LEXINGTON, Ky. — Mark Pope likes to refer to the Kentucky Wildcats jersey as “a sacred piece of cloth.”

Starting with the 2026-27 school year, that UK sports vestment could, hypothetically, have an ad for Big Ass Fans on it.

On Jan. 23, the NCAA Division I Cabinet approved a policy change that will take effect Aug. 1 and allow “...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — An upward trend appeared to be in the works, evidenced by the final stretch of the regular season.

The star point guard’s body even held up better than it had in the previous four years, allowing the face of the franchise to log a personal-best number of minutes since 2021-22.

The national spotlight, with the final glare ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — Just after he joined the Timberwolves, Ayo Dosunmu had a moment with coach Chris Finch that let him know Minnesota could be a place he spends the next chapter of his career.

“Basically, he just told me go play,” Dosunmu said. “ ‘I trust you.’ Just him instilling that confidence in me right away from our first ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — With Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Miami Heat have gained an escape valve; when in doubt, have Giannis figure it out.

But by giving up so much in the transaction, the Heat also have created pressure points elsewhere among those who remain from last season’s roster.

So, yes, it was a transaction embraced organizationally. But ...Read more

DENVER — There are battleships hovering around the Strait of Hormuz right now that change direction faster than Jonas Valanciunas can.

Not a knock on the big lug. Honest. The hoops wonks on The Grading The Week staff had nothing but pleasant exchanges with Val while he was a member of the Nuggets — a curious calendar year that came to a ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — With all due respect to LeBron James, the Sixers’ greatest and most impactful unknown is the same as it has always been.

Mike Gansey acknowledged as much on Thursday.

“Obviously,” the Sixers new president of basketball operations said in a courtside interview during ESPN’s broadcast of the team’s summer league opener...Read more

LAS VEGAS — Minutes after speaking at length to South Florida media Friday about how his time with the Miami Heat will be remembered with fond memories, former Heat guard Tyler Herro left Thomas & Mack Center offering only, “My only comment is no comment.”

Between his interview with the team’s beat writers and that exit, word came out ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — To say Friday was a case of split attention for the Miami Heat at the NBA Summer League would be an understatement.

On one hand, the Heat’s summer roster was pushing past the Bucks’ summer roster, 119-86 at Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus, with Heat general manager Andy Elisburg and coach Erik Spoelstra looking on.

On...Read more

Michigan took the internal route to find a new permanent men’s basketball coach.

Athletic director Warde Manuel announced Friday that he has dropped the interim tag on Mike Boynton Jr. and hired him as the program’s head coach.

Boynton agreed to a two-year deal, according to a release sent out by the program. The terms were not disclosed. ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Biblical references seem to find a home with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Moses Malone arrived in 1982 and immediately led the team to the promised land.

Allen Iverson arrived in 1996 and, five years later, took the Sixers to the NBA Finals. For fans of gospel music, his nickname, “The Answer,” recalled a 1970s hit by Andraé ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — Now we’re talking.

The idea of different ownership groups desiring to bring an NBA expansion team to Las Vegas just got a lot more serious.

And better for it.

Jerry Colangelo, the former owner of the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks, is throwing his name onto the court as someone who wants to lead the charge of landing ...Read more

As he prepares for the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe, Warriors star Steph Curry fielded questions Thursday about the Warriors’ offseason.

The most notable topic of conversation at Edgewood Tahoe was a move the Warriors have not yet made.

Golden State is a candidate to sign longtime nemesis LeBron James...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Toronto Raptors have put the brakes on acquiring Kawhi Leonard from the Clippers, announcing Thursday that the trade is on hold until the NBA investigation into whether the Clippers circumvented salary cap rules is complete.

"The NBA league office informed us that as a result of the ongoing investigation involving the ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — It wasn’t the first time Brad Stevens had heard the question. His story piques a natural curiosity. A man widely regarded as one of the world’s finest basketball coaches walked away from one of the world’s finest basketball coaching jobs at 44 years old. He did so to become a suit. Over the last five years, plenty of ...Read more

STORRS, Conn. — It may be hard to believe, but KK Arnold is about to embark on her senior year at UConn. She came in as such an exuberant freshman, known for making videos for social media, talking and playing hundred miles per hour and it seemed like that was a few weeks ago.

But here she is: KK Arnold, elder statesperson.

“It’s crazy ...Read more

There’s an ideology in sports that says, “Just get in the tournament and see what happens.”

LeBron James puts the Miami Heat in the tournament.

What, exactly, does that mean?

LeBron, the four-time NBA champion and four-time MVP who is mulling whether to re-join Miami as a free agent, is certainly still good enough to help the Heat make ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — With general manager Jon Horst addressing his team’s trade of Giannis Antetokounmpo for the first time in a media interaction, he made it clear the Milwaukee Bucks wanted it all from the Miami Heat.

In the wake of speculation that the Heat ultimately were bidding against themselves, Horst said it was made clear that there only ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Lynx dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season with their head coach Cheryl Reeve on the verge of setting the WNBA’s all-time record for regular season wins by a head coach.

After Monday’s loss to the Connecticut Sun, Lynx guard Kayla McBride was asked whether players felt pressure to get their ...Read more

DENVER — The Denver Nuggets are waiving backup center Jonas Valanciunas, a league source told The Denver Post on Wednesday, an expected move that provides them with at least $8 million in salary cap relief.

One year after a EuroLeague team tried to lure him away from the NBA, Valanciunas might have a path to return overseas and play closer to...Read more

Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry had a simple answer when asked by a spectator about the possibility of playing with LeBron James this upcoming season.

“I don’t mind it,” Curry said Wednesday as he prepared for this week’s American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe Resort.

James, the NBA’s all-...Read more