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Pistons

The San Antonio Spurs have been playing one of their best basketball stretches this season, winning 18 of their last 20 games, and they are now back in familiar territory. The Spurs have won 50 games or more again for the first time since the 2016-17 season, and the conversation for the team has shifted into something far more serious.
The San Antonio Spurs are no longer a feel-good story. They are no longer just a young team figuring things out or a rebuilding group showing flashes. That last 50-win team was elite, built around Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge while still anchored by the championship DNA of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. That group knew how to win, knew how to execute, and most importantly, knew how to close games when everything slowed down.
This current Spurs team has been reincarnated from the same success. But this time, only younger, and still evolving. Yet somehow, the results are starting to look familiar.
The ball is moving and the defense is connected, just the way Spurs basketball is supposed to be played. The confidence is growing with every win. There is a rhythm to how they play, a sense of control that does not always show up in the standings but becomes obvious when you watch them over a stretch of games.
So the question now becomes unavoidable. Can the Spurs actually go out and win it all this season?
<h3>A foundation built on something rare</h3>
There are flashes of greatness with this team that go beyond typical rebuilding success. This is not just about stacking wins or overachieving expectations but rather about identity, and more importantly, sustainability.
San Antonio is playing a brand of basketball that feels both modern and timeless. They prioritize ball movement, spacing, and trust. They currently rank near the top of the league in assists per game, a clear reflection of their commitment to finding the best shot rather than forcing one.
Even with a generational talent leading the way, they are actively avoiding hero ball by design. Possessions rarely end with isolation-heavy sets unless absolutely necessary. Instead, the ball swings, players cut, and defenses are forced to rotate until something breaks.
That balance is what makes this team dangerous, and it is also what makes them historically unique.
The Spurs are on the verge of something rarely seen in NBA history. <a href="https://x.com/SpursReporter/status/2033475088729706608?s=20">They are close to becoming the only team to sustain eight players averaging double figures over a full season since the 1981-82 Denver Nuggets.</a> That Nuggets team became the gold standard for high-powered offense, averaging a league-record 126.5 points per game while embodying the idea that everybody eats.
San Antonio is knocking on that door. That kind of depth changes everything when the playoffs arrive. It gives them multiple counters, gives them flexibility, and it allows them to survive off nights from their stars because someone else can step up and carry the load. That is not common for a team this young, and what makes them a contender heading into the playoffs.
<h3>Victor Wembanyama is already that guy</h3>
At the center of it all is Victor Wembanyama.
There is no longer a need to temper expectations or speak in hypotheticals. He is a once-in-a-generation player, and more importantly, he is already playing like someone capable of leading a championship team.
At just 22 years old, Wembanyama is putting up numbers that place him firmly in the MVP conversation. He scores efficiently, protects the rim at an elite level, and continues to expand his offensive arsenal with every passing month.
His impact goes beyond scoring or defense. He alters games in ways that cannot always be captured in the box score. Opponents change their shot selection because he is on the floor. Guards hesitate on drives, and bigs are forced away from their comfort zones.
He is the type of player every contender wants. A player who can take over when necessary, but also elevate everyone around him.
That is the key difference, because Wembanyama does not just dominate. He fits within a system that empowers others, which makes the Spurs far less predictable and far more difficult to scheme against in a playoff setting.
And when the game slows down, when possessions tighten and defenses lock in, having a player who can create something out of nothing becomes invaluable. Wembanyama is already that kind of player.
<h3>A supporting cast that fits perfectly</h3>
Championship teams are never built on one player alone. What makes this Spurs team intriguing is how well the pieces around Wembanyama complement his strengths, both stylistically and mentally.
De&rsquo;Aaron Fox gives them a legitimate second star. His speed, shot creation, and ability to collapse defenses provide a different dimension to the offense. He can push the pace, create advantages early in possessions, and attack gaps before defenses are set.
More importantly, Fox knows how to handle pressure. He has been through playoff battles. He understands what it takes to execute late in games when every possession matters.
Devin Vassell continues to be one of the most reliable scorers on the roster. His midrange game is automatic, and his ability to space the floor as a catch-and-shoot threat makes him an ideal fit alongside both Fox and Wembanyama. He thrives in the gaps created by their gravity.
Stephon Castle has quickly established himself as a defensive anchor on the perimeter. He takes on the toughest assignments nightly and continues to grow offensively, showing more confidence as a slasher while steadily improving his jump shot.
Dylan Harper has been impactful from day one. As a rookie, his ability to attack the rim adds pressure to opposing defenses, and his development trajectory suggests he will be a key piece not just now, but for years to come.
Around them, the Spurs have built a roster filled with purpose.
Julian Champagnie and Harrison Barnes provide consistent shooting from the wings and corners, giving the offense the spacing it needs to operate at a high level. Their presence forces defenses to stay honest, opening driving lanes for Castle, Fox and Harper.
Keldon Johnson brings relentless energy off the bench. He plays with urgency, attacks the rim with force, and serves as the emotional heartbeat of the team. His willingness to embrace a bench role speaks volumes about the culture being built in San Antonio.
Luke Kornet offers stability as a backup big. He understands his role, plays within the system, and brings the experience of a champion, which can be valuable in moments when composure is needed.
Carter Bryant has quietly emerged as a hidden gem. He can defend multiple positions and knock down open shots, giving the Spurs another versatile piece in their rotation.
This is functional depth for the Spurs where every player has a role, and every role has value. More importantly, every player understands where they fit within the bigger picture, a usual recipe of success for a championship team.
<h3>The numbers are starting to align</h3>
For years, there has been a simple benchmark used to identify true contenders. The 40-20 rule.
Teams that reach 40 wins before 20 losses historically have a strong chance of competing for a championship. The Spurs have met that criteria, placing them firmly in the conversation with the league&rsquo;s elite.
As mentioned, they have also secured their first 50-win season since 2016-17, a reminder of the franchise&rsquo;s sustained excellence during its peak years. That stretch of 18 consecutive 50-win seasons remains one of the most remarkable runs in NBA history, and it set a standard that this new group is now trying to live up to.
After years of losing after their golden age, this season feels like the beginning of something new, yet strangely familiar. It speaks to the growth of their young core, and it reflects the internal development of players who have embraced their roles and elevated their games.
It also highlights the impact of head coach Mitch Johnson. Taking over in a post-Gregg Popovich era is no easy task. The expectations are different, the pressure is constant, and the comparisons are inevitable. Yet Johnson has managed to guide this group with clarity and confidence, maintaining the Spurs&rsquo; identity while adapting to the strengths of a new generation. He has done more than just keep the system intact &ndash; he has evolved it and fine tuned it for the foreseeable future.
<h3>The upcoming playoff reality check</h3>
However, even for all the reasons to believe, there are still questions that cannot be ignored.&nbsp;
The playoffs are a different environment. The pace slows down. Possessions become more valuable. Execution becomes everything.
And that is where experience often separates contenders from champions.
The Spurs are still young. Wembanyama may be playing at an MVP level, but this will be his first true playoff run with real expectations. The same goes for much of the roster. Fox and Kornet bring experience, but beyond them, this group has not been tested deep into the postseason.
That raises an important question. How will their inexperience show up when the stakes are at their highest?
Will their ball movement hold up against elite defenses that are specifically game-planning to take away their strengths? Playoff opponents will scout every action, every tendency, every preferred spot on the floor.
Will the Spurs be able to adjust on the fly when their first option is taken away? Or will they struggle when forced into late-clock situations where individual shot creation becomes necessary?
There is also the matter of their role players. During the regular season, depth wins games. Over an 82-game stretch, having multiple contributors averaging double figures is a luxury. But in the playoffs, rotations tighten, and the margin for error shrinks.
Will those same role players continue to produce when minutes become more defined and defensive intensity rises? Or will the Spurs find themselves needing more from their top-end talent than they have relied on so far? These are the questions that only the postseason can answer.
<h3>The narrative question that could define them</h3>
Beyond the X&rsquo;s and O&rsquo;s, there is another layer to this conversation. Every championship team has a defining narrative. Some teams are built through adversity. Others are driven by redemption. Some rise through experience after repeated failures.
The Spurs are still writing their story.&nbsp;
Are they a team that is arriving ahead of schedule, simply enjoying a breakthrough season before taking the next step in the coming years? Or are they a group that is ready right now, capable of skipping the usual timeline and capturing a title earlier than expected?
Then, there is also the pressure of expectation. At the start of the season, there was no burden. Every win felt like progress. Every loss was part of the process.
That has changed since then. Now, there is something at stake. Now, there is something to lose. How they handle that shift could define their postseason, because belief can shift a series. Confidence can change outcomes, and sometimes, a team that does not know it is supposed to wait ends up winning sooner than anyone predicted.
<h3>Can they actually do it and win it all?</h3>
On paper, the Spurs have the ingredients. They have a generational superstar playing at an MVP level. They have a second star who complements him. They have depth, shooting, defense, and a system that emphasizes trust and unselfishness.
They have momentum, they have belief, but championships are not won on paper. They are earned through experience, execution, and resilience under pressure.
The Spurs are close &ndash; closer than anyone expected this early in their timeline. Whether they are ready to take that final step this season remains the biggest question in the league. And that is what makes them one of the most fascinating teams to watch as the playoffs approach.
Because if everything clicks, if their identity holds, and if their young core rises to the moment, this may not just be the start of something special: it could be the moment it all comes through and arrives, and it is theirs for the taking.

The San Antonio Spurs are surging behind Victor Wembanyama and elite depth, but are they truly ready to win an NBA title this season?

Can the Spurs go out and win it all?

Anthony Edwards was part of Team USA&rsquo;s gold medal squad at the 2024 Paris Olympics, gaining valuable experience on the international stage while sharing the spotlight with some of the league&rsquo;s biggest names. But if Paris was about learning and contributing, Los Angeles in 2028 could be about leading.
With the trajectory his career is on, Edwards is poised to be one of, if not the face of Team USA heading into the next Olympic cycle. And this time, it will be on home soil.
The 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles already feel different. The stage will be bigger, the spotlight brighter, and the expectations even higher. Hosting the Games in the United States automatically adds another layer of energy and pride, especially with basketball likely being played at the Intuit Dome in front of a packed American crowd.
This year&rsquo;s NBA All-Star Game added even more intrigue to what LA 2028 could look like. With USA Stars facing off against the World&rsquo;s best, fans got a small but fascinating preview of what global basketball dominance looks like when the talent is split along national lines. The international game has never been stronger, and the gap between Team USA and the rest of the world continues to shrink. This is what makes the buildup toward 2028 even more compelling for Team USA and the rest of the world.
When asked about the possibility of Team USA facing this wave of international stars in Los Angeles two years from now, Edwards gave a short but telling response:
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know what it&rsquo;s gonna build up to but I know it&rsquo;s going to be packed, I know it&rsquo;s going to be a lot of people, and it&rsquo;s going to be fun.&rdquo;
That answer feels very on-brand for Edwards: confident, relaxed, and unfazed by the magnitude of the moment. But underneath that simplicity is a clear understanding: the atmosphere is going to be electric.
<h3>2026 NBA All-Star Team USA Stars squad could be a preview of Team USA&rsquo;s LA2028 Olympic team</h3>
This current crop of young American stars that are in Team USA Stars could very well be a preview of Team USA&rsquo;s LA 2028 roster. Cade Cunningham. Anthony Edwards. Devin Booker. Chet Holmgren. Jalen Duren. Tyrese Maxey. Scottie Barnes. Jalen Johnson.
These are not just promising names, they&rsquo;re All-Stars who are continuously improving year by year. They are the next wave, and they represent the future of USA Basketball.
Edwards, in particular, feels like the natural centerpiece of that group. He has the charisma, the fearlessness, and the scoring ability to thrive in Olympic play. His game translates internationally: explosive drives, shot-making from deep, and the confidence to take and make big shots when it matters most.
Cade Cunningham brings size and playmaking at the guard position. Devin Booker already has Olympic experience and understands the balance between scoring and sacrificing within a stacked roster. Chet Holmgren offers rim protection and floor spacing. Tyrese Maxey brings speed and energy. Scottie Barnes and Jalen Johnson add versatility and two-way impact. Jalen Duren gives Team USA interior strength and physicality.
That&rsquo;s what makes the thought of LA 2028 so intriguing. These players are already elite at a young age. Two more years of development, playoff battles, and growth could elevate them to an entirely different level. International competition demands cohesion and adaptability, but it also rewards talent and depth: which are two things this group won&rsquo;t lack.
Add in a couple more names in there like Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, Paolo Banchero, and Cooper Flagg, and it looks like Team USA will bring yet another star-studded lineup in the quadriennial global meet.
The global challenge will be real as the World team continues to produce MVPs and superstars. International programs are deeper, more disciplined, and more confident than ever before. The days of Team USA simply overwhelming opponents with athleticism alone are long gone.
But if this young core continues on its current path, Team USA will be bannered by young and hungry stars ready to bring home yet another gold for the stars and stripes.
LA 2028 will be a statement opportunity, a chance for the next generation to take ownership of the red, white, and blue. A chance for Anthony Edwards to go from rising star to unquestioned leader on the biggest international stage.
And if Edwards said proves to be right, then Los Angeles might deliver one of the most memorable Olympic basketball tournaments we&rsquo;ve ever seen.
The preview is already here, and the buildup has already started. Now it&rsquo;s just a matter of time, two years from now.

Anthony Edwards could lead Team USA at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics for the new generation of American stars.

Anthony Edwards on Team USA and the LA 2028 Olympics: “It’s gonna be fun”

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame revealed its class of 21 finalists for 2026, highlighting a mix of NBA legends, coaching icons, international contributors and historic teams eligible for enshrinement this year. Former NBA star Blake Griffin, WNBA great Candace Parker and veteran coach Doc Rivers headline the list &ndash; with the final inductees set to be announced on April 4 during Final Four weekend in Indianapolis.&nbsp;
The announcement underscores the broad scope of basketball&rsquo;s influence, spanning players, coaches, teams and contributors whose careers helped shape the sport at every level. This year&rsquo;s group reflects not just individual excellence in the NBA and WNBA, but also international impact and historic achievements that extended across decades.&nbsp;
<h3>Star players and historic teams among finalists</h3>
Leading the field on the player front are NBA standouts such as Blake Griffin, a six-time All-Star whose athleticism helped redefine the modern power forward role, and Amar&rsquo;e Stoudemire, the 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year and perennial All-Star. Former Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat frontcourt force Stoudemire joins Griffin as a first-time finalist.&nbsp;
On the women&rsquo;s side, Candace Parker &ndash; a two-time WNBA MVP and three-time champion &ndash; headlines the group alongside players like Elena Delle Donne and the 1996 United States Women&rsquo;s National Team, the latter of which remains one of the most iconic squads in U.S. basketball history.&nbsp;
<h3>Coaches, contributors and international figures in consideration</h3>
The coaching ranks are represented by high-impact figures including Doc Rivers, who led the 2008 Boston Celtics to an NBA championship and has accumulated more than 1,175 wins over a 27-year career, and Kelvin Sampson, whose 37-year coaching journey spans deep NCAA Tournament runs and consistent program building.&nbsp;
Also in the mix are Mark Few, the Gonzaga head coach known for transforming the Bulldogs into a national powerhouse, and longtime NBA referee Joey Crawford, adding officiating excellence to the finalist roster. International and contributor categories include figures such as Du&scaron;an Ivković, Tal Brody and Mike D&rsquo;Antoni &ndash; reflecting global influence and strategic contributions to the game.&nbsp;
<h3>What&rsquo;s next before enshrinement</h3>
Finalists will now be considered by the Hall of Fame&rsquo;s Honors Committee, which will determine the official Class of 2026. The selection will be publicly announced on April 4 &ndash; the Saturday of the NCAA Men&rsquo;s Final Four &ndash; and formal enshrinement is scheduled for August 15 at the Hall&rsquo;s home in Springfield, Massachusetts.&nbsp;
For many nominees, reaching finalist status represents a culmination of Hall-of-Fame worthy careers &ndash; from multifaceted stars who dominated on both ends of the court, to coaches whose leadership shaped generations, and teams whose collective legacy lives on in basketball lore.

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame revealed its class of 21 finalists for 2026.

NBA Hall of Fame announces 2026 finalists

There are great rookie seasons in the NBA that are etched into history. Every single one of the greats &ndash; LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Luka Doncic, and many more &ndash; have had awesome rookie seasons that are likely indicators of how their careers would pan out in the league. And then there are seasons that bend the timeline that puts you in a spot among other greats in the league.
Cooper Flagg&rsquo;s rookie year belongs in that category.
It isn&rsquo;t just hype, projection, or promise during this current season. This is real production that is historic and increasingly impossible to contextualize within normal rookie expectations. Flagg isn&rsquo;t just winning Rookie of the Year this season but he&rsquo;s separating himself from the field in a way that forces a different conversation altogether.
His recent stretch doesn&rsquo;t make any sense for a 19-year-old in the league, a teenager nonetheless. Over his last four games, Cooper Flagg has authored one of the most absurd scoring stretches the league has seen from a first-year player:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">32 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">36 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">34 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">49 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists</li>
</ul>
That&rsquo;s 37.8 points per game, 9.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists on an outrageous 64.1% true shooting &ndash; numbers that would be eye-popping for a superstar in his prime, let alone a 19-year-old navigating his first NBA season. His 151 points over that span are the most by a rookie in a four-game stretch since Allen Iverson in April of 1997. History doesn&rsquo;t offer many comparisons &ndash; and that&rsquo;s the point. Flagg is setting the bar for expectations higher than what he is projected to be coming into the season.
<h3>Rewriting the Rookie Record Book</h3>
With his most recent 32-point performance, Flagg added even more lines to a growing list of accomplishments that feel surreal for someone his age and he has rewrote some of the rookie record book&rsquo;s scoring performances:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">He is the youngest player in NBA history to record four straight 30-point games</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">He is the first rookie since Michael Jordan (1985) with four consecutive games of 30+ points and 5+ rebounds</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">He is the first rookie since Allen Iverson (1997) to score 150+ points over any four-game span</li>
</ul>
Those names aren&rsquo;t thrown around lightly &ndash; Jordan and Iverson &ndash; cornerstones of NBA mythology and greatness. Flagg isn&rsquo;t chasing their shadows &ndash; instead he&rsquo;s placing himself directly into their historical lanes.
To be completely clear, this isn&rsquo;t a knock and an indictment of fellow rookie and former college teammate Kon Knueppel, who has been outstanding in his own right. Knueppel has exceeded expectations, played with poise beyond his years, and established himself as one of the best rookies in the class with his shooting ability and gravity that also has never been before seen as a rookie coming in.
But this conversation isn&rsquo;t about second place &ndash; it&rsquo;s about recognizing that what Flagg is doing exists on a different plane. He&rsquo;s not merely outperforming his peers, but he&rsquo;s doing things rookies are not supposed to be capable of doing, let alone poised enough to sustain.
He plays with an understanding of space, timing, and pressure that typically comes years later. His confidence comes from a standpoint of certainty instead of a bravado that he brings with his game.
<h3>The Skill, the Poise, the Presence</h3>
But what separates Flagg isn&rsquo;t just the scoring alone, it&rsquo;s how it comes and how he does it. His skill, poise, and presence have all been outstanding right from the jump. Flagg scores at all three levels, punishes mismatches, makes advanced reads when help comes, and rebounds with purpose. He&rsquo;s decisive without being rushed, aggressive without being reckless, and dominant without hijacking the offense.
There&rsquo;s a calm to his game &ndash; a sense that he understands not just what&rsquo;s happening, but what&rsquo;s about to happen.
And that&rsquo;s the rare part. Rookies aren&rsquo;t supposed to react and adapt this fast into the league, and Flagg is already doing that.
<h3>&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;</h3>
The league has seen prodigies before. But even the best rookie scorers often come with inefficiencies, limitations, or narrow offensive roles. Flagg has avoided those pitfalls entirely, at least from what he is showing so far with almost two-thirds of the season done.
His efficiency remains elite, his workload is increasing, his confidence is compounding, and his impact stretches beyond the box score.
Opposing defenses are already loading up on him. Game plans are shifting, and the respect has arrived early. If anything, this will help him to become an even better basketball player.&nbsp;
At this point, the Rookie of the Year race feels like writing on the wall already. Barring something unforeseen, Cooper Flagg has separated himself decisively.
But awards are secondary to what&rsquo;s really happening. This is the emergence of a player who doesn&rsquo;t fit traditional developmental curves. A player whose ceiling conversations feel increasingly outdated because his present reality is already brushing against them.
Cooper Flagg is playing like the future of the league, among other bright stars ahead of him, and he will likely remain so for years to come.

Cooper Flagg is redefining what’s possible for a rookie, delivering a historic four-game stretch that places him among the greats.

Cooper Flagg is not your ordinary rookie

Free-agent guard Cam Thomas has agreed to a contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, setting up a fresh chapter for the 24-year-old scoring guard after being waived by the Brooklyn Nets shortly after the 2026 NBA trade deadline, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.&nbsp;
Thomas, who averaged 15.6 points, 3.1 assists and 1.8 rebounds this season over 24 games before dealing with hamstring issues, became an unrestricted free agent after Brooklyn cut him when no trade materialized before the deadline.&nbsp;
Milwaukee moved quickly to secure Thomas, seeing an opportunity to add an explosive scorer to its rotation for the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign. Over the past three seasons, Thomas has averaged 21.4 points per game, showcasing lethal scoring ability &ndash; particularly in his early years with the Nets &ndash; and the potential to provide instant offense for a Bucks team still trying to climb into play-in contention.&nbsp;
After agreeing to terms, Thomas explained why he chose Milwaukee: &ldquo;I picked Milwaukee because they wanted me and they told me they&rsquo;ve been interested for years now,&rdquo; he said in comments to Marc J. Spears. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m just hoping to meet everybody, get to know everybody and contribute as soon as possible.&rdquo;
For the Bucks, adding Thomas even on a short-term deal gives coach Doc Rivers another scoring option alongside stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and key backcourt pieces such as Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. It&rsquo;s a low-risk move that could pay off offensively if the young guard adapts well to his new role and finds efficiency with Milwaukee&rsquo;s spacing and playmaking.&nbsp;
After a split with Brooklyn, Cam Thomas gets a fresh opportunity in Milwaukee &ndash; a chance to re-establish himself as a dynamic scorer in a contender&rsquo;s rotation and potentially revive his free-agency stock ahead of the summer.

Free-agent guard Cam Thomas has agreed to a contract with the Milwaukee Bucks after being waived by the Brooklyn Nets.

Cam Thomas signs with Bucks after being waived by Nets

The NBA has officially unveiled the full rosters for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, marking another milestone in this season&rsquo;s midseason showcase.&nbsp;
With the league&rsquo;s annual celebration of its stars set for Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, fans now know exactly who will take part in the new USA vs. World round-robin format &ndash; featuring two U.S. teams and one international squad competing in 12-minute games before a championship finale.
The roster are set as follows:
<h4>Team USA Stripes</h4>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Stephen Curry &ndash; Golden State Warriors</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">LeBron James &ndash; Los Angeles Lakers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Kevin Durant &ndash; Houston Rockets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Kawhi Leonard &ndash; Los Angeles Clippers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jaylen Brown &ndash; Boston Celtics</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jalen Brunson &ndash; New York Knicks</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Donovan Mitchell &ndash; Cleveland Cavaliers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Norman Powell &ndash; Miami Heat&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h4>Team USA Stars</h4>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Anthony Edwards &ndash; Minnesota Timberwolves</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Devin Booker &ndash; Phoenix Suns</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Cade Cunningham &ndash; Detroit Pistons</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tyrese Maxey &ndash; Philadelphia 76ers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Scottie Barnes &ndash; Toronto Raptors</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jalen Duren &ndash; Detroit Pistons</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chet Holmgren &ndash; Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jalen Johnson &ndash; Atlanta Hawks&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h4>Team World</h4>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Luka Doncic &ndash; Los Angeles Lakers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Giannis Antetokounmpo &ndash; Milwaukee Bucks</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Shai Gilgeous-Alexander &ndash; Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Nikola Jokic &ndash; Denver Nuggets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Victor Wembanyama &ndash; San Antonio Spurs</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Pascal Siakam &ndash; Indiana Pacers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jamal Murray &ndash; Denver Nuggets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Deni Avdija &ndash; Portland Trail Blazers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Karl-Anthony Towns &ndash; New York Knicks&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
The starters were voted in by a combination of fans (50 %), NBA players (25 %), and media (25 %) while the reserves were selected by NBA head coaches.
Commissioner Adam Silver and the league office added Kawhi Leonard to the U.S. roster pool after strong midseason play and fan-driven support.&nbsp;
This year&rsquo;s format diverges significantly from traditional East vs. West competition by introducing three distinct All-Star teams &ndash; highlighting both U.S. talent and the international flavor of today&rsquo;s NBA.
With rosters now set, All-Star Weekend will also feature the Castrol Rising Stars Game, Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, and a slate of skills competitions and performances leading up to the main event. The round-robin USA vs. World tournament is designed to add competitive intrigue and showcase global NBA stars on the league&rsquo;s biggest midseason stage.

The NBA has officially unveiled the full rosters for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.

2026 NBA All-Star Game rosters revealed ahead of USA vs World showcase

Brandon Roy&rsquo;s Hall of Fame case has always existed in a space shaped by both brilliance and absence. His peak was undeniable. His career length was not. For years, those two truths complicated his candidacy.
Now, with Roy nominated for the Basketball Hall of Fame&rsquo;s 2026 class, the conversation returns with a different tone. Less hypothetical. More reflective.
During his prime in Portland, Roy was one of the league&rsquo;s most complete guards. He scored efficiently, controlled tempo, and closed games with calm authority. When possessions tightened late, the ball found him. Teammates trusted that instinct.
As shared with RG.org, when Roy was healthy, he was the kind of player who dictated outcomes rather than reacted to them. That distinction continues to resonate among peers and analysts alike.
Kevin Durant and Jamal Crawford have both voiced public support for Roy&rsquo;s candidacy. Their endorsements highlight something statistics cannot fully capture. Roy was studied. He was respected. His approach influenced how elite guards thought about control and pacing.
"I mean, nobody could speed up his game. He was always thinking on the court was always clutch, was always just a great player, and a great person, <a href="https://rg.org/news/basketball/durant-crawford-weigh-in-brandon-roy-hof-ballot">Said Crawford</a>.
"Knowing him since he was, 15 years old to present day, watching his growth and evolution, he's, obviously a Portland legend, a Seattle legend, and people give him his respect and his flowers, and they're so deserved. So to see him on the ballot was exciting. It's just, it's really, really cool.&rdquo; 
&ldquo;A player whose career was cut short by injuries, but every time I saw him on the court, he was one of the toughest players to stop of all time,&rdquo; said Durant.&nbsp;
Injuries ultimately robbed Roy of longevity. Knee issues forced him away from the game before his prime could fully unfold. But the Hall of Fame has long acknowledged that greatness is not measured solely by years played. Players whose careers were shortened by circumstances have been inducted before.
Roy&rsquo;s legacy extends beyond numbers. His moments remain vivid. His leadership shaped a franchise. Even after retirement, his return to basketball as a coach reflected his continued connection to the game.
The Hall of Fame conversation often centers on accumulation. Roy&rsquo;s candidacy challenges voters to consider the impact. Some careers burn briefly but brightly, leaving impressions that outlast seasons.
The question is no longer whether Brandon Roy mattered. The league remembers that clearly. The question is whether the Hall is prepared to honor a career defined by influence rather than duration.

Brandon Roy returns to the Hall of Fame ballot as conversations about his candidacy take on a more hopeful, different tone.

Brandon Roy, Former Three-Time All-Star, Nominated for 2026 Hall of Fame Class

The stage is set for the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup championship after the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs each secured their semifinal victories in Las Vegas. Both teams punched their tickets to Tuesday night&rsquo;s finale at T-Mobile Arena, where one will be crowned in-season tournament champion.
The New York Knicks continued their strong run in the Emirates NBA Cup, knocking off the Orlando Magic 132-120 in Friday&rsquo;s semifinal matchup. Jalen Brunson was virtually unstoppable, erupting for a season-high 40 points and adding 8 assists &ndash; scoring 25 points before halftime to seize control early and never look back. Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby provided strong support with 29 and 24 points respectively, while the Knicks shot a blistering 60.7 percent from the field.&nbsp;
New York&rsquo;s performance not only punched its ticket to the Cup final, but also underscored the offensive cohesion that has powered the franchise this season. With continued efficiency and depth, the Knicks enter the title game riding momentum.
In the nightcap, the San Antonio Spurs stunned the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder 111-109 to secure their spot in the Cup championship. Victor Wembanyama made a triumphant return from a calf injury, pouring in 22 points and grabbing nine rebounds, giving San Antonio a crucial lift. Spurs scoring wasn&rsquo;t limited to Wembanyama &ndash; Devin Vassell led the team with 23 points, while De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle added 22 apiece in the upset performance.
The Spurs&rsquo; victory also snapped Oklahoma City&rsquo;s season-best win streak, handing the Thunder just their second loss in 26 games and ending a historic run in Vegas.
Tuesday night&rsquo;s championship matchup will pit the Knicks against the Spurs, in what promises to be a compelling conclusion to the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup.

The stage is set for the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup championship after the Knicks and Spurs each secured their semifinal in Las Vegas.

2025 Emirates NBA Cup: Knicks, Spurs Advance to Championship Game

Bailey is a prominent figure in Utah's youth movement. At 19 years old and 6-foot-9 tall, the Jazz's No. 5 overall pick has quickly grabbed attention, not only from fans eager to see the future, but from a veteran who understands that kind of spotlight all too well.
Kevin Love was once among the top-five teenage options. In the locker next to him, he discovers a story unfolding that he recognizes.
<h2>A Mentor with Firsthand Experience</h2>
Love's approach is not about overloading Bailey with advice. Instead, the emphasis is on being present, having perspective, and being patient. He knows the NBA hits young players fast, with expectations, critiques, and the constant push to become what everyone believes you should be.
&ldquo;Embrace the challenge,&rdquo; <a href="https://rg.org/news/basketball/kevin-love-mentor-role-jazz-ace-bailey">Love has told him</a>. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s going to be a steep learning curve. A lot of voices, a lot coming at you&mdash;so find balance.&rdquo;
That's not just language used by veterans. Their lockers are side by side. Their conversations occur naturally, between practices, after games, and during the season's grind.
<h2>Big Moments Already Arriving</h2>
Bailey's production is already visible on the scoreboard, so it's not just an idea. His back-to-back 20-point performances have shown him to be more than just a long-term project in the league. He has become a contributor. A 152-128 win over Indiana was where his first 20-point night happened. His first start came soon after. Love regards these as mere signs of what's to come, not milestones to settle on.
&ldquo;One thing we know,&rdquo; Love says, &ldquo;he&rsquo;s only scratching the surface of what he can be.&rdquo;
<h2>&ldquo;P5&rdquo;: A Bond Rooted in Shared Pressure</h2>
Their nickname is P5. Pick Five. A reference to the starting point of their NBA journeys. While a draft position may not define a career, it can shape expectations. Love has experienced that reality, and he's helping Bailey navigate it before the pressure builds up too much.
&ldquo;I really see ways that I can help him,&rdquo; Love says. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want too many cooks in the kitchen right now.&rdquo;
The message? When a young player displays real star potential, guidance should be focused and intentional.
<h2>The Jazz&rsquo;s Investment Looks Promising</h2>
Bailey's frame or athleticism were not the only reasons why Utah selected him. They observed a wing with multiple layers that has the potential to become a cornerstone. Early indications indicate that they were correct. Bailey is already experiencing a slowdown in the game. He&rsquo;s building confidence. He&rsquo;s making plays. He's paying attention to the right people. Love's belief isn't about flattery; it's about projection. He has witnessed how careers can develop at this level.
When he voices his belief that Bailey has the potential to become exceptional, it's a voice worth listening to. The Jazz wanted a franchise piece. They may have found an ideal mentor to guide him on his journey.
&nbsp;

Kevin Love praises Jazz rookie Bailey’s early impact and shares how he’s guiding the 19-year-old No. 5 pick through his first NBA season.

Kevin Love Mentors Jazz Rookie Bailey’s Rapid Rise

Anthony Edwards has already climbed rungs most players spend a decade chasing. He&rsquo;s become an All-Star, a franchise centerpiece, a playoff force who can go toe-to-toe with the best players alive on the biggest stage. He has shown he can take over fourth quarters, silence arenas, and deliver the kind of moments that make you believe a superstar is being born right in front of you.
But for the Minnesota Timberwolves to go anywhere they haven&rsquo;t already been, he must become something more &ndash; something bigger, something definitive.
If the Wolves want to replicate or surpass the success of their previous two seasons of making the Western Conference Finals, Anthony Edwards has to rise into the undisputed top-five players in the world and deliver an MVP-level campaign. It&rsquo;s the simplest equation in Minnesota&rsquo;s season, and also the most demanding one. Wherever Edwards goes, the Wolves go.
This is not a criticism. It&rsquo;s a reflection of the standard he has already set.
Currently, Minnesota is running it back with the same core with Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, Julius Randle, and Donte DiVincenzo. They&rsquo;re banking on continuity once more, trusting that their identity, defense, and experience will continue to position them among the league&rsquo;s elite. But continuity can only take you so far when the rest of the NBA keeps getting better at faster speeds than any era ever before.
The Wolves know it. Edwards knows it. The leap that pushes Minnesota from &ldquo;very good&rdquo; to &ldquo;undeniably great&rdquo; must come from the player most capable of delivering it.
The need for a new level
Over the past two years, we saw glimpses of the best version of Anthony Edwards &ndash; a relentless downhill attacker, a dynamic scorer in isolation, a growing two-way force capable of changing the tenor of an entire game, and most recently, a volume three-point shooter. Edwards already showed he can be the best player on a playoff team, the kind who produces big-time performances under the brightest lights.
But with superstardom comes a new challenge: consistency.
Not the normal kind &ndash; the elite kind. The level of consistency reached by players who live in the top tier of the league: Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Doncic. These are players who have almost eradicated the concept of a &ldquo;bad game.&rdquo; Even when they struggle, they dominate. Even when shots don&rsquo;t fall, they find ways to control possessions, bend defenses, and dictate outcomes.
That&rsquo;s the level the Wolves need Edwards to reach.
The Wolves have been one of the league&rsquo;s premier defenses, but offensively they can grind to a halt. That&rsquo;s where Edwards must elevate them. When his jumper isn&rsquo;t falling &ndash; &nbsp; and it hasn&rsquo;t been consistently falling at times &ndash; he has to find new ways to bend defenses. He needs to attack, get to the rim, settle into rhythm midrange shots, get to the line, generate momentum, and use his gravity to create looks for others.
Every elite scorer eventually learns that shotmaking alone can&rsquo;t dictate their impact. It has to go deeper than that. For Minnesota to keep climbing, Edwards must become the kind of superstar whose influence transcends his jump shot.
Why a &ldquo;go-to move&rdquo; matters
Every great scorer eventually discovers not just what they can do, but what they can do every single night &ndash; consistently. The move that is immune to fatigue, gameplan, matchups, or defensive schemes. A shot that becomes automatic because it&rsquo;s been mastered so thoroughly that even the defense knows it&rsquo;s coming &ndash; and still can&rsquo;t stop it.
For Edwards, the next evolution might be exactly that: developing a signature, go-to scoring move.
This could take the shape of more post-up fadeaway jumpers &ndash; something he already flashes but hasn&rsquo;t fully leaned into. With his strength, footwork, and explosiveness, a polished post midrange package could unlock a completely different version of his offensive dominance. Think Michael Jordan. Think Kobe Bryant. Shots that become &ldquo;butter,&rdquo; the kind where the crowd knows it&rsquo;s good the moment it leaves the hand.
A signature shot would not only give Edwards a consistent scoring anchor; it would change how defenses scheme. It would force double teams, open passing windows, and elevate his playmaking simply by existing.
It would give Minnesota the offensive stability they have lacked during the toughest stretches of games. It would let Edwards control tempo, dictate matchups, and slow games down when everything feels chaotic.
Most importantly, it would give him the kind of unstoppable tool that the very best players in the world rely on &ndash; the kind that makes defenses helpless. Something like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander&rsquo;s midrange mastery and his two-foot plant; Nikola Jokic&rsquo;s touch in the paint for short and long floaters and hook shots; Giannis Antetokounmpo&rsquo;s relentless driving to the rim; Kevin Durant&rsquo;s pull-up jumper; Luka Doncic&rsquo;s step back and pivot steps; and Stephen Curry&rsquo;s off-ball movement and relocation shooting.
Minnesota&rsquo;s ceiling and the &lsquo;leap&rsquo; chase for Edwards
There&rsquo;s a fair argument that Minnesota may have reached its ceiling as a complete roster. Their defensive identity is elite. Their depth is strong. Their chemistry is real. Gobert and McDaniels anchor one of the toughest defensive backbones in basketball. Naz Reid remains a luxury most teams don&rsquo;t have. Mike Conley is a steadying presence who keeps everything organized. Julius Randle brings shot creation, rebounding, and physicality.
But when the postseason arrives, stars separate themselves &ndash; and separate teams.
That&rsquo;s why Minnesota&rsquo;s future rests on Edwards&rsquo; ability to make that leap. Not because he hasn&rsquo;t already been great, but because he must now become great every single night.
If Edwards averages 30 points per game or more, if he masters a go-to move, if he reaches that superstar comfort level where the game slows down and every shot feels like it&rsquo;s going in and becomes second nature &ndash; then Minnesota&rsquo;s ceiling rises with him. Suddenly, they&rsquo;re no longer a strong playoff contender. They become a legitimate championship threat.
Every champion in recent memory had an undisputed top-five guy in the league at the point of their title run:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Shai and the Thunder</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tatum and the Celtics</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jokic and the Nuggets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Steph and the Warriors</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Giannis and the Bucks</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">LeBron and the Lakers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Kawhi and the Raptors</li>
</ul>
The Wolves want to join that company &ndash; but that requires Edwards becoming that kind of a player.
What makes this moment for Edwards so compelling is that he has already shown he can reach these heights. The playoff runs, the highlight-reel moments, the takeover games, and the bursts of all-time-level shotmaking.
But now comes the harder part &ndash; turning flashes into a foundation.
This is where superstars become megastars &ndash; being a top-5 player in the NBA. This is where talent becomes legacy. This is where a young phenom becomes the defining force of a franchise.
And if Edwards embraces this next step &ndash; if he masters consistency, adds a signature move, deepens his offensive reads, and becomes the top-five player he can be &ndash; then the Wolves won&rsquo;t just remain one of the league&rsquo;s best stories: They&rsquo;ll become something much bigger and become a team with a real chance.
Minnesota can continue refining the pieces around him. They can continue to defend at an elite level. They can continue relying on their depth and structure.
But their future ultimately hinges on the evolution of their brightest star.
Anthony Edwards doesn&rsquo;t just hold the keys to Minnesota&rsquo;s success &ndash; he is the key. And if he rises to that top-five tier, the Wolves&rsquo; championship window will crack wide open and place them into the best of the best in the league for years to come.

As the Timberwolves chase another deep playoff run, Edwards must take the leap into the top-five players and take an MVP-level leap.

For Wolves to break through, Anthony Edwards must make an MVP-level leap

There was a time when every Nikola Jokic triple-double was a headline. Now, it&rsquo;s just another night in the NBA.
Through the first seven games of the season, Jokic has recorded a triple-double in five of them &ndash; a feat that, for almost any other player, would be hailed as an early-season masterpiece. For Jokic nowadays though, it barely makes noise &ndash; or so we thought.&nbsp;
His latest line &ndash; 33 points, 15 rebounds, and 16 assists in a win over the Miami Heat &ndash; came and went without much fanfare. No major debates, no viral clips, just another Nikola Jokic game.
It raises a sobering question: Have we started taking Nikola Jokic for granted?
When greatness becomes routine
In a league dominated by storylines, Jokic has somehow become background noise. There&rsquo;s the buzz surrounding Oklahoma City&rsquo;s rise to their dynasty aspirations, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander&rsquo;s another MVP-level play. There&rsquo;s Victor Wembanyama&rsquo;s historic two-way surge, Luka Doncic torching defenses nightly, and Giannis Antetokounmpo reclaiming his MVP momentum as the Bucks return back into contention. Amid all this, Jokic continues to produce at a level that would define other players&rsquo; careers &ndash; and yet, it&rsquo;s treated as business as usual.
Maybe that&rsquo;s the curse of consistency. Jokic has been performing at an MVP standard for six straight years, making extraordinary basketball look almost effortless. His greatness has lost its novelty, not its effectiveness. The NBA world seems to have reached the point where a 25-12-12 stat line is expected out of him night in and night out, and anything less is considered an off night.
That kind of expectation can only mean one thing: we might have grown numb to the brilliance of the Joker.
Jokic&rsquo;s game defies conventional flash. He doesn&rsquo;t soar above defenders, doesn&rsquo;t scream after dunks, and rarely demands attention. Instead, he dissects opponents with surgical precision &ndash; manipulating angles, finding shooters, and bending defenses until they break.&nbsp;
He makes the hardest parts of basketball look like second nature. And perhaps because of that, his dominance no longer shocks us.
Watch him closely, though, and it&rsquo;s clear this is not normal. No one in NBA history has combined this kind of scoring efficiency, playmaking creativity, and rebounding control in one body. Jokic&rsquo;s blend of power and patience, vision and touch, feels like something out of a different era &ndash; or maybe a different dimension.
Yet, somehow, it doesn&rsquo;t dominate the discourse anymore the way it once did.
The cost of familiarity
It&rsquo;s possible that &lsquo;voter fatigue&rsquo; has caught up with Jokic &ndash; not just in award voting, but in the public consciousness. When a player sustains greatness for this long, the conversation naturally shifts elsewhere. The media and fans often chase new narratives, new stars, new sensations. Jokic, who&rsquo;s been doing this for years, no longer fits the mold of &ldquo;breaking news.&rdquo;
But it&rsquo;s worth remembering: he&rsquo;s still the best player in basketball.
Since 2019, Jokic has averaged roughly 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists per game while leading the Denver Nuggets to sustained success, including the 2023 NBA Championship &ndash; a run that stamped his legacy as one of the all-time greats. And yet, even as he keeps doing it, his name often fades into the background of louder storylines.
The truth is, we&rsquo;ve normalized his greatness to the point where we no longer fully appreciate it. It&rsquo;s not that Jokic has gotten worse &ndash; it&rsquo;s that everyone else has gotten louder.
Led by Jokic, Nuggets quietly creep up atop the West
Part of the reason Jokic&rsquo;s brilliance flies under the radar is the Nuggets&rsquo; quiet offseason. While other teams made splashy moves &ndash; like Kevin Durant&rsquo;s shocking arrival in Houston &ndash; Denver operated with surgical precision rather than spectacle.
They brought back a familiar face in Bruce Brown, a key piece of their 2023 title run. Brown&rsquo;s return instantly reestablishes the defensive edge and chemistry that made Denver so complete during their championship push. His connection with Jokic is instinctive; he knows exactly when and where to cut, and Jokic always finds him.
The Nuggets also made a subtle but meaningful trade &ndash; flipping Michael Porter Jr. for Cameron Johnson. At first glance, it might seem like a downgrade in talent, but in practice, it could be an upgrade in fit. Johnson&rsquo;s spacing, unselfishness, and commitment to role-playing perfectly complement Jokic&rsquo;s system. He won&rsquo;t hijack possessions or hunt shots; he&rsquo;ll move, shoot, and defend &ndash; the exact formula that maximizes Jokic&rsquo;s playmaking brilliance.
Denver also finally addressed one of their lingering issues: the lack of a dependable backup center. The addition of Jonas Valanciunas gives them that stability. A bruising interior presence and elite screener, Valanciunas allows Denver to stay afloat when Jokic sits &ndash; a problem that&rsquo;s haunted them for years. He&rsquo;s also a sneaky-good passer, keeping Denver&rsquo;s dribble-handoff flow alive in bench units.
And perhaps the most underrated move of all is not a move at all: the return of a healthy Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon. Both have battled injuries during previous playoff runs, but when on the floor, they complete Denver&rsquo;s identity. Murray&rsquo;s two-man game with Jokic remains one of the most unstoppable actions in basketball, while Gordon&rsquo;s cutting, defense, and athleticism balance the Nuggets on both ends.
Another quiet storyline is their head coach David Adelman. After taking over midseason last year, Adelman has done an exceptional job keeping the Nuggets grounded and disciplined. His defensive tweaks and trust in player development have kept Denver sharp despite roster transitions. He doesn&rsquo;t seek the spotlight &ndash; much like Jokic &ndash; but his influence is felt in the team&rsquo;s structure, chemistry, and accountability.
Adelman has embraced what makes Jokic special: freedom within a framework. Denver plays through Jokic at all times, but it never feels forced. The rhythm of the offense &ndash; cuts, screens, spacing &ndash; is organic, built on years of familiarity and trust.
While the Thunder, Lakers, Spurs, and Rockets dominate headlines, the Nuggets are quietly creeping back into the Western Conference&rsquo;s top tier. It&rsquo;s easy to forget that Denver was one win away from eliminating the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder last postseason.
Now, with a more balanced roster, better depth, and a refreshed core, they&rsquo;re poised to make another deep run. And at the center of it all &ndash; both literally and figuratively &ndash; is Nikola Jokic, still orchestrating everything with unmatched control.
He&rsquo;s still the engine, still the mind, still the heartbeat of Denver basketball. And yet, somehow, we&rsquo;ve stopped talking about him.
The normalization of the extraordinary
Maybe that&rsquo;s the price of sustained brilliance &ndash; to be so consistently excellent that the world stops noticing.&nbsp;
But history will remember what the present often overlooks. Jokic isn&rsquo;t just putting up big numbers; he&rsquo;s reshaping what we thought possible for a big man.
One day, when we look back, we&rsquo;ll realize these seasons weren&rsquo;t normal. They were masterpieces hiding in plain sight.
Nikola Jokic hasn&rsquo;t fallen off &ndash; if anything, he&rsquo;s still climbing. It&rsquo;s the rest of us who&rsquo;ve forgotten to look up.

Nikola Jokic’s brilliance has become so routine that fans may be taking it for granted. Read why, here:

Has Nikola Jokic become underrated?

It&rsquo;s been a long time since Chicago basketball felt this good.
The United Center hasn&rsquo;t buzzed like this in years, and it&rsquo;s not because of a flashy superstar, a high-profile signing, or a sudden scoring explosion. It&rsquo;s because the Bulls &ndash; yes, these Bulls &ndash; are finally playing like a team again.
Through the first seven games of the 2025-26 NBA season, the severely underrated Chicago Bulls have stormed out to a 6&ndash;1 record, sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. For a franchise that has spent much of the past decade searching for identity and direction, this early surge represents something far more meaningful than wins and losses.
It&rsquo;s about rediscovering what Chicago basketball used to stand for: toughness, selflessness, and unity.
A new identity, finally defined
For years, the Bulls&rsquo; offense revolved around Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan &ndash; two elite scorers whose individual brilliance often overshadowed the collective. They were both incredible in isolation, capable of creating something out of nothing, but their styles never fully meshed with what head coach Billy Donovan envisioned.
This season, the picture looks entirely different. Without LaVine and DeRozan, Donovan has reshaped the Bulls into a system-driven, motion-heavy team that thrives on movement, cutting, and passing. There&rsquo;s no ball-dominant alpha demanding touches. Instead, every possession feels deliberate, purposeful &ndash; a shared effort rather than a solo performance.
The Bulls are just playing basketball the right way, they are screening, cutting, and trusting each other. Everyone touches the ball, and everyone matters.
The Bulls may not have a top-tier offensive engine or a dominant space creator, but they&rsquo;ve replaced that with balance, energy, and discipline. The result is a brand of basketball that is winning, and one that is repeatable, although it remains to be seen if it is sustainable to get them to the playoffs.
The key players behind the surge: Nikola Vucevic and Josh Giddey
At the heart of it all is Nikola Vucevic, the steadying veteran whose game has aged like fine wine.
At 35, Vucevic isn&rsquo;t just surviving in today&rsquo;s pace-and-space NBA, he&rsquo;s thriving. He&rsquo;s averaging near a double-double once again, but it&rsquo;s his leadership that&rsquo;s had the bigger impact. He anchors Chicago&rsquo;s offense with smart positioning and inside-out passing as well as his elite floor spacing, while providing an example for the team&rsquo;s younger players about consistency and professionalism.
If Vucevic is the team&rsquo;s heart, Josh Giddey has become its brain.
After a tense summer restricted free agency saga, Giddey returned to Chicago with something to prove &ndash; and it shows. Fresh off signing a long-term deal, he&rsquo;s playing with an assertiveness and confidence that eluded him in previous seasons. Giddey has found his groove and his playmaking has been elite, threading passes and elevating the play of everyone around him.
More importantly, Giddey has found the balance between facilitating and attacking. His improved scoring aggression has kept defenses honest, opening up cutting lanes and rhythm shots for teammates. Early on, he&rsquo;s looking every bit like an All-Star &ndash; and the Bulls are reaping the benefits.
The potential of Matas Buzelis and the rise of Ayo Dosunmu
While Vucevic and Giddey set the tone, the Bulls&rsquo; most exciting storyline might be the emergence of Matas Buzelis.
The hometown kid &ndash; born in Chicago and drafted by his city &ndash; is coming into his own. Buzelis has been given the green light to learn, make mistakes, and grow, a luxury few rookies receive in a major market. His length, shooting touch, and versatility have made him a seamless fit in Donovan&rsquo;s system, and his elite athleticism and rim pressure allows him to have a consistent scoring bag.
For a franchise that&rsquo;s long searched for its next cornerstone, Buzelis represents hope &ndash; the possibility of a homegrown star who could one day carry the torch for the next great Bulls era.
Speaking of hometown pride, Ayo Dosunmu continues to be one of Chicago&rsquo;s unsung heroes.
Dosunmu, another Illinois native, has blossomed into one of the league&rsquo;s best 3-and-D guards. But this season, Donovan has asked for more &ndash; and Dosunmu has delivered. He&rsquo;s taking on bigger offensive responsibilities while still anchoring the perimeter defense. His energy, versatility, and unselfishness epitomize the Bulls&rsquo; identity: no ego, just effort.
Depth, Balance, and Belief
Even with Coby White sidelined, the Bulls&rsquo; depth has been a revelation. Role players like Isaac Okoro, Tre Jones, Patrick Williams, Kevin Huerter, and Jalen Smith have each embraced their roles with clarity and confidence.
Okoro brings defensive tenacity. Jones provides steadiness at the point. Williams has settled into a reliable two-way rhythm. Huerter adds spacing and shooting, while Smith has given valuable minutes as a stretch big. None of them are stars &ndash; but together, they&rsquo;ve formed a cohesive, balanced rotation that works alongside their core.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
The city of Chicago has been waiting for a team to believe in again. Since the days of Derrick Rose&rsquo;s MVP run and Jimmy Butler&rsquo;s hope, the Bulls have cycled through rebuilds, retools, and false starts &ndash; flashes of potential that never quite materialized.
But this group is a fresh start. This team, defined by their collective purpose, embodies the city&rsquo;s blue-collar spirit. They may not have a global superstar yet, but they have something that&rsquo;s been missing for far too long: chemistry, identity, and belief.
Chicago knows greatness when it sees it. After all, it&rsquo;s the home of Michael Jordan &ndash; the standard by which all Bulls teams are measured. But even if this group isn&rsquo;t chasing banners just yet, they&rsquo;re chasing something just as important: respect, relevance, and revival.
For the first time in years, Bulls basketball matters again. And it&rsquo;s not because of who&rsquo;s scoring the most points &ndash; it&rsquo;s because they&rsquo;re doing it together.

The Chicago Bulls are off to their best start in years — not because of star power, but because of teamwork. Read more how, here:

Together again: How the Bulls’ collective identity sparked their strong start

Maybe it wasn&rsquo;t supposed to happen this fast.
When the Spurs selected Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 pick just over two years ago, even the most optimistic observers believed this would be a process &ndash; a slow, steady climb back to contention. A rebuild, even one with a generational talent at the center, usually takes time.
But time seems irrelevant when the player redefining the game is 7-foot-5 with the coordination of a guard, the mindset of a superstar, and the work ethic of someone who refuses to lose.
The Spurs are 4-0 &ndash; their best start in years &ndash; and there&rsquo;s nothing accidental about it.
They&rsquo;re organized, confident, and locked in. More than anything, they&rsquo;re hungry.
&ldquo;I was confronted with the possibility of more losing,&rdquo; Wembanyama said recently after a win. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want it anymore, and I&rsquo;m not taking this for granted.&rdquo;
That declaration feels like the pulse of San Antonio&rsquo;s resurgence. A team that was once patient with its rebuild has flipped a switch &ndash; and it&rsquo;s largely because its centerpiece refuses to accept mediocrity.
The arrival of an Alien
It&rsquo;s hard to describe what Wembanyama is doing without running out of adjectives.
After a transformative offseason &ndash; one that saw him train with Shaolin monks in China to improve his balance and discipline, and later with Jamal Crawford, Kevin Garnett, and Hakeem Olajuwon to refine his offensive arsenal &ndash; the 21-year-old phenom has returned with a skillset that borders on surreal.
He&rsquo;s no longer just blocking shots, shooting threes, and dunking over smaller defenders. Now he&rsquo;s hitting fadeaway jumpers from the elbow, using up-fakes to draw fouls, bumping shoulders into defenders before finishing with thunderous dunks, and even stepping back for threes with the confidence of a seasoned perimeter scorer.
The dribbling exhibitions have become routine &ndash; behind-the-back escapes, crossovers into pull-ups &ndash; sequences that leave crowds in awe and opponents shaking their heads.
It&rsquo;s one thing for a 6-foot-6 guard to play that way. It&rsquo;s another for a 7-foot-5 unicorn to move like one.
This is why his nickname, The Alien, has never felt more appropriate. There is simply no one else on Earth doing what he does, at his size, with this level of fluidity and command.
And yet, what separates Wembanyama from mere spectacle is that he&rsquo;s winning. He&rsquo;s not just filling highlight reels &ndash; he&rsquo;s dictating outcomes, and he&rsquo;s doing it with ease and efficiency.
The Spurs are done waiting
For years, the Spurs were content to play the long game &ndash; drafting, developing, and letting the process unfold naturally. But this season, the tone has shifted.
The front office has built a roster that complements Wembanyama&rsquo;s strengths, not one that simply incubates his growth. The message is clear: San Antonio wants to win around Wemby as soon as possible.
The additions reflect that intent. Veteran big man Luke Kornet was one of the most underrated offseason signings &mdash; a versatile, high-IQ center who provides stability off the bench and, in certain matchups, can even share the floor with Wembanyama. His screening, rim protection, and feel for spacing have given the Spurs another layer of tactical flexibility.
Meanwhile, Stephon Castle has continued his rise after a Rookie of the Year campaign last season. His confidence and composure have carried over seamlessly, giving the Spurs another defensive-minded guard who thrives alongside Wembanyama in the pick-and-roll on offense.
Then there&rsquo;s Dylan Harper, the No. 2 overall pick &ndash; a rookie who already looks like he belongs. Harper plays with veteran poise, attacking downhill, creating paint touches at will, and finding teammates for open looks. His chemistry with Wembanyama is growing fast, their connection already producing a steady stream of lobs, pick-and-pop plays, and two-man sequences that feel unstoppable when in rhythm.
Around them, the Spurs have surrounded their star with players who fit perfectly within his ecosystem.
Devin Vassell continues to blossom into a three-level scorer, equally capable of spacing the floor or creating his own shot. Harrison Barnes, Julian Champagnie, and Keldon Johnson fill the wing rotation with ideal 3-and-D versatility &ndash; long, disciplined defenders who can hit shots, cut at the right times, and have enough on-ball offensive chops for stretches when needed.
And the Spurs aren&rsquo;t even at full strength yet. Both De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Jeremy Sochan are set to return soon &ndash; the former adding All-Star explosiveness to the backcourt, the latter bringing defensive fire and playmaking to the front line. Once they&rsquo;re reintegrated, the Spurs could ascend even higher.
This is the Wembanyama Way
But make no mistake: this is Victor Wembanyama&rsquo;s team.&nbsp;
Everything &ndash; from the pace they play at to the way they defend &ndash; starts and ends with him.
He&rsquo;s become a one-man ecosystem, dictating both ends of the floor in ways few players can. On defense, he erases shots that shouldn&rsquo;t be blockable and alters possessions before they even begin. Offensively, he&rsquo;s evolved into a complete offensive engine, capable of creating advantages from anywhere on the floor.
There&rsquo;s a maturity in his approach now &ndash; a deeper understanding of timing, positioning, and patience. His body language, once cautious and learning, now carries the quiet assurance of a superstar who knows he belongs.
In many ways, it mirrors the Spurs&rsquo; transformation. The organization that once defined patience is now moving with urgency. The team that once hoped for competitiveness is now demanding it.
And it all stems from Wembanyama&rsquo;s mindset. When he said he didn&rsquo;t want to lose anymore, it wasn&rsquo;t just a soundbite, but it was a cultural shift.
The Spurs&rsquo; 4-0 start is the evidence of a young team discovering itself faster than anyone expected, and it is more than just a hot streak to start the season.
They&rsquo;re not chasing moral victories anymore. They&rsquo;re playing with the swagger of a group that knows it belongs among the elite. There will still be growing pains, that&rsquo;s inevitable for any young roster. But for the first time since the end of the glory days of their two-decade dynasty, San Antonio basketball feels alive again.
And it&rsquo;s because they have something no one else does.
A 7-foot-5 alien who moves like a guard, thinks like a veteran, and leads like a champion.
Victor Wembanyama has arrived, and this is only the beginning. The rest of the league should take notice, because Wemby and the Spurs have arrived ahead of schedule

The Spurs’ 4-0 start signals a culture shift in San Antonio — and it all begins with Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-5 phenom leading it all.

The Wemby Effect: Spurs’ early season rise signals shift in San Antonio

On opening night, the Oklahoma City Thunder marked their rise from one of the league&rsquo;s youngest teams to its newest champions, receiving their championship rings under the glitter of their first title banner ceremony in franchise history.&nbsp;
But in the game that followed, the defending NBA champions took the floor not as the hunters &ndash; but as the hunted.
In a game that tested every ounce of their championship resolve, they delivered once again. Oklahoma City survived a furious Houston Rockets team to pull off a thrilling double-overtime victory, a statement win that perfectly captured what this new era of Thunder basketball is all about &ndash; heart, depth, and unshakable belief.
A new chapter in the making this season
Ring nights are often a celebration of the past, a moment to bask in the glow of achievement of winning the title in June. But for the Thunder, it also symbolized something greater: the beginning of what could be a new dynasty.
Oklahoma City&rsquo;s championship run last season was not the culmination of a long veteran journey &ndash; it was a young team arriving ahead of schedule. With their core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren all under 27, the Thunder&rsquo;s window is wide open for more titles to come. Their championship wasn&rsquo;t a fluke: it was a foundation for the future.
Against the Rockets, a team rejuvenated by the arrival of Kevin Durant and full of ambition, the Thunder faced immediate adversity. Yet, even after trailing from behind and being pushed into two extra periods, their composure never wavered. Gilgeous-Alexander poured in clutch buckets, Holmgren made pivotal stops, and the role players stepped up at various points in the game.
Their 2OT win wasn&rsquo;t just another number in the standings. It was a tone-setter &ndash; a declaration that Oklahoma City isn&rsquo;t satisfied with one banner.
Continuity breeds confidence
In a league defined by offseason turnover, the Thunder&rsquo;s greatest strength this year might be their continuity. No major piece of last year&rsquo;s rotation is gone. Shai remains the calm heartbeat, Jalen Williams continues his evolution into a star, and Chet Holmgren &ndash; fresh off an impressive Finals showing &ndash; anchors their defense. But beyond their roster, there&rsquo;s a shared trust that&rsquo;s been built through battles.
Head coach Mark Daigneault&rsquo;s system thrives on chemistry, quick decision-making, and unselfishness. Every player knows their role, and that collective understanding is what separates a good team from a great one. When the Rockets threatened to spoil ring night, OKC&rsquo;s bench and starters moved as one &ndash; communicating, rotating, and feeding off the roaring crowd inside Paycom Center.
That synergy isn&rsquo;t something that can be taught in a single training camp. It&rsquo;s forged through the grind of deep playoff runs, through moments when the stakes feel unbearable. And on opening night, it was evident that the Thunder had learned how to win not just with talent &ndash; but with poise.
Echoes of the young Golden State Warriors
It&rsquo;s easy to draw parallels between these Thunder and the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors. Both teams were led by a homegrown core that grew together under a progressive coach. Both had young stars who could score in bunches, defend multiple positions, and play with pace.
For Oklahoma City, this comparison isn&rsquo;t far-fetched. They have the reigning Finals MVP in Gilgeous-Alexander, who continues to ascend as one of the league&rsquo;s most methodical scorers. They have Jalen Williams, a Swiss Army knife who defends wings, handles the ball, and spaces the floor. Holmgren, meanwhile, is redefining what it means to be a modern center &ndash; stretching the floor on one end, blocking shots on the other.
But what sets OKC apart is their humility. Even after winning it all, there&rsquo;s no sense of complacency. Every player speaks about growth. Every practice feels purposeful. That attitude might be what carries them from one championship to several.
As fans cheered during the ring ceremony, one could feel the emotional weight in the building. It was a celebration for everyone who had witnessed the team&rsquo;s rebuild &ndash; the nights of struggle, the patient draft picks, the questions about whether this young core could coexist.
Now, the Thunder are proof that patience pays off.
Their victory against Houston didn&rsquo;t just showcase their championship pedigree &ndash; it reminded everyone why they earned those rings in the first place. When the game demanded resilience, they met the moment. When it called for discipline, they stayed poised. And when it needed stars, Shai the MVP delivered.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
One game doesn&rsquo;t define a season, but for the defending champions, it reinforced a familiar truth: Oklahoma City&rsquo;s best basketball might still be ahead.
The Thunder know the league will come after them harder this year. Every team will measure itself against the champs. But as they showed on ring night, Oklahoma City is more than ready to embrace that challenge.
Their youth is their advantage, their chemistry their backbone, and their collective belief their edge. Whether this becomes the start of a dynasty remains to be seen &ndash; but if their double-overtime opener was any indication, the Thunder aren&rsquo;t done making history.

Defending NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder opened their title defense with a thrilling 2OT win over the Houston Rockets.

The reign begins: Thunder begin title defense with ring night win over Rockets

The NBA is back, and on ring night, as confetti is prepared and banners await their ascension, the visiting Houston Rockets are walking into Paycom Center not merely as&nbsp; spectators watching the Oklahoma City Thunder raise their championship banner &ndash; but as worthy challengers.
This is no longer a young team simply hoping to develop. The Rockets are here with purpose, power, and one of the greatest scorers of all time leading the charge: Kevin Durant.
When Durant landed in Houston after that stunning trade this summer, it shifted the entire balance of the Western Conference. The message was clear: the Rockets are done waiting for their future. They want to win now, and their time is now.
For years, the Rockets have been stockpiling talent, banking on potential, and emphasizing growth. But after back-to-back seasons of competitiveness under Ime Udoka, the organization decided to accelerate. Durant&rsquo;s arrival changes everything &ndash; from the way Houston runs its offense to the expectations that now hang over the franchise.
Even without Fred VanVleet, who is sidelined with an injury, Houston remains loaded. Instead of patching the gap with another veteran guard, Udoka is doubling down on his young core &ndash; placing immense responsibility on Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun.
The Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun leap
Thompson, now entering his second season, will assume full-time point guard duties. It&rsquo;s a massive leap, but one Udoka and the front office have prepared him for. His athleticism, defensive instincts, and improving court vision make him the natural conductor of this evolving Rockets offense.
If Thompson is the engine, Alperen Sengun is the hub.
Fresh off a spectacular EuroBasket run where he dominated as Turkey&rsquo;s focal point, Sengun looks ready to translate that same control to the NBA stage. His ability to read defenses, pass from both the low and high post, and score efficiently makes him the centerpiece of Udoka&rsquo;s halfcourt schemes.
Much like Nikola Jokic in Denver, everything flows through him. The Rockets are embracing a more fluid, motion-based offense that allows Şeng&uuml;n to survey the floor, dictate movement, and create opportunities for Thompson, Durant, and Jabari Smith Jr.
In essence, Sengun has gone from being an intriguing young big to becoming Houston&rsquo;s offensive cornerstone.
And when paired with Durant &ndash; arguably the most adaptable superstar in basketball &ndash; the synergy could be special. Durant can play off-ball, spot up from midrange, or stretch defenses beyond the arc, allowing Sengun to orchestrate from the elbow area. When defenses collapse on Sengun, Durant punishes them. And if they crowd Durant, Sengun goes to work inside. It&rsquo;s a simple offense but one that is highly efficient and sustainable
Durant&rsquo;s impact: leadership and legacy
For Durant, Houston represents one more opportunity to define his legacy on his own terms.
He&rsquo;s joined superteams before, carried heavy expectations before, and heard the narratives that follow him. At 37, Durant is still elite, still driven, and now in a situation where his influence extends beyond scoring.
In Houston&rsquo;s locker room, he&rsquo;s the standard. His work ethic and professionalism have already rubbed off on the young core. Players like Thompson and Smith Jr. speak openly about the lessons they&rsquo;re learning from him &ndash; how to prepare, how to maintain focus, how to pick your spots on the floor. This team is talented, but Durant&rsquo;s presence gives them identity.
One of the biggest lineups ever assembled, and Reed Sheppard&rsquo;s moment
What&rsquo;s also fascinating about this Rockets team is how physically imposing they&rsquo;ve become. Udoka hinted during media day that Houston might deploy &ldquo;one of the biggest lineups in league history.&rdquo;
He wasn&rsquo;t exaggerating.
Houston has eight players with wingspans over seven feet, including Durant, Smith Jr., Sengun, Thompson, Steven Adams, Tari Eason, Tari Eason, and Josh Okogie.
Against the Thunder, the Rockets are expected to start Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun, and Steven Adams &ndash; a massive group that blends size, versatility, and rim protection.
This lineup has the potential to suffocate teams defensively while overwhelming them on the boards. Amen can switch across multiple positions, Sengun and Adams anchor the paint, Smith Jr.&rsquo;s improved awareness allows Houston to maintain spacing even with a traditional center on the floor, and Durant is a sneaky good weakside rim protector.
With VanVleet out, rookie guard Reed Sheppard is set to play a more significant role than expected. Known for his high IQ and fearless shooting, Sheppard could provide the spacing and composure Houston needs from the second unit. In a team filled with stars and length, Sheppard&rsquo;s ability to shoot, defend, and make quick reads could make him the quiet X-factor early in the season.
<h3>&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;</h3>
All eyes will be on Oklahoma City on opening night. The Thunder will celebrate their first championship in franchise history. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the squad will receive their championship rings, sending the crowd in euphoria.
But on the other side, the Rockets are coming to send a message.
They&rsquo;re not intimidated by the defending champions &ndash;&nbsp; they&rsquo;re motivated by them. Houston&rsquo;s front office watched OKC&rsquo;s rise closely: a young, homegrown team built around patience, culture, and development. Now, the Rockets believe they can write their own version of that story, except this time, with the added edge of experience and star power.
If there&rsquo;s ever a statement game to open a season, this is it.
Durant, returning to Oklahoma City where his career began, faces his former team in the most poetic of circumstances &ndash; ring night for the franchise he once led, but with him now wearing Rockets red. It&rsquo;s drama, nostalgia, and rivalry all wrapped into one.
For Houston, it&rsquo;s not just about spoiling a ceremony. It&rsquo;s about announcing themselves as legitimate title contenders. They&rsquo;ve gone all-in on the belief that their young core is ready and that Durant can still be the centerpiece of a championship run. For Ime Udoka, the challenge will be blending experience and youth, ego and development, discipline and creativity.
If it all clicks, Houston could find itself right in the thick of the title race. For a franchise that has waited years for relevance, that has rebuilt patiently and endured countless growing pains, this season is the start of something new.
And it begins under the bright lights in Oklahoma City, where the Rockets will take the floor not as dreamers, but as believers.

With Kevin Durant joining the Houston Rockets, their title expectations have never been higher: the Rockets are going all-in.

Rockets come in season with championship expectations with Kevin Durant

MACAU, CHINA &ndash; Dillon Brooks isn&rsquo;t known for backing down. But when he was traded to the Phoenix Suns this summer, the veteran forward didn&rsquo;t waste time trying to find his footing &ndash; he went straight to the source.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s been easy,&rdquo; Brooks told BasketballNews.com during the NBA China Games in Macau. &ldquo;My first call when I got traded was to (Book), trying to get acquainted. It&rsquo;s better for me.&rdquo;
The trade that brought Brooks to Phoenix was part of one of the offseason&rsquo;s biggest shakeups. The Suns sent Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets, acquiring Brooks, Jalen Green, and draft capital in return. For a team that missed the 2025 Play-In Tournament and entered the summer with more questions than answers, the move signaled a shift toward youth, defense, and a reset in culture.
Brooks, 29, arrives with a reputation that precedes him &ndash; a fiery competitor, a relentless defender, and a player unafraid to toe the line between confidence and chaos. But for all the noise that often surrounds him, Brooks&rsquo; arrival in Phoenix feels different. He&rsquo;s not being asked to be the agitator. He&rsquo;s being asked to be a tone-setter alongside one of the league&rsquo;s most consistent stars in Devin Booker.
And from the sound of it, the two have already formed a connection.
After stints in Memphis and Houston, Brooks lands in Phoenix at an interesting time. The Suns have transitioned from championship contention to identity building. Gone are Durant and Bradley Beal, replaced by a roster built around Booker, Green, and Brooks &ndash; a trio that blends scoring, youth, and toughness.
In Houston, Brooks averaged 14.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists last season while shooting a career-high 39.7% from deep. But what Phoenix values most is his edge &ndash; the defensive intensity and accountability that helped stabilize a young Rockets team under Ime Udoka.
For the Suns, who ranked in the bottom third of the league defensively last season, Brooks&rsquo; arrival represents more than just numbers. It&rsquo;s about attitude.
That&rsquo;s exactly what Booker has been asking for. As the longest-tenured Sun, Booker has become both the voice and heartbeat of the organization. Having a player like Brooks beside him &ndash; one who&rsquo;s both vocal and battle-tested &ndash; could give Phoenix the emotional jolt it&rsquo;s been missing.
Book and Brooks: A new chapter in the valley and building chemistry
Brooks&rsquo; comment about calling Booker first may seem small, but it speaks volumes about intent as this is the first time they&rsquo;ll share an NBA locker room. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s been like a big brother to me, taking me under his wing,&rdquo; Brooks shared. (We&rsquo;re) always talking every single day, (and it&rsquo;s good) being able to play beside him and not being able to guard him,&rdquo; Brooks said in jest.
Booker, now entering his tenth season, has quietly evolved into the kind of leader who balances accountability with mentorship. For Brooks, that relationship could help smooth his transition and reshape his image from &ldquo;villain&rdquo; to veteran leader.
Their synergy will be key for Phoenix, especially as head coach Jordan Ott experiments with defensive combinations and lineups around his new core. Brooks&rsquo; ability to guard the opposing team&rsquo;s best wing should free Booker to focus more on offense &ndash; a shift that could benefit both players and the team overall.
Phoenix enters the 2025-26 season with measured expectations but renewed energy. With Booker leading the way, Green bringing athleticism and upside, and Brooks infusing defensive bite, the Suns have the makings of a team that can compete nightly &ndash; even without a superstar trio.
For Brooks, the goal is simple: embrace the city, connect with his teammates, and prove that his fire can fuel winning.
He&rsquo;s already made one thing clear &ndash; he&rsquo;s found comfort in the Valley.
&ldquo;Getting acquainted with Phoenix is easy &ndash; love the city, love the fans, and I can&rsquo;t wait for the season.&rdquo;

Dillon Brooks says Devin Booker has been like a “big brother” as he settles into Phoenix as he embraces a new role with the Suns.

Dillon Brooks finds a fresh start in Phoenix beside Devin Booker

MACAU, CHINA &mdash; The NBA officially returned to China for the first time in six years, and the moment didn&rsquo;t disappoint. In a thrilling overtime showdown at the Venetian Arena, the Phoenix Suns outlasted the Brooklyn Nets 132-127 here in the first game of the 2025 NBA China Games, capping off a night filled with history
The atmosphere inside the 14,000-seat arena was electric, with fans witnessing not just the return of NBA basketball to Chinese soil, but also a matchup that had all the flair of a midseason battle. After a six-year hiatus following strained relations between the league and the country, the NBA&rsquo;s return marked a new chapter &ndash; and Macau&rsquo;s vibrant crowd made sure it was one to remember.
Several NBA legends also were in attendance, including Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal, Yao Ming, Vince Carter, Vince Carter, Dwyane Wade, Jeremy Lin, Shawn Marion, Deron Williams, Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Stephon Marbury with special appearances from David Beckham and Jackie Chan.
Game report: Nets start hot before Suns find their rhythm, as Booker leads third-quarter surge and Goodwin seals it in overtime
Brooklyn came out blazing, storming to a 23-6 lead behind the hot hand of Cam Thomas, who poured in nine early points and looked unstoppable in isolation. The Nets were crisp and confident, converting tough looks while capitalizing on Phoenix&rsquo;s early turnovers and sluggish defense. The Suns struggled to find their footing initially, looking overwhelmed by Brooklyn&rsquo;s pace and pressure.
As the game wore on, though, the Suns began to settle in. They tightened their defense, slowed the tempo, and began finding their offensive groove. By halftime, Phoenix had clawed back into the game, their ball movement improving and their defensive rotations much sharper.
The third quarter belonged to Devin Booker, who caught fire after a quiet first half. The All-Star guard found his rhythm from midrange and from downtown and began orchestrating the Suns&rsquo; comeback. His leadership helped steady the team, and his ability to collapse the Nets&rsquo; defense opened the door for Phoenix&rsquo;s role players to step up.
In overtime, it was Jordan Goodwin who delivered the dagger &ndash; drilling a clutch three-pointer that sealed the Suns&rsquo; victory. Phoenix&rsquo;s bench outplayed Brooklyn&rsquo;s late, displaying poise and depth that underscored how balanced this Suns roster can be even in exhibition play.
Nets head coach Jordi Fern&aacute;ndez spoke about his young group after the loss, noting both positives and areas for growth.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very happy with them overall,&rdquo; Fernandez said, speaking about rookie PGs Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf. Traore finished the game with 6 points in 7 minutes, starting the game, while Saraf had 9 markers off the bench. &ldquo;I thought Nolan and Ben as point guards felt the real NBA pressure &ndash; and that&rsquo;s a good thing. That&rsquo;s a learning opportunity when you feel that pressure from a good defensive team. But 34 turnovers for 42 points? You&rsquo;re not going to win many games that way.&rdquo;
Fernandez also commended rookies Drake Powell and Danny Wolf for their energy and composure. &ldquo;Drake took advantage of his minutes &ndash; you can see his athleticism, how he pressures the ball, and plays on both ends. Danny had a good punch with that last group and made winning plays to help us take the lead.&rdquo;
For Cam Thomas, who finished with an impressive scoring and playmaking display with 22 points and 6 assists, the balance between aggression and facilitating remains a focus.
&ldquo;Me and Jordi always talk about it,&rdquo; Thomas said about him being a scorer and a facilitator. &ldquo;He knows I&rsquo;m a scorer, but it&rsquo;s about that fine line &ndash; being aggressive while creating for others. We&rsquo;re finding that balance this year, and it&rsquo;s trending up.&rdquo;
On the Suns&rsquo; side, head coach Jordan Ott highlighted the impact of rookie center Oso Ighodaro, who showcased his mobility and passing feel in the short roll.
&ldquo;The speed and aggressiveness early from the Nets did affect him,&rdquo; Ott said. &ldquo;But you saw how important Oso is to us. His third quarter really helped stabilize that group, especially against a team that pressures as much as Brooklyn. He&rsquo;s a pressure release for us &ndash; that short-roll decision making is big.&rdquo;
<h3>&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;</h3>
Beyond the box score, the night carried symbolic weight. The NBA&rsquo;s return to China &ndash; facilitated with lots of partnership including with Alibaba and Tencent &ndash; marks a rekindling of one of the league&rsquo;s most lucrative international relationships. The Macau crowd&rsquo;s energy underscored how much Chinese fans have missed live NBA action.

The Phoenix Suns defeated the Brooklyn Nets 132–127 in Macau as the NBA returned to China for the first time in six years.

Suns edge Nets in Macau as NBA returns to China after six years

MACAU, CHINA &ndash; The Brooklyn Nets are entering another transition year, but this time, there&rsquo;s no drama, no headlines, and no superstars looming over the locker room. Just a group of players trying to build something sustainable from the ground up.
Gone are the days of the star-powered experiment that once featured Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden from three years ago. What remains are a few steady hands, players like Nic Claxton and Cam Thomas, who have seen both sides of the franchise&rsquo;s rollercoaster journey. As Brooklyn prepares to play two games in the preseason slate in Macau against the Suns, the two longest-tenured Nets reflect on what it means to lead the team into this next era.
For Nic Claxton, who&rsquo;s grown from a wiry second-round project into one of the NBA&rsquo;s most mobile defensive big men, every year brings new lessons and responsibilities.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m adjusting &ndash; I mean, you know, every year is different,&rdquo; Claxton said. &ldquo;You have a different set of goals, but at the end of the day, you wanna go out there and impact winning. That&rsquo;s my job, and we got a lot of younger guys on the team now, so I have to use my experience to help them out and continue to grow my game as much as I can as well.&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s a mature outlook from a player who&rsquo;s quietly become one of Brooklyn&rsquo;s pillars. Last season, Claxton averaged 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks &ndash; anchoring a defense that was often tasked with holding the line amid offensive inconsistencies. Now, under second-year head coach Jordi Fernandez, Claxton is being asked to take another step &ndash; not just as a rim protector, but as a leader in both tone and preparation.
And by his own account, he&rsquo;s ready for that challenge. &ldquo;My conditioning has been A1,&rdquo; Claxton said with confidence. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been practicing really hard, so I feel like I&rsquo;m in the best spot that I&rsquo;ve been in in my career right now with conditioning, for sure.&rdquo;
That confidence is timely, as the Nets&rsquo; new identity will revolve around toughness, defense, and effort &mdash; areas where Claxton naturally thrives. With Fernandez emphasizing pace and player development, Claxton&rsquo;s voice will be critical in setting the team&rsquo;s standard.
While Claxton leads the frontcourt, Cam Thomas continues to evolve as Brooklyn&rsquo;s go-to scorer. After averaging a career-high 24.0 points per game last season, Thomas proved he can fill it up against anyone. But as the 23-year-old enters his fifth NBA season, the challenge isn&rsquo;t just scoring &ndash; it&rsquo;s expanding his influence across a young locker room.
&ldquo;Just keep improving,&rdquo; Thomas said when asked about his expectations this year. &ldquo;Playing hard and being competitive, that&rsquo;s really the main thing. You win, you lose &ndash; whatever our coach wants &ndash; he always preaches to us it&rsquo;s not about the wins and the losses but it&rsquo;s about how we compete as a team and how we fight&hellip; just competing and fighting and the wins will come. So, I just wanna keep following the system and following what we do, and everything will work it out.&rdquo;
That philosophy fits perfectly with Fernandez&rsquo;s developmental focus. The Nets are chasing habits this year to hopefully build into the right step in the future.
Thomas&rsquo; scoring ability is well-documented, but this offseason, the guard also worked on becoming more of a facilitator &ndash; a necessity on a roster that added three rookie point guards. Still, Thomas expects to maintain his aggressive offensive role while taking on more leadership duties.
&ldquo;I think my role will be the same, nothing has changed really,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We got more young guys now, I think I would have the same role that I had last year, and just keep improving. Obviously just helping them get up to speed and help them to understand NBA games as quickly as possible,&rdquo; Thomas shared. &ldquo;My job is to try to get them up to speed as much as I can, and offer up help in any way I can for them. Definitely gonna be that leader in that aspect and I can&rsquo;t wait to get going.&rdquo;
That sense of responsibility represents another important shift for Brooklyn. With several veterans already leaving the team in seasons past, Claxton and Thomas now bridge the gap between the team&rsquo;s past and its future. Both have experienced the turbulence of constant roster turnover and now find themselves in positions to stabilize the franchise from within.
The Nets&rsquo; trip to Macau, part of the NBA China Games, gave the group a valuable early test of that chemistry. For a young team still finding its identity, dealing with long travel, jet lag, and quick turnarounds mirrors the grind of an 82-game season.
&ldquo;Just our ability to adapt,&rdquo; Thomas said about how they can use this experience for the upcoming NBA season. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re coming on a 17-hour flight, the time difference is crazy. We&rsquo;re not here very long to get acclimated as much as we&rsquo;d like, so we got two games in three days, so definitely different. But I would say the biggest ability is to adapt to any situation you can and be ready for back-to-backs in the NBA.&rdquo;
Adaptability might just become Brooklyn&rsquo;s defining trait. The Nets aren&rsquo;t expected to compete for a playoff spot immediately, but they have the right mix of youth and hunger to make things interesting. Fernandez&rsquo;s system &ndash; which emphasizes spacing, movement, and defensive effort &ndash; is built for players like Claxton and Thomas to thrive and lead.
Claxton&rsquo;s voice on the floor and Thomas&rsquo; scoring punch give Brooklyn a foundation to build on, even as they continue to retool. And for both players, Macau served as more than just a preseason stop &ndash; it was a reminder of how far they&rsquo;ve come/
As the Nets prepare for the 2025-26 season, the tone is different. No more quick fixes or blockbuster expectations. Instead, there&rsquo;s patience, growth, and players like Claxton and Thomas ready to lead the climb.
&ldquo;At the end of the day, you wanna go out there and impact winning,&rdquo; Claxton said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s my job.&rdquo;&nbsp;
For a team trying to rediscover its identity, that simple message might be exactly what Brooklyn needs.

From Macau, Claxton and Thomas discuss adapting, guiding young teammates, and shaping the team’s identity for the next NBA season.

Nic Claxton, Cam Thomas prepare to traverse new Brooklyn Nets season

In today&rsquo;s NBA, transition seasons come in all forms. Some teams tear everything down to the studs. Others try to retool around what&rsquo;s left of a former contender. This year, the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets find themselves on opposite sides of that spectrum &ndash; two franchises moving in different directions, both still searching for clarity after years of turbulence.
Phoenix: From championship chase to crossroads
For the Phoenix Suns, the 2025-26 season feels like a reset &ndash; not a rebuild, but something in between. Just a year ago, the Suns were all in, banking on the star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal to deliver the franchise&rsquo;s first championship. Instead, that vision unraveled under the weight of injuries, fit issues, and the unforgiving depth of the Western Conference.
Now, Durant and Beal are gone. The Suns have retooled, bringing in Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks from Houston in what looks like a soft pivot rather than a full teardown. On paper, this is still a competitive team. Booker remains one of the league&rsquo;s purest scorers &ndash; a consistent 27-30 point threat who can carry an offense for the entire season. His leadership, composure, and playoff pedigree make him the unquestioned face of the franchise.
But the question is, for how long?
Booker has already seen one Finals run and several deep playoff pushes, but his prime years are ticking by without a true contender around him. The Suns&rsquo; front office faces a delicate balance: surround Booker with enough talent to stay relevant, or commit fully to a long-term rebuild that starts with the young players they&rsquo;ve drafted.
Phoenix&rsquo;s 2025 draft class has generated buzz, headlined by 7&rsquo;1&rdquo; South Sudanese big man Khaman Maluach, whose athleticism and defensive instincts could eventually anchor the team&rsquo;s frontcourt. Add sharpshooter Koby Brea and promising forward Rasheer Fleming, and the Suns suddenly have youth and upside they haven&rsquo;t had in years. Still, those prospects are developmental projects, not immediate answers.
And that&rsquo;s where the uncertainty lies. The Suns&rsquo; current roster feels caught between timelines &ndash; one led by a proven All-Star in his prime, and another still finding its footing. Jalen Green&rsquo;s arrival adds intrigue: a high-ceiling scorer looking for a fresh start, eager to rebuild his reputation after inconsistency in Houston. Dillon Brooks, meanwhile, brings defensive edge and intensity &ndash; the kind of grit the team lacked during its superstar-heavy era.
Yet even with those additions, the Suns face a brutal Western Conference landscape. Oklahoma City, Denver, Minnesota, Houston, Los Angeles, and Golden State all remain loaded. The margin for error is razor-thin. For Phoenix, the season might not be about contention but about definition,&nbsp; figuring out what kind of team they want to be, and whether Booker still fits and wants to be a part of that long-term vision.&nbsp;
Because in today&rsquo;s NBA, all it takes is one tough year, one frustrated superstar, for everything to shift. And if the Suns can&rsquo;t provide a clear path forward soon, speculation around Booker&rsquo;s future will only grow louder.
Brooklyn: Building from the ground up
If the Suns are hovering between two worlds, the Brooklyn Nets are fully embracing the rebuild. Gone are the days of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. Gone are the shortcuts, the splashy trades, and the instant gratification. In their place, a patient, deliberate plan &ndash; a commitment to youth, draft capital, and development.
The Nets&rsquo; 2025 NBA draft haul was one for the history books: five first-round selections &mdash; Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf, and Drake Powell. Each brings something unique: Demin&rsquo;s size, playmaking, and creativity, Traore&rsquo;s speed and quickness, Saraf&rsquo;s veteran-savvy and composure, Wolf&rsquo;s touch and IQ, and Powell&rsquo;s explosiveness and defensive versatility. It&rsquo;s a talent-rich group that gives Brooklyn multiple chances to uncover a future star.
And that&rsquo;s exactly what the organization needs. The post-superteam era has left the Nets without a definitive franchise player. Cam Thomas, now extended after hitting restricted free agency, has proven he can fill it up &ndash; a microwave scorer who can drop 30 on any given night. But whether he can lead a winning team remains uncertain. Nic Claxton, steady and efficient, remains the defensive anchor and emotional backbone of the roster.
The biggest wildcard, though, might be Michael Porter Jr., acquired in a trade that sent Cam Johnson out. For the first time in his career, Porter enters a season as the likely No. 1 option. Long known as a complementary scorer in Denver&rsquo;s system, he&rsquo;ll have the freedom and the responsibility to expand his game in Brooklyn. This is his chance to prove that he&rsquo;s more than a luxury piece on a contender.
The Nets&rsquo; long-term plan is clear: build through the draft, develop their prospects, and keep the books clean for the future. With three projected franchise-level talents &ndash; Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and AJ Dybantsa &ndash; expected to headline next year&rsquo;s draft, Brooklyn could be setting itself up for one of the league&rsquo;s most intriguing rebuilds.
In the meantime, expect the Nets to experiment. There will be growing pains, roster shuffling, and perhaps more trades to stockpile picks. But there will also be moments of discovery &ndash; glimpses of who might become the next face of the franchise.
Two paths, one lesson
In many ways, Phoenix and Brooklyn are mirror images in reverse. Both went all-in on superstar-driven eras. Both fell short. But while the Suns are clinging to contention through their remaining star, the Nets have chosen to start from scratch.
The Suns are trying to stay relevant while redefining themselves. The Nets are comfortable taking the long road back. Each path carries risk and each of them offer a different margin of error.
Phoenix may find itself in limbo if Booker tires of waiting. Brooklyn may struggle to turn its promising prospects into a real cornerstone. But both franchises, in their own way, are chasing something that every team eventually faces after their window closes: a new identity.
For the Suns, the question is whether they can build one fast enough to keep Booker from looking elsewhere. For the Nets, it&rsquo;s whether their patience will finally pay off.
Different timelines yet the same pursuit as the two teams on opposite ends of rebuilding transition trying to turn uncertainty into hope.

From reset to rebuild, the Suns and the Nets take different paths toward a new identity after their superteam eras ended.

Suns, Nets on opposite ends of rebuilding transition

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