LOS ANGELES--UCLA received a double dose of welcome news Tuesday regarding the NBA draft: Thomas Welsh and Aaron Holiday are withdrawing their names from consideration.

Welsh announced on Twitter that he would return for his senior season; Holiday's mother, Toya, said in a text message to the Los Angeles Times that her son would come back for ...Read more

SAN ANTONIO -- In what could have been the last postgame press conference of his 14-year NBA career, Manu Ginobili described to reporters the magnitude of the Spurs' task against the Warriors with a metaphor in his native tongue.

"I said in Spanish, you go to war with a bat," Ginobili said. "You can swing, swing, swing, maybe you'll hit ...Read more

MIAMI -- The Miami Heat and Chris Bosh are moving close to resolution that will allow the team to shed Bosh's salary from its salary cap without concern of that figure returning to its cap, parties familiar with the proceedings confirmed to the Sun Sentinel.

Bosh was sidelined this past season when he failed a preseason physical, after missing ...Read more

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The news didn't necessarily come as a surprise to Cameron Johnson, a recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, but nonetheless, he had been hoping for a different outcome. He had been hoping he could play college basketball next season wherever he chose -- perhaps even at North Carolina.

Johnson, a 6-foot-7 guard who...Read more

For a team that didn't make the playoffs, if you didn't know better, you'd think the Miami Heat were headed to the NBA Finals.

Because there they are, regularly at AmericanAirlines Arena, getting up shots, running drills, or else holding workout sessions off site, such as last week's spin class that included Hassan Whiteside, James Johnson, ...Read more

In the least shocking development of Missouri basketball's transcendent offseason, Jontay Porter verbally committed Monday to new coach Cuonzo Martin's program.

His older brother, Michael Porter Jr., signed with the Tigers in April and his father, Michael Porter Sr., joined Martin's staff in March.

It was widely assumed Jontay Porter ...Read more

This summer, Kevin Durant has the opportunity to opt out of his deal with the Warriors. All expectations are that he will. But Durant continues to reiterate that it'll be a financial decision, not a relocation decision. He wants to remain with the Warriors.

"I love it here," Durant told The Undefeated in a recent interview. "I love my teammates...Read more

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- A lack of confidence and LeBron James do not seem to belong in the same sentence.

Not when the four-time league MVP had scored at least 25 points in each of the Cavaliers' 10 previous playoff games and at least 30 points in eight in a tow going into Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.

But close friend J.R. Smith said...Read more

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- A diversion agreement for former Kansas men's basketball player Josh Jackson includes stipulations that he attend anger management classes, refrain from alcohol and recreational drugs during the diversion period of 12 months and a write an apology letter, according to Douglas County court records.

Jackson was originally ...Read more

Hawks ownership was informed that Paul Millsap does not intend to exercise his player option for the 2017-18 season, according to a person familiar with the situation.

However, the four-time All-Star power forward did not need to inform the team of such an intention and could still exercise the final year of his contract up until June 23.

A ...Read more

The notion seemed to make perfect sense at the time, avoid a double flight connection from Lithuania to Poland by instead taking a bus after scouting a game.

In retrospect, Adam Simon, the Miami Heat's assistant general manager, now admits it probably wasn't the best idea.

"The best option was to get on a bus after a game, like at 11 o'clock ...Read more

The day after a Zaza Pachulia Game 1 closeout foul hurt Kawhi Leonard, Gregg Popovich went on a tirade about Pachulia's dirty play. The lively press conference stemmed from a little bit of sports hate.

But, for fans, sports hate often means real hate. The lines can be blurred. And in the days after Popovich's directed rant stoked the flames, ...Read more

Ben Simmons has yet to even play in a preseason game. Joel Embiid has not been cleared yet to resume scrimmaging. And we are weeks away from finding out what the 76ers are going to do in the June 22 draft.

Yet folks are wondering if the Sixers will make the playoffs next season.

"We talk about improvement, measured steps, taking the right path...Read more

SAN ANTONIO -- Two more rest days and a daunting 3-0 series hole doesn't seem like it'll be enough for Kawhi Leonard to return to these West Finals.

Leonard again didn't practice on Sunday for the Spurs and, after practice, Gregg Popovich told reporters that Leonard would "likely" remain out again for Game 4 on Monday night.

"If he's unable to...Read more

SAN ANTONIO -- Wounded and wobbly, the Spurs, trailing 2-0 in the series and clawing from behind in the third quarter, needed one more forceful shove to push their fading season onto life support.

Kevin Durant delivered the blow, squashing a desperate Spurs rally with a 19-point third quarter to bump the Warriors back into cruise control as ...Read more

SAN ANTONIO -- Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out for Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday night.

San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich met with reporters at shootaround on Saturday morning to confirm Leonard's status. The All-Star forward sprained his ankle in the third quarter of Game 1 on a controversial closeout ...Read more

BOSTON -- Just before tipoff Friday night in TD Garden, the NBA announced that Cavaliers star LeBron James was not among the league's three MVP finalists for the first time since 2008.

James came out in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden and played like a man scorned.

On Thursday, Kyrie Irving was ...Read more