3:52 PM ET Nick DePaulaESPN New York Knicks rookie RJ Barrett has signed a multi-year footwear and apparel endorsement deal with Puma, linking the franchise’s highest draft pick in over three decades with the brand’s original endorser, Knicks Hall of Famer Walt “Clyde” Frazier. “We’ve had our eyes on him for a long time, going
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – AUGUST 25: Joe Johnson #1 of the Triplets looks on during the BIG3 Playoffs at Smoothie King Center on August 25, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/BIG3 via Getty Images) Emmanuel Sanchez believes he’s a ‘horrible match-up for anybody’ by Ben Coate UFC Shenzhen: 5 keys to victory
6:06 PM ET Marc J. Spears Former NBA All-Star Joe Johnson is in Philadelphia preparing for a workout Thursday with the 76ers, a source told ESPN’s The Undefeated. Johnson, 38, also is receiving interest for potential workouts from the LA Clippers, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Denver Nuggets and the New Orleans Pelicans. Pelicans head coach
The underlying cause of any on-court performance issue is the subconscious mental and emotional blockages picked up from past experiences that can hold a player back. When energetic blocks like these exist, players inevitably struggle to optimize performance. Subconscious impediments can adversely affect a player’s decision-making and execution process during the game. Confidence, poise and
2:25 PM ET Kobe Bryant says he has “no beef” with Shaquille O’Neal after comments came to light that Bryant thought he could have won 12 NBA titles if the dominant big man had Bryant’s legendary work ethic. Bryant tweeted Wednesday that their old feud remains in the past and there’s “nothin but love” between
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 24: Kemba Walker of the USA runs with the ball during game two of the International Basketball series between the Australian Boomers and United States of America at Marvel Stadium on August 24, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images) Bill O’Brien trying to talk himself into Texans running
8:37 AM ET Kevin WangESPN.com Veteran guard Jeremy Lin has signed with the Beijing Shougang Ducks to play in the Chinese Basketball Association next season, the team announced Tuesday. In a statement, the Ducks say the team is now in the process of working with the league to get his registration paperwork approved, a procedural
The underlying cause of any on-court performance issue is the subconscious mental and emotional blockages picked up from past experiences that can hold a player back. When energetic blocks like these exist, players inevitably struggle to optimize performance. Subconscious impediments can adversely affect a player’s decision-making and execution process during the game. Confidence, poise and
3:42 PM ET A former girlfriend of DeMarcus Cousins is seeking a restraining order against him after she said in court documents and a police report obtained by TMZ that the Los Angeles Lakers center threatened her and has previously choked her. Christy West, according to TMZ, alleges that Cousins said he would put a
It felt inevitable, and Jeremy Lin has officially signed to play in China for the Beijing Ducks. Look out, China, “Linsanity” is coming. According to Sportando, Jeremy Lin has signed a one-year deal with the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association. Lin split last season in the NBA between the Atlanta Hawks and the
11:00 AM ET Lisa Leslie has won coach of the year honors in the BIG3 after leading Triplets to Saturday’s title game, the league announced Tuesday. Leslie, the Hall of Famer and WNBA legend, is the second woman to win the award, which is voted on by players and coaches in the league. Last year,
When Dwight Howard agreed to return to the Los Angeles Lakers, it was just fitting. It’s not fitting because Dwight fits with the Lakers’ needs. It’s fitting because it’s yet another in what’s been a longline of bizarre storylines this offseason. Seriously, it’s been one after the next. No, it’s not bizarre only because of
7:22 AM ET Which players should be the favorites for NBA MVP in 2019-20? In the latest edition of the ESPN summer forecast, our panel predicted 2018-19 MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo as having the best chance to win the award. Two-time MVP Stephen Curry finished second, with Curry and Giannis getting more than half of the
When Dwight Howard agreed to return to the Los Angeles Lakers, it was just fitting. It’s not fitting because Dwight fits with the Lakers’ needs. It’s fitting because it’s yet another in what’s been a longline of bizarre storylines this offseason. Seriously, it’s been one after the next. No, it’s not bizarre only because of
The Sterling Affairs, ESPN’s new podcast series, uncovers a whole new layer of depth on the Donald Sterling story, making for truly compelling listen. “It was like being inside of a movie…you couldn’t write these characters any better than they already were.” When Ramona Shelburne was reflecting on the events that formed the basis for
7:49 PM ET ESPN News Services Dwight Howard has officially rejoined the Los Angeles Lakers six years after his acrimonious departure. The eight-time All-Star center and 15-year NBA veteran agreed to a contract with the Lakers on Monday. The non-guaranteed deal comes with a stern caveat from the Lakers that if Howard disrupts the team,
MILWAUKEE – 1982: Bill Walton #32 of the Portland Trailblazers looks on against the Milwaukee Bucks circa 1982 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory
8:26 AM ET Associated Press SYDNEY — Order restored. After losing for the first time in nearly 13 years two days earlier, the United States rebounded to outclass Canada 84-68 in a pre-World Cup exhibition basketball game Monday. At the same arena where the Americans won Olympic gold at the Sydney 2000 Games the U.S.
When comparing the loss of a star player to the loss of a glue player, there’s no question which one is worse. Losing a star can set back a franchise for years, with so many questions surrounding what they should do next in light of his departure. Losing a glue player doesn’t make as much
10:55 PM ET Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert has agreed to a three-year, $52.5 million contract extension, league sources told ESPN. LeVert, who turned 25 on Sunday, was eligible for his rookie extension as a member of the NBA’s draft class of 2016. His new deal will begin with the 2020-21 season. No better feeling
Every level of the Washington Mystics franchise is contributing to the best offense in WNBA history. Last year, after Game 2 of the WNBA Finals, Kristi Tolliver and Ellena Delle Donne stood in a dark corner underneath the stands of Seattle’s Key Arena. They were up next as their head coach, Mike Thibault, was finishing
7:28 PM ET At five home games this year, the Portland Trail Blazers will wear red jerseys with “blazers” in lowercase letters written vertically down the chest. The jerseys resemble those the team wore during the 1976-77 season, when they won the NBA title. Bill Walton, the center on that team, helped the Blazers unveil
Midway through leading the Sacramento Kings to their best record in over 10 years, then-head coach Dave Joerger compared De’Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley III to this generation’s gold-standard tandem of homegrown superstars. “…We have the next Durant-Westbrook,” he said in December. “That’s how good they’re gonna be.” Joerger is gone a few months later,
2:45 PM ET Investigators for the Sacramento Kings and NBA determined that, based on available evidence, there was “not a sufficient basis to support” the sexual assault allegations made against Kings head coach Luke Walton. According to a Friday statement from the Kings and NBA, Kelli Tennant, who alleged that Walton sexually assaulted her in
Introducing triple-threat charts, which visualize a team’s propensity for dribbling, shooting and passing from different locations. Earlier this week Nylon Calculus contributor Senthil Natarajan had a fantastic idea for a new basketball chart. He suggested mapping players’ dribble-pass-shoot tendencies by court location, something we might call a triple-threat chart. I had some fun experimenting with
5:21 PM ET After completing a contract buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies, Dwight Howard will sign a non-guaranteed contract with the Los Angeles Lakers that comes with a clear message, league sources told ESPN: Disrupt this team — and you’ll be gone. In meetings with Lakers management, coaches and teammates — including Anthony Davis —
When comparing the loss of a star player to the loss of a glue player, there’s no question which one is worse. Losing a star can set back a franchise for years, with so many questions surrounding what they should do next in light of his departure. Losing a glue player doesn’t make as much
6:22 PM ET HOUSTON — James Harden isn’t just playing around in pickup games when he launches the one-legged, stepback 3-pointers seen in viral videos shot during open runs this summer. Harden, the Houston Rockets‘ superstar who led the NBA in scoring the last two seasons, is searching for ways he can continue to improve
Team Australia just put the world on notice. They are coming for the gold medal after beating Team USA and ending a 78-game win streak. Anybody who thought Team USA would cruise to a gold medal in the 2019 FIBA World Cup wasn’t paying close enough attention. The first red flag was obvious when one
10:41 AM ET Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers will not play for Team USA in the upcoming FIBA World Cup after it was determined that his left ankle injury would prevent him from participating, USA Basketball announced Saturday. With the loss of Kuzma, the USA Basketball roster is now finalized with 12 players.