EAST LANSING, Mich. — Tom Izzo appreciates a good four-letter word as much as the next coach, if not more.

And though the Hall of Famer isn’t always discerning about when and where he uses them — ask any of Izzo’s players, or even some of his favorite Big Ten referees — there’s one he simply won’t abide these days.

“Entitlement...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — On an average night in Brooklyn, I don’t imagine it’s difficult to find a 32-year-old man who is ambling along on his way and who, though taller than most men, cannot dunk a basketball. Still, it was a bit surprising to find such a person last Thursday night, on the basketball court inside the Barclays Center of all places, ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — A former Philadelphia-based professional gambler pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to helping engineer two separate betting schemes: one in which he bribed players to underperform in the NCAA and Chinese professional league, the other in which he placed bets on NBA contests using inside information about player injuries ...Read more

NEW YORK — Opposing NBA general managers are bullish about Jalen Brunson, but not as much about the Knicks’ chances to repeat as NBA champions.

Only one of the other 29 general managers picked the Knicks to win the 2026-27 title, according to the NBA’s annual GM survey, which came out Thursday.

The San Antonio Spurs received 50% of the ...Read more

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — As time ran out on UConn’s 20-point win over Syracuse Tuesday, the first action of the men’s basketball season filmed before a live audience, there were some feelings of melancholia over days gone by.

Those were the days, when the Huskies and the Orange played at least once a year to decide something, a pivotal regular...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Last March, as Travis Ford contemplated a return to men’s college basketball coaching, the vacancy at Little Rock was not even on his radar.

“I wasn’t interested in (Little Rock) at all,” Ford said Tuesday morning in a phone call. “There (were) several other schools that were talking to me, (but) my agent (Evan ...Read more

MIAMI — As he barreled through the paint in transition in the first quarter, paying no heed to Day’Ron Sharpe standing between himself and the rim, Giannis Antetokounmpo made clear with that emphatic driving layup he is ready.

As he tumbled hard to the court in the second period while fouled by Moe Wagner on a failed dunk attempt, ...Read more

Kristaps Porzingis shared details Wednesday about his health struggles in his first public statement since being ruled out at the beginning of Warriors training camp.

“Hello people, I’m working with doctors and experts to figure out how to be fully back to good health asap,” Porzingis posted on his personal X/Twitter account.

“Honestly...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The 76ers don’t start the regular season for another week, but LeBron James is already getting his reps in and blocking shots off the court as well.

In a recent commercial skit for his Anthony Edwards 3 shoes with Adidas, Edwards, a Minnesota Timberwolves star, took jabs at players around the league, including James, fellow ...Read more

NEW YORK — After a whirlwind offseason, the ball is bouncing the Red Storm’s way.

St. John’s got good news Tuesday on two key players, including that the NCAA deemed touted point guard Quinn Ellis eligible for the 2026-27 season, the New York Daily News confirmed.

Meanwhile, a hearing Tuesday saw a Queens judge leave in place the ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Jaden McDaniels, never shy about speaking his mind, proclaimed during Wolves media day a couple of weeks ago about teammate Anthony Edwards: “This is Year Seven. I think this could be the MVP season for him.”

Edwards, who has grown alongside McDaniels since they were rookies together in the 2020-21 season, returned the favor...Read more

The Atlanta Dream will host Games 3 and 4 of the WNBA Finals against the Golden State Valkyries in the building they will call home starting next season, not the one where they played most of their home games this year.

That's good because State Farm Arena — home of the NBA's Hawks and soon-to-be the fulltime home of the Dream — can seat ...Read more

An autographed Chicago Bulls jersey worn by Michael Jordan during Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals was privately sold to a Miami real estate investor for $14 million, an auction house announced Monday. The price is believed to be the highest ever paid for basketball memorabilia.

A game-worn red road jersey was purchased by Ron Firman, according to...Read more

MIAMI — Based on career resumes, the 2026-27 Miami Heat will be viewed as Giannis-Bam collaboration, with the top billing going to the newcomer.

But it can’t be just that, because there will be times when it will be Giannis Antetokounmpo without Bam Adebayo, and others when the Heat’s captain will be without the team’s prime offseason ...Read more

Back in 2016, when Joe Lacob infamously declared his Golden State empire was “light-years ahead” of everyone else, the basketball world chuckled, rolled its eyes, and waited patiently to turn that quote into a meme whenever a Warriors draft pick busted and the dynasty eventually faded.

Nobody is laughing now.

The Golden State Valkyries —...Read more

NEW YORK — Karl-Anthony Towns found out the New York Knicks were shutting down extension talks the same way everyone else did.

“It was news to me,” Towns told reporters after practice at the team’s Tarrytown, N.Y., training facility on Sunday. “Very disappointed to say the least. Let’s state the obvious. It’s business, but there ...Read more

MIAMI — Each season there seems to be that name, the name of the player who could make the Heat roster better, make the roster whole, make the roster championship level.

Last season, it was Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was chased through the final ticks at February’s NBA trade deadline, not to be obtained until the offseason. Before that, it ...Read more