After being seen cheering on the Cavaliers as they faced the Knicks, Travis Kelce is set to become a minority investor into his hometown Guardians, he told ESPN.
Kelce, 36, is famously a native of nearby Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and said he has “so much love for this city.”
Travis Kelce, a Cleveland Heights native, is seen throwing out the first pitch at a Guardians game. Getty Images
“I say it all the time: I’m just a kid from the Heights living the dream,” he said. “I credit every good thing in my life to Cleveland and being raised here with the values and the people and the work ethic. Cleveland Heights is such a diverse and dynamic place. Every friend, neighbor, teacher and teammate — they all made me the man I am today. It just fueled such a deep appreciation for life and community and service. That mentality of Cleveland against the world runs deep.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have a front-row seat to good ownership in my career, and I know the best teams prioritize culture,” he continued. “Everyone is there to play their role, and right now, I’m here to observe and learn and really to support the team and the city when and where I can.”
It’s not clear what percentage of the team Kelce will own, though the franchise is currently valued at $1.7 billion, according to Forbes.
The Chiefs’ tight end was a star baseball player in high school, and his latest investment will see him form an MLB rivalry with his good friend and teammate Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes joined the ownership group of the Kansas City Royals in 2020, though he and Kelce also invested in the Alpine F1 team together.
Ever the dedicated Cleveland sports fan, Kelce and his girlfriend Taylor Swift sat courtside Saturday as the Cavs hosted the Knicks in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Kelce and girlfriend Taylor Swift cheered on the Cleveland Cavaliers last weekend NBAE via Getty Images
However, his attempts to rile up the crowd with a beer chug were unsuccessful as the Knicks won Game 3 and ultimately swept the series.
Kelce is gearing up for his 14th season of NFL action after re-signing with Kansas City on a one-year deal in March.
He racked up 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns last season as he still proved to be one of the league’s better tight ends.
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.
There’s nothing quite like the Garden in spring.
That’s never been more true than these past few weeks when Jalen Brunson and the red-hot New York Knicks mounted a historic postseason run where they’ve won 11 consecutive games and earned themselves a spot in the 2026 NBA Finals.
However, watching Mike Brown’s club ball on TV only tells part of the story.
To actually see Brunson, KAT, The Warden, OG and Josh Barkley play in person at MSG is a whole different ballgame.
“Nothing compares to Knicks playoff energy,” Post social media guru and Knicks diehard Olivia Silio told us in an exclusive interview.
“The roar of the crowd, the fans jumping up and down after every shot, the celebrities hyping up the crowd, the MSG organist leading the chants, the announcer after every point. MSG makes you feel like you’re a part of history.”
Silio has attended a handful of games during this year’s improbable unbeaten stretch and, as a result, has had the good fortune to witness hoops history up close and personal at the Garden.
“When Landry Shamet hit the three to send Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals to overtime, the building felt like it was moving,” Silio smiled. “My ears were ringing for hours after I left The Garden.”
Yet, she believes the best is yet to come.
“I think the Finals are going to be surreal,” Silio predicted. “The City has been waiting for this moment for 27 years. If you thought the celebrations on Seventh Ave. were crazy before, you’re not ready for what’s to come. Win or lose, this series will be a part of the Knicks legacy forever.”
All that being said, Silio is a pragmatist and understands just how expensive tickets are to attend Finals games at Madison Square Garden.
On that note, she said “if you have the money, it’s totally worth going.”
Want Need to be there?
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about attending Knicks Finals games at MSG below.
New York Knicks playoff home game tickets
A complete calendar, including all announced Knicks NBA Finals home game dates and the best prices on tickets, can be found here:
New York Knicks NBA Finals home game dates
Game 3Monday, June 8
Game 4Wednesday, June 10
Game 6Tuesday, June 16 (if necessary)
Knicks playoff giveaways
Silio let us know that there are some perks to attending games at MSG.
“The first home game of the series, you’ll go home with a souvenir t-shirt, commemorating the game,” she said.
“Other games have ‘Always Knicks’ towels for fans to keep as well as interactive arena bracelets, used for light shows and hyping up the crowd. Another bonus is you may see your favorite actor, singer or athlete, rooting alongside you.”
Huge concerts at MSG in 2026
Not sure what to do once the final buzzer sounds on the 2025-26 NBA season?
MSG has you covered.
The legendary venue has booked a number of exciting acts to entertain audiences all summer long.
Here are just five of our favorites we can’t wait to see live.
• Bon Jovi (July 7-9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26)
• Earth, Wind, and Fire with Lionel Richie (July 11)
• Phish (July 22, 24, 25, 27, 29)
• RUSH (July 28, 30, Aug. 1, 3)
• J. Cole (Aug. 2, 4)
Want to see who else is Big Apple-bound? Check out this list of all the upcoming events at Madison Square Garden to find the show for you.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
The New York Yankees (33-22) look to complete a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals (22-33) tonight at Kauffman Stadium.
The Yankees enter tonight’s matchup riding the momentum of a 15–1 smacking of the Royals last night. New York cracked 24 hits. The bottom of the Yankees’ lineup, which has been a black hole this season, accounted for half of those hits. Amed Rosario led the way with four of those 24 and also drove in four runs. New York is now hitting .242 collectively—fifth best in the American League.
Cam Schlittler was what the Yankees have quickly come to expect of him – a top of the rotation guy. He scattered four hits over six innings to earn his seventh win in nine decisions.
Kansas City, meanwhile, continues to struggle, dropping to 22–33 overall and 15–16 at home after allowing at least one home run in 27 of their losses this season. Oh, by the way, they allowed six bombs last night.
Tonight’s pitching matchup features Gerrit Cole making just his second appearance of the season for New York against Noah Cameron for the Royals. Cole was electric in his first start of the season last week throwing six shutout innings. Cameron, who brings a 2–3 record and 4.72 ERA into the start, has allowed 53 hits and 16 walks across 47.2 innings.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game Details and How to Watch: Yankees vs. Royals
Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Time: 7:40PM EST
Site: Kauffman Stadium
City: Kansas City, MO
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Prime Video, Royals.TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Yankees vs. Royals
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: New York Yankees (-157), Kansas City Royals (+130)
Spread: Yankees -1.5 (+103), Royals +1.5 (-125)
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers for May 27: Yankees vs. Royals
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is 15-for-38 with multiple extra-base hits over his last 10 games
Cody Bellinger now has eight home runs and 36 RBIs on the season
Aaron Judge has homered twice since May 7
Bobby Witt Jr. has hit in 4 straight games (5-16)
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Yankees and Royals
The Royals are 23-32 on the Run Line this season
The Yankees are 27-28 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 24 times in KC’s 55 games this season (24-31)
The OVER has cashed 23 times in the Yankees’ 55 games this season (23-29-3)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions: Yankees vs. Royals
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday’s game between the Yankees and the Royals:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Yankees on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Yankees on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 9.0.
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Back in 2020, during their rebuild, the Ottawa Senators famously held three picks in the first round of the NHL Draft. But it wasn’t the first time Ottawa had three first-round selections, nor was it their first rebuild.
This year’s NHL Draft marks the 15th anniversary of the 2011 Draft, when the Senators also owned three first-round picks. Before we look back at how those selections turned out, let’s dig into the The Hockey News archives and revisit how people viewed the Senators at the time, leading into that draft.
The team was being run by general manager Bryan Murray, who had just hired Paul MacLean as the club’s new head coach.
From The Hockey News Archive, June 2011
SWINGING SENATORS
A TEAM THAT CAME within three wins of the Stanley Cup four years ago has completely bottomed out. Now the Ottawa Senators must set about reclaiming their perch as one of the most consistent performers in hockey by developing the young players in their system and making good on the bundle of draft picks they’ve collected.
SHORT-TERM NEEDS: Firm direction and a truckload of patience, two essential elements in pulling off a rebuild. Goaltending had been a black hole for the Sens before pending UFA Craig Anderson brought some hope to the cause via a mid-February trade, but the real optimism rests with 19-year-old Swedish protégé Robin Lehner.
LONG-TERM NEEDS: Daniel Alfredsson is the all-time face of the franchise, but he’ll turn 39 halfway through next season. Jason Spezza is a big, wonderfully talented center, but he has yet to assume the mantle of go-to guy. This team desperately needs high-quality forwards and it will get a chance to draft some with 12 total picks in 2011, including five in the first two rounds.
CAP SITUATION: The great purge of 2010-11 has left the team with almost $17 million in cap space for next season, which can be put to some good use adding scoring depth to a team that finished 29th in offense.
IN THE SYSTEM 2011-12: A cluster of forwards, Zack Smith, Bobby Butler, Erik Condra, Colin Greening, Jim O’Brien, got NHL playing time with all the bodies cleared out of Ottawa. They’ll get a shot to prove they’re legit big-leaguers next fall, as will towering blueliner Jared Cowen. 2012-13: Top prospect David Rundblad already plays against men in Sweden and fellow D-man Patrick Wiercioch will be close after another year in the AHL.
DRAFT TENDENCIES: Until this season, trading picks away. The Sens had just four total selections last year, the same paltry total they had in 2007. As demonstrated by the void of tantalizing forwards, Ottawa’s recent hits tend to be with D-men and goalies. - R.D.
Also from the Draft Preview in The Hockey News from 2011, let's take a look at how the THN rankings shaped up with the Senators’ actual first round draft class at 6, 21, and 24.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (THN Rank: 1) — Edmonton Oilers
Gabriel Landeskog (THN Rank: 3) — Colorado Avalanche
Jonathan Huberdeau (THN Rank: 5) — Florida Panthers
Adam Larsson (THN Rank: 2) — New Jersey Devils
Ryan Strome (THN Rank: 6) — New York Islanders
Mika Zibanejad (THN Rank: 11) — Ottawa Senators
Mark Scheifele (THN Rank: 41) — Winnipeg Jets
Sean Couturier (THN Rank: 4) — Philadelphia Flyers
Nathan Beaulieu (THN Rank: 18) — Montreal Canadiens
Mark McNeill (THN Rank: 16) — Chicago Blackhawks
Oscar Klefbom (THN Rank: 37) — Edmonton Oilers
Connor Murphy (THN Rank: 55) — Phoenix Coyotes
Stefan Noesen (THN Rank: 39) — Ottawa Senators
Tyler Biggs (THN Rank: 20) — Toronto Maple Leafs
Joe Morrow (THN Rank: 34) — Pittsburgh Penguins
Matt Puempel (THN Rank: 21) — Ottawa Senators
Stuart Percy (THN Rank: 70) — Toronto Maple Leafs
Phillip Danault (THN Rank: 31) — Chicago Blackhawks
Vladislav Namestnikov ((THN Rank: 36) — Tampa Bay Lightning
Zack Phillips (THN Rank: 9) — Minnesota Wild
Nicklas Jensen (THN Rank: 19) — Vancouver Canucks
Rickard Rakell (THN Rank: 25) — Anaheim Ducks
In 2020, the Senators held the third, fifth, and 28th overall selections and came away with Tim Stützle, Jake Sanderson, and Ridly Greig.
It didn’t go quite as well in 2011, partly because the picks weren’t nearly as high. Ottawa selected sixth, 21st, and 24th overall.
The Senators did fairly well with their first pick, selecting Swedish center Mika Zibanejad sixth overall.
Five years after his draft day, and 281 games with the Senators, Ottawa traded Zibanejad to the New York Rangers, where he eventually blossomed into a star on Broadway.
In hindsight, Mark Scheifele, taken one pick later by the Winnipeg Jets, would probably have been the slightly better choice, but not by a ton. The pick was fine. The lack of patience with the player was not. Zibanejad has gone on to better things as a core piece of the Rangers over the past decade, hitting 1000 games this season.
Things began to thin out once the first round reached the half way point and can you can see based on pre-draft rankings, how unpredictable it became.
At 21st overall, the Senators selected Stefan Noesen, which was considered a bit of a reach according to The Hockey News, which had him ranked 39th. Noesen didn’t last long in Ottawa, and never played here, as he was later included in the 2013 trade that brought Bobby Ryan over from the Anaheim Ducks.
Noesen took a long time to establish himself as an NHL player, but over the past four seasons he has become a dependable forward. This season, however, was largely a write off. Injuries limited the New Jersey Devils winger to just seven points in 38 games. The year before, he had reached career highs hitting the 20 goal, 40 point mark for the first time.
Finally, at 24th overall, the Senators selected Matt Puempel, whom The Hockey News had ranked 21st. After being drafted, Puempel spent two more seasons in the OHL and nearly two more years with the Binghamton Senators before beginning to get NHL opportunities.
Over parts of three seasons with Ottawa, Puempel played 52 games, but never came close to recapturing his junior scoring touch. In November 2016, the Senators placed him on waivers and he was claimed by the Rangers.
One month later, he enjoyed probably the highlight of his NHL career, recording a hat trick in a Rangers win over Arizona. But that proved to be the peak of his time in the league.
After several seasons overseas in Sweden and Germany, Puempel announced his retirement from pro hockey last month. He has since become the head coach and general manager of the Essex 73's in the PCJHL near his hometown of Windsor, Ontario.
Matt Puempel (@mpuempel) has announced his retirement from professional hockey.
After two stellar seasons with the Peterborough Petes, including OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year honours in 2010, Matt was selected by the Ottawa @Senators in the first round of the 2011 @NHL Entry… pic.twitter.com/owoWeCE7hP
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 26: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves hits a RBI double against the Boston Red Sox during the sixth inning at Fenway Park on May 26, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Okay, this isn’t even a “daily question” in the sense of “a question that fosters discussion.” I’m going to tell you the answer, eventually.
Last night, Michael Harris II went 4-for-4 with a homer and a double. That’s a pretty great batting line, but given that we saw a game last year where he went 4-for-4 and finished a single shy of the cycle because he had two triples, it wasn’t a career-best day or whatever. (He also had a two-homer game late last year that I bet no one remembers that nominally yielded a higher wRC+ than last night’s contest.)
But, he also did something else that was kind of amazing. Here’s a plot of the pitch locations and types that led to his four hits:
Three of those are not very close to the zone… and one is maybe a ball, maybe not — at least in our brave (ly awesome) new ABS strike zone world.
Baseball Savant lets us query the most hits a player has had outside the zone in a game, based on MLB’s pitch-tracking technology all the way back to 2009. The leader of the query is Charlie Blackmon, who somehow managed to do it five times in a 9-3 loss to the Twins at Coors Field back in 2014. So, Harris didn’t quite a set a record for the pitch tracking era. But, say what you will about Pitch F/X and MLB’s 2009-2014 data, but it wasn’t quite the level of… precision, I guess, that we expect from the Hawkeye cameras and Statcast that went into effect in 2015.
If we limit the group to 2015-onward, then we get a set of five players that have had four hits on pitches outside the “rulebook” (or, I guess, Hawkeye/Statcast-defined) strike zone. The most recent was Gavin Lux in April 2025. Before that, no one else had done it since 2019. Braves legend Eddie Rosario did it back in 2017.
So, does Harris join this… illustrious group?
Apparently not. You see, that one changeup apparently juuuuuust clipped the ABS zone. So, Harris has to settle for four hits, only three of which came on not-defined-strikes.
But, wait. That hit on the “higher” changeup was a single. Harris had two extra-base hits, on pitches further away. Is that some kind of record?
Alas, no. There are four players in the Statcast era with three extra-base hits on pitches outside the zone. One of them is Eddie Rosario, again, who — very bizarrely — did it in a different game than the game in which he had four hits on pitches outside the zone.
So, in conclusion, Harris did not tie a quirky record last night. He did come close. But, in the land of getting hits on pitches that aren’t strikes, he hasn’t quite dethroned Rosario. At least, not yet.
If you want just a little bit more substance, I’ll throw this out there. Back during his Rookie of the Year season, I noted a few things that amounted, in part, to “Boy, Harris hits non-strikes really well.”
Here are Harris’ values in wOBA and xwOBA when making contact with a pitch outside the zone, over the years, among players with 50+ balls hit toward the field of play that came on pitches out of the zone:
2022: .426 wOBA (2nd of 230) | .322 xwOBA (38th of 230)
2023: .311 (83rd of 209) | .308 (72nd of 230)
2024: .231 (178th of 211) | .285 (102nd of 211)
2025: .218 (171st of 188) | .303 (64th of 188)
2026 so far, for players with 20+ such balls: .482 (12th of 208) | .344 (50th of 208)
I think this tells a bit of a twee story about the Braves changing Harris’ approach to not do so much of what he was doing in 2022, and focus on max damage on stuff he didn’t quite have to reach. Harris is chasing more than ever this year, and he’s missing more than ever when he chases, too. When he hits it, though — it’s not quite as feeble as it was before. Will he or the Braves rein it in again? Maybe. But after last year’s disaster in approach change, maybe they’ll let Harris be Harris from here on out. (If he wants to do the stuff he was doing in 2023-2024, that’d be cool too.)
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 24: Manager Blake Butera (10) of the Washington Nationals in the dugout during the Sunday afternoon MLB game between the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves on May 24, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
When Blake Butera was hired as Nationals manager, there was plenty of optimism, but there was also some skepticism mixed in. Sure, Butera seemed like a sharp guy and had the endorsement of a Hall of Famer in Mike Piazza. However, he was going to be the youngest manager in over 50 years and had been a player development guy rather than a manager the past few years.
For goodness sakes, Butera is younger than Aaron Judge. He was going to coach a young team, so his age was not as much of an issue. Through the first two months of the season, Butera has shattered all expectations as manager of the Nats. He has this team sitting at 29-27, and playing the best baseball we have seen from a Nats team since 2019.
Even a week ago, there were people whispering about Butera being a Manager of the Year candidate. This was when the team had just gotten to that .500 mark on May 20th. At that point, the Nats were shattering expectations. Since then though, things have only gotten better, and the Butera Manager of the Year candidacy is getting louder.
It’s really early, but how soon can we start talking about a Blake Butera Manager of the Year case?
If the season ended today, Butera would certainly be in the mix for that award. The Nats are one of the surprises of all of baseball. This was supposed to be a tough rebuild year where 100 losses was not out of the question. Now, Butera and this team have Nats fans believing. For crying out loud, the folks at 106.7 The Fan threw a parade yesterday. That was not happening before Butera.
Of course, the lion’s share of the credit goes to the players, especially this elite offense. However, the coaching staff also plays a huge role. I think a big part of being a great manager is finding the right staff. Butera absolutely hit his staff hires out of the park.
The hiring of Matt Borgschulte as hitting coach has genuinely changed the direction of this franchise. Simon Mathews has also done a nice job helping some of his pitchers right the ship. Veteran arms Miles Mikolas and Zack Littell looked absolutely cooked at the start of the season. However, after working with Mathews, who is younger than them, these two guys have righted the ship. Cade Cavalli also seems to be getting better with every start.
The hitting coach and the pitching coach get the most press, but those are not the only hires that Butera has nailed. This is mostly a pretty young and inexperienced staff, but Butera added experience in the right spots. Bobby Wilson is a great example of that. He had a 10 year big league career as a glove first backup. After that, he was a catching coach with the Rangers, where he helped Jonah Heim a lot. In DC, the seasoned catching mind has helped turn around Keibert Ruiz’s defense.
Butera’s staff hiring genuinely gets an A+ to this point. I also think he does a solid job managing the games. There are times where I do not agree with what he does, like any manager. As a whole, I think he is good most of the time. Last night, he made a move that I was upset with at the moment, but looking back, it was pretty cool.
When Mitchell Parker was in trouble in the 9th, he did not have anyone warming up in the bullpen. He let Parker work his way out of the mess. I bet that felt really good for Parker. It showed that his manager believes in him. Sure, if the Nats had not gotten the insurance runs in the top of the inning, things may have been different. However, with the lead in a fairly comfortable spot, Butera wanted to show Parker he trusted him.
Full recap tomorrow, final note from tonight –
Loved Butera letting Parker finish off the game and go 3 IP
It made you sweat, but the risk of leaving Mitch in was worth the squeeze with a much fresher bullpen ready for tomorrow’s finale
Lord + Parker = elite long relief duo
— Capitol Baseball (@CapitolBaseball) May 27, 2026
That is a good example of Butera showing feel and trusting his players. With a full bullpen, he could have easily yanked Parker after 2.1 innings of work. However, he wanted the lefty to try and finish the game himself. That sends a positive message to the locker room.
I wonder what the Nats would have to do for Butera to be in Manager of the Year contention. Obviously, if the Nats somehow make the playoffs, Butera would be a lock, but would he get the award if the Nats won 80 games? The Nats over/under for wins this year was 65.5, so 80 wins would be a massive overperformance. Butera still would probably get snubbed for a team that made the playoffs though.
Honestly, the .500 mark could be the magic number. If Butera’s Nats finish the season at or above .500, his candidacy would be tough to deny. These Nats were supposed to be basement dwellers, but now they are showing serious spunk and are rising up the NL East.
The faith that Butera has in his players is awesome. He set the tone early in Spring Training, when he talked about how CJ Abrams could be one of the best players in baseball. The Nats shortstop is making Butera look like a sage right now, having a career year so far.
It is wild how much a new coaching staff can change things. We got on Davey and Darnell Coles over the years, but maybe we were not harsh enough. Was the talent always there and just getting wasted? It is a new day now, and the Nats are led by their 33 year old wonderkid manager Blake Butera, who is impressing fans every day.
Mets first baseman/designated hitter Jorge Polanco took a big step in his recovery, as the veteran began a rehab assignment with Double-A Binghamton on Wednesday morning.
In his first taste of game action with the Rumble Ponies, Polanco went 1-for-2 with a single and a strikeout looking.
Polanco, who signed a two-year deal with the Mets this offseason, has not played since April 14 due to Achilles bursitis and a wrist issue.
Manager Carlos Mendoza said on Tuesday that the hope was that Polanco could begin a rehab assignment this week, and that whenever he does return to the lineup, it will likely be more as a DH than a first baseman.
"The way we see it is gonna be a lot of DH, to be honest with you," Mendoza said. "Hopefully we can get him a game or two at first base, but try to keep him off his feet as much as possible. He'll play some first base once he starts going through his rehab assignment, but probably looking more like DH and try to keep his bat in the lineup as much as possible."
Mendoza has previously said that Polanco's availability will come down to how well he manages his Achilles pain, as it's unlikely to heal completely this season.
In just 14 games this season, Polanco is hitting .179 with one home run and two RBI.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 26: Randy Vásquez #98 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Petco Park on May 26, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Randy Vasquez allowed solo home runs in the first, second and third inning. All three came with two outs in the inning. The Padres found themselves trailing 4-0 after three innings and would have been down by another run in the fourth inning if not for a home run robbery by Jackson Merrill in center field that ended the top half of the frame. With the San Diego offense struggling to find consistency, the deficit proved to be too much for the team to overcome as Philadelphia squeaked out a 4-3 win at Petco Park on Tuesday night.
The Padres offense could not find its footing against Phillies starter Aaron Nola who retired the first nine batters he faced. Gavin Sheets got San Diego on the board in the hit column with a two-out infield single in the bottom of the fourth. He was followed by Manny Machado with a two-run homer to left to make the score, 4-2. Nola completed six innings and allowed two runs on three hits with no walks and five strikeouts. The Padres tacked on a third run in the bottom of the eighth inning when Ramon Laureano hit a solo home run off reliever Brad Keller to lead off the inning. San Diego was unable to add to its total in the eighth after the Laureano home run despite having two on with two outs.
The Padres came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth still trailing by a run, but Phillies closer Jhoan Duran got a groundout from Miguel Andujar and back-to-back strikeouts from Merrill and Ty France to hand San Diego its third consecutive loss, which also secured the series for Philadelphia. The Padres will try to avoid a sweep in the final game of the homestand today at 1:10 p.m.
Padres News:
Freddy Fermin has struggled in his first season as the fulltime catcher and the hope, at least for the Friar Faithful, is that he can become productive sooner than later. To Fermin’s credit he is not making excuses for his poor play — especially at the plate.
Women’s No 2 seed Elena Rybakina was ejected by Yuliia Starodubtseva, while there were wins for Iga Swiatek and Novak Djokovic
Khachanov saves another break-back point but Trungelliti earns another and they swap loopy, high-bouncing forehands … until the underdog tries a drop. Khachanov hares in to return it but cedes initiative in the process, and though he then has a chance to finish the rally with a forehand, he overhits, and we’re back level at 5-5, Trungelliti saluting the crowd and enjoying his morning.
Bencic, serving at 40-15, comes in to meet a loopy return, and though she doesn’t finish the point, Mcnally dumps her riposte, and that concludes a 6-4 set, taken by the no 11 seed.
Peterson, who allowed a career-high 11 hits, could be headed to the bullpen, with Carlos Mendoza saying the team will discuss swapping his role with Sean Manaea
The Columbus Blue Jackets found out where they would land in the upcoming NHL Draft, and to no one's surprise, they didn't win the lottery. For the second straight year, they will pick #14, and for the second straight year, they might actually get lucky.
Welcome to draft speculation season, where we will talk about all the potential draft targets for the CBJ. Could someone fall to them at #14, or will they reach for a player who is projected to be lower? Who know, but it's fun to speculate.
So, here we go.
Target: Caleb Malhotra -
Toronto, ON, CAN
Height/Weight: 6'1.75" - 185 lbs.
2026 Team: Boston University - NCAA
Position: Left Shot Forward
2025-26 Stats WithThe Brantford Bulldogs of The OHL: 84 points in 67 games. He also had 26 points in 15 playoff games.
THN Ranking: 5th - Kennedy;15th - Ferrari
NHL Central Scouting: Ranked 6th among North American Skaters.
What Scouts Have Seen
Elite Hockey IQ & Playmaking - Malhotra’s greatest attribute is his advanced mind for the game. Scouts consistently praise his high-end spatial awareness, patience, and puck-manipulation skills. He is highly deceptive, frequently freezing defenders with shoulder fakes, posture shifts, and eye manipulation before slicing open defenses with precise passes. He controls the pace of play, slowing it down to his liking and excelling under intense pressure.
Complete 200-Foot Game - Unlike many high-scoring junior players, Malhotra operates as a reliable, detailed defensive presence. He is comfortable matching up against opponents’ top lines in a shutdown role, winning hard puck battles in the dirty areas, and taking care of his own zone with structured stick detail. His combination of effort and defensive responsibility has drawn favorable style comparisons to Jonathan Toews from some talent evaluators.
Power & Playoff Driver - Malhotra’s stock soared in the second half of the year. When games grew tighter in the OHL playoffs, he took over Brantford's offense as a dual-threat asset, using an increasingly accurate shot to complement his primary pass-first instinct. He has a relentless motor and constantly driving attacks toward the inside of the ice.
Weaknesses & Areas for Development
Physical Strength: While he possesses an ideal 6'2" frame, he is still relatively lean and needs to add muscle mass to compete with NHL-sized centers.
Shot Power: While accurate, his release does not yet carry elite velocity and will require mechanical refinement as he matures.
Skating Mechanics: Though he has good top-end elusive speed, his overall stride is a work in progress and can still look a bit rigid.
What Scouts Are Saying
DobberProspects - "Caleb Malhotra has NHL bloodlines; he is the son of former NHL player Manny Malhotra, and he is showing that the apple does not fall far from the tree. Caleb has been a standout player for the Brantford Bulldogs early in the 2025-26 season, showcasing his abilities across the entire 200 feet of the ice surface with sound defense and high-energy offense. He is a high-end two-way centre who looks to hear his name called on the first day of the 2026 NHL Draft."
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.
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CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 23: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks celebrates a basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 23, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New York Knicks were considered the favorites in the Eastern Conference entering the season, but their inspired run to the 2026 NBA Finals has still proven a lot of people wrong along the way. Those who believed the Knicks made a mistake by firing head coach Tom Thibodeau and replacing him Mike Brown before the season are eating crow now. Long-time critics of Karl-Anthony Towns’ toughness and defensive ability currently look like fools. Trading five first-round picks for Mikal Bridges won’t seem like the worst deal in NBA history if the Knicks raise a championship banner for the first time since 1973.
There are a long list of skeptics who need to sign an apology form after the Knicks’ dominating run through the East, but maybe it’s no surprise that the top target of “I told you so” blowback from Knicks fans is a woman.
Back in 2023, WNBA head coach Becky Hammon went on ESPN and said the Knicks didn’t have a “1A dude” to lead them to a championship. When co-panelist Kendrick Perkins brought up Jalen Brunson, she said “He’s too small. If your best player is small, you’re not winning,” while noting Steph Curry is an exception. Watch the old clip here:
Knicks fans are raking Hammon through the coals for this take after the 6’2 Brunson won Eastern Conference Finals MVP. There’s nothing wrong with a victory lap for a fanbase that has been starved for success for decades, but if anything Hammon’s criticism of Brunson shows how much of an outlier he truly is.
Go back through every NBA champion of the last 40 years. How many of them have had their best player be under 6’6? I’m only seeing a couple:
Isiah Thomas for the Detroit Pistons in 1989 and 1990. Thomas was listed at 6’1.
Stephen Curry for the Golden State Warriors in 2015 and 2022 (and I’d argue 2017 and 2018 even with Kevin Durant on the roster). Curry was listed at 6’3.
The only other player you can argue for is Chauncey Billups with the 2004 Pistons, but that team was much more a collection of five very good players without any obvious lead dog. Billups wasn’t an All-Star or an All-NBA selection in 2004, though he was named Finals MVP. The only Piston on the All-Star or All-NBA teams was their big man Ben Wallace.
Becky Hammon was right historically speaking, and it only makes Brunson’s run more impressive
Brunson has been carrying his teams to championships on big stages since he was back at Stevenson High School in north suburban Chicago. Brunson led a non-traditional power to three Final Four appearances and one state championship in Illinois, and then committed to Villanova as the No. 19 overall recruit in the RSCI.
Brunson started 39 of 40 games for Villanova as a true freshman as the team won the 2016 national championship on Kris Jenkins’ iconic buzzer-beater. He was mostly a role player on that team behind future Knicks teammate Josh Hart, but his ball handling and timely scoring made him a key cog in a national champion.
Villanova earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament the next season as Brunson significantly raised both his scoring and efficiency as a sophomore. The Wildcats lost to Wisconsin in the Sweet 16, setting the stage for Brunson to fully take over the team as a junior.
Brunson was the best player in college basketball in his junior season, and will Villanova to its second national championship in three years. The 2018 Wildcats were an all-time great college team, but it was Brunson was won national player of the year honors while consistently executing in crunch-time to win another ring.
NBA teams still doubted that Brunson’s game could translate to the NBA. Most thought he’d top out as a nice backup point guard. The Dallas Mavericks drafted him at No. 33 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft, but on-ball reps were limited after the team also came away with Luka Doncic with the No. 3 overall pick.
Brunson emerged as one of the league’s best sixth men in his third season, and took another step forward as a starter in his fourth season. The Mavs famously balked at locking him up to a long-term contract the previous summer, reportedly refusing to offer $55 million over four years. After a fantastic run in the Western Conference Playoffs for Dallas that season — including a 41-point explosion against the Utah Jazz in the first round — Brunson accepted a $105 million deal to join the Knicks in free agency.
Plenty of people thought Brunson was a tad overpaid on that contract at the time. It turned out to be one of the biggest bargains in the NBA, and set the stage for the Knicks’ first NBA Finals run since 1999.
Brunson hasn’t proven Hammon wrong yet
“If you’re best player is small, you’re not winning.”
The Knicks won the East this season, but that’s not enough to prove Hammon wrong. Whether New York plays the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Knicks are going to be the underdog in the series either way. The Western Conference Finals have felt like the real NBA Finals up to this point. The Knicks are pushing back on that with a ridiculous +19.8 net-rating in the playoffs so far. After going down 2-1 in the first round against the Hawks, New York has won 11 straight games — and they’re not just winning, they’re blowing teams out in every game.
I really think the Knicks can win the NBA Finals, especially with the way both OKC and San Antonio are beat up right now. New York is rooting for a long and physical series in the West before a winner is determined. They will be resting the entire time until Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals kicks off on June 3.
The Knicks have four fantastic starters that all feel like All-Star caliber players — even if OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges have never received that honor. Josh Hart is one of the best role players in the NBA as their fifth starter, and Mike Brown has done well to tap into the bench, led by Landry Shamet, Mitchell Robinson, and Miles McBride. As a wise woman once said, though, you need a dude to win it all.
Brunson is showing why he’s been that dude all along.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 04: Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats looks on against the Michigan Wolverines in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the NBA Draft less than a month away, we continue looking at potential prospects the Suns could have their eye on, especially if they opt to trade into the first round. Today, we turn our attention to the 26th overall pick, a draft slot currently owned by the Denver Nuggets.
Why 26? Because we’ve explored before what a trade could look like if the Suns decided to do the Nuggets a favor and acquire the Cameron Johnson pick. It’s also a good opportunity to get a feel for who lives at the back end of the first round.
So here are some prospects to be aware of.
Prospects at 26
I struggled a bit trying to figure out who should go in this group. Ultimately, I settled on players who were clearly not worth taking at 17 because better options were almost certain to be available: I calculated that there was a 97% chance that one of Steinbach, Morez Jr, or Stirtz would still be available at 17.
The players in this group have a reasonable chance of still being available at 26, but will almost certainly be gone by the 29th or higher. Previous player summaries I wrote included Ebuka Okorie, who is projected to go between 19 and 35, and might be a target for the Suns with the 26th or 29th pick. Henri Veesaar (whom I also profiled) is also projected to go around 26. If the Suns are set on acquiring an athletic PF, and Morez Jr is off the board,
Christian Anderson (Texas Tech, Sophomore, PG)
Christian Anderson (Texas Tech) is a 6’1” 180-pound point guard. He is evaluated as an elite, high-volume three-point shooter and dynamic playmaker. Projected as a mid-to-late first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, he has drawn stylistic comparisons to NBA lead guards like Tyrese Haliburton for his offensive brilliance as a pick-and-roll ball-handler and deadly shooting versatility.
Elite Shooting: Blistering deep-range shooter who connects from well beyond the college line. He maintains fantastic shooting splits (over 40% from 3 on high volume), efficiently transitioning between catch-and-shoot and pull-up jumpers.
Floor Vision & Playmaking: Possesses a high basketball IQ, operating beautifully as a primary pick-and-roll playmaker. He posted over 7.0 assists per game with a strong assist-to-turnover ratio, often generating “attack-and-kick” sequences that collapse opposing defenses.
Shiftiness: Uses excellent change-of-pace dribbling and a quick release to create separation against larger defenders
Weaknesses
Physical Profile: Lacks ideal NBA size and weight, making him inherently undersized for NBA lead guard duties. His slender frame limits his ability to absorb contact at the rim and can be a liability against heavier, stronger guards.
Defensive Liabilities: His size and strength profile negatively impact his defensive metrics. He is mostly limited to guarding opposing point guards (the 1s) and can be targeted on switches.
Shot Selection: Because of his elite shooting capability, he occasionally settles into difficult, self-created iso-shots instead of keeping the ball moving.
Draft Range
Between 16 and 39, with an average of 21.6 and a median of 21. There is a 30.4% chance he will still be available at 26 if the Suns pick there.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Anderson is one of those love him or hate him prospects. He’s a bit on the small side in a time where the NBA meta has moved away from small point guards: they tend to be a defensive liability and Anderson’s statistics bear out that trend. He’s an average athlete for the NBA as well. However, he’s a pure PG who can shoot, and the Suns need that in the worst way next to Booker (if they can get it through their heads that the Jalen Green experiment is doomed to failure so long as Booker is the cornerstone of the franchise).
The Suns are going to have to break the bank to re-sign Colin Gillespie, and drafting Christian Anderson might be a far cheaper long-term solution. Anderson’s NBA comparisons (Haliburton) are ones that Suns fans have kicked themselves over for half a decade, and this would be a second chance.
If the Suns aren’t high on Stirtz, and they’re determined to pick a PG, he could go at 17. However, there’s a 30% chance (right now) that he will still be on the board at 26, but very little at 29 or above. That said, a PG doesn’t make sense unless Jalen Green is exiled to the stamp-licking colonies.
NBA Comparisons
Tyrese Haliburton, Darius Garland, and Reed Sheppard
Koa Peat (Arizona, Freshman, PF)
A strong, physically mature 6’7” 235 lbs combo-forward with broad shoulders. He is an agile and fluid athlete who moves well off the ball but relies more on functional strength and timing than elite vertical explosiveness.
Paint Scoring: Highly efficient around the rim. He uses his physicality and body control to carve out space and finish through contact.
Playmaking & IQ: Possesses a high-level passing feel, often serving as a connective playmaker out of the high post.
Effort: Displays a strong motor and rebounds well for a small forward.
Weaknesses
Shooting Mechanics: His perimeter shooting is the biggest swing skill. He struggles with inconsistent release points and mechanics, which were scrutinized during the NBA Draft Combine.
Spacing Fit: Without a reliable three-point shot, teams will have to weigh whether he is better suited as a small-ball five rather than a traditional modern power forward.
Draft Range
Between 12 and 32, with an average of 22.4 and a median of 22. There is a 26.6% chance he will still be available at 26 if the Suns pick there, but that number is increasing by the day.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Peat’s draft stock has been crashing after a disastrous NBA draft combine, where his shooting mechanics and physical limitations couldn’t be hidden any longer. During his time at Arizona, his funky-awkward shooting mechanics were noted, and some observers at the combine believed he was in the middle of retooling them there.
He has average at best size for a small forward, and is undersized at PF. He has good vertical and did well in agility drills, but surprisingly did very poorly in the shuttle run. He was miserable in the 3-point shooting drills at the combine as well, and as a result, I could see him falling all the way to the second round as Noah Penda did in 2025.
Peat’s biggest pluses are his age, motor, agility, and overall feel for the game. If he figures out his shooting mechanics, I could see him carving out a niche as a modern Rodney Rogers sort of tweener forward who is a reasonable threat from three. However, that’s a big “if”, and it’s hard to see how he addresses the Suns’ need for frontcourt size and rebounding. If I were Peat, I’d go back to the UofA and work on my three-point shot and try to make the 2027 lottery.
NBA Comparisons
Rui Hachimura
Allen Graves (Santa Clara, Freshman, PF)
Allen Graves is a versatile 6’8”, 226-pound power forward out of Santa Clara who has emerged as one of the most polarizing, analytics-friendly prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft. After redshirting his first college year, Graves put together a historic freshman campaign in the 2025–26 season, capturing both the WCC Freshman of the Year and WCC Sixth Man of the Year honors. A former high school point guard who underwent a late growth spurt, Graves plays as a modern “connector” piece. He blends high-level passing, defensive awareness, and efficient perimeter shooting into a unique statistical profile that heavily appeals to front offices utilizing advanced modeling.
Advanced Feel & Playmaking: Because of his background as a guard, Graves processes the floor remarkably fast. He functions beautifully as a short-roll processor or an extension piece, consistently mapping out standard 4-on-3 advantages and delivering pinpoint skip passes.
Elite Statistical Instincts (“Stocks”): Graves possesses an incredibly rare defensive footprint for his position. He tied for the most total steals by a freshman in the country (67), boasting a Steals Percentage of 5.3% and a Block Percentage of 5.8%, indicating a high defensive IQ and lightning-quick hands.
Perimeter Spacing: He is a highly efficient floor-spacer, sinking 41.3% of his three-pointers during his freshman year. His catch-and-shoot capability makes him a lethal option out of pick-and-pop actions.
Low-Mistake Value: For a young forward handling the ball, his asset management is elite. He averaged just 0.7 turnovers per game despite acting as an offensive hub off the bench. [1, 3, 4, 5]
Paint Scoring: Highly efficient around the rim. He uses his physicality and body control to carve out space and finish through contact.
Weaknesses
Functional Athleticism & Burst: Graves lacks true explosion and vertical pop. He requires a clear runway to finish around the rim, rarely finishing vertical lob threats cleanly and struggling with below-the-rim athletic limitations in dense traffic.
Lateral Quickness in Space: There are sharp concerns regarding whether Graves can consistently guard NBA-level power forwards out on the perimeter. His lack of foot speed leaves him vulnerable to quick counter-moves when caught on an island.
Volume and Scaling Concerns: While his efficiency numbers are spectacular, they came in a limited 22.4 minutes per game off the bench. Scouts question whether his 3-point efficiency will sustain if his offensive volume scales upward against tighter defenses.
Competition: Graves played at Santa Clara against lesser competition than most of the big-name Division I prospects in the draft. It is unclear how well he will perform at a much higher level.
Draft Range
Between 20 and 39, with an average of 26.5 and a median of 27. There is a 53.8% chance he will still be available at 26 if the Suns pick there, but that number is increasing after measuring poorly at the draft combine.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Graves has a lot to like, and a bunch of big question marks next to him, especially after the draft combine. On the plus side, he’s only a freshman and about to turn 20 years old. He has a great feel for the game, great handles for a power forward, and shoots a ridiculously high percentage on threes at a high volume of 2.6 per game.
Per Tankathon, he has three skills that grade out as “elite”: steals, assist-to-turnover ratio, and offensive rating. He also has three more where he grades out as “very good”. He has great footwork, positioning, body control, balance, and generally looks “fluid”. Fundamentally, he’s a high skill, low athleticism guy.
And there’s one of the two big red flags on him. Graves did poorly at the combine. He measured only 6’7.75” in socks. Wingspan was below average. So was reach, and wingspan minus height. Average at best vertical, and below average agility scores. He was also only average in the 3-point shooting drills. That said, I think the combine is somewhat overrated: Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, David West, Caron Butler, Kyle Korver, Gordon Hayward, and DeMarcus Cousins all had miserable combines and went on to long, successful, often Hall of Fame careers.
The final big question is how much his stats are inflated because so many of his games were against the Division I equivalents of Little Sisters of the Poor College for the Deaf and Blind? The answer seems to be “some”. In his five games against ranked opponents (UK, Gonzaga x3, and Saint Mary’s), he averaged 26.2 MPG, 13.8 PPG, 7 RPG, on 42/32/88 splits. Still, those are impressive numbers for a freshman, where he was clearly the best player on the team. He’s likely to have more looks on an NBA team where he’s a 4th or 5th option. And, despite middling size and athleticism, he still grades out as a defensive net plus due to his basketball IQ and footwork.
If the Suns draft 26th, I’d be hard-pressed to choose between Zuby Ejiofor, Joshua Jefferson, Henri Veesaar, and Allen Graves: it’s possible none of them will be left by 29.
NBA Comparisons
Kyle Anderson and Boris Diaw
Coming tomorrow, prospects available between picks 29 and 31, if the Suns opt to trade up into the backend of the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 22: A detail view of the Minnesota Timberwolves' logo during a game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Chicago Bulls at Target Center on January 22, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 Tyler Clouse/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Tuesday, the Minnesota Timberwolves announced that they will unveil their all-new uniforms in less than two weeks. On Sunday, June 7th, the Wolves will showcase the new-look jerseys in front of fans at an event at Target Center. Fans can purchase tickets for $1 to attend the event.
The Timberwolves teased the upcoming rebrand on their social media accounts.
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 26, 2026
The last time the Timberwolves rebranded was during the 2017 offseason, when they released their new logo in April and, in August, the updated jerseys to go along with it. They traded for Jimmy Butler in June of that same offseason.
The Wolves have desperately needed an updated look since then. Their current set of jerseys has grown stale, while their 90s throwback, Prince, and classic black tree jerseys have been incredibly popular.
It has long been rumored that the Timberwolves would soon be going through a rebrand of both their jerseys and logo. With More Lore and Alex Rodriguez taking full control of the franchise last July, it appears now is the time for them to mold the image and iconography of the franchise as it heads into a new era under their leadership.
— NBA Uniform Tracker™ (@nbaunitracker) May 12, 2026
“We’ve done a lot of work in the background. think our fan base is gonna be very, very excited,” Rodriguez said last July after he and Lore officially took control of the team. “As far as rebranding, we have good thoughts, and bringing back some of the history of the KG days is something that we’re both very aware that’s important to our fan base.”
“We really want to listen to fans,” Lore added. “That’s how we’re going to build the value system here.”
The new jerseys will not be the first major change that Lore and Rodriguez have made. This last season, they debuted their new ticket platform, Jump, and significantly upgraded the lighting inside Target Center. Lore and Rodriguez also hired Matthew Caldwell away from the Florida Panthers to be their new CEO.
The Wolves as a franchise have already experienced a lot of change since the ownership transfer last July. Next Sunday’s jersey reveal is another step in this journey of the new era of Timberwolves basketball.
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars dribbles the ball while being guarded by Tramon Mark #12 of the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Widely regarded as the best prospect and top overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Anicet “AJ” Dybantsa is one of the most NBA-ready college freshmen ever. He is a rare breed, a perfect blend of size, athleticism, and skill that should translate well to the NBA. He’s good at just about everything and is one of the most highly touted prospects in the past 30 years. At just 19, he’ll enter the NBA as a matchup nightmare for the other 29 teams. Congrats, Washington, you don’t have to be the laughingstock of the NBA anymore.
The basics
Born on January 29, 2007, in Boston, Massachusetts, Dybantsa grew up in nearby Brockton (and yes, he’s a Celtics fan). He is of Congolese and Jamaican descent. He originally attended Saint Sebastian High School, where he was named Massachusetts Boys’ Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year following a prolific freshman season – averaging 19.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.5 blocks per game. At just 14, Dybantsa led Saint Sebastian’s to the NEPSAC Class A state championship, but lost to Milton Academy by a single point, 77-76.
He then transferred to Prolific Prep in Napa, California, for his sophomore year. In July 2023, he led the Nike Peach Jam in scoring at 25.8 points per game as a member of Expressions Elite, an Amateur Athletic Union team from Boston. Dybantsa ended his high school career at Utah Prep Academy in Hurricane, Utah.
Dybantsa was named the top overall prospect by ESPN as a high school freshman in the 2026 class and later re-classified into the 2025 class. He officially committed to Brigham Young University (BYU) in December 2024, electing to stay in Utah. He is the highest-ranked basketball recruit to ever attend BYU.
Following a nearly impeccable season at BYU, Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points (first in the NCAA), 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. He added to his accolades, earning first team All-American, the Julius Irving Award, NCAA Scoring Champion, Big 12 Freshman of the Year, and Big 12 All-Freshman Team. He has also been named a McDonald’s All-American (2025) and FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP (2025). Dybantsa’s accomplishments and incredible freshman season have him primed for the NBA level.
The good
Dybantsa is about as good as they get. If it weren’t for an otherworldly talented draft class, he would stick out ahead of the rest like Cooper Flagg did last season. And also similar to Flagg, the 6’9, 210-pound forward is positionless and can play one through four.
There are several positives to Dybantsa’s game, but the first thing that jumps out is his scoring ability. He led the NCAA in scoring in the 2025-2026 season, with 25.5 points per game – on 51% from the floor. While his outside shooting could use some work – 33.1%, that number showed significant growth over the season, as he became more comfortable shooting from the outside. By season’s end, he was averaging shooting 4.2 threes per game and making 1.4. What makes the BYU prodigy so special is his ability to score in the midrange and inside. He is particularly dangerous in face-up situations, where he can attack downhill, get to his spots in the mid-range, or create space for pull-ups. In the paint, Dybantsa shot 56.8% (259-456), well above average for forwards and guards. His quick twitch explosiveness and ability to change directions allow him to break down defenders, while his strength lets him overpower smaller matchups and finish through contact. He has an uncanny ability to recognize mismatches and get to his spots on the floor.
Another unique part of Dybantsa’s game is his ability to facilitate. While 3.7 assists per game doesn’t jump off the page, his ability to make the right basketball play and find teammates propels Dybantsa’s game to an entirely new level. He’s the definition of a true triple-threat with the ball in his hands and doesn’t just showcase his game but elevates his teammates’ as well. He’s exceptionally good at live dribble reads like pick-and-roll and double teams. He often commands a lot of attention on the floor, a heliocentric type of player, but is witty and crafty enough to make the right decisions.
The room to improve
There aren’t many true weaknesses to Dybantsa’s game, but one is his outside shooting. With his ability to score at all three levels (three-point, mid-range, inside), it’s not a major problem that he only shot 33.1% from three last season. But the NBA is a more position-less league than the NCAA and many of the NBA’s elite teams have efficient three-point shooting forwards. If Dybantsa wants to be an elite player in the NBA, he’ll need that number to creep northward to that 36-38% mark. Initially, teams will probably leave him with space to shoot, since he’s such a mobile threat getting into the paint. He’ll need to take, and make, those.
While he does have the ball in his hands quite a bit, his 3.1 turnovers per game are high, especially for a forward. Dybantsa does tend to force his shot from time to time, rather than pass out and re-post or make another play. He’s also heavily reliant on his right hand. Mavs fans had the spectacle of watching Cooper Flagg look more ambidextrous than right-handed dominant as he attacked defenses from both sides, often favoring the left. Dybantsa will need to continue to develop his ability to attack with both hands.
Player comparison
Dybantsa is most often compared to two players: Tracy McGrady and DeMar DeRozan. He draws comparisons to McGrady because of his quickness and explosiveness off the dribble, as well as his ability to score from anywhere on the court. At his peak in the 2002-2003 season, McGrady averaged 32.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. The other comparison is DeMar DeRozan, with Dybantsa’s heavy reliance on his midrange game. At his peak, DeRozan was one of the NBA’s high fliers, showcasing his ability to finish at the rim as well as on the perimeter. His best season in 2021-2022 had him putting up 27.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game.
Fit with Wizards and looking ahead
Dybantsa is a seamless fit for an up-and-coming Washington Wizards team. DC went all in at the trade deadline acquiring all-stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Plugging in an elite talent like AJ Dybantsa will create matchup nightmares for teams. Not to mention, the Wizards also have Alex Sarr, the second overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, who averaged 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. They also have the sixth pick from the 2025 draft in Tre Johnson (12.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists), the seventh pick from the 2023 draft in Bilal Coulibaly (11.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists), and the 24th pick from the 2024 NBA draft in Kyshawn George (14.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists).
The Wizards have a great mix of young, raw talent and veterans to not just get out of the basement in the Eastern Conference next year, but make a serious run for a top-six seed.
