We’ve now seen all 30 NBA teams play at least one game. The Thunder and Warriors have gone twice. Does that mean we can say anything meaningful about the 2025-26 season? Maybe. Maybe not. Last year, the Hornets beat the Rockets on the road. Charlotte wasn’t the surprise No. 2 seed among those teams. Both of the Tuesday matchups were won by teams that would eventually lose to those same opponents in the playoffs — the Lakers to the Timberwolves and the Celtics to the Knicks. Again, not exactly predictive. But there were at least a few games that gave us meaningful insight.
The Cleveland Cavaliers dropped 136 points in a 30-point decimation of the Toronto Raptors, for instance. They had the best offense in the league across a 64-win season while the Raptors tanked. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander beat Nikola Jokić on the road and then took his MVP award. Opening night is the first real opportunity for players and teams to show the world what they spent the summer working toward. Sometimes it takes a while, as it did for the Rockets. Sometimes it’s immediate, as it was for the Cavaliers.
We have a whole season to offer measured takes on reliable samples. Opening night is for overreactions. So let’s go through each of these games in search of one extreme takeaway. Will any of these pan out? Well, if last year is any indication, some of them will, and others will look ridiculous. This is the NBA. It’s an ever-changing league, and it’s better to be too early on these changes than too late.
NBA opening night overreactions
Nuggets-Warriors: Nikola Jokić will have his first All-Star teammate
It was a Twilight Zone sort of night for the Nuggets. They made it to overtime despite losing Jokić’s minutes. Aaron Gordon chipped in 50 points, but Denver lost because Jokić had a miserable shooting night. Still … Aaron Gordon scored 50 points, and he did so on a career-best 10 3-pointers. He was a 29% 3-point shooter as recently as two years ago, but after making 43.6% of his triples last season, it’s fair to be optimistic that Thursday’s shooting is at least somewhat sustainable.
Meanwhile, Jamal Murray scored 25 points on 11-of-20 shooting. That might not sound especially notable, except that for his career, Murray has averaged only 10.5 points in season openers. He’s a notoriously slow starter, especially lately because of injuries. But if Murray is healthy and Gordon is making 3s, the Nuggets won’t need Jokić to be Superman every night. If Thursday was any indication, they’ll be able to carry enough of the load to not only keep him fresher throughout the season, but also give him the first All-Star teammate(s) of his career.
Pacers-Thunder: Bennedict Mathurin is the Most Improved Player favorite
Bennedict Mathurin was drafted into pretty unusual circumstances. He immediately joined a team that had just acquired its franchise player. That franchise player plays a specific sort of basketball, and his team rose to prominence in part by surrounding him with teammates who fit that style. It was an awkward fit. Mathurin needs the ball in his hands to thrive. He’s an athletic, slashing scorer, one that sometimes stood out on the freewheeling Pacers for his shot-selection and ball-dominance.
But with Tyrese Haliburton injured, the Pacers don’t have any choice but to put the ball in Mathurin’s hands, and in his first game as one of Indiana’s primary scorers, he soared, scoring 36 points against the best defense in the league. Last season, the only two players to do that against the Thunder were Fred VanVleet and Stephen Curry, both of whom did so on at least five made 3-pointers. Mathurin did it by barreling towards the basket, drawing 17 free-throw attempts in what was almost one of the best season-opening victories in Pacers history. They may have lost the game, but if this is Mathurin taking that crucial next step, they’ll wind up winning the war. He flashed star upside on Thursday, and he’ll have 81 more chances to show voters he deserves a trophy for it.
Mavericks-Spurs: Victor Wembanyama is the best player in the world
Look past the numbers for a moment. I know that’s going to be difficult on a night in which Wembanyama scored 40 points, pulled in 15 rebounds, blocked three shots and made over 70% of his shots, but his stat lines are always gaudy.
What we saw on Wednesday was different.
This was no longer a baby bird spreading its wings. This was a dragon laying waste to any who would dare oppose him. The entire theory of the Dallas Mavericks was to build a team so gigantic that nobody could score against it. Wembanyama made it look easy. How many 7-5 centers have you ever seen pump fake into a drive that ended in a reverse dunk? How about blocking an opposing center on one end and then crossing him up for a four-point play on the other?
He’s running the floor like a small forward now, but he’s added enough bulk to bully centers. When Anthony Davis is so lost against you that he has no option but to foul, you know you’re doing something right. Maybe Nikola Jokić is still more valuable. Maybe Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hoists the trophy again at the end. But Victor Wembanyama’s season 3 premiere made the impossible look routine. No one else on Earth can do what he does. If he isn’t the best player in the NBA today, he will be in the very near future.
Timberwolves-Trail Blazers: Minnesota is still light on playmaking
Yes, the Timberwolves won, and yes, Anthony Edwards was spectacular with 41 points, but this game was closer than the Timberwolves likely suspected in part because this team remains light on playmaking. They assisted on only half of their 42 field goals and committed 19 turnovers. With Donte DiVincenzo replacing Mike Conley in the starting lineup and Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. expected to take on bigger roles this season, the Timberwolves are seemingly moving away from traditional point guards. Yes, 41 points from Edwards are nice. He’s capable of playing hero. But given the construction of this roster, the Timberwolves need more than one assist out of Edwards if they’re going to get by the many Western Conference teams that are better than the Blazers.
Kings-Suns: Signing Russell Westbrook was a mistake
It’s a bit cliche to blame Russell Westbrook, especially after a single game. The problem here is less what he did on the court, though a 2-of-8 shooting night in 19 minutes was hardly encouraging. The issue here is what he does to Sacramento’s roster. He got on the floor before Keon Ellis, the only reliable defender the Kings have, and that in turn limited Ellis to only 13 minutes. Meanwhile, the Kings closed their loss to the Suns with Dylan Caldwell, a two-way player, at center. Westbrook’s slot on the team probably should have gone to a defensive-minded big man. The roster is enormously unbalanced. They have too many players who need the ball and not enough frontcourt players to do the dirty work. Westbrook’s reputation affords him playing time that this specific roster needs to be spending elsewhere.
Clippers-Jazz: The Clippers are too old
The Clippers built the oldest roster in NBA history this offseason, and they likely felt justified in doing so because of how well their older players fared a year ago. James Harden was an All-Star and Kawhi Leonard looked like his peak self down the stretch, so they added Chris Paul, Bradley Beal and Brook Lopez to their basketball remake of The Expendables. Well, what happened when they tipped off on Wednesday? They were run off the floor by the younger, more athletic Jazz.
The Clippers scored just eight fast break points in defeat, and the starting trio of Leonard, Beal and Harden combined for only 30 points. Aside from Derrick Jones Jr., there isn’t much athleticism to speak of here. The Clippers need to out-execute opponents largely on skill, and if there is any slippage whatsoever from where those players were a year ago, that’s going to be very tough. They came out completely flat on opening night, and if that’s a sign of where they are physically now, things are only going to get harder in the dog days of the schedule.
Bulls-Pistons: Detroit doesn’t have enough shooting
Malik Beasley, as a reserve, was responsible for more than 30% of Detroit’s made 3-pointers last season. To put that number into perspective, Stephen Curry was responsible for around 32% of Golden State’s 3-pointers in 2021, the year he played without Klay Thompson. The Pistons hoped that Duncan Robinson would be enough to replace his shooting, but Robinson hasn’t made 40% of his 3s since 2021 and he missed all five of his attempts on Wednesday. Robinson is virtually unplayable when his shots don’t go in, but the Pistons have no choice.
Considering how much they have invested in Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren, who are non-shooters, they need Robinson to space the floor properly. They got the worst of both worlds on Wednesday, as Robinson did little for their offense while suffering defensively. Meanwhile, Cade Cunningham spent the game driving into traffic en route to an 8-of-24 shooting performance. The Pistons are at least one shooter short right now, but given how historic Beasley was a year ago, even that might not be enough to lift this offense.
Grizzlies-Pelicans: Ja Morant will return to the All-Star Game
Ja Morant more or less lost the 2023-24 season to injuries and suspension. He was back on the court last season, but injuries continued to weaken him, and so did a revamped offense that all but removed the pick-and-roll. His 11.4 paint points per game and 6.4 free throw attempts per game both represented meaningful dips from his 2022 peak, when he made his first All-Star Game. But with Tuomas Iisalo now locked in as head coach and an offseason of recovery behind him, Morant put up 20 paint points and eight free-throw attempts against the Pelicans on Wednesday, en route to 35 points on the night.
Everything Morant does offensively flows out of his ability to get to the basket and get to the line, and Iisalo has reconfigured the offense to maximize his opportunities to do so. This version of Morant is an All-Star, and if he can play like this when half of his team is injured, he’ll only get stronger as the season progresses.
Bucks-Wizards: Khris Middleton is back!
The Bucks are ineligible for any overreactions by virtue of having played the Wizards. We’re not even going to pretend to take anything away from their opening performance. But a former Buck that was on the other side Wednesday? That’s fair game. Can you guess the last time Khris Middleton scored 23 points in an NBA game? I’m almost certain you can’t, because it wasn’t even last season. No, it was Game 4 of Milwaukee’s five-game loss to Indiana in the 2024 postseason.
Khris Middleton shows love to Bucks fans in return to Milwaukee: ‘I think that’s every player’s dream’
Jack Maloney
A variety of injuries tore Middleton down to the point that he was essentially just salary filler in the Kyle Kuzma trade last February. But Middleton looked healthier than he has in quite some time with his 9-of-14 shooting performance against the Bucks on Wednesday. He can’t get to the rim like he used to, but he looked comfortable finding his patented mid-range looks against the Bucks, and if that persists, he immediately becomes a pretty interesting trade or buyout candidate come midseason.
Hawks-Raptors: Toronto can build a viable offense without shooting
The 2024-25 Toronto Raptors never scored more than 133 points in a game. They scored 138 on opening night this season, and here’s the kicker: They only shot 7-of-25 from 3-point range. This is Toronto in a nutshell. Dating back to the Nick Nurse years, they always lagged behind in shooting and playmaking, but made up for it by getting to the basket and scoring in transition. The Raptors had 34 fastbreak points on Wednesday to go along with 86 points in the paint. This is a weird group of players, and one that will probably need some mixing and matching from a lineup perspective. But they’re big, athletic, and relentless defensively. They’ll generate enough easy offense on that alone to survive, even if the shooting never quite comes around.
76ers-Celtics: Philadelphia belongs to the guards now
Joel Embiid played 20 minutes, scored four points against arguably the NBA’s thinnest front court and ultimately got benched for crunch time. His movement looked completely compromised. It should be panic time in Philadelphia, except VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey just announced themselves as perhaps the most unguardable backcourt in the NBA.
Joel Embiid looks like a shell of himself during 20 painful minutes in 76ers’ season-opening win vs. Celtics
Brad Botkin
The pair combined to make 12 3-pointers on the way to their 74 points, and that shooting makes their elite speed that much more lethal. Philadelphia’s big man may be slow and relatively unathletic at this stage of his career, but the 76ers can build a new identity around their backcourt’s skill and dynamism. A star was born in Edgecombe on Wednesday, and Maxey reaffirmed that status for himself after an injury-plagued tanking year.
Knicks-Cavaliers: Mike Brown and Leon Rose fixed the bench
If Tom Thibodeau had his way, his teams would rely on only five players. Maybe four. Luol Deng can play two positions at once, right? Mike Brown was hired in part to make the most of a bench built with limited resources, and he did just that in their 119-111 win against Cleveland. The Knicks used 11 players against the Cavaliers on Wednesday, and with Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart injured, that meant every player with a standard contract except Pacôme Dadiet and Mohamed Diawara saw real action. The result? The Knicks got 35 points from their bench after averaging a league-low (by a country mile) 21.7 a year ago.
Every reserve except Landry Shamet had a positive plus-minus. Ariel Hukporti stood out starting in Robinson’s place early on thanks to his energy and rebounding, but just about everyone did their part for the Knicks in their season-opening victory.
Magic-Heat: Orlando will end its 13-year streak as a bottom-10 offense
Death, taxes and bad Orlando offense. The Magic have ranked in the bottom 10 offensively 13 years in a row. That’s what compelled their offseason blockbuster for Desmond Bane, and against a stout Miami defense, Bane absolutely delivered. His 23 points obviously helped, but really, just having a threatening shooter on the floor changed everything for this offense. After ranking 24th in the NBA with 45.8 paint points per game a season ago, the Magic dropped 56 on a Heat frontline led by star defender Bam Adebayo. If Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero can take the next step with this newfound space, the Magic won’t just avoid the bottom-10, they might even sneak into the top 10.
Hornets-Nets: Charlotte has its centers
The Hornets traded Mark Williams twice and Nick Richards once, and to the naked eye, it looked like they just didn’t seek viable replacements. Well, it turns out, they’ve managed to fill the position for pennies on the dollar. Second-round rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner and former two-way player Moussa Diabaté combined to give Charlotte 23 points, 20 rebounds and three blocks in their 136-117 win over the Nets. Diabaté was a plus-minus darling on the defensive end a year ago, and Kalkbrenner won four consecutive Big East Defensive Player of the Year awards, so while they were pretty unheralded by typical NBA standards, the Hornets were justified in betting on them. That bet paid off on Wednesday. At least for now, they can roll forward with this duo.
Thunder-Rockets: Alperen Sengun is an MVP candidate
It’s been burbling all summer, especially at EuroBasket, where he drew comparisons to Nikola Jokić. Well, Tuesday was proof of concept. Alperen Sengun was for large stretches the best player on a court with Kevin Durant and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, ultimately scoring 39 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in the Houston loss. He made a career-high five 3-pointers — he’d previously topped out at three, and even that was a rarity. His finishing at the rim was a bit suspect last season, but he made four of his five restricted area shots against the Thunder. He led both teams with seven assists, no small feat considering he’s playing on a roster with very little ball-handling or shooting.
Rockets haunted by glaring lack of point guard competence in season-opening defeat
Brad Botkin
We came into the season not knowing how Houston’s offense would fare without Fred VanVleet. Tuesday gave us our answer: Through Sengun, and it’s going to vault him into some very lofty conversations.
Lakers-Warriors: Not even skinny Luka can fix this roster
Here’s a distressing statistic: 97 of the 109 points scored by the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday were scored or assisted on by Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves. Not great. Neither is a home loss when your best player has a 43-point, 12-rebound, nine-assist stat line. The Lakers shot 8-of-32 from deep, distressing in percentage of course, but also in volume given how much JJ Redick has talked about hoisting 3s.
The Lakers keep making the same mistakes, but now the stakes are higher than ever for Rob Pelinka
Sam Quinn

An impressive overtime victory saw the Golden State Warriors overcome a tough Denver Nuggets roster on Thursday, Oct. 23. Steve Kerr’s team is now 2-0 to start the season.
During his postgame news conference, Stephen Curry detailed how Golden State is building a winning mentality and how that can become the foundation for a successful season.
“I mean, there’s 80 games left, so you kind of understand you don’t get too ahead of yourself,” Curry said. “But building blocks on an understanding of how to win, the selflessness of a team that can have eight or nine guys in a closing lineup, realistically. I was telling somebody I don’t think that closing lineup, Al, Jimmy, Draymond, JK, and myself had got any real rips in training camp.”
Curry continued.
“When you understand who you’re playing against and what it takes to win this particular game, collective IQ and just toughness got us over the hump. So, great start. Haven’t done anything yet. But we’re building a winning mentality.”
The Warriors have constructed a veteran rotation that is full of experience and championship know-how. Mike Dunleavy has also ensured there’s a decent sprinkling of young and emerging talent, too, as the Warriors looked to find the right balance.
Curry And Butler Still Competing At The Line
After the Warriors secured an opening-night win over the Los Angeles Lakers, Jimmy Butler revealed that he and Draymond Green had made a bet. The stipulation is that Butler will end the season with a higher free-throw percentage than Curry. Yet, against the Nuggets, Butler went 7-of-8 at the charity stripe, while Curry was 8-for-8.
“I can neither confirm nor deny anything that’s going on with the free-throw situation this year,” Curry joked after the game.
Regardless of whether Butler or Green wins the bet, the added internal compeition should drive the Warriors to continue being aggressive in drawing shooting fouls. And, throughout the season, that could be a wrinkle that ends up paying dividends.
Warriors Can Be Contenders This Season
Golden State’s winning start to the season will likely be encouraging for the fanbase. The Warriors are viewed as a potential candidate to challenge for the NBA championship this season, assuming their aging roster can remain healthy as we get deeper into the campaign.
We saw those credentials as Kerr’s team found another gear in overtime against the Nuggets. The Warriors have so much experience throughout their roster, so they understand how to navigate difficult situations on the court.
Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Joe Lacob did a great job of pinpointing and acquiring talent this summer. Al Horford already looks like a shrewd addition to the rotation, and Will Richard could be among the steals of the draft.
Golden State has shooting, interior scoring and a reliable pressure-based defense. The foundations for success are in place. If the franchise can begin building championship habits early in the season, they should emerge as one of the better teams in the league before too long, and that should be a scary prospect for other rosters with hopes of competing for a championship this season.

Las autoridades estadounidenses anunciaron el jueves varios arrestos de alto perfil, incluyendo el de un jugador estrella y un entrenador de la Asociación Nacional de Baloncesto (NBA), por presuntas apuestas deportivas ilegales.
Entre los detenidos se encuentran el entrenador de los Portland Trail Blazers, Chauncey Billups, y el jugador de los Miami Heat, Terry Rozier, quienes, según se informa, fueron arrestados tras los partidos de sus equipos el miércoles.
Los arrestos forman parte de una investigación exhaustiva sobre apuestas ilegales que, según el FBI, dio lugar a dos acusaciones formales: una contra jugadores que supuestamente fingen lesiones para influir en las probabilidades de las apuestas, y otra que involucra a una red ilegal de póker vinculada al crimen organizado.
Esto es lo que sabemos sobre los casos.
¿Cuales son las acusaciones?
El director del FBI, Kash Patel, describió a la prensa las acusaciones como “impactantes”.
Se incluyeron acusaciones formales en dos casos importantes relacionados con fraude, según informaron las autoridades.
El primer caso se denomina “Operación Nada Más que Apuestas”, en el que jugadores y asociados presuntamente utilizaron información privilegiada para manipular las apuestas en las principales plataformas de apuestas deportivas.
En algunos casos, los jugadores alteraron su rendimiento o se retiraron de los juegos para asegurarse de que esas apuestas se pagaran, según la comisionada de policía de la ciudad de Nueva York, Jessica Tisch.
Esas apuestas ascendieron a decenas de miles de dólares en ganancias.
El segundo caso es más complejo, según las autoridades, e involucra a cuatro de las cinco principales familias criminales de Nueva York, así como a atletas profesionales.
Los acusados ​​en ese caso presuntamente participaron en un plan para manipular partidas ilegales de póker y robar millones de dólares.
Para ello, utilizaron tecnología “muy sofisticada”, que incluía máquinas barajadoras comerciales, lentes de contacto especiales y gafas para leer las cartas premarcadas, según las autoridades. También utilizaban una mesa de rayos X que podía leer las cartas boca abajo.
Supuestamente, las víctimas fueron engañadas para jugar en estos juegos con exatletas profesionales, quienes actuaban en la estafa como “cartas visibles” [una especie de señuelo que le daba credibilidad a la operación]. Las víctimas desconocían que todos, incluyendo al crupier y a los demás jugadores, participaban en la estafa.
Las autoridades afirmaron que comenzaron a investigar estas partidas de póker en 2019, abarcando varios lugares, como los Hamptons, Las Vegas, Miami y Manhattan.
Los acusados ​​presuntamente blanquearon ganancias mediante transferencias bancarias y criptomonedas.
También se les acusa de haber cometido actos de violencia, incluyendo un robo a punta de pistola y extorsión contra las víctimas.
Ambas estafas ascendieron a decenas de millones de dólares en robos y hurtos a lo largo de varios años y en 11 estados, según las autoridades.
¿Qué jugadores han sido arrestados?
En total, las autoridades afirman que 34 acusados ​​fueron imputados por cargos relacionados con los dos casos de fraude.
Seis fueron acusados ​​en el primer caso, en el que jugadores supuestamente fingieron lesiones para influir en las probabilidades de las apuestas, incluyendo a Rozier, jugador del Miami Heat.
La comisionada de policía de Nueva York, Jessica Tisch, declaró que en marzo de 2023, Rozier, quien entonces jugaba para los Charlotte Hornets, supuestamente informó a personas cercanas a él que planeaba abandonar un partido antes de tiempo debido a una supuesta lesión.
Los miembros del grupo utilizaron esa información para realizar apuestas fraudulentas y obtener grandes ganancias, afirmó.
La comisionada Tisch dijo tras el arresto de Rozier el jueves que su “carrera ya está en la banca, no por lesión, sino por integridad”.
El exjugador de la NBA Damon Jones también fue arrestado. Se dice que estuvo involucrado en dos partidos que presuntamente formaban parte del plan: el enfrentamiento entre Los Angeles Lakers y los Milwaukee Bucks en febrero de 2023 y el de enero de 2024 entre los Lakers y los Oklahoma City Thunder.
Las autoridades identificaron un total de siete partidos de la NBA entre febrero de 2023 y marzo de 2024 que formaron parte del caso:
9 de febrero de 2023 – Los Angeles Lakers vs. Milwaukee Bucks
23 de marzo de 2023 – Charlotte Hornets vs. New Orleans Pelicans
24 de marzo de 2023 – Portland Trail Blazers vs. Chicago Bulls
6 de abril de 2023 – Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
15 de enero de 2024 – Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
26 de enero de 2024 – Toronto Raptors vs. Los Angeles Clippers
20 de marzo de 2024 – Toronto Raptors vs. Sacramento Kings
El segundo caso, relacionado con partidas ilegales de póker, involucró a un total de 31 acusados, incluyendo al entrenador de los Portland Trail Blazers, Billups, quien ingresó al Salón de la Fama del baloncesto el año pasado.
Las autoridades informaron que tres de los acusados ​​fueron imputados en ambos casos. Trece miembros y asociados de las familias criminales Bonanon, Genovese y Gambino de Nueva York también fueron imputados en el caso de póker ilegal.
Los cargos incluyen robo, extorsión, fraude electrónico, fraude bancario y apuestas ilegales.
Los acusados ​​fueron arrestados y comparecerán ante el tribunal próximamente.
¿Qué ha dicho la NBA sobre las acusaciones?
En un comunicado emitido el jueves, la NBA indicó que está revisando las acusaciones federales anunciadas y que está cooperando con las autoridades.
La liga añadió que Rozier y Billups serán suspendidos de sus equipos de inmediato.
“Nos tomamos estas acusaciones con la máxima seriedad, y la integridad de nuestro deporte sigue siendo nuestra máxima prioridad”, afirma el comunicado.
¿Quiénes son las famosas “Cinco Familias” de Nueva York?
Las autoridades afirmaron que el supuesto plan involucraba a cuatro de las cinco familias mafiosas más conocidas de Nueva York.
Las Cinco Familias (Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese y Lucchese) han gobernado la mafia italoamericana de la ciudad desde 1931.
Importantes desmantelamientos mafiosos redujeron la prevalencia de la actividad mafiosa en la década de 1990, con la ayuda de la Ley de Organizaciones Corruptas e Influenciadas por el Crimen Organizado (RICO) y del entonces alcalde de Nueva York, Rudy Giuliani.
Sin embargo, como demuestran las acusaciones del jueves, la mafia no ha desaparecido por completo.
Las Cinco Familias forman parte de la mayor red mafiosa estadounidense-siciliana conocida como La Cosa Nostra (que significa “esta cosa nuestra”), y sus miembros suelen colaborar estrechamente con sus homólogos en Sicilia.
En Italia, los mafiosos consideran la ciudad de Nueva York un “gimnasio” donde sus miembros acuden para fortalecerse, según declaró anteriormente a la BBC Anna Sergi, profesora de criminología y experta en crimen organizado moderno.
Haz clic aquí para leer más historias de BBC News Mundo.
Suscríbete aquí a nuestro nuevo newsletter para recibir cada viernes una selección de nuestro mejor contenido de la semana.
También puedes seguirnos en YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook y en nuestro canal de WhatsApp.
Y recuerda que puedes recibir notificaciones en nuestra app. Descarga la última versión y actívalas.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s talent is not in question, but his methods are the subject of furious debate. His first two games of the 2025-26 season will do nothing to change that. On Thursday night, the reigning MVP showed exactly why he’s the most frustrating player in the league to guard.
Gilgeous-Alexander poured in a career-high 55 points in the Thunder’s 141-135 double-overtime win over the Indiana Pacers — the Thunder are the first team in NBA history to go to double-overtime in each of their first two games of a season — on 15 of 31 from the field and 23 of 26 from the free throw line. He also added eight rebounds and five assists.
His 55 points on Thursday were the third-most by a Thunder player since the team moved to Oklahoma City in 2008, and he’s already up to 90 points for the season. Only Wilt Chamberlain, Anthony Davis and Michael Jordan have scored more in the first two games of a season in NBA history.
Gilgeous-Alexander is also already 33 of 40 from the free throw line. His 23 makes and 26 attempts against the Pacers were both career-highs, and his 40 attempts are the most by a player in the first two games of a season in NBA history. He obviously won’t average 20 free throws over the course of the season, but he already has a massive lead in that department and is once again on pace to be among the league leaders.
Since Gilgeous-Alexander emerged as an All-Star during the 2022-23 season, he has finished third, second and second in total free throw attempts over the last three seasons. During that time, only Giannis Antetokounmpo (2,261) has shot more free throws than Gilgeous-Alexander (2,057). No one else even had 1,700.
Free throw attempts from 2022-23 to 2024-25 season
PlayerFTA
Giannis Antetokounmpo
2,261
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
2,057
Luka Dončić
1,697
Trae Young
1,607
DeMar DeRozan
1,576
Jayson Tatum
1,559
At times, the discussion about Gilgeous-Alexander’s ability to get to the line can go too far and overshadow his unique gifts as a scorer and athlete. Thursday night’s showing, however, was a reminder of why it keeps coming up.
It’s not just that Gilgeous-Alexander shoots so many free throws — it’s how he gets to the line. Whereas Antetokounmpo bullies his way there with brute strength, Gilgeous-Alexander is a trickster. He fools defenders (and occasionally officials) with an array of hesitations, fakes and pivots.
No player makes opponents shake their heads or raise their arms in dismay more often than Gilgeous-Alexander. The Pacers spent seven consecutive games guarding him in the Finals just a few months ago, and even they couldn’t help but be deceived.
Here’s a sampling from Thursday. Aside from the third clip, perhaps, all of these are clear fouls. But that doesn’t make them any less frustrating for the Pacers.
Just look at Jarace Walker’s face after the one in overtime.
Nothing sums up the experience of trying to defend Gilgeous-Alexander better than that.

INDIANAPOLIS – As if seven games over 18 days back in June weren’t enough – a total of 1,680 minutes head-to-head, duking it out for the Larry O’Brien Trophy – the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers had to push it when they renewed acquaintances Thursday.
A regular old 48-minute game? Bah, not enough. OK, so 53? We’re just getting started. It took two overtimes, 58 minutes in all, to pry them apart, with the Thunder winning 141-135 while logging their second double-OT work shift of the young season.
OKC got their rings before tipoff Tuesday at home and haven’t rested since. They needed an extra 10 to beat Houston that night, then doubled up again at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. At the rate they’re going, Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is either going to find himself chasing Wilt Chamberlain’s historic single-season marks for points (50.4) and minutes (48.5) per game – he’s at 45.0 and 46.2, respectively – or he’s going to break down by Thanksgiving.
A purported “Finals re-match” that smacked a bit of false advertising when it started – both teams were missing significant players from that championship round four months ago – the sight and smell of each other in competition produced a reasonable facsimile of those battles. In October.
Here are four takeaways from the OKC victory, in which the Thunder picked right up by beating an East foe the way they had repeatedly (29 of 30 times) last season:
1. Depth vs. desperation
One game into the 2025-26 regular season, the Thunder showed up for work Tuesday with seven players on the official NBA injury report. They’d already listed five before their opener (including All-Star Jalen Williams), then added Alex Caruso (concussion) and Cason Wallace (knee) after the grinder over the Rockets. Heckuva way to start a title defense.
“You deal with this stuff at different points in a season,” said coach Mark Daigneault. “Every team does. We happen to be dealing with it now but we try not to make any excuses about it.”
Indiana began its season arguably worse off, with team MVP Tyrese Haliburton out all year with a torn Achilles, sparkplug guard T.J. McConnell sidelined with a hamstring tear and center Myles Turner gone to Milwaukee as a free agent. The attrition got dialed up even more in the game: Andrew Nembhard, Haliburton’s replacement as Pacers point guard, suffered a bruised shoulder and was done by halftime. Wing Aaron Nesmith fouled out with half of the final quarter to go. Then Bennedict Mathurin did, too. And Ben Sheppard.
No wonder OKC could swarm Pascal Siakam with three defenders in the late moments – there was no one else left for them to cover.
The Thunder, by design, have a roster featuring what Pacers coach Rick Carlisle called “interchangeable pieces” and it showed. Instead of Williams or Wallace or Chet Holmgren this night, it was Ajay Mitchell (26 points) and Aaron Wiggins (23) providing the backup scoring.
From approximately the 55th minute, the Pacers got outscored 14-7, their cupboard bare.
“Disappointed but proud,” Carlisle said of his team afterward.
2. Mathurin as Indiana’s wild card
Nembhard had shown his skills in the playoffs, making him the logical choice to fill Haliburton’s void in driving the Pacers’ attack. Nesmith was the valuable 3-and-D guy rewarded with a contract extension right at the league’s deadline this week.
But Mathurin – who did not get an extension and basically shrugged it off – could be the guy Indiana leans on this season, rather unexpectedly.
The 6-foot-6 native of Montreal and the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft dropped in Carlisle’s rotation when it mattered most. He averaged nearly 30 minutes a game last season, then dipped to just 17.5 in the playoffs, undermining himself with inconsistency and some headstrong ways.
But he started last night for only the second time since March (none at all in the postseason) and was the chief reason Indiana dragged the defending champs beyond three hours.
Mathurin scored 36 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, sank as many free throws (shooting 15-for-17) as the other Pacers combined and did about as well as anyone could trying to guard SGA. He was tempestuous, of course, frequently throwing up his arms and barking toward referees in frustration over whistles and non-whistles. But he was the co-star Siakam needed – until he fouled out just 49 seconds into the second overtime.
3. SGA might MV-Repeat
Gilgeous-Alexander leaves many in awe of his tremendous offensive skills. Others – likely fans of opposing teams – can be driven to distraction by his penchant for drawing fouls and free throws.
He lined up 26 at the charity stripe, making 23, and took seven before the game was five minutes old. It’s a scoring tool, sure, but it backs his defenders into foul trouble and enables OKC to set up its defense when their opponents start from a standstill 94 feet away.
Gilgeous-Alexander now has reached 50 points five times since joining the Thunder in 2019-20. That ties him for the most in franchise history with Russell Westbrook, one ahead of Kevin Durant. The 2025 Kia Most Valuable Player and scoring champion also contributed eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, a blocked shot and 15-of-31 shooting.
“He is thinking constantly about how he can get better,” Daigneault said. “He’s constantly self-reflecting. He’s constantly self-critical.”
The Thunder coach also lauded SGA’s ability to protect the ball. He has just five turnovers in 92+ minutes this season. That’s 1 per 18.4 minutes, better than his 14.2 rate last season or 14.3 over his first eight years.
4. Appreciation for Nancy Leonard
One of the most familiar and valuable people in Pacers history was honored with a video tribute and a moment of celebration immediately before the anthem. Nancy Leonard, wife of longtime coach and broadcaster Bobby (Slick) Leonard, died in September at age 93. And her contributions to the franchise went well beyond being the Hall of Fame coach’s spouse.
Nancy Leonard became the first female front-office executive in the NBA when she served as assistant general manager, and she unofficially acted for decades as the team’s den mother, welcoming them to Indianapolis, helping them find housing and hosting them in her home.
She reportedly started pro basketball’s first dance team, and in the mid-1970s she was the driving force behind a local telethon that raised funds necessary to keep the Pacers afloat. That enabled them to be one of the four ABA franchises absorbed into the NBA starting with the 1976-77 season.
Even after Slick’s death at age 88 in 2021, Nancy Leonard was a fixture behind the Pacers’ bench, sharing a handshake, a peck on the cheek and encouragement to Carlisle before games.
“Had it not been for her, the Pacers would not be here in all likelihood,” Carlisle said. “And if the Pacers had gone away in 1977, when she had the telethon to keep the team solvent, it’s probably pretty unlikely the [NFL] Colts would have come. So this would have been a Pottersville of professional sports without her.”

The Golden State Warriors defended their home court against the Denver Nuggets in their opponent’s season opener, but not every post-game conversation revolved around basketball. In the aftermath of one of the most surprising days, as federal investigations swirl around a scandal involving both players and coaches, Stephen Curry was asked about the cloud hanging over the sport.
In front of reporters, Curry made his stance clear. “I think on a whole everybody’s very mindful of what to do, what not to do,” Curry said after the game. “And understanding the landscape of sports right now in general — that’s not just an NBA thing. This is new territory for everybody. So I think on the whole we all are very responsible.”
It’s a composed answer in a moment where the NBA seems to be mired in chaos. Curry’s tone reflects the perspective of a veteran who knows that the sacredness of the game is under a national microscope: “The integrity of the game is fine. And then obviously we’ll let the situation play out, whatever happens, but I wouldn’t worry about that too much.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The 37-year-old didn’t shy away from the questions about the scandal, instead reframing them to remind everyone that players, teams, and even fans are navigating an unfamiliar situation: one where mistakes can have seismic consequences. His words landed like a steady hand on the league’s shoulder. On a day filled with headlines about arrests and federal indictments, Curry has positioned himself as a voice of calm.
For many around the league, this matters. The scandal involves Miami Heat player Terry Rozier, Portland Trailblazers coach Chauncey Billups, and former player Damon Jones, and is the most high-profile case of gambling related to NBA product since the Tim Donaghy referee case. This, on top of the Jontay Porter scandal last year, has led to debate about the same industry which helps fund the league’s broadcasts.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Stephen Curry Balances Leadership Amid Chaos
Even apart from off-court controversy, Curry was sharp tonight. Golden State pulled off pulled off a 137-131 win in overtime against the reloaded Denver Nuggets in a matchup that had fans at the edge of their seats. The teams traded leads throughout regulation, and the pace was relentless. The intensity of the matchup reflected the high-stakes nature of an early season showdown, and the Warriors’ resilience and shot-making in the final minutes of regulation to push the contest into overtime.
Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports
Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports
Curry led the charge for the Warriors, scoring 42 points and hitting the game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds of the fourth to force overtime. For the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic stunned with a 21-point, 13-rebound, 10- overtime triple double, but the real spotlight was on Aaron Gordon, who recorded 50 points on 10 three-pointers, breaking the record for themost points in a season opener for the Nuggets, previously 47 by Alex English. The overtime period saw the Warriors execute a match-sealing 12-2 run, coming back from being down in regulation and showing off the team’s depth and clutch ability.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad

NEW YORK — The head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and a player for the Miami Heat were arrested Thursday along with more than 30 other people in a takedown of two sprawling gambling operations that authorities said leaked inside information about NBA athletes and rigged poker games backed by Mafia families.
Portland Coach Chauncey Billups was charged with participating in a conspiracy to fix high-stakes card games tied to La Cosa Nostra organized crime families that cheated unsuspecting gamblers out of at least $7 million. Heat guard Terry Rozier was accused in a separate scheme of exploiting private information about players to win bets on NBA games.
The two indictments unsealed in New York create a massive cloud for the NBA — which opened its season this week — and show how certain types of wagers are vulnerable to massive fraud in the growing, multibillion-dollar legal sports-betting industry. Joseph Nocella, the top federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of New York, called it

TMZSports.com
Allen Iverson is offering up NBA advice to Cooper Flagg … and as a former No. 1 overall pick who went on to become a Hall of Famer — the Dallas Mavericks star sure would be wise to listen up!!
The Answer doled out several tips to this year’s top draft selection while chatting with TMZ Sports just before Flagg’s Thursday night debut.
Iverson’s first bit of guidance was straightforward … as he implored Flagg to take things

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The Department of Justice listed seven games that saw high-stakes wagers after non-public information was disclosed to gamblers.
Terry Rozier, the DOJ says, was directly involved in one of them, while Damon Jones is said to have given information about two Los Angeles Lakers games when he was an assistant coach for the team.
Rozier’s alleged involvement came through a game on March 23, 2023, when he told a childhood friend, Deniro Laster, that he would take himself out of a game early, citing an injury, so Laster could place wagers based on the information. Neither Hornets officials nor betting companies were made aware of Rozier’s plan, according to the indictment, and Rozier was not listed on the team’s injury report.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Laster then allegedly sold that information to other co-conspirators, and numerous people placed wagers totaling roughly $200,000 on Rozier’s

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers rode an emotional roller coaster Thursday night.
They stood and applauded in tribute to the late Nancy Leonard, the organization’s matriarch. They cherished the newest addition to the fieldhouse rafters, an Eastern Conference championship banner. The fans booed, naturally, as Oklahoma City’s players were introduced and roared at the sight of the dapperly dressed two-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton.
Yes, opening night had a little bit of everything in this NBA Finals rematch.
“I’m sure our fans will provide a great environment for this game,” coach Rick Carlisle predicted before tipoff. “There are a lot of unknowns heading into this season without Tyrese, without T.J. (McConnell) to start the season. But we’ve got an eager group of competitive guys that I think are very much looking forward to competing in this game.”
The Thunder hoisted their title banner and received their championship rings before Tuesday’s 125-124 double-overtime victory over Houston at home.
This time, they hit the road for a contest that lived up to the expectations even if it was unusually ragged as the injured Haliburton and McConnell watched from the front row.
Haliburton sported glasses, a pink sport button down sweater, a white dress shirt and a pink tie in his first regular-season game since being ruled out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon. McConnell won’t play until November because of a hamstring injury and the Pacers lost their other starting guard, Andrew Nembhard, with a sore left shoulder in the first half. Nembhard did not return.
But even without Haliburton in uniform, the night started with a bang.
Instead of holding a pregame ceremony unfurling the banner, it was just there when fans entered the arena. And rather than holding a traditional moment of silence for Leonard, who helped save the franchise in 1977, the sellout crowd applauded as a video tribute played on the scoreboard before the national anthem. The 93-year-old Leonard died last month.
Just the thought of what she meant to the franchise rekindled some emotional thoughts from Carlisle, who laughingly recounted the story of how she and her husband, Hall of Fame coach Bobby “Slick” Leonard, once guilted Indiana’s players and coaches into parasailing.
“Had it not been for her, the Pacers wouldn’t be here in all likelihood,” Carlisle said. “And if the Pacers had gone away in 1977 when they had the telethon to keep the team, it’s probably pretty unlikely the Colts would have come and so this would have been a Pottersville of professional sports without her and certainly Slick as well.”
In June, Gainbridge Fieldhouse was rocking in the first quarter of Game 7 as fans came to watch the game in Oklahoma City on the big screen, then fell silent as they watched Haliburton crash to the floor, unable to get up. The Pacers went on to lose the game, falling short of their first NBA crown.
Haliburton, who isn’t expected to play this season, was his usually joyous self. He said in an interview with ESPN that he recently began running and jumping.
The rest of the Pacers tried to begin showing they remain capable of another run without him against a Thunder team whose expectations are much clearer.
“It’s very, very difficult because it’s a great team,” Carlisle said of the champions. “They have some guys that are out tonight, but they’re so deep and they have so many interchangeable pieces that it doesn’t really mean much that they’re missing a few guys. We have a lot of new guys, too.”

NEW YORK (AP) — The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people, including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures, on charges of illegal sports betting has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of professional sports gambling across the U.S.
Since widespread legalization, the multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy to place wagers on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. It’s just about impossible to go to a basketball, football, baseball or other pro game today — or watch a matchup on TV — without seeing ads for sports betting.
Fans can place wagers from their stadium seats, while “Bet” tickers scroll on TV sports broadcasts. Star athletes are frequently at the center of ads promoting it all.
In Thursday’s indictment, federal investigators accused Rozier and other defendants of breaking the law by exploiting private information about players to win bets on NBA games. Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, said in a statement that his client is “not a gambler” and “looks forward to winning this fight.”
A separate indictment alleges Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and others participated in a conspiracy to fix high-stakes card games. Billups’ attorney declined to comment Thursday.
Regulating sports wagering has proven to be a challenge — and experts warn about the ramifications for gamblers who typically lose money. Professional leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has raised eyebrows.
Here’s what we know.
Explosion of legalized sports betting
Sports betting is probably as old as sports itself. But in the U.S., legal gambling really took off in 2018.
That’s when the Supreme Court struck down the Professional Amateur Sports Protection Act, which barred sports betting in most states. Once allowed only in Nevada, sports betting is now permitted online or in retail locations in 38 states and Washington, D.C. Missouri will become the 39th state on Dec. 1.
Experts say the biggest jump has been online, through smartphone apps and platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel. Through the third quarter of this year, legal sports betting generated $10 billion in revenue, up about 19% from the same period a year ago, according to the American Gaming Association.
The industry argues that legal wagering generates money for states and can deter illegal betting. Major operators point to technology they use to monitor suspicious activity. FanDuel said Thursday’s news illustrates “the stark contrast between legal and illegal betting markets.”
Who benefits?
There is plenty of money on the table both for those who place winning bets and the platforms that make it possible. The NBA and other pro sports leagues have also created revenue streams by partnering with sportsbooks and reaping advertising dollars.
Live game stats provided by leagues are key to the sports world’s relationship with the gambling industry. When you’re able to bet what the next pitch in a baseball game is going to be, that’s because Major League Baseball is selling data to platforms “for a pretty high price,” according to Isaac Rose-Berman, whose research focuses on sports betting as a fellow at the American Institute for Boys and Men.
The NBA has a partnership with Sportradar for its data rights. Sportradar, in turn, provides FanDuel Sportsbook official NBA statistics. When the deal was announced in 2022, Sportradar touted it as a way “to monetize our long-term partnership with the NBA.”
How is sports betting regulated?
Each state has its own regulations and tax rates for sports betting. A handful restrict where you can place bets — allowing users to use mobile apps, but only while they’re physically inside a casino or within a certain radius of a stadium, for example. Others limit which betting platforms you can use or what you can bet on.
“States sort of opened up a can of worms, and now some of them are starting to realize just how crazy this sports betting world sort is,” said Wayne Taylor, a professor of marketing at Southern Methodist University.
An even stickier factor is when players and other team or league personnel are involved. The NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL all prohibit employees and players from betting on their own league games, although some gambling in separate areas is allowed.
Legalized betting has certain security advantages in that unusual betting patterns — such as large bets being placed on a random player’s performance — can be immediately flagged. In some cases, sportsbooks have taken down odds on certain events to protect against manipulation.
Still, experts like Taylor note that companies’ own financial interests may bring some of that into question. And across the sports market, he says the large number of players and scope of micro bet possibilities makes potential manipulation “easier to hide.”
What is prop betting?
A prop is a type of wager that allows gamblers to bet on whether a player will exceed a certain statistical number, such as whether a basketball player will finish over or under a certain total of points, rebounds, assists and more.
This kind of bet is key to the sports betting probe announced Thursday. Investigators pointed to a March 23, 2023, game involving Rozier, then playing for the Charlotte Hornets.
Rozier played the first 9 minutes and 36 seconds of that game — and not only did he not return that night, citing a foot issue, but he did not play again that season. He finished with five points, four rebounds and two assists — a productive opening quarter, but well below his usual total output for a full game. At the time, many bettors turned to social media to say that something shady occurred regarding prop bets involving his stats for that night.
More broadly, the NBA has expressed concern about prop bets, while other sports leagues have worried about the potential for manipulation.
Earlier this year, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine urged his state’s gambling commission to ban prop bets after Major League Baseball placed two Cleveland Guardians pitchers on leave during a sports betting investigation.
What are other pitfalls and social implications?
Sports betting also faces criticism for opening the door to addictive gambling.
“The fact that it’s normalized, the advertising is aggressive, it’s available 24/7, the micro bets — all of this is adding up to tremendous increase in usage across individuals,” said Taylor, citing algorithms and other incentives betting platforms use to increase engagement.
Rose-Berman notes that platforms make the most off of returning “biggest losers.” Recent research suggests that young men in low-income communities are particularly affected by financial consequences tied to sports gambling.
“Upwards of 90% of sports bettors are not really going to experience significant negative impacts — but it’s really concentrated among those big losers and it’s going to be devastating for them,” he said.
_____
Associated Press reporters Tim Reynolds in Miami, David Lieb in Jefferson City, Missouri, and Alan Suderman in Richmond, Virginia, contributed to this report.

NEW YORK (AP) — The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people, including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures, on charges of illegal sports betting has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of professional sports gambling across the U.S.
Since widespread legalization, the multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy to place wagers on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. It’s just about impossible to go to a basketball, football, baseball or other pro game today — or watch a matchup on TV — without seeing ads for sports betting.
— — lausunu ot taht nekat hcus skoobstrops emos ytiruces modnar tcetorp s’reyalp decalp ecnamrofrep snrettap no no sddo .noitalupinam egral ni yletaidemmi evah sah .deggalf stneve nwod niatrec niatrec ,sesac nac gnitteb gnitteb steb gnieb eb sa tsniaga segatnavda a dezilageL nI
reisae“ ot eht eht taht taht strops emos epocs syas .noitseuq laitnetop seitilibissop sreyalp nwo fo fo fo rebmun eton orcim yam ,tekram noitalupinam sekam ekil egral otni stseretni ”.edih eh laicnanif strepxe ’seinapmoc gnirb teb dna ssorca rolyaT ,llitS dnA
What is prop betting?
lliw lliw rehtehw rehtehw regaw rednu epyt latot ot taht hcus lacitsitats ,sdnuober porp ,stniop reyalp reyalp revo ro no fo fo ,rebmun .erom si srelbmag hsinif deecxe niatrec niatrec teb llabteksab stsissa sa dna swolla a a a a a A
ot ot neht eht eht strops eborp detniop gniyalp fo dnik yek si gnivlovni emag rof gnitteb teb decnuonna a .yadsruhT sihT ,reizoR hcraM srotagitsevnI .stenroH ettolrahC ,32 ,3202
— — htiw llew lausu owt denrut latot ot ot ,emit eht eht taht taht taht taht taht stats gnihtemos laicos ydahs sdnoces .nosaes yas nruter gnidrager sdnuober ,retrauq porp evitcudorp ,stniop deyalp yalp tuptuo gninepo ylno fo derrucco ton ton ton .thgin ,thgin setunim aidem ynam ,eussi gnivlovni sih sih eh eh .emag emag lluf ruof rof rof toof evif tsrif dehsinif did did gnitic tub tub srotteb steb woleb stsissa dna dna dna niaga a a a reizoR eH tA 9 63

In Thursday’s indictment, federal investigators accused Rozier and other defendants of breaking the law by exploiting private information about players to win bets on NBA games. Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, said in a statement that his client is “not a gambler” and “looks forward to winning this fight.”
A separate indictment alleges Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and others participated in a conspiracy to fix high-stakes card games. Billups’ attorney declined to comment Thursday.
Regulating sports wagering has proven to be a challenge — and experts warn about the ramifications for gamblers who typically lose money. Professional leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has raised eyebrows.
Here’s what we know.
Sports betting is probably as old as sports itself. But in the U.S., legal gambling really took off in 2018.
That’s when the Supreme Court struck down the Professional Amateur Sports Protection Act, which barred sports betting in most states. Once allowed only in Nevada, sports betting is now permitted online or in retail locations in 38 states and Washington, D.C. Missouri will become the 39th state on Dec. 1.
Experts say the biggest jump has been online, through smartphone apps and platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel. Through the third quarter of this year, legal sports betting generated $10 billion in revenue, up about 19% from the same period a year ago, according to the American Gaming Association.
The industry argues that legal wagering generates money for states and can deter illegal betting. Major operators point to technology they use to monitor suspicious activity. FanDuel said Thursday’s news illustrates “the stark contrast between legal and illegal betting markets.”
There is plenty of money on the table both for those who place winning bets and the platforms that make it possible. The NBA and other pro sports leagues have also created revenue streams by partnering with sportsbooks and reaping advertising dollars.
Live game stats provided by leagues are key to the sports world’s relationship with the gambling industry. When you’re able to bet what the next pitch in a baseball game is going to be, that’s because Major League Baseball is selling data to platforms “for a pretty high price,” according to Isaac Rose-Berman, whose research focuses on sports betting as a fellow at the American Institute for Boys and Men.
The NBA has a partnership with Sportradar for its data rights. Sportradar, in turn, provides FanDuel Sportsbook official NBA statistics. When the deal was announced in 2022, Sportradar touted it as a way “to monetize our long-term partnership with the NBA.”
Each state has its own regulations and tax rates for sports betting. A handful restrict where you can place bets — allowing users to use mobile apps, but only while they’re physically inside a casino or within a certain radius of a stadium, for example. Others limit which betting platforms you can use or what you can bet on.
“States sort of opened up a can of worms, and now some of them are starting to realize just how crazy this sports betting world sort is,” said Wayne Taylor, a professor of marketing at Southern Methodist University.
An even stickier factor is when players and other team or league personnel are involved. The NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL all prohibit employees and players from betting on their own league games, although some gambling in separate areas is allowed.
Legalized betting has certain security advantages in that unusual betting patterns — such as large bets being placed on a random player’s performance — can be immediately flagged. In some cases, sportsbooks have taken down odds on certain events to protect against manipulation.
Still, experts like Taylor note that companies’ own financial interests may bring some of that into question. And across the sports market, he says the large number of players and scope of micro bet possibilities makes potential manipulation “easier to hide.”
A prop is a type of wager that allows gamblers to bet on whether a player will exceed a certain statistical number, such as whether a basketball player will finish over or under a certain total of points, rebounds, assists and more.
This kind of bet is key to the sports betting probe announced Thursday. Investigators pointed to a March 23, 2023, game involving Rozier, then playing for the Charlotte Hornets.
Rozier played the first 9 minutes and 36 seconds of that game — and not only did he not return that night, citing a foot issue, but he did not play again that season. He finished with five points, four rebounds and two assists — a productive opening quarter, but well below his usual total output for a full game. At the time, many bettors turned to social media to say that something shady occurred regarding prop bets involving his stats for that night.
More broadly, the NBA has expressed concern about prop bets, while other sports leagues have worried about the potential for manipulation.
Earlier this year, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine urged his state’s gambling commission to ban prop bets after Major League Baseball placed two Cleveland Guardians pitchers on leave during a sports betting investigation.
Sports betting also faces criticism for opening the door to addictive gambling.
“The fact that it’s normalized, the advertising is aggressive, it’s available 24/7, the micro bets — all of this is adding up to tremendous increase in usage across individuals,

Former NBA player Damon Jones was criminally charged in a new indictment that suggests Jones leaked information about the injury status of LeBron James to sports bettors before a February 2023 game while he was affiliated with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The indictment also suggests that Jones, 41, leaked information about Anthony Davis before a January 2024 game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, CNBC reports. Jones allegedly told a co-defendant in the case that a star Laker identified only as Player 4 was “probable” for the game. Davis was the only player listed as

The Indiana Pacers fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a closely contested, double-overtime season opener, but it wasn’t just the scoreboard causing a stir. Late in the game, a controversial sequence took place: Pacers forward Obi Toppin managed to steal the ball off an inbound attempt from the Thunder’s Chet Holmgren, but the officials ruled that OKC had managed to call a timeout before the ball was inbounded. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle had to walk the tightrope in the post-game conference.
When asked directly if he had received an explanation for the timeout call, Carlisle replied, “I’m not talking about the refs. If I talk about the refs, I’ll be fined an exorbitant amount of money.” His humorous words highlighted the issues for the Pacers coach: even one of the league’s most seasoned coaches faces significant financial penalty if he publicly questions refereeing decisions.
This is a developing story.

FBI director Kash Patel skewered ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith for suggesting that President Trump was behind the arrests of NBA stars and coaches in an illegal sports betting scheme.
“I’m the FBI director. I decide which arrest to conduct and which not to conduct,” Patel told Fox News host Laura Ingraham on “The Ingraham Angle” Thursday.
“That may be the single dumbest thing I’ve ever heard out of anyone in modern history. And I live most of my time in Washington, DC,” he railed against Smith’s suggestion.
“It’s right up there with Adam Schiff. We arrest people for crimes,” he added.
Patel announced the arrest of over 30 NBA hot shots and mafia family members in a stunning take-down of two separate illegal gambling-related cases Thursday morning.
Smith warned viewers on “First Take” shortly after the arrests to expect more crackdowns under the Trump administration.
“Tell me when we’ve seen that… We’ve seen accusations before. We’ve seen athletes get in trouble with the law before. You don’t see the director of the FBI having a press conference. It’s not coincidental. It’s not an accident. It’s a statement, and it’s a warning that more is coming,” Smith said on-air Thursday.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Smith said without providing any proof. “It’s very concerning. We don’t know where this is gonna go. But everybody better brace themselves, because he’s coming,” the provocative host said in reference to Trump.
He referenced promises to bring Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to Bad Bunny’s planned Super Bowl halftime headline show and listed the WNBA as a possible next target of the administration.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former NBA player Damon Jones are among those indicted in the historic bust.
Thirty-one people — including members of the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese and Lucchese mafia families, and coaches and players from the Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors — have been arrested in the multimillion-dollar scheme, officials said.
The gambling antics netted upwards of $7 million over two years, according to the FBI.

DALLAS (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 40 points and 15 rebounds in a highlight-reel return, helping the San Antonio Spurs spoil No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg’s debut in a 125-92 rout of the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.
Flagg, the second-youngest player to start in his NBA debut by two days behind LeBron James, didn’t score until the first possession of the second half, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The 18-year-old from Duke had more trouble getting into the flow than the second overall choice. Dylan Harper came off the San Antonio bench midway through the first quarter, started the run that put the Spurs in control and scored 15 points. Reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle scored 22 points for the Spurs.
Anthony Davis had 22 points and 13 rebounds as the Mavericks await the return of star guard Kyrie Irving, who is likely months away from his season debut while recovering from ACL surgery.
Wembanyama, who set a Spurs record for most points in a season opener, dominated the matchup of two of the three most recent top draft picks, with the 2023 No. 1 choice adding three blocks to several spectacular dunks and a couple of buckets with fouls that sent Davis and Dereck Lively II to the bench.
The 7-foot-4 sensation was playing in the regular season for the first time since deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot condition in the shoulder, required surgery and ended his second season in February.
Wembanyama keyed a 13-0 run late in the first half that put the Spurs in control. After Harper scored, the 2024 Rookie of the Year pump faked out of a double team and was fouled by Davis on the way to a reverse dunk. The next time down, he hit a jumper as Davis picked up his fourth foul.

The Dallas Mavericks’ new era was supposed to start with a bang, but instead it was filled with questions. 18-year-old phenom Cooper Flagg, labeled as the next cornerstone for the Mavs, made his long-awaited NBA debut, but spent most of it watching the action unfold around him. Though the matchup against the San Antonio Spurs was hyped, what didn’t happen got people talking.
During the return of Inside the NBA, Charles Barkley bluntly called out the Mavericks for starting the rookie at point guard. “The Dallas Mavericks trying to outthink everybody, think they the smartest dude in the world.” He pointed to the lack of a reliable playmaker to set up Flagg, who finished the game without any assists, despite being given the keys to the offense.
“They need a point guard,” Barkley added, his tone part disbelief, part frustration. “First of all, Cooper Flagg, he only got two attempts.” The clip instantly made the rounds online, striking a nerve with fans who felt the same.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad

On May 31, 2025, Inside the NBA aired its final episode on TNT, marking the end of a legendary 35-year run that profoundly influenced sports television. Ernie, Chuck, Kenny, and Shaq said goodbye to the network that made them icons, as the NBA’s $76 billion media deal shifted broadcasting rights to ESPN, NBC, and Amazon. In an unusual arrangement, ESPN acquired the rights to air the show, but TNT continued producing it. This meant the show remains filmed in Atlanta, and the iconic team stays together. Fans will continue to enjoy the same chemistry that made the show a staple for decades, even as the network change occurred amid a massive $1.4 billion shift in the media landscape.
NBC’s return to NBA broadcasting comes with a hefty price tag, and some within the company are already questioning the decision. According to Joe Flint of The Wall Street Journal, NBCUniversal signed a $27 billion, 11-year deal with the NBA, costing roughly $2.5 billion per season- more than what the network currently pays for Sunday Night Football, including the Super Bowl. However, this move is part of NBC’s strategy to reestablish a major presence in the league after nearly two decades away. Nonetheless, the financial implications of the deal are being closely scrutinized.
Are the numbers truly adding up for NBC’s massive NBA deal? Several insiders remain skeptical. Analyst Robert Fishman of MoffettNathanson told the Journal, “It is hard to make the math work on generating any substantial returns.” NBC has acknowledged the possibility of facing losses in the early years, potentially ranging from $500 million to $1.4 billion.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
But is that a reason to panic? Executive Dave Pietrycha reminded everyone, “All of these deals lose money discretely.” And Comcast co-CEO Mike Cavanagh pushed back, saying in a company memo that it’s “important to take big swings when they can benefit the company over the long term.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
NBC is playing the long game with its NBA deal, but the question remains: what exactly does the network hope to achieve? By tying the league’s broadcast rights to Peacock, NBC aims to boost subscriptions, increase ad rates, and enhance affiliate revenue across its extensive sports portfolio- including the NFL, Premier League, and the Olympics.
The network has already raised ad prices to approximately $130,000 per 30-second spot, up from $50,000 under TNT, and plans to launch a new cable channel for games that were previously exclusive to Peacock. However, the gamble’s worth is still uncertain. As one insider told The Wall Street Journal, there’s a fine line between a strategic, long-term investment and a costly misstep- making those early projected losses feel even more tangible.
Despite the looming financial risks, ESPN is clearly winning hearts. All thanks to Inside the NBA and its incredible crew.
Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports
Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Fans react: Inside the NBA thrives on ESPN despite big changes
One fan joked, “Inside the NBA has been the same exact show it’s always been. First 8 minutes were hysterical. With TNT losing the NBA this was the best possible outcome for the show.” Charles Barkley, of course, might not fully agree with that last line. He had openly disliked the idea of working with ESPN and even called TNT “stupid” for not securing a deal with the league.
Ernie made sure to highlight that in the first few minutes of the show itself. Barkley admitted he was “nervous” about his first night on the new network, but Ernie quickly rolled a montage of the times Barkley insisted he wouldn’t let ESPN treat him “like a dog.” From there, it was back to the teasing, the laughs, and the familiar energy fans have loved for decades.
Another fan chimed in, “So far, Inside the NBA is the exact same on ESPN as it was on TNT. Love it.” The crew was all over the place, cutting each other off and teasing one another nonstop.
The internet will definitely not forget the hilarious spoofed graphic of Chuck’s enormous world under ESPN or Shaq stealing the spotlight when he “gave a little soul” to the famous Popeye’s jingle, the show’s new sponsor, especially considering Shaq owns several fast-food franchises but not a single Popeye’s.
Another fan shared the same sentiment: “It’s been less than an hour and the NBA Tip Off show with the Inside the NBA crew is already the best studio show to ever air on @ESPN. If you don’t watch Ernie, Kenny, Chuck, and Shaq religiously then you ain’t a basketball fan and never will be.”
The show continued breaking down the game and players. When the conversation shifted to the Lakers’ recent loss to the Warriors, Shaq didn’t hold back. He directly criticized Deandre Ayton, giving him a thumbs-down for his performance and outlining precisely what he needs to improve. Shaq stressed the importance of rebounding, protecting the rim, and asserting dominance in the post, noting that with stars like Luka Doncic on the court, Ayton had ample opportunities to take control if he focused and played with more alertness.
Another fan shared their thoughts, saying, “If ESPN lets Inside the NBA be themselves like this long-term, it’ll work.” And it seems that’s exactly the plan. The biggest change for viewers won’t be the crew or the energy; it will be the schedule. Inside the NBA will no longer appear on multiple weeknights.
Instead, it will air around the league’s biggest moments: the NBA Finals, Conference Finals, Christmas games, and other marquee matchups. The season kicked off with two shows in opening week, on October 21 and 23, but after that, broadcasts will be more sporadic. By the All-Star break, fans will only see nine episodes, far fewer than the steady rhythm they were used to.
One fan joked, “If the first seven minutes of Inside the NBA tell us anything… ESPN ain’t controlling s—😂” And honestly, they had a point. Even before the first episode aired, Shaq had already reassured fans that the move to ESPN wouldn’t change the show they loved. “Even though the name changes, the engine is still the same,” he said, emphasizing that it wasn’t ESPN taking over, the crew was still calling the shots. And true to his word, the opening episode proved exactly that.

76ers nation, all those fears were for naught. Whoever thought this team was sputtering with injured stars have a new one. VJ Edgecombe proved he’s the unexpected surprise no one saw coming. Where most NBA vets didn’t see the 20-year-old getting much minutes in his rookie season, he made every minutes of his NBA debut count. He added 34 points to the Sixers’ 117-116 victory over the Celtics. But what’s better, he may have secured himself more time on the court.
Edgecombe impressed the guy who decides his minutes, aka the head coach, Nick Nurse. After the game, he had a positive outlook on the season thanks to the rook.
“Seemed like there was opportunities for him. Yeah, I think he just he took some drives. I think again there’s certainly a great start, but you just know there’s like tons of room, different things he needs to do,” Nurse said after the game.
“I’d like him to see a little be a little more aggressive in the open floor. I think he’s really got that in his game. Um, I think he can take it to some spots inside the three-point line and vault up and score. Probably saw a couple of those that he missed. Um, things like that. But, but that’s a that’s an amazing first game performance.”

In the months ahead, the top men’s college basketball talents will fight to secure player of the year honors in their respective conferences.
Who is most likely to battle for those rights is more apparent in the major conferences. Duke’s Cameron Boozer and NC State’s Darrion Williams are candidates in the ACC. Donovan Dent, the UCLA star who transferred from New Mexico, could push Purdue’s Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn in the Big Ten. Kentucky’s Otega Oweh and Florida’s Alex Condon lead a crowded field of candidates for individual honors in the SEC. And BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson could compete for Big 12 — in addition to the No. 1 spot in the 2026 NBA draft.
But those leagues shouldn’t get all of the buzz; these races are intriguing in every conference. That’s why we’re here to identify the strongest candidates — and their top competition — in all 31 conferences entering the 2025-26 season.
Note: Stats are from 2024-25 season unless otherwise noted.
Jump to a conference:br/>A-10 | American | ACC | America East | ASUN | Big 12 | Big East | Big Sky | Big South | Big Ten | Big West | C-USA | CAA | Horizon League | Ivy League | MAAC | MAC | MEAC | Mountain West | MVC | NEC | OVC | Patriot League | SEC | Southern | Southland | Summit League | Sun Belt | SWAC | WAC | WCC
America East Conference
TJ Hurley, Vermont Catamounts
Until last season, Vermont had lost just 13 conference games since the start of the 2016-17 season on its way to an eight-year run as regular-season champion in the America East. This season, Hurley aims to help the Catamounts start a new streak finishing second in the standings last season. The 6-foot-5 guard, who averaged 15.8 points and connected on 38% of his shots from beyond the arc, was an All-America East selection a year ago.
Top competition: TJ Long, Vermont (11.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.3 SPG)
American Conference
Rowan Brumbaugh, Tulane Green Wave
In a tough one-point loss to Memphis in last season’s American Conference tournament semifinals, the 6-foot-4 Brumbaugh scored 22 points to keep Tulane alive until the final seconds. This season, Brumbaugh — an all-conference selection in 2024-25 (15.5 PPG, 4.8 APG, 1.6 SPG) — is the league’s top returning scorer.
Top competition: Jordan Riley, East Carolina (14.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.0 SPG)
Atlantic Coast Conference
Cameron Boozer, Duke Blue Devils
The son of former Duke standout Carlos Boozer will try to establish a legacy of his own as the program hunts for Jon Scheyer’s first national championship. Cooper Flagg won the Wooden Award as a freshman last season, and this year, the versatile 6-foot-9 forward and two-time Gatorade Player of the Year will begin the season with the same ambitions.
Top competition: Darrion Williams, NC State (15.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.3 SPG at Texas Tech)
ASUN Conference
Jack Karasinski, Bellarmine Knights
The 6-foot-7 center finished top-10 in ASUN scoring a year ago, including field goal and free throw percentage. Unfortunately, Karasinski’s impressive numbers — 15.4 PPG, 39% from 3 and 77% from the charity stripe — were not enough to keep Bellarmine out of the basement (the Knights went 5-26). But a rebooted roster led by Karasinski should change the program’s fortunes this season.
Top competition: Chris Ashby, Queens (12.7 PPG, 89% FT%, school record 115 3-pointers made)
Atlantic 10 Conference
Robbie Avila, Saint Louis Billikens
Avila is still wearing the goggles. A year after leading Indiana State to the NIT championship game, Avila (17.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.2 SPG) had similar success at St. Louis. He was a second-team all-conference in 2024-25, and if the silky 6-foot-10 center can regain the 3-point stroke he had at Indiana State (39.4% 3P% in 2023-24), he could become the most dominant force in the A-10.
Top competition: Rafael Castro, George Washington (14.0 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.4 BPG)
Big East Conference
Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s Red Storm
Ejiofor played a critical role in St. John’s winning the Big East crown for the first time in 33 years and securing the Big East tournament championship for the first time in 25 years. The 6-foot-9 forward was rewarded with an All-Big East nod (14.7 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.4 BPG) to go with the league’s most improved honor.
Top competition: Alex Karaban, UConn (14.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.5 BPG)
Big Sky Conference
Money Williams, Montana Grizzlies
The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 13.2 points and made 80% of his free throw attempts last season, but he saved his best for last. In the final month of a season that ended with Montana’s first NCAA tournament appearance in six years, Williams averaged 17.1 points per game over six contests. If he carries that momentum into this season, he could end the year with a Big Sky Player of the Year trophy.
Top competition: Terri Miller Jr., Portland State (12.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.6 SPG)
Big South Conference
Toyaz Solomon, UNC Asheville Bulldogs
A 6-foot-9 forward, Solomon’s prominence is the result of durability: he was the only player on UNC Asheville’s roster to start every game last season. After connecting on 61% of his field goal attempts and earning second-team All-Big South honors last season (15.7 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.6 BPG), Solomon can build on that effort to fight for player of the year honors.
Top competition: Rob Martin, High Point (14.8 PPG, 4.5 APG, 40% 3P%)
Big 12 Conference
JT Toppin, Texas Tech Red Raiders
A second-team AP All-American last season, Toppin will enter this one as a serious contender for the Wooden Award. He had arguably the most surprising breakout season after transferring from New Mexico to Texas Tech, averaging 18.2 PPG, 9.4 RPG and 1.5 SPG for the Red Raiders. The 6-foot-9 forward withdrew from the NBA draft to help Texas Tech chase its first national title and boost his draft stock.
Top competition: Darryn Peterson, Kansas (No. 2 recruit in SC Next 100; projected No. 1 pick in ESPN’s latest 2026 mock draft)
Big Ten Conference
Braden Smith, Purdue Boilermakers
In ESPN’s ranking of the 2022 recruiting class, Smith was listed as the 31st-best guard. Fast forward three years, Smith enters this season as the favorite to win the Wooden Award. The 6-foot guard, who earned a spot on the AP All-America team last season, is back after earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors (15.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.2 SPG, 38% 3P%). He could become Purdue’s third Wooden Award winner in four years.
Top competition: Donovan Dent, UCLA (20.4 PPG, 6.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 40% 3P% at New Mexico)
Big West Conference
Aidan Mahaney, UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
Mahaney’s decision to leave Saint Mary’s for UConn following back-to-back All-West Coast Conference seasons did not yield the results he had anticipated. But if the 6-foot-3 guard can put that lackluster 2024-25 showing behind him and once again look like the young star he was in the WCC (13.9 PPG, 81% FT% at Saint Mary’s in 2023-24), he could make an immediate splash in his third conference in three years.
Top competition: Jason Fontenet II, UC Santa Barbara (9.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 77% FT%)
Coastal Athletic Association
Colby Duggan, Charleston Cougars
Duggan’s 32-point explosion in Campbell’s 97-81 loss to North Carolina last season — he led all scorers and finished 5-for-9 from beyond the arc — proved that the 6-foot-7 forward can compete against the game’s top tier. After that outing, he went on to lead the CAA in scoring (19.9 PPG) before transferring to Charleston.
Top competition: Tyler Tejada, Towson (16.7 PPG, 82% FT%)
Conference USA
Simeon Cottle, Kennesaw State Owls
When the 6-foot-2 guard scored 32 points in a win over New Mexico State in last season’s Conference USA tournament, it wasn’t a shocker. In fact, it was Cottle’s eighth outing with 25 or more points during the 2024-25 campaign. Another strength for Cottle? He has a gift for drawing fouls and making his free throws (87%).
Top competition: Jemel Jones, New Mexico State (18.9 PPG at Cal State Bakersfield)
Horizon League
Tuburu Naivalurua, Oakland Golden Grizzlies
In addition to the 6-foot-8 Australian forward’s raw numbers last season (13.9 PPG and 7.1 RPG), the Oakland star was also one of his conference’s most efficient players. Naivalurua made 56% of his shots inside the arc and was ranked sixth in the Horizon League among players with a usage rate of 20% or higher, per KenPom.
Top competition: Orlando Lovejoy, Detroit Mercy (16.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.6 APG)
Ivy League
Nick Townsend, Yale Bulldogs
The 6-foot-7 forward made an incredible leap from a sophomore reserve to a junior star and All-Ivy League selection last season, proving he’s a top contender for the league’s player of the year honors. A year ago, the third-generation Ivy League star — his mother and grandfather both played sports at Harvard — averaged 15.4 points and made 48% of his 3-point attempts. He could take his game to another level in 2025-26.
Top competition: Brandon Mitchell-Day, Dartmouth (13.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.8 APG)
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Amarri Monroe, Quinnipiac Bobcats
Monroe has been a catalyst for Quinnipiac’s 2023-24 and 2024-25 conference titles (18.1 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.3 SPG last season). Rather than bolt for a higher-profile team, however, the 6-foot-7 forward quickly exited the portal and returned for a third year. He’ll be a school legend if he can lead the Bobcats to the NCAA tournament for the first time as a Division I program.
Top competition: Justice Shoats, Siena (16.1 PPG, 4.7 APG)
Mid-American Conference
Peter Suder, Miami (OH) RedHawks
The 6-foot-5 wing secured All-MAC honors after helping his squad win 25 games to finish second in the conference standings last year. Suder, who started all of his team’s 34 games in 2024-25, connected on 57% of his shots inside the arc and 77% of his free throw attempts, while also compiling averages of 13.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 3.8 APG.
Top competition: Tavari Johnson, Akron (13.0 PPG, 3.8 APG, 39% 3P%)
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Ahmad Torrence, Norfolk State Spartans
A year after leading Norfolk State to its first MEAC conference tournament title and NCAA tournament appearance in three years, Robert Jones has reassembled a new team that will be led by Torrence, a three-star recruit. The New York prep standout could have picked a handful of mid-majors, but the 6-foot-5 combo guard chose to compete for a Norfolk State team that has won three of the last five MEAC regular-season titles.
Top competition: Bryce Harris, Howard (16.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 38% from 3P% in 2023-24; suffered a season-ending foot injury and played just seven games in 2024-25)
Missouri Valley Conference
Chase Walker, Illinois State Redbirds
The 6-foot-9 forward earned all-MVC honors last season with a dominant effort: 15.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG and 60% mark inside the arc. But Walker is in this spot because he finished the 2024-25 campaign with an excellent effort during his team’s run to the CBI championship (20.0 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.3 BPG in three games).
Top competition: Johnny Kinziger, Illinois State (14.6 PPG, 39% 3P%)
Mountain West Conference
Mason Falslev, Utah State Aggies
The 6-foot-3 wing helped Utah State finish third in the one of the strongest Mountain West races in recent history as the conference received four bids in last season’s NCAA tournament. The anchor of an Aggies squad that finished 20th in adjusted offensive efficiency and won 26 games (15.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.7 APG, 2.3 SPG, 39% 3P%), Falslev could become one of America’s best players this season.
Top competition: Elijah Price, Nevada (10.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 1.3 SPG)
Northeast Conference
Malachi Davis, Long Island University Sharks
In his first year with the program after transferring from Arizona State, Davis earned All-NEC honors after averaging 17.7 PPG and 3.2 APG. The 6-foot-4 guard saved his best performance for the end of the season, though: he averaged 19.5 points as his team won seven of its last eight games in 2024-25.
Top competition: Jamal Fuller, Long Island (12.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 37% 3P%)
Ohio Valley Conference
KK Robinson, Little Rock Trojans
Entering last season, Robinson (15.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.2 SPG in 2023-24) was picked as Blue Ribbon’s Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Player of the Year before a knee injury ended his 2024-25 campaign. This season, the 6-foot guard is back to lead a new roster at Little Rock, which is seeking its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2016.
Top competition: Johnathan Lawson, Little Rock (15.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 43% 3P%)
Patriot League
Austin Benigni, Navy Midshipmen
His 18 points weren’t enough to lead Navy past American in last season’s Patriot League tournament title game, but that lopsided 74-52 loss should give the 5-foot-11 guard — who averaged 18.8 PPG and 4.3 APG — motivation to push his squad to compete for the program’s first conference tournament championship and NCAA tournament appearance since 1998.
Top competition: Kyrone Alexander, Boston University (12.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.2 SPG)
Southeastern Conference
Otega Oweh, Kentucky Wildcats
The brother of Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Odafe Oweh, the 6-foot-5 guard could become the family’s brightest star if he earns an All-America nod, competes for the Wooden Award and leads Kentucky to the Final Four after a decadelong drought for the program. For Oweh, the SEC’s Preseason Player of the Year, all of those goals seem attainable. He’s on a shortlist of the best players in the country in 2025-26.
Top competition: Alex Condon, Florida (10.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.3 BPG)
Southern Conference
Rickey Bradley Jr., VMI Keydets
Bradley is one of the rare players in college basketball who left a school, transferred to another program (Georgia State), then returned to his original program. The 6-foot-2 guard made the most of that homecoming when he earned third-team All-Southern Conference honors (16.3 PPG, 37% 3P%) and led his team to the conference tournament semifinals, where the Keydets lost to Wofford.
Top competition: Billy Smith, Chattanooga (14.0 PPG, 39% 3P%, 95% FT% at Bellarmine)
Southland Conference
Javohn Garcia, McNeese Cowboys
Garcia, the reigning Southland Player of the Year who led his team to the second round of the NCAA tournament, was the perfect candidate to make a move in the portal. But even with Will Wade’s departure for NC State, Garcia (12.6 PPG, 81% FT%) stayed at McNeese State, where the 6-foot-2 guard can tack onto a remarkable 2024-25 season.
Top competition: Jakevion Buckley, New Orleans (14.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.8 SPG at Southeastern Louisiana)
Summit League
Isaac Bruns, South Dakota Coyotes
The 6-foot-4 guard made a leap of more than eight points per game between his freshman and sophomore season at South Dakota (14.6 PPG in 2024-25). That jump helped him earn All-Summit League honorable mention honors last season. This season, he can compete for player of the year if the 6-foot-4 guard can once again connect on 56% of his shots inside the arc and 85% of his shots from the charity stripe.
Top competition:Nolan Minnessale, St. Thomas-Minnesota (11.2 PPG, 1.2 SPG, 63% 2P%)
Sun Belt Conference
Robert Davis Jr., Old Dominion Monarchs
Davis is a volume shooter who led the Sun Belt in minutes played (nearly 36 per game) and launched more 3-pointers than any player in America (348). The 6-foot-6 guard’s next challenge is to become more efficient (15.6 PPG, 84% FT%, 38% 2%, 33% 3P%). If he can do that this year, he can be a more dominant force in the conference.
Top competition: Jalen Speer, Marshall (10.8 PPG, 81% FT%)
Southwestern Athletic Conference
Daeshun Ruffin, Jackson State Tigers
The impact of the 5-foot-10 guard on former NBA standout Mo Williams’ team was evident last season. Although Jackson State played a challenging nonconference schedule with matchups against Houston, Xavier, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Iowa State, the Tigers finished 16-8 when Ruffin (15.7 PPG, 4.2 APG) — who returned from a season-ending injury the previous year — was on the court.
Top competition: Michael Jacobs, Southern (11.3 PPG, 2.8 APG)
Western Athletic Conference
Dominique Daniels Jr., California Baptist Lancers
Last season, the 5-foot-10 guard scored at least 21 points in 11 games, a stretch that helped him earn All-WAC honors. He also finished with an average of 19.6 PPG, a tie for 27th place nationally with John Tonje, who was a second-team AP All-American at Wisconsin. Daniels’ 3.1 assists per game showed his unselfish approach to the game, too.
Top competition: Kendal Coleman, California Baptist (11.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 37% 3P%)
West Coast Conference
Graham Ike, Gonzaga Bulldogs
Surprise, surprise: Mark Few has another squad strong enough to potentially end the season with the program’s first national championship. The return of Ike (17.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG) gives the Bulldogs another star who should keep them alive deep into March. The 6-foot-9 forward earned All-WCC honors last year and is one of the most complete players (62% 2%, 81% FT%) in America.
Top competition: Paulius Murauskas, Saint Mary’s (12.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 74% FT%)
]

76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe joined some elite company on Wednesday night, putting up the most points in a debut in NBA history in more than 65 years.
Edgecombe’s 34 points against the Celtics in the Sixers’ 117-116 were the third-most in an NBA debut and the most since Wilt Chamberlain put up 43 on Oct. 24, 1959, for the Philadelphia Warriors.
The 20-year-old third overall pick in June’s draft also set a new franchise record for scoring in a debut, surpassing Allen Iverson, who scored 30 on Nov. 1, 1996.
Edgecombe even surpassed NBA superstar LeBron James for most points in a first quarter of an NBA debut with 14.
James had 12 when he played his first game with the Cavs on Oct. 29, 2003.
“Well, he’s pretty good,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said about Edgecombe’s performance. “I think there was some space there for him to shoot. I think there was some guys that were penetrating into some gaps and he was kind of spaced out there a lot. … He took some drives, think certainly a great start.”
Nurse noted a few things that he wanted to see Edgecombe work on, but overall, he called it “an amazing first game performance.”
Edgecombe finished the night shooting 13-for-26 from the field and 5-for-13 from 3-point range, pulling down seven rebounds with three assists.
Following the win, Edgecombe was doused in water by his teammates in celebration of his big night while he was speaking with the 76ers broadcast.
“That’s a debut, 77,” Tyrese Maxey yelled at him after dousing him in water.
The rookie combined with Maxey to record 74 of the Sixers’ points on Wednesday. Maxey finished the night with a game-high 40 points.
Edgecombe has local ties to the New York area, spending his junior and senior seasons of high school basketball playing for Long Island Lutheran.
He helped the school win a New York State championship in his junior season, and he was selected as a McDonald’s All-American his senior year.

MILWAUKEE — Ever since the NBA released its full regular-season schedule in August, Khris Middleton had been anticipating Wednesday’s night’s season opener.
After 12 seasons and 735 games with the Bucks — highlighted by winning the 2021 NBA championship — Middleton played his first game as a visitor in Milwaukee, this time as a member of the Wizards in a 133-120 Washington loss.
A sold-out crowd at Fisrev Forum serenaded Middleton with several standing ovations throughout the evening. The first came when his name was announced in pregame introductions. Another happened when a tribute video played on the scoreboard during a first-quarter timeout. And the last took place as Middleton checked out of the game after scoring a team-high 23 points.

Opening night isn’t a completely accurate look into how an NBA season is going to progress. Last year, the Hornets beat the Rockets on the road, for instance, and both of the Tuesday matchups were won by teams that would eventually lose to those same opponents in the playoffs — the Lakers to the Timberwolves and the Celtics to the Knicks. But it very often offers us our first true glimpse into the trends and storylines that ultimately wind up defining a given season.
Sure enough, a year ago the Cleveland Cavaliers dropped 136 points in a 30-point decimation of the Toronto Raptors, for instance. They had the best offense in the league across a 64-win season while the Raptors tanked. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander beat Nikola Jokić on the road and then took his MVP award. Opening night is the first real opportunity for players and teams to show the world what they spent the summer working toward. Sometimes it takes a while, as it did for the Rockets. Sometimes it’s immediate, as it was for the Cavaliers.
We have a whole season to offer measured takes on reliable samples. Opening night is for overreactions. So let’s go through each of these games in search of one extreme takeaway. Will any of these pan out? Well, if last year is any indication, some of them will, and others will look ridiculous. This is the NBA. It’s an ever-changing league, and it’s better to be too early on these changes than too late.
NBA opening night overreactions
Mavericks-Spurs: Victor Wembanyama is the best player in the world
Look past the numbers for a moment. I know that’s going to be difficult on a night in which Wembanyama scored 40 points, pulled in 15 rebounds, blocked three shots and made over 70% of his shots, but his stat lines are always gaudy.
What we saw on Wednesday was different.
This was no longer a baby bird spreading its wings. This was a dragon laying waste to any who would dare oppose him. The entire theory of the Dallas Mavericks was to build a team so gigantic that nobody could score against it. Wembanyama made it look easy. How many 7-5 centers have you ever seen pump fake into a drive that ended in a reverse dunk? How about blocking an opposing center on one end and then crossing him up for a four-point play on the other?
He’s running the floor like a small forward now, but he’s added enough bulk to bully centers. When Anthony Davis is so lost against you that he has no option but to foul, you know you’re doing something right. Maybe Nikola Jokić is still more valuable. Maybe Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hoists the trophy again at the end. But Victor Wembanyama’s season 3 premiere made the impossible look routine. No one else on Earth can do what he does. If he isn’t the best player in the NBA today, he will be in the very near future.
Timberwolves-Trail Blazers: Minnesota is still light on playmaking
Yes, the Timberwolves won, and yes, Anthony Edwards was spectacular with 41 points, but this game was closer than the Timberwolves likely suspected in part because this team remains light on playmaking. They assisted on only half of their 42 field goals and committed 19 turnovers. With Donte DiVincenzo replacing Mike Conley in the starting lineup and Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. expected to take on bigger roles this season, the Timberwolves are seemingly moving away from traditional point guards. Yes, 41 points from Edwards are nice. He’s capable of playing hero. But given the construction of this roster, the Timberwolves need more than one assist out of Edwards if they’re going to get by the many Western Conference teams that are better than the Blazers.
Kings-Suns: Signing Russell Westbrook was a mistake
It’s a bit cliche to blame Russell Westbrook, especially after a single game. The problem here is less what he did on the court, though a 2-of-8 shooting night in 19 minutes was hardly encouraging. The issue here is what he does to Sacramento’s roster. He got on the floor before Keon Ellis, the only reliable defender the Kings have, and that in turn limited Ellis to only 13 minutes. Meanwhile, the Kings closed their loss to the Suns with Dylan Caldwell, a two-way player, at center. Westbrook’s slot on the team probably should have gone to a defensive-minded big man. The roster is enormously unbalanced. They have too many players who need the ball and not enough frontcourt players to do the dirty work. Westbrook’s reputation affords him playing time that this specific roster needs to be spending elsewhere.
Clippers-Jazz: The Clippers are too old
The Clippers built the oldest roster in NBA history this offseason, and they likely felt justified in doing so because of how well their older players fared a year ago. James Harden was an All-Star and Kawhi Leonard looked like his peak self down the stretch, so they added Chris Paul, Bradley Beal and Brook Lopez to their basketball remake of The Expendables. Well, what happened when they tipped off on Wednesday? They were run off the floor by the younger, more athletic Jazz.
The Clippers scored just eight fast break points in defeat, and the starting trio of Leonard, Beal and Harden combined for only 30 points. Aside from Derrick Jones Jr., there isn’t much athleticism to speak of here. The Clippers need to out-execute opponents largely on skill, and if there is any slippage whatsoever from where those players were a year ago, that’s going to be very tough. They came out completely flat on opening night, and if that’s a sign of where they are physically now, things are only going to get harder in the dog days of the schedule.
Bulls-Pistons: Detroit doesn’t have enough shooting
Malik Beasley, as a reserve, was responsible for more than 30% of Detroit’s made 3-pointers last season. To put that number into perspective, Stephen Curry was responsible for around 32% of Golden State’s 3-pointers in 2021, the year he played without Klay Thompson. The Pistons hoped that Duncan Robinson would be enough to replace his shooting, but Robinson hasn’t made 40% of his 3s since 2021 and he missed all five of his attempts on Wednesday. Robinson is virtually unplayable when his shots don’t go in, but the Pistons have no choice.
Considering how much they have invested in Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren, who are non-shooters, they need Robinson to space the floor properly. They got the worst of both worlds on Wednesday, as Robinson did little for their offense while suffering defensively. Meanwhile, Cade Cunningham spent the game driving into traffic en route to an 8-of-24 shooting performance. The Pistons are at least one shooter short right now, but given how historic Beasley was a year ago, even that might not be enough to lift this offense.
Grizzlies-Pelicans: Ja Morant will return to the All-Star Game
Ja Morant more or less lost the 2023-24 season to injuries and suspension. He was back on the court last season, but injuries continued to weaken him, and so did a revamped offense that all but removed the pick-and-roll. His 11.4 paint points per game and 6.4 free throw attempts per game both represented meaningful dips from his 2022 peak, when he made his first All-Star Game. But with Tuomas Iisalo now locked in as head coach and an offseason of recovery behind him, Morant put up 20 paint points and eight free-throw attempts against the Pelicans on Wednesday, en route to 35 points on the night.
Everything Morant does offensively flows out of his ability to get to the basket and get to the line, and Iisalo has reconfigured the offense to maximize his opportunities to do so. This version of Morant is an All-Star, and if he can play like this when half of his team is injured, he’ll only get stronger as the season progresses.
Bucks-Wizards: Khris Middleton is back!
The Bucks are ineligible for any overreactions by virtue of having played the Wizards. We’re not even going to pretend to take anything away from their opening performance. But a former Buck that was on the other side Wednesday? That’s fair game. Can you guess the last time Khris Middleton scored 23 points in an NBA game? I’m almost certain you can’t, because it wasn’t even last season. No, it was Game 4 of Milwaukee’s five-game loss to Indiana in the 2024 postseason.
Khris Middleton shows love to Bucks fans in return to Milwaukee: ‘I think that’s every player’s dream’
Jack Maloney
A variety of injuries tore Middleton down to the point that he was essentially just salary filler in the Kyle Kuzma trade last February. But Middleton looked healthier than he has in quite some time with his 9-of-14 shooting performance against the Bucks on Wednesday. He can’t get to the rim like he used to, but he looked comfortable finding his patented mid-range looks against the Bucks, and if that persists, he immediately becomes a pretty interesting trade or buyout candidate come midseason.
Hawks-Raptors: Toronto can build a viable offense without shooting
The 2024-25 Toronto Raptors never scored more than 133 points in a game. They scored 138 on opening night this season, and here’s the kicker: They only shot 7-of-25 from 3-point range. This is Toronto in a nutshell. Dating back to the Nick Nurse years, they always lagged behind in shooting and playmaking, but made up for it by getting to the basket and scoring in transition. The Raptors had 34 fastbreak points on Wednesday to go along with 86 points in the paint. This is a weird group of players, and one that will probably need some mixing and matching from a lineup perspective. But they’re big, athletic, and relentless defensively. They’ll generate enough easy offense on that alone to survive, even if the shooting never quite comes around.
76ers-Celtics: Philadelphia belongs to the guards now
Joel Embiid played 20 minutes, scored four points against arguably the NBA’s thinnest front court and ultimately got benched for crunch time. His movement looked completely compromised. It should be panic time in Philadelphia, except VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey just announced themselves as perhaps the most unguardable backcourt in the NBA.
Joel Embiid looks like a shell of himself during 20 painful minutes in 76ers’ season-opening win vs. Celtics
Brad Botkin
The pair combined to make 12 3-pointers on the way to their 74 points, and that shooting makes their elite speed that much more lethal. Philadelphia’s big man may be slow and relatively unathletic at this stage of his career, but the 76ers can build a new identity around their backcourt’s skill and dynamism. A star was born in Edgecombe on Wednesday, and Maxey reaffirmed that status for himself after an injury-plagued tanking year.
Knicks-Cavaliers: Mike Brown and Leon Rose fixed the bench
If Tom Thibodeau had his way, his teams would rely on only five players. Maybe four. Luol Deng can play two positions at once, right? Mike Brown was hired in part to make the most of a bench built with limited resources, and he did just that in their 119-111 win against Cleveland. The Knicks used 11 players against the Cavaliers on Wednesday, and with Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart injured, that meant every player with a standard contract except Pacôme Dadiet and Mohamed Diawara saw real action. The result? The Knicks got 35 points from their bench after averaging a league-low (by a country mile) 21.7 a year ago.
Every reserve except Landry Shamet had a positive plus-minus. Ariel Hukporti stood out starting in Robinson’s place early on thanks to his energy and rebounding, but just about everyone did their part for the Knicks in their season-opening victory.
Magic-Heat: Orlando will end its 13-year streak as a bottom-10 offense
Death, taxes and bad Orlando offense. The Magic have ranked in the bottom 10 offensively 13 years in a row. That’s what compelled their offseason blockbuster for Desmond Bane, and against a stout Miami defense, Bane absolutely delivered. His 23 points obviously helped, but really, just having a threatening shooter on the floor changed everything for this offense. After ranking 24th in the NBA with 45.8 paint points per game a season ago, the Magic dropped 56 on a Heat frontline led by star defender Bam Adebayo. If Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero can take the next step with this newfound space, the Magic won’t just avoid the bottom-10, they might even sneak into the top 10.
Hornets-Nets: Charlotte has its centers
The Hornets traded Mark Williams twice and Nick Richards once, and to the naked eye, it looked like they just didn’t seek viable replacements. Well, it turns out, they’ve managed to fill the position for pennies on the dollar. Second-round rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner and former two-way player Moussa Diabaté combined to give Charlotte 23 points, 20 rebounds and three blocks in their 136-117 win over the Nets. Diabaté was a plus-minus darling on the defensive end a year ago, and Kalkbrenner won four consecutive Big East Defensive Player of the Year awards, so while they were pretty unheralded by typical NBA standards, the Hornets were justified in betting on them. That bet paid off on Wednesday. At least for now, they can roll forward with this duo.
Thunder-Rockets: Alperen Sengun is an MVP candidate
It’s been burbling all summer, especially at EuroBasket, where he drew comparisons to Nikola Jokić. Well, Tuesday was proof of concept. Alperen Sengun was for large stretches the best player on a court with Kevin Durant and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, ultimately scoring 39 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in the Houston loss. He made a career-high five 3-pointers — he’d previously topped out at three, and even that was a rarity. His finishing at the rim was a bit suspect last season, but he made four of his five restricted area shots against the Thunder. He led both teams with seven assists, no small feat considering he’s playing on a roster with very little ball-handling or shooting.
Rockets haunted by glaring lack of point guard competence in season-opening defeat
Brad Botkin
We came into the season not knowing how Houston’s offense would fare without Fred VanVleet. Tuesday gave us our answer: Through Sengun, and it’s going to vault him into some very lofty conversations.
Lakers-Warriors: Not even skinny Luka can fix this roster
Here’s a distressing statistic: 97 of the 109 points scored by the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday were scored or assisted on by Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves. Not great. Neither is a home loss when your best player has a 43-point, 12-rebound, nine-assist stat line. The Lakers shot 8-of-32 from deep, distressing in percentage of course, but also in volume given how much JJ Redick has talked about hoisting 3s.
The Lakers keep making the same mistakes, but now the stakes are higher than ever for Rob Pelinka
Sam Quinn

Cooper Flagg’s NBA debut was completely eclipsed by an MVP performance from Victor Wembanyama, who put up 40 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks. Flagg finished the game with 10 points and 10 rebounds on 4 of 13 from the floor in a 125-92 blowout loss to the Spurs, as the Mavericks were completely clueless in trying to slow Wembanyama.
In all fairness, it was always going to be an uphill battle for the Mavericks in this game, because Wembanyama is a literal cheat code on both ends of the floor. It’s actually surprising that Dallas entered this game as the slight betting favorites (-2.5), because there’s not a single player on that team who can credibly guard him. Anthony Davis was Dallas’ best shot, and he — a five-time All-Defensive player — was just lost with Wemby in front of him.
Having to play against Wembanyama is a difficult first test for Flagg, and while there will certainly be some overreactions because of the outsized expectations that come with being the No. 1 overall pick, there shouldn’t be any panic about his uneven debut.
NBA opening night overreactions for each game: Wembanyama could be NBA’s best player, Knicks fix huge problem
Sam Quinn
Flagg looked most comfortable offensively in the third quarter, where he scored eight of his 10 points. Unsurprisingly, all of that production came with Wembanyama off the floor, which allowed the rookie to attack the rim — what he’s best at — and get to his spots in the mid-range. His 10-minute stretch in the third quarter was the best snapshot of the type of offensive player he will be, and fortunately he won’t have to go against Wembanyama 82 times in a season.
He was aggressive on the boards and held his own defensively, but the Mavericks will have to figure out how he fits in the starting lineup, because the Flagg-at-point-guard experiment might need to be shelved as soon as the next game. It was something the Mavericks toyed with in the preseason to some success, so Dallas coach Jason Kidd stuck with it for the season opener.
Flagg’s obviously not a natural point guard, and the decision was made primarily because of his defensive capabilities, but what we got was just an unorganized mess. He wasn’t really involved on offense for most of the first half (just two shot attempts), and guys like Davis and Klay Thompson were playing iso ball. That’s really just a criticism of how the Mavericks’ offense looked, where there was little ball movement and everyone was settling for poor shots. That’s also the reality of playing against Wembanyama, whose presence quite literally scares teams from even looking at the paint. Still, though, putting Flagg at point guard feels like the Mavericks are making things harder than they have to be.
Yes, Kidd had success in the past with turning Giannis Antetokounmpo into a point-forward, but Flagg isn’t the physical specimen who can just impose his strength on guys and charge towards the rim. If Kidd wanted to see if Flagg would sink or swim, then that’s a fine test to give your rookie, but it doesn’t seem like a viable long-term option with the way this team is constructed.
If the Mavericks had plans to tank this season, then sure, run Flagg at point guard — let him just get the reps and don’t worry about the wins and losses. The skills he’ll develop at the position will certainly help him in the long run. But that’s not the reality of this team. They traded Luka Dončić for Davis in hopes of winning a championship now. This isn’t a roster built to tank, so balancing Flagg’s development with the desire to compete this season is going to be a difficult tightrope to walk.
The Mavericks signed D’Angelo Russell this past summer with the idea that he would be the starting point guard until Kyrie Irving got back, but Russell came off the bench on Wednesday. It was a bad night for Russell, just six points on 1 of 6 from the floor, but he’s someone who can get things organized on offense. Having him in the starting lineup would take the pressure off Flagg, who could be that secondary ball-handler without having the sole responsibility of running the offense.
Asking Flagg to be the point guard and play out of position feels like a massive ask for a rookie, especially on this specific team. He showed flashes in the third quarter of the type of player he can be, but the Mavericks have to put him in a position to succeed in order for him to put together more than a quarter’s worth of a good game.

Welcome to the Victor Wembanyama takeover of the NBA.
San Antonio found itself on national television Wednesday night for the “welcome the next generation” opening game matchup — Cooper Flagg and the Mavs against Wembanyama and the Spurs. The No. 1 pick in last June’s draft, Flagg has a very respectable 10 points and 10 rebound NBA debut with some impressive moments.
That’s not what anyone is talking about out of this game. Wembanyama looked like a player ready to make the leap into another stratosphere with a 40-point, 15-rebound game that doesn’t begin to describe how he dominated it.
All that and Wembanyama only played 30 minutes on the night.
That was enough for the Spurs to cruise to a comfortable 125-92 win on the road. Reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle was the second-best player on the court in this game and added 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting, while last June’s No. 2 pick in the draft, Dylan Harper, came off the bench for the Spurs and scored 15 in an uneven game that showed a lot of promise. Anthony Davis led the Mavericks with 22 points and 13 rebounds.

At 6-foot-11, Jabari Smith Jr. started at small forward for the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night. Or maybe he was the shooting guard.
When the former Auburn standout began his fourth NBA season, he did so as part of the tallest starting lineup for an opening-night game since the league began recording starters in the 1970-71 season.
At 6-7, Amen Thompson was the shortest Houston player on the court at tip-off against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The other three players – Steven Adams, Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun – stand 6-11, like Smith, giving the Rockets’ starting lineup an average height of 82.2 inches, or 6-feet, 10.2 inches.
Smith had an opportunity to be the opening-night hero against last season’s champion, but he missed a turnaround jumper at the buzzer as the Thunder held on for a 125-124 victory in double overtime.
Smith scored 16 points with five rebounds and one steal in 41:45 on the court.
More stories on the NBA
Players with Alabama basketball roots set to tip off NBA’s 80th season
Injury behind Grant Nelson’s late appearance at NBA training camp
Former Alabama All-American starts NBA career as a Teletubby
Two players with Alabama basketball roots made their NBA debuts in the game, even though they are playing on two-way contracts with the Thunder.
Each NBA team can have three players on two-way contracts. A two-way player does not count on the 15-player standard roster but can play up to 50 games with the NBA team while being shuttled to and from the team’s NBA Gatorade League affiliate without being subjected to waivers.
From Alma Bryant High School in Bayou La Batre, Brooks Barnhizer played 2:15 and did not record any stats.
From Alabama, Chris Youngblood got six seconds of court time in his first NBA game.
As a two-way player with Houston, JD Davison (Calhoun, Alabama) was in uniform for the Rockets, but he did not play.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder received their NBA championship rings Tuesday night before their season opener against the Houston Rockets.
Oklahoma City beat the Indiana Pacers in the Finals last season to win their first title since the franchise moved from Seattle in 2008. The Thunder won it all after a 68-14 regular season that earned them homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs.
https://twitter.com/okcthunder/status/1980777975680561227
Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the crowd before awarding rings to Thunder chairman Clay Bennett and team president Sam Presti. After that, the players came through a tunnel one by one, first hugging Silver, then Presti before receiving their rings from Bennett.
League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the last to receive his ring. He recieved M-V-P chants as he stood in the tunnel in the moments before he stepped onto the court. After he received his box, he opened it, looked at the ring and shimmied before joining his teammates.
The rings, designed by Jostens, are set in 14-karat gold with more than 800 custom-cut, hand-set gemstones.

This is it. The @okcthunder’s first NBA Championship Ring.

See it up-close on our new professional championship pages: @TheChampionsCo pic.twitter.com/5NOytJXNs6

— Jostens (@Jostens) October 21, 2025

The top of the rings have the letters OKC in diamonds on top of the team’s shield with the championship trophy outlined in gold around it. Forty-six taper-cut genuine blue sapphires encircle the logo. The rings have the letters NBA on the upper part of the front in diamonds with a gold background and the word champions on the lower part, also in diamonds with a gold background.
The rings have a ring within a ring feature, allowing recipients to wear the inner band as an alternative to the outer ring. There are 94 diamonds along the top and bottom edges of the inner band with the player’s signature engraved and their jersey number in diamonds. The numbers of each teammate wraps around the band.
The outer palm side of the main ring includes a tribute to the Gates of Time and the Reflecting Pool at the Oklahoma City National Memorial.
After the rings were handed out, the championship banner was raised.
The stars from that winning team — Gilgeous-Alexander, All-Star Jalen Williams and rising star Chet Holmgren — are back with the Thunder after signing extensions in the offseason. Coach Mark Daigneault and most of the bench return to make Oklahoma City one of the favorites again.
Houston’s new star is Kevin Durant, the ex-Thunder forward. His presence has put Houston on the short list of teams considered capable of dethroning Oklahoma City. Durant, 37, signed a two-year extension on Sunday.
Durant won four scoring titles and the 2014 MVP award with the Thunder before leaving to join the Golden State Warriors in free agency in 2016.

Double overtime, nailbiters, a photo-finish, and an almost Chris Webber (trademark pending by the man himself) – that was Kevin Durant’s blockbuster regular season start for Houston. Meeting the defending champions with another young core behind him was exactly as advertised. The game ended 125-124 in OKC’s favor after MVPs tied the scores. While his first win in a Rockets jersey should be a ‘goshdarnit’ moment for KD, he should be grateful for the results. He almost caused a huge no-no and only got away with it because Eric Dalen didn’t do anything. Who is Eric Dalen? Just the guy with the whistle.
The NBA is back on NBA and things got intense. The Rockets vs Thunder match in Paycom Center in Oklahoma City provided the most thrills of the season opener as Kevin Durant took on reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA tied the game at 104 with two seconds left, Alperen Sengun missed a jumper, and the game went into overtime. That’s when a little moment had the Internet adjust their monocles for a better look.
Who is Eric Dalen?
Eric Dalen was born on July 12, 1972 in Minnetonka, Minnesota. He resides in Cincinnati, Ohio when he’s not traveling for NBA games.
Dalen graduated from the University of Minnesota where he was actually a football star. He played tightend and was a letter-winner for two years. No clue on how he got into basketball instead of making a beeline for the NFL.
He’s married and a father of two children. But that’s about it for his personal life.
Eric Dalen’s NBA Career Highlights
According to the NBA Referees website, Dalen “officiated 752 regular-season games and two playoff games in 15 seasons as an NBA staff official. He also refereed the 2012 Rising Stars during NBA All-Star in Orlando.”
Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports
Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports
His favorite officiating memory was his first game as fulltime ref: Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets on Nov. 1, 2008. Despite decades of experience, refs aren’t immune to the occasional – okay, not that occasional – mistake. Dalen was not a factor in the outcome of tonight’s game actually. He, however, is responsible for that second overtime.
The Rockets vs OKC Opening Night Incident
Houston and Thunder were tied at 115 with 4.7 seconds left in the first overtime. Shai’s potential game-winner was blocked and KD got the possession with all the potential to overturn the game. He tried to call a timeout to get a walk-off shot. The big no-no is he forgot that Houston didn’t have any timeouts left. This is what has gone down in history as ‘The Chris Webber.’
The icon himself pulled that in the NCAA championship game. It invites a technical foul and it cost Webb’s team the championship and would haunt his entire legacy. KD almost did that to himself. If a referee had called it.
The officiating team of crew chief Zach Zarba, referee Eric Dalen and umpire Jason Goldenberg didn’t recognize the timeout before the buzzer sounded, sending the game to a second overtime. If he had got that tech, OKC would have gotten the free throws and possibly win the game in the first overtime. By all intents and purposes, Kevin Durant got away with a huge mistake.
SGA drew his sixth foul on KD in the second overtime, made two free throws, and put the Thunder at 125-123 to win their first game off a championship. So yeah, KD not getting the tech didn’t change the outcome of the game. He just evaded the blame for it.
He couldn’t avoid the meme treatment. And really, the funny comparisons to Chris Webber are not really bad. It’s actually the referee Eric Dalen catching the heat on a night where the officiants have irritated NBA viewers everywhere.
The referees have stolen the 2025-26 season opener across all games. Eric Dalen’s going to have more scrutiny on him for the rest of the season because he let this one pass.
Why is Eric Dalen Facing Criticism?
Although Chris Webber iconized this moment in the NCAA and would never repeat this mistake in the NBA, the rule applies. The NBA’s 2025-26 Official Rules address that specific situation in Rule No. 12 — Fouls and Penalties reads as follows:
“Requests for a timeout in excess of the authorized number shall be granted, and a technical foul shall be assessed. Following the timeout and free-throw attempt, the ball will be awarded to the team which shot the free throw, and play shall resume with a throw-in nearest the spot where play was interrupted.”
OKC players and coach Mark Daigneault were infuriated. They argued but nothing came of it. The game went on. Online, the reactions are more mocking Durant in tandem with Webber. The heat was taken off Dalen thanks to officiating drama at the Lakers-Warriors game.
A pool report is expected Tuesday night to explain the non-call on Durant’s attempted timeout. That might hardly cause a ripple since OKC won with or without that call.

As the 2025-26 NBA season tips off, one of the major discussion points around the league is the versatility of the Mavericks’ lineup.
With playmakers like Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg on the roster, Dallas could give opponents fits throughout the campaign. On Tuesday, head coach Jason Kidd was asked about the team’s length and whether that attribute makes the Mavericks the NBA’s strongest team.
“It has to be one of them. This is a long team, this is a big team,” Kidd told 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM). “We’re very lucky to have this roster. As we get healthy moving forward, it’s going to be exciting. Health is sometimes overlooked, but it’s a big part of trying to win a championship. We’re not healthy totally today, but as we go forward, hopefully we get closer to being healthy and we can put the best team forward to try and win a championship.”
Kidd further referenced how Dallas’ length should be a key factor in helping the team compete with some of the West’s top squads.
The Mavericks will face a key challenge from one of the NBA’s top big men in Victor Wembanyama to open the season Wednesday night. Kidd broke down how the Mavericks plan to account for the Spurs superstar.
“His footwork is like no other. His height and ability to get to the paint with maybe half a dribble, he covers a lot of space very quickly and he understands how to play the game the right way,” Kidd said. “He’s a willing passer. He can score. We’ll always talk about his defense, he’s always a presence. You always have to account for him because, even if he’s not guarding you, he has the ability to change or block shots.”
Listen to the rest of Kidd’s radio appearance here.

Remember the final preseason game with the Lakers’ Luka Doncic and the Kings, when fans were chipping off their nails in the fourth quarter, and one moment sparked a conversation about a topic that has been debated for years. During the third quarter, Doncic absorbed a bump on a drive that went uncalled, drawing reactions from the Lakers’ commentators.
“It was a bump. It was definitely contact,” one commentator noted, highlighting how certain plays go unnoticed depending on a player’s reputation in the league, before the discussion shifted from that single missed call to a broader view of how fouls are often influenced by a player’s standing. Even though it was preseason, the conversation is far from over, and as the regular season kicks off, referees continue to face scrutiny over similar calls.
Fans didn’t hold back on the referees, tweeting, “We don’t pay to watch the refs…”
Another wrote, “Can the refs please chill on the whistle?? This game will never end at this rate.”
One fan added, “Looks like the Lakers still have the refs in their back pockets. Some things never change.”
Another chimed in, “Idk what the refs smoked before this Lakers game cause that whistle keeps blowing man.”
And one more vented, “Lakers Warriors game officiating has to be one of the worst. Every possession a foul is called.”
(This is a developing story…)

As the 2025-2026 NBA season kicks off, there are still a few big names and regular rotation players who somehow found themselves without a seat when the summer music stopped.
Most NBA teams have already finalized their regular-season rosters, so changes this late will prove to be complicated. But when injuries mount — and some teams have glaring holes in their rosters already — it’s worth remembering there are still a few key players available that could make a difference.
Here are some of the overlooked free agents, and the teams where they can potentially be a bargain addition in a specific role.
Biggest names still available
Malik Beasley
Best fits: Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons
Why it should happen: Malik Beasley is not just the best shooter available; he is the best free agent right now, period. After a breakout year where he hit 319 threes – a mark only bested by three players in NBA history – the 28-year-old was reportedly about to get a three-year, $42 million contract. That’s until a gambling scandal hit. Beasley’s management claims that he is no longer a target in that investigation, but this issue has kept him unsigned until the league moved on and all the cap space dried up.
Beasley will take a massive haircut, and unless he convinces the rebuilding Jazz or Nets to pay him a bit more, he will likely have to settle for a minimum contract. That makes him an insane bargain for contenders, who unsurprisingly have already expressed interest.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are among the most notable suitors, after losing Ty Jerome to free agency and their best shooter in Max Strus to foot surgery. The Knicks and Timberwolves have also reportedly shown recent interest, and both have roster space, so Beasley could help either team as the first wing off the bench. A return to the Pistons can also have him continue in the same role he thrived in, albeit on a far smaller than expected paycheck.
Why it might not happen: The NBA has yet to technically clear Beasley from the gambling investigation. He says he can’t sign until then, but if or when he does, Beasley will be a bargain for any contender.
Ben Simmons
Best fits: Warriors, and so many other teams… potentially.
Why it should happen: Ben Simmons is still just 29 years old. Even with the tumultuous last couple of years, he still has career averages of 13 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. He can defend and play multiple positions, and with this versatility, Simmons can theoretically fill holes on several teams.
The aging Warriors could use some youth, size, defense and athleticism, and in an ideal world, Ben Simmons would be the perfect backup to Draymond Green. Curry and the rest of the shooters can solve any spacing issues from Simmons, and Warriors could retain some of the defense and playmaking when Green sits.
Ideally, coaches can find him a proper role, veteran players can steer Simmons the right way, and he can revive a career that saw him make three All-Star teams and two All-Defensive teams.
Why it might not happen: Getting him to the Warriors is complicated. They’re hard-capped at the second apron, and already waiting for Seth Curry’s prorated minimum to lower so they can sign him first. That’s not even the biggest hurdle, though.
Simmons could be an easy fit with so many teams if everything goes right, if he turns a new leaf, and if they even want him. But that’s a lot of variables, and we don’t even know if Simmons himself still even wants to play basketball at this point.
Markelle Fultz
Best fits: Would the Nuggets, Bucks, or Rockets even be interested?
Why it should happen: Just two years ago, Markelle Fultz started 60 games for the Orlando Magic and averaged 14 points, 4 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He’s only 27, still a serviceable defender, and there are several teams that need a second or third point guard.
The Denver Nuggets are banking on Jalen Pickett to make a big leap, but they still need a reliable bench option. There’s also the Milwaukee Bucks, who waived and stretched the injured Damian Lillard, the Houston Rockets, who lost Fred VanVleet for the year, and the Dallas Mavericks, who are somehow using Cooper Flagg as a point guard. There are openings, and maybe a team can see the former No. 1 overall pick as a low risk reclamation project.
Why it might not happen: Fultz slowly lost his rotation spot with the Magic in 2024, before ending up in Sacramento last season, where he barely played at all. The Kings have badly needed point guard help since losing De’Aaron Fox, so it’s a bit telling that they just let Fultz go long before they ended up signing Russell Westbrook.
Perhaps teams are better off looking for either a more proven veteran, or a younger prospect with higher upside. There are actually a bit of both available, and arguably better options in both respects on this list.
Spencer Dinwiddie
Best fits: Dallas Mavericks, Milwaukee Bucks
Why it should happen: As noted earlier, several teams can use a reliable point guard, and Spencer Dinwiddie is arguably the best option right now.
He wasn’t even supposed to be available, as Dinwiddie was one of the early signings when free agency opened. He played 79 games with the Dallas Mavericks, and as a starter in 30 games, Dinwiddie averaged 14.3 points and 6.2 assists. His play got him a $3.6 million deal in free agency, but due to a roster crunch, the Charlotte Hornets released him before he even got to play a single game.
Dinwiddie has somehow hit the open market again, and clearly the best fit is still the Mavericks, who have been experimenting with Cooper Flagg as a point guard during Kyrie Irving’s absence.
The Bucks also need point guard help, and since they’re below the luxury tax, it would be a less complicated signing.
Why it might not happen: The Mavs have a full roster after signing the likes of D’Angelo Russell and Dante Exum, and they’re now hard-capped at the second apron. They can do some maneuvering if they really wanted Dinwiddie, but they probably already had this discussion three months ago and they ended up parting ways. Either way, there will be teams that need a point guard, and Dinwiddie will probably be back in the league sooner or later.
Victor Oladipo
Best fit: Indiana Pacers
Why it should happen: Victor Oladipo was an All-NBA team member and two-time All-Star until injuries derailed his career. He’s been in China gunning for a comeback, so when his Guangzhou Loong Lions got a chance to play two pre-season NBA games, Oladipo absolutely went off.
Oladipo had 44 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists and 7 steals in his two preseason games against the Spurs and Clippers, showing that he clearly still has it at age 33.
Interestingly enough, the team he once led as an All-Star now badly needs guard depth. The Pacers have lost both Tyrese Haliburton and now T.J. McConnell due to injury, and Oladipo could provide much-needed scoring and defense from bench units. An NBA comeback to reunite with the Pacers would be almost poetic.
Why it might not happen: The Pacers are already dealing with injuries, so perhaps they might not roll the dice on someone with Oladipo’s injury history. Teams may also prefer younger guards, which are also available now.
Young players suddenly without a team
Keon Johnson
Best fit: LA Clippers
Why it should happen: Keon Johnson started in 56 of his 79 games for the Brooklyn Nets, but the rebuilding team decided to part ways with another young prospect because they somehow ended up adding six rookies in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Johnson is a lengthy combo guard, who also holds the NBA combine record for his 48-inch vertical. At 23, he’s the same age as some rookies, but he is already capable enough in the NBA to average 10.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1 steal in 24 minutes. He regularly gets deflections and blocks for his position, and can help a good number of teams.
His three-point shooting (31%) and overall offensive game still needs to develop. The aging LA Clippers already have that in abundance though, and could certainly use more youth, athleticism and defense. They can try to develop him into a similar role that Kris Dunn plays for them now, and Johnson could also be serviceable when veteran guards like James Harden, Bradley Beal, Chris Paul or Bogdan Bogdanovic get predictably sidelined.
Why it might not happen: This is his fourth year in the NBA, so Johnson isn’t eligible for a two-way deal anymore and will have to take up an official roster spot. The Clippers are hard-capped at the first apron and only have $1.3 million of space left. The Cavs, Pacers, and Lakers can all use athletic guards, but would need complicated roster moves to add Johnson. He also still needs time to develop, and Nets deemed that he wasn’t doing that fast enough to warrant a roster slot alongside six new rookies. His shooting and strength will have to improve to remain in the NBA, but his age and potential is certainly worth taking a flier on.
Bol Bol
Best fit: Philadelphia 76ers
Why it should happen: The Sixers somehow let Guerschon Yabusele walk, so now they lack bigs and even plan to have Paul George at power forward. With the likelihood of George, Joel Embiid and others missing time again, the Sixers need more size.
The market is thin (pun intended) but 25-year-old Bol Bol is worth a look, as he has length and can space the floor. The 7’3 second-generation NBA player averaged 6.8 points in 12 minutes a game for the Suns, and shot 34.4% from three. Although highly inconsistent, he did flash glimpses of that potential in a couple of big games last season.
Why it might not happen: Embiid is already injury-prone, so adding Bol Bol as well might not be ideal. The Celtics, Pacers, and Hornets are also thin on bigs, but their tax, roster and injury situations make it unlikely. It might also be telling that at 25, many teams and scouts have already given up on Bol Bol.
Yuki Kawamura, Mac McClung
Best fits: Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, Rebuilding Teams
Why it should happen: Yuki Kawamura and Mac McClung are probably the two most famous two-way players ever. The 5-foot-8 Kawamura captivated fans with his speed and flashy passing as the shortest player in the NBA, while McClung is known for being the reigning three-time slam dunk champion.
Both can play, with the 26-year-old McClung being a former G League MVP, and the second-year Japanese star putting on a show in Summer League to earn a two-way deal.
They each have a sizable following (Kawamura especially), but unfortunately they’re now in the same boat, as the Bulls have released them both before the start of the season. They’re two-way eligible though, making them a far easier signing for teams than others on this list.
Kawamura’s former team in the Grizzlies are now shorthanded with Scottie Pippen Jr. having surgery and Ja Morant still out. I’m not quite sure what direction the Kings or Suns are taking their roster, but they both also need point guard depth. Frankly, all the tanking rebuilding teams might as well just make things fun for their frustrated fanbase. If nothing else, a two-way deal would be a good business decision, given just how massive a mainstream star Kawamura has become in Japan and other countries.
For what it’s worth, outside of Hawaii, Sacramento has the second-largest Japanese population in America.
Why it might not happen: McClung was recently signed and then waived by the Bulls in just a three-hour span, likely meaning they already plan for him to play in their G League team.
Kawamura was waived by the Bulls due to a “medical condition” and “right lower leg pain.” There was no timetable on his return, and with the Bulls giving his two-way deal to someone else, could that suggest a more serious issue? Kawamura will reportedly remain with the team while he undergoes treatment, so perhaps he still has a pathway for a return with the Bulls? Either way, should he get cleared, teams can surely use someone like Kawamura (and his large fanbase).
Reliable veterans
Cory Joseph, Monte Morris
Best fits: San Antonio Spurs
Why it should happen: A good candidate for the Spurs is a possible reunion with Cory Joseph, who won a title with the team in 2014.
Joseph is 34, but still showed to be a reliable contributor as he played in 50 games and started every playoff game with the Magic last season. He can take the mentorship role that Chris Paul vacated, and can also fill up some backup minutes now that De’Aaron Fox and Jeremy Sochan are both injured.
Monte Morris can also be a younger option at 30, with the career 39% three-point shooter playing 45 games with the Phoenix Suns last season.
Both players can space the floor and take care of the ball, and the Spurs can certainly use more shooting and veteran stability. As mentioned above, the Kings, Bucks, Rockets, Nuggets and Mavs can all use backup point guard help, and they can do worse than these reliable vets.
Why it might not happen: The Spurs just gave their final roster spot to Bismack Biyombo with a non-guaranteed deal. Things can still change depending on Fox’s prognosis and the team’s depth, but adding either guard would have to come at the expense of someone’s spot on the team. Age is also obviously a factor for both players, Joseph especially, which could make GMs hesitate.
Morris also thought he had a deal with the Pacers, but a calf strain made the team move on before the contract got signed. The injury was said to last the entire pre-season, which was a harsh blow as most teams have finalized their roster by now.
Alec Burks, Torrey Craig
Best fits: Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers
Why it should happen: Teams always need shooting, which is why both Alec Burks and Torrey Craig have managed to stay in the league for so long. It’s actually a bit surprising that neither have contracts yet, Burks especially, as he shot 42.5% from three and started 14 games for the Heat last season. The “three-and-D” wing in Craig, on the other hand, shot 36.4% and 39.2% in the last two seasons with stints in Boston and Chicago.
The Orlando Magic badly need more shooting, and whoever loses out on the Malik Beasley sweepstakes could also do worse than picking up Burks or Craig.
Why it might not happen: Both players are now 34, and teams might prefer younger, developing players at the end of the bench.
Honorable mentions
Talen Horton-Tucker, Lonnie Walker IV
Once highly regarded prospects Talen Horton-Tucker and Lonnie Walker IV have bounced around in recent years, and are now both out of the league at just age 24 and 26.
Horton-Tucker went from being vastly overvalued and deemed “untouchable” in trade talks for All-Stars, to struggling to make the rotation even for rebuilding teams. Walker seems to have a better shot at finding a proper role, much like his recent stint with the Sixers, but he is also currently without a contract.
Older NBA veteran free agents also include the likes of Jae Crowder, Tristan Thompson, Markieff Morris, DeAndre Jordan and Taj Gibson.
Players available this late are unlikely to swing the title race, but signing the right player in the right role could be crucial to navigating the grueling 82-game slog a lot better.

Cooper Flagg is set for another major milestone on Wednesday night, as he plays his first-ever NBA regular season game for the Dallas Mavericks.
And as this year’s first overall draft pick begins his professional career in earnest against the San Antonio Spurs, his new team might be using him in an unconventional way.
Flagg stands at 6-foot-9 and is listed as a forward. But if preseason action and comments from his Mavericks coach are any indication, Flagg could very quickly be playing floor general for Dallas in a role as point guard.
Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving remains out with an injury, and Dallas could turn to Flagg for a share of the ballhandling responsibilities. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd is comfortable with the rookie playing that role, and so are Flagg’s Maine high school coach and longtime trainer.
“He’s best with the ball in transition,” said Earl Anderson, Flagg’s head coach on the 2022 Maine state champion Nokomis Regional High School team. “The NBA regular season is a transition game — that’s his wheelhouse, having the ball in transition, because he’s just so good at making the right decision, making the right pass at the right time.”
That helps explain why Flagg has excelled at every level, from Nokomis to Duke University and now on the precipice of his NBA career in Dallas.
Flagg’s longtime player development coach, Matt MacKenzie, has been training with him throughout those various stops along the way, and he has little doubt that the 18-year-old can step into that playmaking role for Dallas.
“I expect Cooper, like any challenge put in front of him, will handle the pressure and expectations of having the ball in hands as a playmaker like a pro,” MacKenzie said Tuesday. “One of his greatest strengths is his ability to adapt to what is expected of him. He’s a highly intelligent basketball player and he’s obviously very skilled.”
MacKenzie, who owns Eastern Maine Sports Academy in Veazie where Flagg was seen draining 3-pointers while back in Maine over the summer, anticipates that the heralded rookie will keep building on his connection with his new teammates.
“He will continue to develop chemistry with his Mavs teammates, learn their strengths, their tendencies, and the timing of some of the actions they like to play through,” MacKenzie said. “As that process develops, Cooper is only going to continue to elevate his own game, but also the success of those around him.”
Anderson likened Flagg’s ability as a distributor to that of NBA legend Magic Johnson.
“You know, Magic Johnson was a great scorer, but he was a better passer. I mean, his greatness was his vision and court awareness and ability to see the floor and make the right pass at the right time.” Anderson said. “That’s Cooper. Cooper’s always done that at every level, any team he’s ever played for.”
That court vision and passing ability has always been part of Flagg’s game, according to Anderson.
“He’s tremendous with the ball, just because of his vision, and court awareness, and ability to deliver to the right person at the right time — and see the game in slow motion,” Anderson said.
Flagg may see the game in slow motion, but basketball fans have watched him skyrocket to great heights at astounding speeds. He enters the NBA at an age when he really should be starting his college career, but after reclassifying and skipping a year in high school, Flagg has cut an accelerated path to the highest level.
Despite that quick rise, MacKenzie expects Flagg to be exceedingly prepared for the moment.
“Cooper is dialed in,” MacKenzie said. “He’s been very intentional with his preparation for the upcoming season — not only in recent weeks, but dating back to the week after he finished his lone season at Duke.”
MacKenzie said Flagg has built professional habits across many facets of his daily routine.
“From his strength and conditioning, body work, recovery, and nutrition to the continued nuances he’s added to his skill set on the court and his growth as a student of the game,” MacKenzie said. “He’s as ready as any rookie coming into the league could be, and I know he’s excited for Wednesday.”
That debut on Wednesday seems likely to include some time running the offense for the Mavericks, something Kidd seemed just fine with when asked about it in recent days.
“Yeah, I think from Summer League to preseason he’s done a great job for the team playing at that position so I think we’re all comfortable with him doing that so we’ll see what happens on opening night,” Kid said, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
MacKenzie and Anderson clearly share Kidd’s comfort level.
And though it’s been clear to those around him for some time that the NBA was a likely destination, it’s still surreal to see Flagg arrive in such a prominent way.
“You knew he’s gonna end up in the NBA, but still, it doesn’t make it any less amazing,” Anderson said.

Candace Parker, a former star for the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, was on-site at Dodger Stadium on Friday to watch Shohei Ohtani’s legendary performance in L.A.’s 5-1 win, clinching a 2025 World Series appearance — and Parker provided a plethora of thoughts and reactions, via TNT Sports.

As the NBA season gets started, be prepared to hear about holding patterns. That is, how a ton of teams are in them. With injury blows dealt to the would-be major competitors — the Celtics, Pacers, Rockets, Cavaliers — and roster unease felt by the likes of the Bucks, Lakers, Sixers and Mavericks, there appears to be a growing sense that the 2025-2026 NBA season will be anything from part limbo to a whole asterisk.
The blunt counter to that argument is that this season, in all its upheaval, is actually more rule than exception. Not the injury part — those are always cruel shocks — but the rapidly shifting competitive landscape. This is the real-time terraforming of Adam Silver’s parity-rich league, where dynasties are a thing of the past and the sheer level of skill vaults teams with talent, a solid development plan, and a vision to fuse the two together ahead by several seasons at once.
In that vein, rather than approach this season as a stop-gap to whenever Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs are ready to go, or the Eastern Conference is back at full strength, why not zero in on the teams and people who find themselves in the NBA’s fast lane, in some cases against their will, and whether they like it or not?
Houston’s lift off
Have you ever been to a place where there are signs that say WRONG WAY at the bottom of an off-ramp, placed there because at some point someone treated it as an on-ramp? That is more or less where the Houston Rockets find themselves to start this season.
Houston’s front office took a look at their fast, punchy and second-place Western Conference finisher — but first-round playoff exit roster — and made the big move of the summer: trading for Kevin Durant. Not so difficult, given the Rockets’ fiery trajectory and the real-life purgatory of Durant’s former team, the Suns. At first, it looked like Houston gained one of the most prolific shooters and basketball minds of his time, while Durant got a chance to do the thing he says he always wants to do: just play basketball (he had this chance in Phoenix, Brooklyn, The Bay, and OKC before, but I digress). And of course, there was the stoic and unflappable Fred VanVleet there to keep everything between the lines.
When VanVleet tore his ACL in a preseason mini-camp, and was assessed as effectively out for the season, the Rockets lost more than a floor general — they found themselves suddenly staring at the WRONG WAY sign. Ime Udoka may have shown his team the movie ‘Paid In Full’ to boost morale, comparing VanVleet’s injury to a gunshot wound, but without him the Rockets effectively face an entirely new direction.
That’s the major thing many seem to be missing, or willfully suspending from their minds, as they take stock of this Rockets team without VanVleet. Sure, Houston could pick up a point guard mid-season, or Ime Udoka could start playing Reed Sheppard — a person who seemed all but invisible to him last season — more, or they could just play really, really big, but this team has already punched their ticket to being the accelerationists of this season.
What’s more, with Durant in the locker room there are only so many seasons due to Houston. Whether his age (37 amidst a roster with an average age of 25) or his track record with coaches (he’s had six since leaving the Warriors), the Durant in Houston era fuse has been lit (even if they made that fuse a little longer by preemptively extending him). You can picture it like the cartoonish spark on ACME brand dynamite — especially if you doubt how Udoka’s heavy-handed approach will mesh with a mature athlete like Durant — or an elegant flame on a very tall, tapered candle, but however you see it in your mind’s eye, the countdown to a cartoonish kaboom has started. This is a team ticking down.
The Magic’s gone
For seasons, Orlando got to live within the grace period of being a young, up-and-coming team. This title, proffered in the past to clubs like the Thunder, the Cavs, and the Pistons, places teams within a bucolic basketball valley. There they are free to develop, make missteps and not be judged too harshly for them, over-achieve without worrying any would-be contender, and generally exist in the soft, golden light of public favor.
So, when I say the Magic’s gone, I don’t mean Orlando finds themselves without talent and propulsion, I mean they’ve been kicked from that magical valley and find themselves fully in reality’s stark light. The good news is Orlando seems poised, eerily as they were last season — but now with an Eastern Conference less a few main characters — to evolve into their final form.
Franz Wagner, fully recovered from last season’s oblique tear, led Germany to a Euro Basket Championship over the summer; Paolo Banchero is also back from the same freakish, funhouse mirrored injury and with a fresh contract extension to instil a lot of confidence for his place within the roster. The Magic gained Desmond Bane over the summer, and are so deep with talent he’ll likely be a secondary creator to start (the Grizzlies, in contrast, will miss him dearly as a primary engine), and Jalen Suggs is ramping up his practice play to full-contact, hinting at a return sooner than later. Mo Wagner should also be returning mid-season, and by then the Magic could well be sitting at the top of the East.
It’s not always a bad thing, to be booted from the NBA’s safe haven of youth and the low-to-no stakes classification that comes with it. Most teams have it foisted upon them or are else kicked unceremoniously out. The Magic have a bit of a grace period on their side, I think, before the majority of the league catches on to their transformation. That doesn’t mean they should hold anything back to start the season.
LeBron James, a forced outro?
It’s jarring, to look at the NBA and not see it cast in the formidable and very long shadow of LeBron James. To instead see it in the full light of a new day, where the guard of who carries the most competitive weight is no longer changing but thoroughly changed (the Thunder’s win secured that), and James himself no longer holds the same sway over the league or even his own franchise. It’s jarring because it’s entirely new territory. Not just for fans, but for the league, which has so long leaned on James as the perfect spokesman for its growth and optics; the impeccable, ideal figurehead.
For the first time in his long career, James finds himself starting a season on an expiring contract (also not starting a season — he’ll be out until at least November), and in someone else’s shadow. That shadow isn’t necessarily cold, but the temp’s noticeably dipped. Luka Doncic’s summer tour was meant to announce him as the new face of the league’s sunniest, mega-watt team, and it worked. We know it worked because James toggled his usual levers of media manipulation to wrest back some of the spotlight and failed.
James finding himself in the fast lane of time, perhaps in its whiplash of catching up, was always going to — eventually — happen. What he’s been so masterful about is controlling time’s relentless march, setting it to his own beat for so many seasons that to see him appear as sort of just human — unsure, annoyed, sore — feels unnatural, awkwardly out of step instead of the most relatable version of all.
Whether he chooses to stay with the Lakers or sign with a former franchise for one more run feels, for the first time, like an entirely spontaneous decision. One that he may have been forced into in ways new and uncomfortable to him, but novel in the grand scheme of his 23-year career.
And they said he’d run out of surprises.

Presentando su nuevo físico, más ligero y atlético que en años anteriores, Luka Doncic tuvo una buena actuación en el partido inaugural de los Lakers en la temporada 2025-26 de la NBA, pero la ausencia de LeBron James se sintió la noche del martes en Los Ángeles.
Jimmy Butler y Stephen Curry se combinaron para 54 puntos y los Warriors vencieron a los Lakers 119-109 a pesar de las 43 unidades de Doncic, quien necesitaba más ayuda de la que sus compañeros le proporcionaron.
En el otro partido del día de apertura de la NBA, el campeón Thunder de Oklahoma State se impuso a Houston en doble tiempo extra 125-124.
LeBron James vio, callado, desde el banquillo
LeBron James observó el juego inaugural desde el banquillo de su equipo, algo sin precedentes en su impresionante carrera profesional. Estará marginado por algunas semanas por ciática.
Sin el máximo anotador de la historia de la NBA, los Lakers no fueron capaces de aportarle suficiente ayuda al más delgado Luka Doncic, quien hizo un buen esfuerzo: 17 de 27 en tiros de campo, 43 puntos, 12 rebotes y 9 asistencias en 41 minutos. Fuera de Austin Reaves, quien anotó 26, ningún otro Laker tuvo más de 10 unidades.
Los Warriors fueron el equipo más dinámico y también fueron el más certero de larga distancia: Golden State metió 17 de 40 intentos de triple (45%), mientras que Los Ángeles apenas encestó 8 de 32 triples (25%).
L.A., que perdió su noveno juego inaugural en los últimos 10 años, cometió 9 pérdidas de balón tan solo en el primer periodo. Tras emparejar el juego en el segundo cuarto, perdió la brújula en el tercero (parcial de 35-25). Los Lakers, para colmo, fallaron 11 tiros libres en el partido.
Los debuts de Ayton, Smart y Horford con nuevo equipo
Los Lakers contaron con el debut de su nuevo centro Deandre Ayton, quien anotó 10 puntos (5 de 7), y del veterano guardia Marcus Smart (9 puntos, 3-6). Ayton intenta revivir su carrera, la cual se apagó tras excelentes campañas iniciales con Phoenix.
Por los Warriors, además de Butler (31 puntos) y Curry (23) -quien selló la victoria con un triple de último minuto para extinguir las esperanzas de remontada del equipo de casa-, Jonathan Kuminga y Buddy Hield anotaron 17.
El legendario dominicano Al Horford hizo su debut oficial con el equipo de la Bahía (5 puntos y 5 rebotes en 20 minutos).