8:21 PM ET Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan has agreed to sell a portion of the team to a pair of investors, the team announced in a release Saturday. The sale is pending NBA approval. Terms of the deal have not been released. Jordan is bringing in Gabe Plotkin, a founder of Melvin Capital, and
The rest of the world may have caught up to Team USA basketball, but before we blame this loss on external forces, it’s time we face a few harsh internal realities. After Team USA lost its second consecutive game at the FIBA World Cup, Kobe Bryant opined that international competition would never again be a
5:18 PM ET On behalf of certified player agents, the National Basketball Players Association is sending a signed letter to the NCAA that refuses to submit to a proposed certification process to work with undergraduate men’s basketball players “testing the waters” for the NBA draft. The NBPA has been communicating with NCAA officials in recent
The Phoenix Suns have had a bad go of it. In five years, the Suns have managed just 126 wins, tied with the Knicks for the fewest in the NBA over that span. With the exit of Steve Nash in 2012, the team found themselves in a pit that they have yet to dig themselves
7:58 AM ET BEIJING — After finishing seventh in the FIBA World Cup with a victory over Poland on Saturday, Team USA coach Gregg Popovich issued a rebuke for those criticizing his team for its worst-ever showing in a major event. “Some people want to play the blame game, there’s no blame to be placed
The Clippers added two elite two-way perimeter stars but neither Paul George or Kawhi Leonard has much track record as a passer. Could this be a problem? After a summer full of seismic shifts and full-out Steve Ballmer enthusiasm, the Clippers are entering the 2019-20 season as favorites to win the title. And those high
4:53 PM ET The New Orleans Pelicans have named Jeff Bzdelik an associate coach for defense and promoted Chris Finch to associate head coach for the offense, the team announced Friday. Bzdelik, 66, worked the past three seasons with the Houston Rockets and received credit for the team’s defensive turnaround. He began a stint as
The Phoenix Suns have had a bad go of it. In five years, the Suns have managed just 126 wins, tied with the Knicks for the fewest in the NBA over that span. With the exit of Steve Nash in 2012, the team found themselves in a pit that they have yet to dig themselves
5:48 PM ET Associated Press ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — New Jersey’s governor has signed a bill allowing Atlantic City’s Golden Nugget casino to accept bets on most National Basketball Association games. Texas billionaire Tilman Fertitta owns the casino — and also owns the NBA’s Houston Rockets. When New Jersey lawmakers legalized sports betting last year,
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 05: (L-R) Kyle Kuzma #21, Kemba Walker #26 and head coach Gregg Popovich of the 2019 USA Men’s National Team talk during a practice session at the 2019 USA Basketball Men’s National Team World Cup minicamp at the Mendenhall Center at UNLV on August 5, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
9:36 AM ET BEIJING — Kobe Bryant thinks Team USA might have to get used to a new reality of losing in major events. Bryant was part of likely the second-most relevant Team USA in history. After the original Dream Team in 1992, the Bryant-led 2008 “Redeem Team” that won gold in the Beijing Olympics
Sometime in July, the internet unanimously crowned the Atlanta Hawks as basketball’s newest darlings — everybody’s favorite upstart, League Pass-worthy, fun-as-heck roster that could shock the world and make a postseason bid through high-tempo and athletically electric hoops. Although such claims may, in truth, be premature — at heart, the sport does love a good
For Zach LaVine to take the next step into All-Star territory, he’ll have to improve his passing while also cutting down on turnovers. Before last season, the name “Zach LaVine” elicited the image of through-the-legs dunks, 360 tomahawks, and a commercial with the Migos (Dat Way). If one was not aware of his tangible basketball
Aug 12, 2019 The NBA 2K League announced on Thursday that Heat Check Gaming power forward Basil “24K Dropoff” Rose was dismissed and disqualified from joining any of the league’s teams for breaking the league’s gambling policy. In a release from the league, an investigation determined that Rose provided inside information to somebody he “knew
Joe Alexander was a workout warrior prior to being taken early in the lottery of the 2008 NBA Draft but his potential never came through. Scouting is not easy. Year-by-year hundreds of people within NBA organizations are tasked with combing through hours of game film and pages of notes breaking down the next crop of
1:38 PM ET The Detroit Pistons and veteran swingman Joe Johnson have agreed to terms on a deal, according to ESPN and multiple reports. Johnson, 38, last played in the NBA in the 2017-18 season. He recently was named the MVP of the BIG3 and led his team, the Triplets, to the league championship. Johnson
Why do NBA Draft prospects fail? Our four-part series looks at the 2011-2015 NBA Drafts and why the prospects who busted didn’t make it. Part one looked at functional strength. Part two looked at skill development. Part three looked at intelligence and decision-making. Part four wraps up by looking at some unique cases that we can
Sometime in July, the internet unanimously crowned the Atlanta Hawks as basketball’s newest darlings — everybody’s favorite upstart, League Pass-worthy, fun-as-heck roster that could shock the world and make a postseason bid through high-tempo and athletically electric hoops. Although such claims may, in truth, be premature — at heart, the sport does love a good
9:19 AM ET Associated Press The U.S. will leave the World Cup with its worst finish in a major international tournament, assured of finishing no better than seventh after falling to Serbia 94-89 in a consolation playoff game Thursday night. The previous worst finish for a U.S. men’s team in 45 tournament appearances was sixth
ORLANDO, FL – FEBRUARY 14: Malik Monk #1 of the Charlotte Hornets shoots the ball against the Orlando Magic on February 14, 2019 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. 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
9:38 PM ET Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James‘ attempt to trademark the term “Taco Tuesday” has been denied. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Wednesday refused the application filed by James’ company LBJ Trademarks, explaining that “Taco Tuesday” is “a commonplace term.” “The applied-for mark is a commonplace term, message, or expression widely
Sometime in July, the internet unanimously crowned the Atlanta Hawks as basketball’s newest darlings — everybody’s favorite upstart, League Pass-worthy, fun-as-heck roster that could shock the world and make a postseason bid through high-tempo and athletically electric hoops. Although such claims may, in truth, be premature — at heart, the sport does love a good
3:29 PM ET Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Twenty-eight counterfeit NBA championship rings have been seized by federal authorities at Los Angeles International Airport. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says Wednesday that the rings were in a wooden box shipped from China with a final destination in Arizona. Investigators suspect the intent was to sell
Why do NBA Draft prospects fail? Our four-part series looks at the 2011-2015 NBA Drafts and why they didn’t make it. Part one looked at functional strength. Part two looked at skill development. Part three focuses on the mental game: awareness and decision-making. In parts one and two of this series, we addressed tangible reasons for
Kia Nurse and Napheesa Collier, both All-Stars for the first time in 2019, are leading a new generation of UConn greats in the WNBA. For former University of Connecticut stars in the WNBA, college was about the pursuit of perfection. Most Huskies began their professional careers as leaders, their success as amateurs shocking even to
10:47 AM ET Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hornets owner and six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan is pledging $1 million to organizations assisting with Hurricane Dorian relief efforts in the Bahamas. Jordan said in a statement Tuesday on Twitter through his spokeswoman Estee Portnoy that he’s “devastated” at the destruction in the Bahamas, adding “my
The Phoenix Suns have had a bad go of it. In five years, the Suns have managed just 126 wins, tied with the Knicks for the fewest in the NBA over that span. With the exit of Steve Nash in 2012, the team found themselves in a pit that they have yet to dig themselves
12:02 AM ET DONGGUAN, China — Jayson Tatum took part in Team USA’s shootaround and has been upgraded to a game-time decision ahead of Wednesday’s World Cup quarterfinal against France (7 a.m. ET, ESPN2), coach Gregg Popovich said. Tatum has missed the past three games after rolling an ankle against Turkey last week. He has
Check out our awards picks for WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Sixth Woman of the Year, All-WNBA teams and more. Another WNBA season is in the books, and before the playoffs start Wednesday night with a double-header on ESPN, let’s say goodbye to the 2019 season with the rest of
5:41 PM ET Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer took one step closer to building a new arena for the team by investing $100 million in the city of Inglewood. Ballmer’s $100 million community benefits plan was negotiated with city officials from Inglewood as part of their arena development agreement and is set to be