Juan Soto will represent the Dominican Republic in the tournament, the Mets announced Sunday — hardly a surprise given the All-Star outfielder’s visibility within his native country.
Soto also played for the Dominican Republic in the 2023 WBC.
Rosters for this year’s event will be finalized this week.
The Mets will send Nolan McLean and Clay Holmes to represent the United States in the WBC.
Mark Vientos has committed to representing Nicaragua.
Juan Soto hits a single during the Mets’ Sept. 16 game. Charles Wenzelberg
Jose Altuve was also among those denied insurance coverage, removing him from the tournament.
Lindor and the Mets are all too familiar with the insurance ramifications after Edwin Díaz tore the patellar tendon in his right knee during an on-field celebration with Team Puerto Rico during the 2023 WBC.
The All-Star closer underwent season-ending surgery, but received his full salary through insurance.
Soto appeared in four games for the Dominican Republic in the 2023 WBC and finished 6-for-15 (.400) with two homers and a 1.500 OPS.
He will be joined on this year’s Dominican squad by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Julio Rodríguez, Ketel Marte and Manny Machado, among others.
The Mets have been well represented in the tournament since its inception, most notably by David Wright, who earned the “Captain America” moniker for his WBC heroics.
The team sent Lindor, Díaz, Pete Alonso, Eduardo Escobar and Brooks Raley to the 2023 WBC.
McLean will be a Mets focal point for Team USA in this year’s event after the rookie dominated in eight starts following his call-up late last season.
Holmes will also be a first-time participant.
“It’s an opportunity that you never really know if you’re going to get again,” Holmes said in December. “For me, just looking at the whole workload stuff and kind of where I was at in spring training last year, I feel like I was going to do the same workload this year, the same buildup and it really put me on track to do not much different this year, even with the WBC.”
Eugenio Suárez and the Cincinnati Reds have agreed on a $15 million, one-year contract, two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Sunday night.
The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical and had not been announced.
Suárez was the top slugger left on the free agent market and the two-time All-Star returns to Cincinnati, where he played seven seasons. He hit 189 home runs for the Reds from 2015 through 2021, including 49 in 2019.
The move gives the Reds the proven power hitter they had been seeking throughout the offseason. A third baseman for most of his 12-year major league career, the 34-year-old Suárez is expected to be Cincinnati’s primary designated hitter and perhaps play some games at third base or first.
The team has Gold Glove winner Ke’Bryan Hayes at third, and touted prospect Sal Stewart is likely to play first.
The Reds were one of many teams interested in Suárez at the trade deadline last year, but they didn’t want to part with key prospects. He was traded from Arizona to Seattle on July 31 and finished fifth in the majors with 49 home runs and fourth with 118 RBIs. He batted .228 overall with an .824 OPS.
The Mariners fell one win shy of reaching their first World Series, losing to Toronto in the American League Championship Series. Suárez had two home runs in Game 5, including a grand slam in the eighth inning.
Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati has averaged 2.67 home runs per game since it opened in 2003. That is the second-highest homer rate in the majors among ballparks to host at least 1,200 games.
Suárez was traded by the Reds to Seattle during spring training in 2022. He spent two seasons with the Mariners before getting traded to the Diamondbacks.
Suárez broke into the majors with Detroit in 2014. He is a .246 career hitter with 325 homers, 949 RBIs and a .792 OPS.
Tarik Skubal won his arbitration case with the Detroit Tigers and will earn $32 million in 2026. The Tigers also ponied up for fellow left-hander Framber Valdez, with a three-year, $115-million contract.
Detroit now has the betting favorite to win the AL Cy Young and another pitcher considered a realistic contender.
Meanwhile, the odds haven't shifted on the National League side of things, except for Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach dropping off the board after he was placed on the 60-day injured list with an elbow injury.
Let's look at the latest MLB odds for the 2026 MLB Cy Young races.
Here are the last 10 winners of the AL and NL Cy Young Award, with Detroit, Cleveland, Houston, Washington, and the New York Mets each leading the way with two. Overall, the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers have the most Cy Youngs all time (12), followed by the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves with eight and the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Mets with seven apiece.
Previous AL Cy Young winners
Year
American League Winner
2025
Tarik Skubal
2024
Tarik Skubal
2023
Gerrit Cole
2022
Justin Verlander
2021
Robbie Ray
2020
Shane Bieber
2019
Justin Verlander
2018
Blake Snell
2017
Corey Kluber
2016
Rick Porcello
Previous NL Cy Young winners
Year
National League Winner
2025
Paul Skenes
2024
Chris Sale
2023
Blake Snell
2022
Sandy Alcantara
2021
Corbin Burnes
2020
Trevor Bauer
2019
Jacob deGrom
2018
Jacob deGrom
2017
Max Scherzer
2016
Max Scherzer
Pitchers with multiple Cy Young awards
Twenty-two pitchers have won multiple Cy Young Awards, led by Roger Clemens' seven trophies. Of those 22 winners, five are still active in the majors.
A few months later, with the market more defined and the offseason nearly complete, Brian Cashman believes they got a deal.
“At this point, that $22 million looks like a bargain the way the free agent market got away from everyone, on a one-year basis,” Cashman said Sunday morning on MLB Network Radio.
Grisham only made $5.25 million in 2025, his final year of arbitration, but did so while enjoying a breakout season in which the center fielder hit 34 home runs with a .811 OPS and became the regular Yankees leadoff hitter.
Trent Grisham hits a home run during the Yankees’ Aug. 27 game against the Nationals. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
That led the Yankees to extend a qualifying offer to Grisham, who could have explored the free agent market and potentially landed a multiyear deal worth more overall than the $22.025 million.
“What he did last year to unlock and take it to another level was spectacular and all the information that we buy into leads us to believe clearly that by offering him the qualifying offer that [2025] was real, it is sustainable and that he is an offensive and defensive player for us moving forward,” Cashman said.
Brian Cashman talks to reporters Nov. 20. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
“We’re really happy he chose to stay with us at the $22 [million] on a one-year basis and hopefully he can replicate what he did last year for us because it was one of the reasons we had the success we had and made the postseason.”
And so the Yankees are set to bring back the same starting outfield of Bellinger, Grisham and Aaron Judge, with Jasson Domínguez — who was eventually squeezed out of playing time last season because of Grisham’s continued emergence — currently projected to be a fourth outfielder.
While Grisham’s high average annual value is part of the reason why the Yankees’ luxury tax payroll now stands at $335.5 million, according to Cot’s Contracts, his $22.025 million is tied for the seventh-highest AAV of any position player who signed this offseason.
That trails only Tucker ($60 million), Bo Bichette ($42 million), Alex Bregman ($35 million), Bellinger ($32.5 million), Pete Alonso ($31 million) and Kyle Schwarber ($30 million).
Spring training games are coming soon, and injuries have already hit a few big-name players.
Specifically, Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll and New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor both fractured hamate bones and have subsequently gone off the NL MVP board at some books. Both players were considered among the Top 10 options before their injuries were reported, though well behind Shohei Ohtani at -125.
Neither has been ruled out for Opening Day, but this puts that target in jeopardy. And even if they can slot into their respective lineups on Day 1, they could be behind schedule.
At books where they remain, their odds haven't lengthened enough to offer value relative to the risk involved.
Here are the latest AL and NL MVP odds for the 2026 season.
Here are the last 10 winners of the AL and NL MVP Award, with Shohei Ohtani leading the way as a four-time winner, with two in the AL and two in the NL. Only Frank Robinson has also won MVP awards in both leagues.
Barry Bonds holds the record for most MVP awards (seven)
The New York Yankees have won the most MVPs in MLB history with 25, while the St. Louis Cardinals are second, leading all NL teams, with 21. No player for the Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Mets, or Tampa Bay Rays has ever won MVP.
Most sportsbooks will display odds in the American format as listed above. When Goldschmidt ran away with the MVP award in 2022 his odds had a minus (-) sign ahead of the number for a large part of the season.
Paul Goldschmidt -6000
That means that a bettor in August had to wager $6,000 to win $100 by betting on Goldy to win MVP. Before the season starts, almost every player will have a plus (+) sign ahead of their odds.
Shohei Ohtani +200
That means a bettor would have profited $200 for a $100 wager on Ohtani before the season started.
If American odds aren't your thing, simply use a tool like our odds converter to switch the odds to decimal or fractional format. Most online sportsbooks also give you the option to change the odds format that you see.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
The contract includes a mutual option for the 2027 season worth $16 million, ESPN reported.
Seattle Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suarez (28) comes home on his two-run home run during the first inning when the Yankees played the Seattle Mariners. for the NY POST
Suárez was the biggest bat remaining on the open market, and he heads to the Reds after hitting 49 home runs last season, although he struggled during the second half of the campaign.
Suárez spent seven of his 12 years in Major League Baseball with the Reds, playing in Cincinnati from 2015-21.
The infielder split last season between the Diamondbacks and the Mariners.
He clobbered 36 home runs and batted .248 before the trade to Seattle.
Suárez then hit .189/.255/.428 and recorded 13 home runs in 53 games with the Mariners following the move.
Eugenio Suarez #7 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning of the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park on September 17, 2017. Getty Images
He did finish the 2025 season with a career-best 118 RBIs, though he finished the year hitting .228/.298/.526.
ESPN reported that Suárez is expected to get a majority of his at-bats in Cincinnati as a designated hitter, with the Reds already having Ke’Bryan Hayes at third base and rookie Sal Stewart believed to be taking over at first base for the upcoming season.
He spent two seasons with the Mariners from 2022-23 before he was traded in November 2023 to the Diamondbacks.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 6: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays defense during the game against Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks on March 6, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks (30*-18), riding a five-game win streak, welcome the Lakers (29-18) to Madison Garden Tonight. A national audience will tune in to see Luka Dončić and LeBron James, leaders of a Los Angeles team that scores brilliant and defends much less so. Expect a tight game, which might be LeBron’s last appearance at MSG.
Tip off is 7 p.m. EST on NBA / Peacock. Tip off is 7 p.m. EST on NBC. This is your game thread. This is Silver Screen and Roll. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Practice kindness. And go Knicks!
* Should be one more, but the stupid NBA Cup doesn’t count.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 27: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks reacts during the second half at Madison Square Garden against Sacramento Kings on January 27, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Karl-Anthony Towns is headed to L.A., folks.
No, he didn’t get traded. The Big Bodega has been named to his sixth All-Star team, as revealed by the NBA on NBC pregame show on Sunday night. He will join Jalen Brunson in the All-Star Game for the second consecutive season.
Towns is joined by Donovan Mitchell, Pascal Siakam, and Scottie Barnes, as well as first-timers Jalen Duren, Norman Powell, and Jalen Johnson, as the Eastern Conference’s reserves. There will be an additional one named in the near future due to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury, and potentially one more if the USA/World splits don’t yield enough players.
Anthony Edwards, Jamal Murray, Chet Holmgren, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Deni Avdija, and LeBron James were all named West reserves. Personally, I’m bewildered we didn’t see Kawhi Leonard make it, but that’s a story for another day. Good for Jamal Murray getting the recognition.
Towns is, by all measures, having his worst season in a while. The 30-year-old center is averaging 20.0 points (lowest since 2015-16), 11.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 45 games, shooting a career-low 46.1% from the field and just 36.1% from three. The only season that’s been comparable to this one, offensively, was his rookie season. He’s also leading the league in offensive fouls and has had games where he has absolutely no rhythm offensively.
Still, KAT leads the NBA in rebounding and has found other ways to impact the game. He remains a mediocre defender, but has improved in that aspect ever so slightly. He’s still capable of big games and has recently turned into an Andre Drummond-esque rebounder, grabbing 44 in just 64 combined minutes over the last two games.
Towns has been brought up in trade rumors amidst his increasing discomfort in Mike Brown’s system and the Knicks’ struggles in January, but barring an unforeseen demand by one Greek Freak, it seems he’ll be here for the stretch run.
Assuming that’s the case, this will be the third straight year the Knicks have two in the All-Star Game. While the ‘Bockers have had a pair of all-stars sporadically throughout their history, this is historic for them. It’s the first time since the early 1970s that the Knicks have had multiple all-stars in three consecutive seasons. Back then, there were only 18 teams and the likes of Clyde Frazier and Willis Reed were annual mainstays.
The all-star tandem will not play with each other, however. Despite having two all-stars for the third straight year, the Knicks haven’t had two teammates in the All-Star Game since 2013. Julius Randle was injured in 2024 and Adam Silver’s first attempt at experimenting came last year and separated Brunson and Towns.
The All-Star Game is two weeks from today, on February 15. We’ll see who Towns and Brunson team up with when the teams are formally set.
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with teammates after a play against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on January 30, 2026 in Washington, DC.
LeBron James is keeping his All-Star streak alive.
James was named to his 22nd consecutive NBA All-Star team Sunday when the league announced this year’s reserve players ahead of NBC’s “Sunday Night Basketball” matchup between the Lakers and Knicks.
There had been a question of whether James would be named to the All-Star team this year after he wasn’t named a starter.
He was the last player revealed during the announcement on Sunday night.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with teammates after a play against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on January 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. Getty Images
James has appeared in 30 games for the Lakers this season, missing 14 games at the start of the year while dealing with sciatica.
He has averaged 21.9 points. 5.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game this season.
The Lakers superstar has been named to three more All-Star teams than basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and he is just the second player to earn multiple All-Star nods after the age of 40 — with Abdul-Jabbar being the only other player to do it.
James had his record of consecutive All-Star appearances disrupted at 20 last season when he was a late scratch from the NBA All-Star Game because of ankle and foot soreness.
The Timberwolves Anthony Edwards, Nuggets’ Jamal Murray, Thunder’s Chet Holmgren, Rockets’ Kevin Durant, Suns’ Devin Booker and Trail Blazers’ Deni Avdija were also selected as reserves this year for the Western Conference.
Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns was named a reserve player for the Eastern Conference, along with the Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell, the Hawks’ Jalen Johnson, the Pacers Pascal Siakam, the Heat’s Norman Powell, the Raptors’ Scottie Barnes and Pistons’ Jalen Duren.
The NBA All-Star Game will be held at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., which is the home of the Clippers.
The All-Star Game is going through a format change, with the event now a U.S vs. The World format that includes breaking the players into three eight-man rosters.
Two of the teams will feature just American players, and the third will be made up of international players.
SoxFest Day 2 continued the good vibes. | South Side Sox
Day 2 of SoxFest Live felt very familiar, with many of the same key talking points put out by GM Chris Getz and manager Will Venable the night before. However, the atmosphere did seem a bit different. While Friday night set the tone for a more intimate gathering, Saturday’s sold-out crowd made it feel more like a celebration.
Friday evening was only for season ticket holders, while Saturday opened its doors to everyone, offering general admission and VIP options. GA ticket holders had access to the lower level, but the VIP experience added the upper level for exclusive player photo opportunities and meet-and-greets (ahem, Bo Jackson), along with a nightcap after-party that felt less like a formal event and more like a late-night hangout. White Sox staff, coaches, and players mingled with fans, music pumping, conversations flowing in the kind of setting where walls came down, and personalities came out.
Our own Crystal O’Keefe and her son Hayden opted for the VIP route, and it paid off. The up-close access made a real difference. “My son was able to collect more autographs and was especially excited to chat with Miguel Vargas,” O’Keefe says. Those types of moments, unhurried, unscripted, and personal, are what seemed to set this reimagined SoxFest apart.
O’Keefe also talked with pitcher Davis Martin, who shared how excited he is for the season. The event’s interactive setup let players and fans really connect. They weren’t just answering questions or taking photos; they were laughing, joking, and even dancing with the DJ.
The overall vibes of the weekend were positive, and the optimism was pretty evident. Many of the fans we spoke with were energized by the direction and momentum of Rebuild 2.0. One lifelong South Side fan, someone who’s been a fan of the team for more than 60 years, told us he’s officially bought back in, convinced by the new wave of young talent the Sox have acquired and developed. That kind of hope, from someone who’s seen it all, says a lot.
Young fans are also enjoying the connections they’re making with players they can relate to:
South Side Sox writer Hannah Filippo dove deeper into Friday night’s event in her assessment, taking a closer look at clubhouse culture and the organization’s emphasis on bringing in players with a specific makeup. Skepticism from fans about rebuilding and culture is understandable and earned, given recent history. But having seen firsthand what happens when a clubhouse lacks cohesion (talking to you, 2022), it’s hard not to at least acknowledge the importance of getting that part right.
For a lot of people, the 2005 championship team was special not just because of talent, but because of how close the players all seemed to be. That was evident at the 20th World Series reunion at the ballpark last summer. After interviewing six different players from the current team on Friday, it was obvious they really enjoy being together. Just looking through their social media posts, you can see many of them got together during the offseason. This young core likes to compete and push each other, while understanding that there’s a lot of work to do. They appear ready to put in the effort, and their skipper seems to have their attention, and, more importantly, their trust.
Will “vibes” or clubhouse culture really make that big of a difference? Probably not. But it certainly won’t hurt. And it’s hard to ignore how damaging the previous group’s toxic culture appeared to be in the long run.
Maybe this rebuild flames out, too. We know all too well that it’s a possibility. But for now, I’m willing to take the gamble. This group comes across as humble, likable and focused. That’s a foundation I find worth rooting for.
Even so, it’s totally fair for many Sox fans to be hesitant. No one should feel pressured to “enjoy the ride.” That’s what makes being a sports fan great — everyone gets to experience it their own way. At South Side Sox, we call out the team when it’s needed, and we’ll keep doing that. You can count on it. We’re fans first, always.
But it’s also fair to give credit where it’s due. The White Sox appear to be making a real effort to do things differently by hiring outside the organization, modernizing long-neglected infrastructure and reshaping SoxFest into an event that actually connects players and fans.
For one weekend at Ramova Theatre, at least, it felt like a step in the right direction.
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 10: Kevin Durant of United States (L) handles the ball during the Men's Gold Medal match between France and United States on day fifteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 10, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jari Pestelacci/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Team USA vs. the World is coming to the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, and the rosters have been finalized after numerous injury replacements were named to the game. American-born players Karl-Anthony Towns and Norman Powell will play for the World Team because they compete for the Dominican Republic and Jamaica internationally. It should be a fun if confusing format with two American teams and one international team playing short games in a round-robin tournament.
The 2026 NBA All-Star Game has a new format of USA vs. The World, but the game will still be made up of 12 players each from the Eastern Conference and Western Conference. The full NBA All-Star rosters have now been released with the announcement of the All-Star reserves on Sunday evening.
We already knew that Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey, Cade Cunningham, and Jaylen Brown were voted as starters out of the East, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokić will start out of the West.
We now know the 14 players who will be All-Star reserves with seven from the East and seven from the West. Here’s the full conference breakdown for the All-Stars, followed by the USA vs. the World teams.
Team USA All-Star player pool
Team USA will be split into two teams of eight among the 16 players. Here’s the pool:
Jalen Brunson
Tyrese Maxey
Cade Cunningham
Jaylen Brown
Stephen Curry (out with injury)
Donovan Mitchell
Jalen Johnson
Scottie Barnes
Jalen Duren
Chet Holmgren
Kevin Durant
Devin Booker
LeBron James
Anthony Edwards
Kawhi Leonard (late addition by Adam Silver)
Brandon Ingram (injury replacement for Steph Curry)
De’Aaron Fox (injury replacement for Giannis)
World team roster
The World team will be one team of eight players. Here’s the roster:
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) (out with injury)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) (out with injury)
Luka Dončić (Slovenia)
Victor Wembanyama (France)
Nikola Jokić (Serbia)
Pascal Siakam (Cameroon)
Deni Avdija (Israel)
Jamal Murray (Canada)
Karl-Anthony Towns (American-born but competes for Dominican Republic internationally)
Norman Powell (American-born but competes for Jamaica internationally)
NBA All-Star reserves in Eastern Conference
East starters: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey, Cade Cunningham, and Jaylen Brown
Donovan Mitchell, G, Cleveland Cavaliers: Mitchell was the biggest snub among the East starters. He’s averaging 29.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game on 61.8 percent true shooting.
Jalen Johnson, F, Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks selected Johnson with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, and now he’s a first-time All-Star. He’s averaging 23.1 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game on 59 percent true shooting.
Karl-Anthony Towns, C, New York Knicks: Towns has had a down season by his standards mostly because he’s not shooting as well from deep as he usually does. 20.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game on 59.4 percent true shooting.
Pascal Siakam, F, Indiana Pacers: The Pacers have been one of the very worst teams in the NBA all year, but Siakam has still has an outstanding season in Indiana’s “gap year” without Tyrese Haliburton. He’s averaging 23.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game on 56.4 percent true shooting.
Norman Powell, G, Miami Heat: Powell is a first-time All-Star at age-32 after just missing it last season with the Los Angeles Clippers. He’s averaging 23.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game on 61.2 percent true shooting after an offseason trade to the Miami Heat.
Scottie Barnes, F, Toronto Raptors: The Raptors have been reborn as an Eastern Conference contender this season, and Barnes’ bounce-back from a down year last season is a big reason why. He’s averaging 19.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game on 57.6 percent true shooting.
Jalen Duren, C, Detroit Pistons: Duren has morphed into an All-Star in his fourth season after being selected with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2022 draft. The 22-year-old is averaging 17.9 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game on 66.6 percent true shooting.
NBA All-Star starters in Western Conference
West starters: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokić
Anthony Edwards, G, Minnesota Timberwolves: Edwards was the biggest snub among the starters in the West. He’s averaging 29.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game on 62.2 percent true shooting.
Jamal Murray, G, Denver Nuggets: Murray was thought of as the best player in the NBA who had never been named an All-Star. Not anymore. The Canadian guard is averaging 25.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game on 62.3 percent true shooting.
Chet Holmgren, F, Oklahoma City Thunder: Holmgren is one of the best young bigs in the NBA after helping the Thunder win a championship last season. The 23-year-old is averaging 17.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game on 66 percent true shooting.
Kevin Durant, F, Houston Rockets: KD is still one of the best scorers alive at age-37. He’s averaging 26.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game on 63 percent true shooting.
Deni Avdija, F, Portland Trail Blazers: Avdija has emerged as the Blazers’ best player as a jumbo ball handler who gets to the free throw line at will. He’s averaging 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game on 61 percent true shooting.
LeBron James, F, Los Angeles Lakers: Yes, LeBron made it again despite only playing 30 games and posting his worst numbers since his rookie year. The 41-year-old is averaging 21.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game on 58.8 percent true shooting.
Kawhi Leonard has been added by commissioner Adam Silver.
Alperen Sengun has been named an injury replacement for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Brandon Ingram has been named an injury replacement for Stephen Curry.
De’Aaron Fox has been named an injury replacement for Giannis.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith gave No. 12 Purdue a commanding lead with an early 3-point barrage, and the Boilermakers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 93-63 victory over Maryland on Sunday.
Loyer scored 21 of his 29 points in the first half, when he Smith went a combined 9 of 12 from beyond the arc. The Boilermakers (18-4, 8-3) led 49-28 at halftime. Smith finished with 19 points. He needs one more to become the first player in Big Ten history to reach 1,000 career points and 500 assists in conference games.
Andre Mills scored 18 points for Maryland (8-13, 1-9), which continues to struggle under new coach Buzz Williams. This was the most lopsided defeat for the Terrapins in this arena, where they started playing in 2002.
Purdue was ranked No. 4 in the country before losing in succession to UCLA, Illinois and rival Indiana. But the schedule eased a bit with this game against Maryland and a matchup next weekend with an Oregon team that’s also near the bottom of the Big Ten.
Purdue raced out to a 10-2 lead against the Terps, with Loyer making two 3-pointers. Then Smith made a couple of 3s during an 11-0 spurt that made it 25-7.
NO. 8 IOWA STATE 95, KANSAS STATE 61
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Joshua Jefferson scored 19 points to lead five players in double figures as Iowa beat Kansas State.
The Cyclones (20-2, 7-2 Big 12 Conference) got 18 points from Milan Momcilovic, 16 from Tamin Lipsey, 13 from Killyan Toure and 11 from Nate Heise en route to their fourth consecutive win.
They handed the Wildcats (10-12, 1-8 Big 12) their worst loss under coach Jerome Tang, who was hired ahead of the 2023 season.
Iowa State used two big runs in the first half to build a 29-point lead at the break. The second was a suffocating 25-4 run that covered nearly five minutes.
The Cyclones held the Wildcats to a season-low 21 points in the first half. The Wildcats shot just 31% from the field and matched their largest halftime deficit of the season. It swelled to 39 points in the second half.
NO. 9 ILLINOIS 78, NO. 5 NEBRASKA 69
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Keaton Wagler scored 28 points and Illinois won its 11th straight game, beating Nebraska in the first matchup of top-10 teams the Cornhuskers have hosted.
The Fighting Illini (19-3, 10-1 Big Ten), who haven’t lost since falling 83-80 at home to Nebraska on Dec. 13, held the Huskers to four field goals in the first 13 minutes of the second half.
Nebraska (20-2, 9-2) lost its second straight after a 20-0 start. The Huskers were beaten on the road Tuesday by another top-10 opponent, No. 3 Michigan.
Jake Davis finished with 13 points for Illinois, Tomislav Ivisic scored 12 and David Mirkovic had 10.
NO. 19 FLORIDA 100, NO. 23 ALABAMA 77
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Alex Condon scored 25 points, Thomas Haugh added 22 and Florida handled Alabama and Charles Bediako.
Florida’s fifth consecutive victory in the series came a little more than a week after Gators coach Todd Golden said “we’re gonna beat ’em anyways” in response to a judge’s decision to allow Bediako to return to college.
This one was so one-sided that 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux, the world’s tallest teenager, played the final minute and scored Florida’s last basket.
Boogie Fland chipped in 15 points, eight assists and a career-high eight steals for the defending national champion Gators (16-6, 7-2 Southeastern Conference). Fland dominated his matchup against the league’s leading scorer, Labaron Philon. Fland’s eight steals matched the program record set by Clifford Lett in 1989.
Philon, who entered the game averaging 22 points, finished with 14. Aden Holloway led the Crimson Tide (14-7, 4-4) with 19 points.
Any hope that the Utah Jazz could get a player to Los Angeles for NBA All-star weekend now resides in the form of an injury replacement. And even then, it’s a long shot.
On Sunday, the NBA announced its Western Conference all-star rosters, and candidates Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen failed to make the list of the final seven reserves. Ahead of them were Chet Holmgren, Deni Avdija, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, Jamal Murray and LeBron James.
The Western Conference players honored as reserves for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/kmAtdvGE6N
Markkanen is averaging a career-best 27.4 points per game this season — two more than his lone all-star campaign in 2023 — on 47.9/36.4/88.6 shooting splits. He’s also putting up 7.0 rebounds per game and is dishing out a career-high 2.2 assists per game.
But Markkanen has also only played 35 of the 13-seeded Jazz’s 49 games. That’s not gonna sit well with people who decide his all-star fate.
George is having a breakout year, and has inserted his name into most improved player competition, as well as made himself a real “guy” in the NBA.
This season, George is averaging 24.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 6.2 apg in 47 appearances. His shooting numbers have improved drastically from his sophomore season, going from 39.1% from the field to 45.9%, and 34.3% from deep to 37.7%.
But even if a player has to miss due to injury, snagging an injured reserve spot is just as hard a task for the Jazz duo. Take a look at some of the names that are in the running for the extra spot:
Julius Randle: 22.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 5.4 apg
Austin Reaves: 26.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 6.3 apg
Alpren Sengun: 21.0 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 6.4 apg
Kawhi Leonard: 27.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.5 apg
James Harden: 25.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 8.1 apg
George and Markkanen were always going to be on the outside looking in when it came to the 2026 all-star game. There’s simply too many good players on good Western teams for the NBA to justify giving a spot to a 15-win team.
Do you think that the coaches got the reserves right? Should the Jazz have gotten a player in?
As part of the centennial season celebration for the Detroit Red Wings, the iconic No. 91 jersey of three-time Stanley Cup champion and Hall of Fame forward Sergei Fedorov was raised to the rafters at Little Caesars Arena.
One of the most exciting and dynamic players not only in Red Wings history but in the NHL as a whole, Fedorov electrified fans with his raw speed, elite playmaking ability, and thrilling flair and style.
However, many younger generations of Red Wings fans may not know the full story of his defection from the former Soviet Union, a saga that could have been lifted straight from a spy movie.
The Red Wings had selected Fedorov in the fourth round (74th overall) of the 1989 NHL Draft while he was in the midst of his tenure with CSKA Moscow, where he was teammates with another future Red Wing, Vladimir Konstantinov (selected 229th overall in the same Draft).
One of the principal architects behind the extremely risky defection by both Fedorov and Konstantinov from the Soviet Union was Keith Gave, a longtime Red Wings journalist who was employed at the time by The Detroit Free Press.
"I started covering the Red Wings in 1985, and four years later, they started drafting Russians - they took a few Soviet players, Sergei and Vladdy," Gave explained. "And a week or so after the Draft, I got a call out of the blue in mid-July requesting a lunch meeting from Jim Lites."
Lites, now CEO and alternate governor of the Dallas Stars (where former Red Wings assistant GM Jim Nill is now general manager), was the Red Wings’ executive vice president at the time. He invited Gave to lunch, where the seeds would be planted of what would eventually become a hockey dynasty.
As Gave put it, Lites began discussing the recent selections of both Fedorov and Konstantinov, and he reacted with understandable skepticism given the political climate of the time.
“We were thinking that because you speak Russian and know the language, and you have NHL credentials, you might be able to slip them a message under the auspices of covering them—to defect and play for the Detroit Red Wings,” Gave said Lites told him.
"The more he talked, the more skeptical I was becoming," Gave continued. "I said, 'Jim, there’s no way I can do this, I work for the Freep, and I’d be putting my job in danger.'"
Gave eventually left the lunch and returned home to discuss the matter with his wife, but began to reconsider. With several years of experience as a Russian linguist for the National Security Agency, he began to see a viable path to pulling off the hazardous assignment.
"I spent six years in the spy business in West Berlin, working a mile from Checkpoint Charlie, the tip of the spear of the Cold War, and I'd never been given a good cloak and dagger assignment, and I was being offered one, I thought there was a way we might be able to do this," he said.
After reconnecting with Lites, they began to formulate a plan. As it happened, the Soviet national team was holding a Training Camp in Finland, and with Gave's press credentials, he would be the ideal figure to get as close as possible to the players.
"I told him that we might be able to make it work on the condition that I won’t take a dime of your money," Gave said. "I’ll cash in miles, I’ll get there and do my best to get access, I’ll write some letters, and explain to them everything you told me about what you want to know."
However, Gave laid out one simple condition: he wanted to be the first one to break the story when both players eventually made their way to North America.
“I want to be your first phone call when these guys come over,” Gave said to Lites. “I want the first story for the Freep."
"And a couple of weeks later, I was on my way to Helsinki, writing letters for Sergei and Vladdy, saying the Red Wings wanted them to come over and play hockey in the NHL for Detroit.”
Gave described how his Russian language training, which was honed during his time in the military, proved just sufficient to get the Red Wings’ message across.
“I was in Russian language school in 1971, 1972, and I left the Army in 1977," he explained. "In 1989, 12 years later, my Russian wasn’t worth shit anymore, but the Army taught me well enough."
Gave began penning a message to Detroit's future Russian stars, which would be clandestinely slipped between the pages of a media guide.
"I remembered enough, and I knew how to use the Russian/English dictionary, and I was able to patch together a letter that he could understand and throw the (contract) numbers in there," he said.
In the note, Gave wrote that the Red Wings were willing to pay both Fedorov and Konstantinov the same figure as Steve Yzerman, who had been named team captain by coach Jacques Demers just three years earlier to begin the 1986-87 campaign.
Another condition that was stipulated was that the families of both players would be paid $25,000 per year.
"At the time, that was a ton," Gave said. "You could live like royalty in the USSR at that time with that money."
After arriving in Helsinki, there were a few obstacles to overcome to even get to the venue where both Fedorov and Konstantinov were.
"I landed at 4:00 in the afternoon, the hockey game was in three hours, and I didn’t know where it was," Gave explained. "I had to find the arena, find the hockey game, and was asking for directions around the airport; people were looking at me like I had three heads. Finally, I got the answer - they were playing at Olympic Stadium."
Gave managed to get his hotel information, hail a taxi, shower at his hotel, and then make his way across the park to the venue, which was nearby. He happened upon the rink just as the Soviet players arrived and were getting off their bus.
Two Lives - And An NHL Franchise - Are Soon Changed Forever
After entering the venue, Gave’s only immediate problem was finding someone who could get him close to the players.
“I flashed my NHL credentials, and I had my Professional Hockey Writers Association card, my Red Wings media pass, and everything," he said. "I had no trouble getting in, but I had trouble finding someone to get me down where the players were. I finally found a guy, a promoter."
After requesting assistance, Gave was told by the promoter that while he'd help him, the Russian players might not be receptive.
"I’ll certainly try," Gave said the promoter said to him. "You came all the way from Detroit, but you know how Russians are—you can ask, but they may not play ball."
"The Russians were notorious for limiting access to guys like us," Gave said.
Eventually, Gave made it down near the dressing rooms, where he noticed an imposing nearby physical presence keeping tabs on him as he waited.
From the start, Gave knew it was someone who, if crossed, could potentially be dangerous.
"About 8-10 feet away to my left was a guy who kept looking at me, kind of giving me the eye," Gave said. I could tell he was their KGB guy, to make sure nobody defected."
Suddenly, he knew his assignment had become that much tougher.
“The promoter went into the room, and a long while later, came out and brought Sergei and Vladdy with him," Gave said. "They had just stepped out of the shower with white towels and wet hair."
"I basically introduced myself and showed them I was from Detroit, and showed them the Red Wings' Draft list from 1989. I said, 'Sergei, here you are, 74th overall.’ He showed no signs of emotion overall, and then I showed Vladdy his own name, and he was bouncing up and down like a kid with a shiny new bike for Christmas."
It was at that moment that Gave realized he had just broken the news to both players for the first time: they had been selected by an NHL team.
"I learned later that this was the moment they realized they’d been drafted by an NHL team," he said. "This was way before the internet, and news traveled slowly then; neither of them had any clue that an NHL team was interested in them."
After giving both players the business cards for both Jim Devellano and Jim Lites, it was at that moment that Gave made his move - albeit carefully.
"I pulled out the media guides with the letters tucked in and gave them to the players," he said. "Sergei had his in front of him, he looked down and thumbed through it, and he saw the KGB guy. He had noticed the guy a bit earlier; he knew who he was, and he had to be careful.”
“He thumbed through and saw the letter,” Gave said of Fedorov when he began looking through the media guide containing the life-changing message. “He nonchalantly put it behind his back, and I knew it was time to get the f--- out. I shook their hands and said, ‘Good luck, thanks, and hope to see you in Detroit one day,’ and left.”
Having literally just set history in motion, Gave made his exit - while also being sure to make sure that the KGB agent wasn't lurking behind.
“Walked out of the building and walked around Helsinki for four hours, looking over my shoulder to make sure I wasn’t being followed," he said.
Thankfully, he was safe and eventually made it back to the hotel. While he admitted he felt some apprehension for his own safety, his chief concern was for Fedorov and Konstantinov and what may have happened to them if the note been discovered.
"I was worried mostly for the two kids," Gave said. "Sergei was 19 at the time, and Vladdy, a bit older. But if they get caught with those letters, they were f---ed. They could lose their careers.
I was worried for them, but Russians know how to sneak around and play the game, and obviously didn’t run into any problems."
After what he described as an uneventful walk around Helsinki, Gave eventually returned to his room and contacted Lites to deliver the news.
"I got back to my hotel room and noticed it was 7:30 back in Detroit, and I called Jim Lites to say that I made contact with the guys and passed the note along. He was so excited and said, ‘I can’t wait to tell Mr. Ilitch.’
I said one thing: ‘Remember our deal: I want the news first.’ He said, ‘You got it.’
And that was it. I had no more role. I saw Jim Lites 100 times, and we never talked about it—it never came up.”
Two Red Army Players Become Red Wings
Nearly a year after Gave’s risky mission in Finland, he received the news that would not only secure his place in hockey history but also change the course of the Red Wings.
Fedorov had traveled with the Soviets to North America in 1990 to take part in the Goodwill Games in Portland. Lites picked up Fedorov discreetly outside of his hotel, and it wouldn't be long before they were both on Mike Ilitch's private jet en route to Detroit.
“About 11 months later, I was about to have dinner at my Dearborn home when the phone rang," Gave said. "It was Jim Lites again, giving me another odd call in the middle of July.
He said, ‘Just wanted to let you know that I’m on Mr. I’s airplane flying back to Detroit. Guess who is sitting next to me: Sergei Fedorov.’ I shoved my plate away, grabbed my notebook, talked to Jim for 10 minutes, and hung up the phone.
I called the Freep city desk—they were on deadline—and I said, ‘It’s Keith Gave.’"
He said that initially, they were confused as to why a hockey beat writer would be calling them in the middle of the summer.
"I called and asked what the scheduled story on page one was, and said, 'I’m going to blow it out of the water: A Soviet defector on his way to Detroit on Mike’s plane.'
There was a pause, and then he said, ‘You got 35 minutes.’
I hung up, grabbed my laptop, and started typing my ass off. Thirty-five minutes later, I fired off a story. When the newspaper arrived at 6:15 on my doorstep, there it was: Soviet defector coming to play hockey, page one, above the fold—right where you want to be.”
Fedorov entered the NHL with a bang in the 1990-91 season, scoring 31 goals with 48 assists. It wouldn't be long before he won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player for 1993-94 after scoring 56 goals with 64 assists.
Meanwhile, Konstantinov began his NHL career one year after Fedorov and quickly became one of Detroit's most defensively responsible and bruising defensemen.
Both players eventually became 2/5 of the iconic "Russian Five" with Igor Larionov, Slava Kozlov, and Slava Fetisov.
With Fedorov, the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in 1997, 1998, and 2002. Gave was able to join Kozlov, Larionov, and Fetisov in Russia's famed Red Square with the Cup.
Konstantinov played a key role in Detroit's 1997 win, but his career (and nearly his life) ended just a week later in a limousine accident that also came close to claiming the life of team masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov.
Both Fedorov and Konstantinov remain beloved former members of the Red Wings and enduring figures in some of the franchise’s greatest successes. Without Gave’s fateful mission to Helsinki, carrying a clandestine note tucked into a media guide, those moments may never have happened.
A more detailed account of his journey can be read in his book, The Russian Five: A Story of Espionage, Defection, Bribery and Courage.
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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Keaton Wagler scored 28 points and No. 9 Illinois won its 11th straight game, beating No. 5 Nebraska 78-69 on Sunday in the first matchup of top-10 teams the Cornhuskers have hosted.
The Fighting Illini (19-3, 10-1 Big Ten), who haven't lost since falling 83-80 at home to Nebraska on Dec. 13, held the Huskers to four field goals in the first 13 minutes of the second half.
Nebraska (20-2, 9-2) lost its second straight after a 20-0 start. The Huskers were beaten on the road Tuesday by another top-10 opponent, No. 3 Michigan.
Jake Davis finished with 13 points for Illinois, Tomislav Ivisic scored 12 and David Mirkovic had 10.
Braden Frager returned for Nebraska after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury and scored 20 points.
Tarik Skubal
Garrett Crochet 
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Hunter Brown
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Joe Ryan
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Jose Soriano
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Michael King
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Max Scherzer
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