Sammon of The Athletic it is a split deal, meaning his salary differs depending on whether he is in the big leagues or in the minor leagues.

Melendez, now 27, spent his entire professional career up until now with the Kansas City Royals. The Daytona Beach, Florida native was drafted in the second round by the Royals in 2017, forgoing a commitment to Florida International University to turn pro. He eventually became one of the best prospects in the sport, earning Top 100 prospect status from Baseball Prospectus (#35), Baseball America (#42) and MLB Pipeline (#51) prior to the 2022 season, then as a catcher. He eventually made his debut in 2022, moving positions and converting to the corner outfield, where he has been a regular part of the Royals Major League roster, until last season.

He never reached the heights he did as a prospect in the Majors, putting together three okay seasons at the plate (97 wRC+ in 2022, 93 wRC+ in 2023, 86 wRC+ in 2024) before falling off a cliff in 2025, hitting .083/.154/.167 (-14 wRC+) in 23 games before getting sent to Triple-A for the remainder of the season. He was non-tendered after the season, and became a free agent. He comes to the Mets a career 215/.297/.388 hitter, with 52 home runs in 435 games, good for an 88 wRC+.

The Mets were in clear need of someone who can handle the corner outfield, especially after the acquisition of Luis Robert Jr. and the continued presence of Tyrone Taylor (and, frankly, the likely debut of Carson Benge) leaving them completely covered in center field. They could also use someone who could hit left handed off the bench, as their roster became right-handed heavy over the course of the offseason.

For the Mets, Melendez represents a chance to get some pop off the bench, and a chance to recapture some of his former Top 100 prospect status that he had not too long ago. He also put together some roughly league average season as a Major Leaguer, and that is a welcome development from a bench player if they can get him back to that. He can serve as cover in the corner outfield, perhaps first base (again, according to Sammon), and will likely serve has the emergency catcher if he does make the roster. He will be a project for the new hitting apparatus of Jeff Albert and Troy Snitker. He also, according to FanGraphs, still has an option remaining, which still leaves David Stearns open to acquiring someone else for the role and stashing Melendez in Syracuse.

For Melendez, the Mets represent a competitive environment that has a pretty open bench spot, so the combination of being on a Major League roster on a good team on Opening Day is likely too good to pass up for him.

Pistons ink Daniss Jenkins to two-year deal

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 06: Daniss Jenkins #24 of the Detroit Pistons reacts after making a 3-point basket against the New York Knicks during the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena on February 06, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Daniss Jenkins, the two-way player who has become an integral part of the Detroit Pistons’ rotation, has inked a two-year deal with the club. Jenkins used up the last of his two-way player availability with the Pistons in Friday’s dominant win over the New York Knicks. He scored 18 points and hit three 3-pointers in the game.

Details of his contract have not been disclosed, but reports indicate that the new two-year contract include a team-option for next season. The Pistons reportedly used part of their remaining portion of the bi-annual exception.

The Pistons are required to release a player to make room for Jenkins on the 15-man roster, and while unconfirmed, it is likely that player is veteran Dario Saric.

Jenkins went undrafted in 2024 after an impactful four-year college career with stints at Pacific for two years before transferring to Iona to play with Rick Pitino at Iona and following him to St. John’s for his final season of eligibility.

He signed a two-way deal with Detroit last season where he showed some promise, but he took a big leap forward in Summer League where it became clear he might have an NBA future. He put any questions about his ability to stick in the league to rest early in the season as he filled in for an injured Cade Cunningham.

He averaged 20.2 points per game over a five-game span, including hitting 44% of his threes and 7.6 assists. He’s scored at least 10 points in 15 of his 42 appearances this season.

He is averaging 8.2 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 turnovers in 42 games so far. He has also cemented himself as the team’s backup point guard, and made Jaden Ivey even more expendable. Ivey was traded to the Chicago Bulls at the NBA trade deadline so he could get consistent minutes while he’s working himself back from his broken fibula injury suffered at the beginning of 2025.

Jenkins has clearly earned the trust of head coach JB Bickerstaff, including Bickerstaff choosing to end games with both Cunningham and Jenkins in the back court as dangerous ball-handlers and scorers.

The young guard, who recently said he felt like it was crazy that he was undrafted, now doesn’t have to worry about his availability and gets what likely amounts to a raise of 10 times his two-way contract.

Brooklyn Nets seek more of the same from Josh Minott, Ochai Agbaji

David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

The Brooklyn Nets did not trade away any player at the 2026 trade deadline. After the constant rumors swirling around Michael Porter Jr. — not to mention the chaotic departures of James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant in deadlines past — it was a nice, calm week in the borough.

The Nets, however, did waive three players, including Cam Thomas. On Sunday afternoon, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Thomas would sign with the Milwaukee Bucks…

It was a deadline befitting a rebuilding team, with some minor shuffling around the margins, including two low-stakes acquisitions that hardly cost a thing. About a century after the Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees for $100,000, the Boston Celtics sent Josh Minott to Brooklyn for the minimum $110,000 of cash considerations.

The Nets also traded for Ochai Agbaji and his expiring salary, which also earned them a 2032 second-round pick and $3.5 million in cash considerations. Both Minott and Agbaji play on the wing, low-usage off-ball guys who, at their best, hit spot-up threes while defending and filling lanes with a passion. Recall August of 2024, when the Nets took on Ziaire Williams — and a future second — as a salary-dump from the Memphis Grizzlies, a trade that’s worked out pretty well for Brooklyn.

Minott played 526 minutes with the Celtics this season, more than he had played in his first three seasons combined with Minnesota Timberwolves. The #45 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Minott spent plenty of time with the G League’s Iowa Wolves, until this past summer, when he signed with Boston. And to begin this season, the 23-year-old flashed real defensive and spot-up ability, though Jordan Walsh ultimately supplanted him in the rotation…

“I’d say I kind of line up perfectly with, just like, the core values here in terms of defensive pressure and, you know, just being disruptive on the defensive end,” said Minott in his introductory presser in Brooklyn. “Additionally, I feel like my shooting has come such a long way for sure. I feel like that’s something I can confidently list as one of my strengths, and I know they believe in taking the right and open shots here.”

He sounds like a Net already! Not to mention that, despite a career-best season, Minott is still a fringe-rotation player on a $2.5 million contract with a team option for next season. Making a good impression over the final two months of Brooklyn’s season could go a long way.

When asked why he felt he’d excelled in Boston, Minott said, “I’d say it was just the hunger I was playing with. That’s something I’m planning on definitely bringing here, just the hunger and desperation. I feel like that’s something that the organization will definitely value considering, like I said, their core principles of defensive, their mindset of just disruption.”

Minott was born in Florida but plays for the Jamaican national team, and some folks call him ‘Why Not’, not only because it fits as a personal mantra but because it’s also a reminder on how to pronounce his last name. If Minott makes his first few 3-pointers in Brooklyn, you’ll be wondering how the hell Sean Marks nabbed him for free. If he starts out cold, not so much. But the man can really defend…

Ochai Agbaji arrives with striking similarities. He was selected by the Cavaliers at #14 in the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery, then was traded to the Utah Jazz in the Donovan Mitchell deal before his debut. Then a trade to the Raptors, and finally, a trade to Brooklyn.

He had by far the best season of his career last year, mainly because he shot 39.9% from three on decent volume…he’s down to 18.5% this season, though his minutes were quite sporadic in Toronto.

“I think it’s just a matter of rhythm, really finding that rhythm,” said Agbaji in his introduction. “And, you know, the conversation with Jordi has been good, brief. Obviously, there’s been a lot going on, but briefly, he just told me he wants me here, and he wants me as a piece of this team, and sees a lot more in me, and a lot more of what I can do and what I can bring to this team.”

Fernández may be telling the truth. The Brooklyn Nets did not have to scoop up Minott or Agbaji; they did not have to duck a tax to get these guys, they didn’t have to match salaries, give up any of their draft hoard …they just scooped ‘em up because they were available.

And Fernández did not hesitate when asked what the newest Nets could bring to the floor: “Every time you can apply ball pressure, whether it’s in the full-court or the half-court, you can create turnovers, deflections, make the other team’s offense uncomfortable, play out of position late in the clock. So, we believe those guys can do that, and I’m excited. I’m excited to watch them play.”

Minott is about 6’9” with a plus-wingspan, a wiry NBA body if there ever was one. Agbaji is a bit stockier, makes some great closeouts and loves to get physical, though there is still some juice in those legs, a welcome sight for fans of one the league’s least athletic teams…

Agbaji, 25 years old, played with Jalen Wilson at Kansas for three seasons, and they won a national championship together.

“I actually knew him before he came to Kansas,” said Agbaji. “I was one of his hosts on his on his recruiting visit, so I’ve known him for a long time now, and seen him grow and expand in his game, his career. So now, ending up with him as a teammate and as a teammate again is great. So, like I said, it just feels like even more of a home here with him and some other guys.”

Neither player checked in during Brooklyn’s blowout of the Washington Wizards, though the trades had just been finalized. It remains to be seen where Minott and Agbaji will land in Jordi Fernández’s rotation, but their next opportunity to play will come on Monday evening against the Bulls. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.

Bucks sign Cam Thomas

BROOKLYN, NY - OCTOBER 27: Cam Thomas #24 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on October 27, 2024 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Before Thursday’s trade deadline, a rumor last week linked the Bucks with former Nets guard Cam Thomas, primarily from HoopsHype’s Mike Scotto. While the contract isn’t public yet, usually post-deadline signings are for the veteran’s minimum, which would be about $905k for Thomas over the remainder of the year. Milwaukee can use the minimum salary exception to add him, and their cap hit would be $846k in that case. They had an open roster spot after waiving Nigel Hayes-Davis on Thursday evening, hours after acquiring him and Ousmane Dieng in exchange for Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey.

The 24-year-old Thomas spent four and a half seasons as a Net, after they selected him 27th overall in 2021. He first broke into their rotation during the latter years of the KD/Kyrie squads as a microwave scorer off their bench, moving into the starting lineup in his third campaign. In 2023–24, he assumed the mantle of their leading scorer the year after Kevin Durant was traded to Phoenix with 22.5 PPG and 2.9 APG on .442/.364/.881 shooting over 66 games (51 starts), but on subpar efficiency. Last season, he missed 57 contests with a left hamstring injury that held him out for three months, then ended his year six games after his late February returned. He’d been averaging a career-high 24.0 PPG. In each campaign, he put up 18+ attempts per game, so he’s earned a reputation as a chucker.

Perhaps due to that, Thomas didn’t receive any multiyear offers after hitting restricted free agency last offseason, including from the Nets. The 6’3” LSU alum therefore took the qualifying offer, giving him the ability to veto trades during 2025–26. He’s appeared in 24 contests for the Nets, starting only eight, with scoring (15.6 PPG), rebounding (1.8 RPG), and shooting (.399/.325/.843) numbers down across the board and his typical 3.1 APG. He also strained that same hammy in November, knocking him out for 20 games until just before New Years. After two years averaging 31+ MPG, he was down to 24.3 this year. Recognizing Brooklyn didn’t envision him as part of his future given the lack of an offer last summer, he surely would have waived that right had the Nets found a deal for him last week, but they couldn’t get anything done. He missed the team’s flight on February 4th, listed as out with “personal reasons,” which many speculated to be a pending move.

The initial Scotto rumor also liked Thomas to the Cavs, echoing a trade idea Jackson proposed between them, the Bucks, and Nets. Scotto mentioned that Cleveland discussed a Thomas trade that would have sent Lonzo Ball (since traded to Utah and waived) and “second-round draft compensation” to Brooklyn. Those talks didn’t progress, and the Nets waived Thomas very shortly after the 2 p.m. Central deadline on Thursday. That’s apparently what he was hoping for, telling Andscape’s Marc Spears:

“Super excited ready to actually help and contribute to another team. My next team is getting elite scoring, good play-making and a good combo guard… I picked Milwaukee because they wanted me and they told me they’ve been interested for years now. So, it’s good to have this opportunity come to fruition. And I’m just hoping to meet everybody, get to know everybody and contribute as soon as possible.”

It’s worth noting that Milwaukee also has about $3m remaining on its room exception this season (the rest of it was used to sign Kevin Porter Jr. to a new contract last July), and could use that to outbid other Thomas suitors. But given the mutual interest between Thomas and the Bucks, it’s probably a minimum contract. Since he is changing teams in free agency, Milwaukee will have Non-Bird rights on him this offseason, so their next contract could only give him a 20% raise on his new salary—a fair bit less than the $6m Brooklyn is still paying him this season. For anything more, they’d need to use a different exception, like the mid-level or bi-annual.

Getting a scorer as talented as Thomas, despite his inefficiency, for next to nothing is certainly a steal. What’s more interesting is what this means for Milwaukee moving forward this season. On their first three-game winning streak of the season, their competition before the break is more serious than the cellar-dwelling Pelicans and Pacers. Still, at just 21-29, they’re 2.5 games back of Charlotte—whom they have a tiebreaker over after winning the season series 3-1—for the East’s final play-in spot. So the hill is still steep, if they choose to climb it.

Thomas can only score, doesn’t defend, and while he’s right that he can play-make, it’s really only for himself. He probably will help more than he hurts the rest of the year, but maybe not to a great extent. Mainly, he’ll give the moribund Bucks offense (24th in ORtg per Cleaning The Glass) a definite boost whenever he’s on the floor, and the Bucks are simply not good enough to not add talent. I wonder about his future, though: he’ll be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career this summer, and will certainly be trying to raise his stock after a disappointing last year or so in Brooklyn, which impacted his market last summer. Giannis has complained about selfish play from his teammates and how guys are playing for their next contracts; few would call Thomas unselfish, and he’s hoping for a multiyear deal come July. So perhaps he isn’t a good long-term fit if Giannis sticks around. But a new team-friendly deal over two years (at most) could be tradable, especially if it has a team option.

One more note: many assumed that up-and-coming big man Pete Nance would be converted from his two-way contract to a standard deal (Milwaukee currently has one two-way spot open) for that final roster spot. While that could happen yet, if the Bucks were to open a spot by waiving Gary Harris, Gary Trent Jr., or Jericho Sims, they’d have to stretch their 2026–27 salary over three more years. That’s because each of them has a player option for next season, which is counted as guaranteed money. Nance has 21 games of two-way eligibility remaining, having been active for 29 so far this year.

Your Handy Guide To Current And Former Ottawa Senators Competing At Winter Olympics

The men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy gets underway next week, with preliminary games opening Wednesday in a 12-team field that features a strong Ottawa Senators flavour.

Between current and former Senators, the Ottawa connections will be scattered all across this event. Here’s a country-by-country look at the current and former Senators set to take part in the 2026 Olympic men’s hockey tournament in Italy.

Just after the holidays, Team USA Bill Guerin made the official call to Sens star Jake Sanderson, inviting him to join the Olympic team.

Canada

Canada’s roster includes a familiar and popular former Senator in Mark Stone, who now captains the Vegas Golden Knights. Stone spent several seasons in Ottawa and remains one of the most respected two-way forwards to ever wear a Senators jersey.

Now in the seventh year of his eight-year contract in Vegas, the former Senators regime gravely miscalculated how much good hockey Stone still had left in the tank and then made a horrible trade.


Czechia

Czechia’s roster features two former Senators forwards in Filip Chlapik and Dominik Kubalik. Chlapik came through Ottawa’s system and saw 57 NHL games with the club before returning to Europe, while Kubalik spent the entire 2023-24 season here, arriving in the Alex DeBrincat deal. 


Denmark

Veteran centre Lars Eller, a current Senator, brings extensive experience. He's the first Danish player to win the Stanley Cup (2018) and the first to play 1,000 NHL games.

He’s joined by Mads Søgaard, the towering goaltender from the Belleville Senators. With the Danes likely to be outmatched in most games, NHL veteran Freddy Andersen is expected to handle most of the work for the Danes.


Finland

Finland’s roster also includes a blend of current and former Senators. Defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo can't get in Ottawa's lineup these days, but he earned his place with the Finns through steady play.

Former Senators goaltender Joonas Korpisalo was named to Finland's team as an injury replacement. It's hard to fully describe him as a former Senator since the Sens are still paying him $1 million a year.


France

France will feature former Ottawa forward Stéphane Da Costa, who spent time in the Senators organization earlier in his career. After taking his NHL shot, playing 47 games in Ottawa spread over four seasons, the 37-year-old Da Costa has been a KHL star for most of the past decade, and the French will once again lean on him for scoring and leadership. 


Germany

Germany’s Olympic hopes will heavily involve current Ottawa star Tim Stützle. One of the NHL's most dynamic offensive players, Stützle is expected to be a focal point for the Germans and one of the most exciting players to watch throughout the tournament. Germany has enough star power at the top of their lineup to be troublesome by going to a short bench in this short tournament. 


Latvia

Forwards Rūdolfs Balcers and Kaspars Daugaviņš, along with defenseman Kristiāns Rubīns, all have Ottawa Senators ties. Rubins was drafted by Ottawa but never played, though he did get into three NHL games with Toronto. Latvia has built a reputation for its loud, partying fan base and being a difficult opponent in short tournaments, and its Ottawa contingent will play major roles.


Sweden

As former first-rounders, centre Mika Zibanejad and defenceman Erik Karlsson both spent their formative years in Ottawa before continuing their careers elsewhere. In goal, Filip Gustavsson could see significant action as the Swedes aim for a medal.


Switzerland

Former Senators training camp attendee Pius Suter will skate for Switzerland. Now an established NHL pro in St. Louis, Suter should be a top player on a Swiss team that always impresses and continues to close the gap on the traditional hockey powers.


United States

Team USA will feature two cornerstone pieces from the current Sens roster. Captain Brady Tkachuk brings his trademark physicality and leadership, while defenceman Jake Sanderson has quickly emerged as one of the NHL’s premier young blueliners. Both were expected to play major roles as the Americans pursue Olympic gold.

*** As an update, Sanderson may be a healthy scratch for the Americans' opener next week.

With current and former Senators at the Olympics totalling 16, their impact on the 2026 Olympic men’s hockey tournament will be impossible to miss.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

Read more great Sens features at The Hockey News:

Top Ottawa Senators Prospect Out Long Term With Lower Body Injury
Senators Can Further Boost Playoff Hopes By Upgrading One Position
Head Coach Travis Green Has Changed The Conversation In Ottawa
Senators Trade Deadline History: Key Deals of the Last Decade
NHL Insider Says The Senators Aren't Happy With Him

How much was UNC basketball fined by ACC for court storming vs Duke? Conference rules

North Carolina basketball picked up a thrilling win over rivalDuke on Saturday, Feb. 7, but will feel its pockets getting lighter as a result.

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced on Sunday, Feb. 8, that it was fining the Tar Heels $50,000 for fans storming the court at Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, following Seth Trimble's game-winning shot.

"The Atlantic Coast Conference announced today that the University of North Carolina has been fined for violation of the league’s event security policy at the conclusion of its men’s basketball game versus Duke University on February 7," the league wrote in a news release.

"The conference’s event security policy is designed to protect the safety and well-being of all student-athletes, coaches, officials and fans."

The fine is $50,000 for UNC, as it was the first offense for the program. The penalty increases to $100,000 for a second offense and is $200,000 for each subsequent offense within two years.

All fines for storming the court or rushing the field that are collected under the policy are directed to the Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Postgraduate Scholarship Fund, which benefits ACC student-athletes pursuing graduate education.

In addition to the court storming, following the game, Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer alleged that members of his staff "got punched in the face."

"It's hard to talk about the game when I was most concerned for the safety of our players,” Scheyer said. “I don't wanna make it about that, but ... I got staff members that got punched in the face ... That's not what this game is about. That was a scary ending."

The University of North Carolina did not respond to USA TODAY Sports' request for comment on the claim from Scheyer.

Fans actually stormed the court on two separate occasions. Fans first rushed the court following Timble's 3-pointer, but the clock still showed 0.4 seconds remaining in the game. They rushed the court once again after the clock officially hit triple zeroes, however, it was treated as one incident by the conference.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UNC basketball fined by ACC for fans storming court after Duke win

Jade Masogayo's three-point play wins it for Colorado women against No. 14 TCU

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Jade Masogayo's three-point play with two seconds remaining lifted Colorado to a stunning 80-79 victory over No. 14 TCU on Sunday, denying the Horned Frogs a spot at the top of the Big 12 Conference.

After Donovyn Hunter's driving layup gave TCU a 79-77 lead with five seconds remaining, Masogayo took a sideline inbounds pass, drove the right side of the lane and made a short bank shot to tie the score. Kennedy Basham was called for a foul on the play and Masogayo sank the and-1 for the win.

TCU led 76-70 after a layup by Olivia Miles with about three minutes remaining. Colorado scored the next five points, then Miles made a free throw for a 77-75 lead with 50 seconds left. Masagayo made two tying free throws with 24 seconds left.

Masaqayo scored a career-high 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting plus 9 of 10 free throws. Desiree Wooten added 19 points, Logyn Greer 17 and Zyanna Walker 15 for the Buffaloes (16-8, 7-5 Big 12). Masagayo topped her previous best of 22 points against TCU last season.

Miles matched her season high with 31 points. Marta Suarez scored 20 and Hunter 17 for TCU (21-4, 9-3). With a win, TCU would have shared first place with 15th-ranked Baylor, which is 10-2 in the conference.

TCU took its first lead of the game, 37-34, on a 3-pointer by Suarez to open the third quarter. Colorado never led in the third but 10 points from Greer helped keep it close, 67-62 heading to the fourth quarter.

Wooten scored 10 points in the first quarter and Colorado led 28-20 after one. It was 34-all at halftime.

Up next

TCU: The Horned Frogs visit Baylor on Thursday.

Colorado: at Houston on Wednesday.

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Would Matvei Michkov Make Russia's Olympic Team? Top Coaches Omit Flyers Star

It's inarguable that young Philadelphia Flyers star Matvei Michkov has massive potential, but two years into his NHL career, the talented forward is not yet on the radar for a potential Team Russia Olympic squad.

Russia, of course, is banned from international competitions at all levels, which means no NHL players will be representing their nation at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Tampa Bay's superstar winger Nikita Kucherov said it best: it's not a best-on-best competition without Russia, but the reality is the reality.

The hockey powerhouse's exclusion has long raised questions of what their squad would look like if they were competing in the Olympics, and two Russian legends recently weighed in on the topic for themselves.

In a recent interview with The Athletic, iconic forward-turned-SKA St. Petersburg head coach Igor Larionov chose his roster, which came with a few surprises.

Kucherov, Kirill Kaprizov, Artemi Panarin, Alex Ovechkin, and Evgeni Malkin were among the obvious choices at forward, and Montreal Canadiens starlet Ivan Demidov managed to sneak in on the third line as well.

Why Matvei Michkov's Prove-It Game Was So ImportantWhy Matvei Michkov's Prove-It Game Was So ImportantMichkov's key assist in the spotlight was exactly what Tocchet wanted.

As for the fourth line, though? Players like Vasily Podkolzin, Ivan Barbashev, and Vasily Podkolzin all got in ahead of the Flyers' Michkov.

Larionov also opted for a "PK guy" in Ilya Mikheyev for roster depth, so Michkov wasn't particularly close to being considered.

But, Larionov isn't the only coach to omit Michkov from their hypothetical Olympic roster.

Former Russian national team head coach Ilya Vorobyov, a two-time Gagarin Cup-winning coach with an Olympic Gold Medal to his resume, didn't include Michkov, either.

Vorobyov, in his interview with MatchTV, had a number of roster overlaps with Larionov's team, though youngsters like Danila Yurov, Dmitri Voronkov, and Pavel Dorofeyev made his cut in addition to Demidov.

Vorobyov's explanation for Demidov likely tells us why Michkov wasn't on his team.

"He is a young boy, and just starting his career. The level of wingers in the Russian national team is very high," the sage bench boss said of Demidov.

Ex-Flyers Coach John Tortorella Recounts Golden Matvei Michkov StoryEx-Flyers Coach John Tortorella Recounts Golden Matvei Michkov StoryTortorella dished on Michkov's surprising but enthusiastic penalty box strategy, which goes to show how well the two understood each other while they were together on the Flyers.

"We need to look at who would have been eliminated due to injury, and what line Vanya would have ended up in. What would he have brought to those three? I really like Demidov as a player. He is the future young star of the national team. But the Olympics are a fleeting tournament, and there is no time for experiments. And we need not only those guys who score."

So, with Demidov in, and the likes of Ovechkin, Panarin, Kucherov, Kaprizov, Kirill Marchenko, and others occupying the wings, there was no room for Michkov.

Michkov, of course, was the captain of the Russia U20 and Russia 25 teams back in 2022-23 and dominated representing his country in the 2021 U18 World Junior Championships.

In that tournament, the now-21-year-old led all players in scoring with 16 points and broke the Russian single-tournament goals record with his 12 tallies.

Flyers' Matvei Michkov Compares First NHL Game to 'PlayStation'Flyers' Matvei Michkov Compares First NHL Game to 'PlayStation'Even for players like <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> star Matvei Michkov, making your first NHL appearance can be a little frazzling.

Oh, and Michkov was named MVP and Best Forward.

Kucherov and Ilya Kovalchuk previously held Russia's goals record with 11 apiece.

Michkov has proven he can handle and produce in the international spotlight, but a frustrating sophomore season in the NHL under new Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet has seemingly left him with his fair share of doubters.

Barnes has 25 points and 14 rebounds in Raptors' 122-104 win over Pacers

TORONTO (AP) — Scottie Barnes had 25 points and 14 rebounds to help the Toronto Raptors beat the Indiana Pacers 122-104 on Sunday.

Barnes was 12 of 20 from the field and had six assists, four blocks and two steals in 33 minutes. Toronto won its second straight to move 10 games above .500 at 32-22.

RJ Barrett had 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and Sandro Mamukelashvili added 17 points. Trayce Jackson-Davis had 10 points and 10 rebounds in 15 minutes in his Toronto debut following a trade with Golden State.

Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 18 points, Jay Huff had 15 and Jarace Walker 13. Last in the Eastern Conference, the injury-ravaged Pacers have lost four straight to fall to 13-40.

Toronto rookie center Collin Murray-Boyles left with 3:47 left in the first quarter and did not return after he sprained his left thumb. He had two points in eight minutes.

Indiana swingman Johnny Furphy left after taking a bad fall in the third quarter. The Pacers said he was out with right leg soreness.

Up next

Pacers: At New York on Tuesday night.

Raptors: Host Detroit on Wednesday night.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Avery Howell has 34 points and 14 rebounds, No. 24 Washington women beat Wisconsin in OT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Avery Howell had a career-high 34 points and 14 rebounds — the 6-foot sophomore’s sixth double-double this season — and Sayvia Sellers scored 23 points to help No. 24 Washington beat Wisconsin 91-86 in overtime on Sunday.

Howell scored eight points in OT, including two of her career-high tying six 3-pointers. Elle Ladine finished with 16 points for Washington (18-6, 8-5 Big Ten). The Huskies had lost back-to-back games for just the second time this season.

Destiny Howell hit five 3-pointers and finished with 28 points for the Badgers. Gift Uchenna had 24 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Laci Steele added 10 points and Ronnie Porter tied her season high with 10 assists to go with eight points and six steals.

Destiny Howell made a 3-pointer and, after Brynn McGaughy hit two free throws on the other end, was fouled as she hit another and the and-1 free throw gave the Badgers a one-point lead with 1:09 to play. Avery Howell answered with a putback off a miss by McGaughy that made it 87-86 with 43 seconds left.

Wisconsin (13-11, 5-8), which has lost four straight, went 0 for 3 from the field — all 3-point shots by Destiny Howell — from there.

The Badgers closed the third quarter with an 11-0 run and scored eight — all by Uchenna — of the first 11 in the fourth to take a six-point lead with 6:09 left in regulation. The Huskies scored nine — five by Sellers and four by Howell — of the next 12 to make it 71-all with 3:40 remaining.

Up next

Washington: Plays Wednesday at No. 10 Iowa.

Wisconsin: Visits Illinois on Wednesday.

___

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Bennett Stirtz scores career-high 36 to help Iowa hold off Northwestern 76-70

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Bennett Stirtz scored a career-high 36 points and Iowa upped its winning streak to six games by handing Northwestern a seventh straight loss with a 76-70 victory over the Wildcats on Sunday.

Stirtz made made 12 of 20 shots and all eight of his free throws for the Hawkeyes (18-5, 8-4 Big Ten Conference). The senior guard hit 4 of 6 from 3-point range. Tavion Banks added 13 points and seven rebounds.

Nick Martinelli scored 21 on 6-for-19 shooting for the Wildcats (10-14, 2-11). Jake West sank four 3-pointers and scored 18. Tre Singleton had 10 points before fouling out.

West buried a 3-pointer to give Northwestern an 18-13 lead with 8:31 remaining in the first half. The Wildcats played with the lead until a three-point play by Stirtz tied it 30-all with 2:13 left. Stirtz added two free throw, Kael Combs hit a jumper and Banks scored the final five points in a 12-5 run to give Iowa a 39-35 advantage at halftime.

Combs had the first basket of the second half and Stirtz followed with a 3-pointer to push the lead to nine. Stirtz added another 3-pointer and the Hawkeyes took their first double-digit lead at 54-40 with 13 minutes left.

West answered with a 3-pointer to spark a 13-2 run and Northwestern pulled within 56-53 four minutes later. Stirtz hit a 3-pointer to keep Iowa in front and the Hawkeyes maintained a two-possession lead until West hit another 3 to cut it to 70-67 with two minutes left. Stirtz drove for a layup and Banks added two free throws to wrap it up.

Up next

Iowa: At Maryland on Wednesday.

Northwestern: Hosts No. 2 Michigan on Wednesday.

___

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European football: PSG thrash Marseille and return to summit of Ligue 1

  • Dembélé doubles up in 5-0 mauling

  • Kane and Díaz on target in Bayern win

Ousmane Dembélé struck twice as Paris Saint-Germain blew away bitter rivals Marseille on Sunday, reclaiming top spot in Ligue 1 with a crushing 5-0 victory at the Parc des Princes.

Dembélé opened the scoring after just 12 minutes and added a second before half-time as PSG delivered a real statement of intent going into the crucial months of the season.

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Against Heat, Wizards Fall Behind by 32, and Do Not Make It Interesting

WASHINGTON, DC -  FEBRUARY 8: Jamir Watkins #5 of the Washington Wizards blocks the shot of Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat during the game on February 8, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The best thing about the Wizards blowout loss to the Miami Heat is that it’s over. Miami weathered an early stretch of hot shooting from Washington — and a cold streak of its own. When the teams reverted to something closer to their norms, the Heat gave Washington the bum’s rush. The game was into garbage time by halftime.

I have little good to say about the Wizards after this one. I mean, they got curb-stomped by a team starting someone named (and I’m not making this up) Myron Gardner.

Justin Champagnie drives against the Miami Heat. | NBAE via Getty Images

In fairness, Gardner wasn’t bad. Basketball-Reference claims he attended Georgetown (the one in DC) after first playing for South Plains College (a community college in Texas), and that he also played for Little Rock.

Here are the few Wizards positives:

  • Justin Champagnie was decent — 3 offensive rebounds and 7 total in 25 minutes.
  • Alex Sarr tried on the defensive end but was truly on an island all afternoon. He finished with 12 rebounds…and five fouls as he tried to cover for his missing in action teammates.
  • Coulibaly also tried on the defensive end. He committed four fouls.
  • Solid game from Jamir Watkins, who scored 12 points, hit a three, and had 7 rebounds, a steal and 2 blocks.
  • The Wizards committed just 12 fouls in the game. Sarr had five. Coulibaly had four. No one else had more than one. Perhaps this is because a prerequisite for committing a foul is being near the offensive player.

For example, when he wanted to throw down a poster dunk on an offensive rebound, Bam Adebayo had to do it over teammate Kel’el Ware. No Wizards were in the vicinity.

Washington lost in every meaningful way. They got outshot, out-rebounded, committed more turnovers, and made fewer free throws. They got lit up by Kasparas Jakucionis. They got outscored by 41 points in Adabayo’s 28 minutes.That’s a complete drubbing.

This was Washington’s eighth loss of the season by 30 or more points. One of those was a 45-point beatdown by the Boston Celtics.

They have eight more losses by 20 or more points, including a 29-point drubbing by Boston. They have three more defeats by 19 points.

Four Factors

Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).

The four factors are measured by:

  • eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
  • OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
  • TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
  • FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORSHEATWIZARDSLGAVG
eFG%57.2%48.4%54.3%
OREB%39.6%20.4%26.1%
TOV%15.2%18.0%12.7%
FTM/FGA0.1250.1180.208
PACE10699.5
ORTG12596115.5

Stats & Metrics

PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).

PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.

POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.

ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.

USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%.

ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.

+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.

Players are sorted by total production in the game.

WIZARDSMINPOSSORTGUSG+PTSPPA+/-
Jamir Watkins337412313.9%0.7115-33
Justin Champagnie255512120.5%0.6120-8
Tristan Vukcevich204410131.4%-2.095-17
Bub Carrington29639222.6%-3.452-9
Sharife Cooper204510717.8%-0.772-28
Alex Sarr26579423.1%-2.950-5
Kyshawn George19429730.6%-2.456-4
Keshon Gilbert1330994.3%-0.220-21
Will Riley21466423.3%-5.5-16-26
Bilal Coulibaly34746214.4%-5.7-40-4
HEATMINPOSSORTGUSG+PTSPPA+/-
Kasparas Jakucionis265721316.6%9.243127
Bam Adebayo286213422.7%2.728741
Andrew Wiggins235213218.0%1.52611
Kel’el Ware306615316.0%3.920022
Simone Fontecchio194214121.2%2.228833
Myron Gardner214612422.1%0.82240
Norman Powell255513723.2%2.71827
Davion Mitchell25557114.0%-3.4-2616
Jaime Jaquez Jr.24525431.4%-9.9-1749
Nikola Jovic61216822.6%1.53690
Dru Smith6121039.4%-0.11250
Jahmir Young8186817.1%-1.4-41-1

Blazers' Damian Lillard surprising addition to 2026 3-point contest field

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard hasn’t played all season long due to sitting out with a torn Achilles. Despite that, he plans to participate in the 2026 All-Star Weekend at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

The NBA announced its participants in the 2026 State Farm 3-Point Contest on Feb. 8 and one of the participants is Lillard.

Lillard, 35, suffered his injury when he was with the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 4 of the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers.

Lillard, who is a nine-time All-Star, isn’t a stranger to three-point competitions. He won the contest twice in back-to-back years in 2023 and 2024.

The Oakland native has played 13 seasons in the NBA. Throughout his career, Lillard made a name for himself as one of the best shooters, especially in the clutch, where he developed his signature “Dame Time”.

Lillard is currently No. 5 all-time in three-pointers made with 2,804, sitting behind Klay Thompson, Ray Allen, James Harden, and Stephen Curry.

2026 State Farm 3-Point Contestants

The 2026 State Farm 3-Point Contest for NBA All-Star Weekend is happening Feb. 14. All-Star Saturday night, which features the three-point shootout, shooting stars event and slam dunk contest. It will start at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT) on NBC and Peacock.

Here are the participants competing in the three-point contest:

  • Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel, 42.8% 3-pt FG, 174 3-pt made in 2025-26 season
  • Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell,3.7 3-pt made per game in 2025-26 season, 1,798 career 3-pt made
  • Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray,43.2% 3-pt FG, 156 3-pt made in 2025-26 season
  • Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey,38.% 3-pt FG, 169 3-pt made in 2025-26 season
  • Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker,2018 NBA All-Star Three-Point Contest winner
  • Portland Trail Blazer guard Damian Lillard,2023 & 2024 NBA All-Star Three-Point contest winner

Travis Scott goes wild while crashing James Harden TV interview

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Travis Scott James Harden, Image 2 shows James Harden Travis Scott, Image 3 shows James Harden Cleveland Cavaliers Sacramento Kings

Cleveland basketball’s latest chapter has already gotten off to an explosive start. 

James Harden made his Cavaliers debut Saturday night in Sacramento, but he took a backseat during his postgame interview after it got humorously crashed by hip-hop sensation Travis Scott.

Harden and his All-Star teammate Donovan Mitchell, speaking with Cavs sideline reporter Serena Winters after a 132–126 win over the Kings, broke out into hysterics as the animated Scott ran across the court, snatched the microphone, and went berserk.

“We goin’ to the yard!” Scott yelled before quickly darting off. “What are we doing? DM, JH — what the f–k?!” 

The since-viral clip seemingly captured an early bonding moment between the All-Star guards, following Cleveland’s acquisition of Harden ahead of the trade deadline in exchange for Darius Garland.

The former MVP scored 15 points in the fourth quarter to finish with 23 points and eight assists in his first game wearing Wine and Gold, helping the Cavs avoid an upset at Golden 1 Center. 

Travis Scott crashed James Harden’s postgame interview following the former MVP’s Cavaliers debut on Saturday night. X / @SportsCenter
James Harden made his Cavaliers debut on Saturday night against the Kings. NBAE via Getty Images

Mitchell led the charge with 35 points.

Scott, a Houston native, has a longstanding friendship with the former Rockets star. 

Harden, 36, guest-starred in Scott’s music video for his 2016 track“way back,” which name-drops the shooting guard on the song’s hook.

Travis Scott attended James Harden’s Cavaliers debut on Saturday night. Getty Images

The music video has since been unlisted, potentially due to Scott’s sponsorship deal with Nike and Harden’s affiliation with Adidas. 

The Cavaliers (32–21) sit at fourth place in the Eastern Conference, hoping the addition of Harden can lift the squad into title contention.