Basketball news

• Eight Champions in Eight Years: Why Not the Wolves?

  18-06-2026 15:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 08: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts against the San Antonio Spurs during the third quarter in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on May 08, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Ima
  
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• NBA Draft: AJ Dybantsa vs. Darryn Peterson, and what to do with Cam Boozer and undersized guard prospects

  18-06-2026 23:30 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  With the basketball part of the 2025-26 season now concluded, with the New York Knicks ending a 53-year championship drought, focus will now turn to the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday and Wednesday.Let's dive into three draft considerations that center on some of the projected high-lottery players and can shape the direction of the draft — and franchise futures.High floor or high ceiling?AJ Dybantsa vs. Darryn Peterson is a classic NBA discussion, yet again, but it’s one worth having give
  
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• NYPD momentarily stops Knicks' Tyler Kolek after mistaking him for a fan during NBA championship parade

  18-06-2026 22:59 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  New York Knicks faithful know Tyler Kolek well. He's a beloved reserve who just finished his second NBA season as part of a Knicks team that won the franchise its first NBA championship since 1973. And although the 25-year-old Kolek started only one game during the 2025-26 campaign, he made 70 total appearances, including the playoffs, and notably scored 16 points in a Christmas Day win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.A couple of New York Police Department officers must not have been watching that
  
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• Knicks parade shows the chaotic, joyous, and adaptable spirit of New York City and its title-winning team

  18-06-2026 22:50 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The City That Never Sleeps had good reason to be up all night on Wednesday. On the eve of the Knicks' tickertape parade to celebrate their NBA Championship win, some New Yorkers began holding their spots before the bars had even closed for the night. Others stayed in hotel rooms right off the parade route so they could roll out of bed and into the scrum, while others boarded trains from New Jersey, Long Island, and Westchester as early as two or three a.m. to get to Battery Park City in time.Man
  
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• 4 hints about who the Raptors will take in the NBA Draft

  18-06-2026 21:41 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  TORONTO, ON - June 20 - Dan Tolzman, Toronto Raptors Assistant General Manager & Vice-President, Player Personnel, speaks to media at the OVO Athletic Centre in Toronto, June 20, 2023. (Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images The Raptors have given us some clues as to who they might end up taking with the 19th and 50th picks in this year’s draft.The 2026 NBA Draft is shaping up to have one of the most seemingly loaded classes in a long time
  
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• Recapping the Knicks championship parade

  18-06-2026 21:30 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 18: Jalen Brunson #11 and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks celebrate with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy during the New York Knicks Championship ticker tape parade and victory rally celebrating winning the 2026 NBA Finals on June 18, 2026 in New York City. The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to win their first NBA Championship in 53 years. (Photo by Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images) | Getty Images It’s been one hell o
  
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• Luka Dončić has had ‘constant communication’ with Lakers, wants ‘A-list center’

  18-06-2026 21:23 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 11: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts from the bench against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. 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. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty
  
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• NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, James Dolan, Leon Rose address Knicks fans during championship parade: 'We did it for you'

  18-06-2026 21:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The Knicks championship parade made its way from Battery Park through the Canyon of Heroes, culminating with a ceremony outside City Hall.There, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Knicks owner James Dolan, president Leon Rose, and head coach Mike Brown — among others — thanked Knicks fans, players, executives, and every one else who helped along the way as the Knicks ended a 53-year championship drought. Here are some of the top quotes from Thursday's ceremony...Mayor Zohran Mamdani"They giv
  
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• Know the draft prospect: Zuby Ejiofor

  18-06-2026 21:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 27: Zuby Ejiofor #24 of the St. John's Red Storm reacts after dunking against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 27, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images Depending on how the board falls, St. John’s big man Zuby Ejiofor could be available when New York is on the clock on draft night next week. Should the Knicks consider him w
  
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• Sean Sweeney takes over in Orlando, and says Magic wound up convincing him that the fit was right

  18-06-2026 20:45 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Sean Sweeney landed interviews for more than a few NBA head coaching vacancies over the last few years, and many of them seemed the same.Talking to Orlando, he said, was different.Sweeney was introduced Thursday as the new coach of the Magic, which was the obvious proof that he won them over by his answers during the interview process. Turns out, the Magic won him over with their questions as well.“The Magic were the most thorough and they did the best job of ask
  
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• Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. previews the NBA Draft

  18-06-2026 20:30 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Prior to upcoming NBA draft, Golden State Warriors' general manager Mike Dunleavy addresses the media at Chase Center in San Francisco on Monday, June 23, 2025. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images) In today’s Dub Hub:Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. held a press conference Wednesday, previewing the team’s approach to next week’s NBA Draft.The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer reports on the possibility of a Trey Murphy III trade between t
  
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• Jalen Brunson silences critics at Knicks parade: 'When you prove them wrong, you don’t have to say s--t'

  18-06-2026 20:25 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Jalen Brunson has been proving people wrong his entire life and last Saturday he added another accomplishment to his mantle when he led the Knicks to their first championship in 53 years after toppling the San Antonio Spurs in five games.It was on the back of Brunson's 45-point barrage in Game 5 that steered New York to another one of its notorious comebacks and sealed his case to be NBA Finals MVP — his third MVP trophy this season after taking home Eastern Conference Finals MVP as well a
  
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• Hoosiers Daily News: Indiana alum, NBA Champion OG Anunoby given key to New York City

  18-06-2026 20:16 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 18: Zohran Mamdani, New York City Mayor and OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks are seen on a float during the New York Knicks Championship ticker tape parade and victory rally celebrating winning the 2026 NBA Finals on June 18, 2026 in New York City. The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to win their first NBA Championship in 53 years. (Photo by Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images) | Getty Images Indiana men’s basketball program alumnus OG Anu
  
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• Latest on Giannis, Warriors want Kawhi, will LeBron leave LA? + what if Darryn Peterson goes first in NBA Draft?

  18-06-2026 20:12 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Subscribe to The Kevin O'Connor ShowApple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeKevin O'Connor and Tom Haberstroh deep dive into the biggest NBA stories this week. Is a Giannis trade certain to happen before the NBA Draft or are the Milwaukee Bucks willing to wait for a better deal?
  The pair discusses the latest contract news with Trae Young and the Washington Wizards and Walker Kessler rejecting an offer from the Jazz. Kevin & Tom also look at top trade targets for the Golden State Warriors, speculat
  
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• Zohran Mamdani gave a legendary sports speech at the Knicks rally

  18-06-2026 20:06 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Politicians always speak at team victory rallies after the city wins a championship, but often in broad tones. They only talk about the star players, give kudos to the owner, and generally don’t show a lot of understanding when it comes to the team itself, the history, or the significance of the moment.New York City mayor Zohan Mamdani flipped the script on Thursday when he stepped to the mic at the Knicks victory rally and delivered one of the most incredible, insightful, and inspiring sp
  
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• Jalen Brunson takes a dig at doubters at Knicks parade: 'Proved them wrong'

  18-06-2026 19:56 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  NEW YORK — These days, Jalen Brunson doesn’t have time for haters. Especially not today.New York City feted the Knicks Thursday, June 18 in a ticker-tape parade to commemorate the team’s first NBA championship in 53 years. The team rolled up to the Canyon of Heroes in Downtown Manhattan, culminating with a ceremony at City Hall.While there, Brunson, the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, clapped back at critics with a feisty message.“There are a lot of people who have
  
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• Viral 'Knicks in 4' superfan is looking for work. He may be a poet

  18-06-2026 19:36 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  NEW YORK − MD Ahnaf Hossain is, like countless other 23-year-old recent college graduates, looking for a job. Preferably in finance, the Queens resident told USA TODAY in a recent FaceTime call from a park in lower Manhattan, before the New York Knicks Thursday, June 17, championship parade. He donned a Knicks cap, glasses slightly lowered, and a Portugal jersey, for the World Cup.What sets Hossain’s resume apart is he went viral across social media for the now im
  
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• Zohran Mamdani: Knicks 'won like New York' as NYC celebrates title after 53 years

  18-06-2026 19:30 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Editor's note: Follow for live updates and highlights from the Knicks championship parade.NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani gave a rousing speech before handing the New York Knicks players keys to the city after a ticker-tape parade through the Canyon of Heroes.The Knicks broke a 53-year championship drought with a five-game romp in the NBA Finals over the San Antonio Spurs, and more than a million people gathered in lower Manhattan to celebrate the triumph. During Mamdani's sp
  
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• Josh Hart celebrates among fans during wild Knicks parade moment

  18-06-2026 19:21 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Josh Hart is living his best life. The Knicks wing celebrated with fans while DMX’s “Ruff Ryder’s Anthem” blasted during the ticker-tape parade Thursday.Joining the crowd is not the only thing Hart has done for the fans during the parade; he also signed a jersey for an NYPD officer. The former Villanova Wildcat has become a man of the people in New York for his blue-collar style of play, which had him grabbing 8.9 rebounds per game in the 2026 NBA Playoffs. “This ci
  
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• Warriors pursuit of LeBron James comes with $15.1M team-friendly deal

  18-06-2026 19:17 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  In hopes of teaming up LeBron James with Steph Curry, the Golden State Warriors have offered James a $15.1 million contract for the 2026-27 season.The possibility of LeBron James’ time as a Laker could be coming to an end.According to ESPN NBA insider Anthony Slater, the Golden State Warriors are willing to offer James a full non-taxpayer midlevel, team-friendly deal of $15.1 million next season.Slater also added that the Warriors’ sales pitch to James could also include a player opt
  
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• June P&T mailbag: blood pressure; where the Knicks’ title ranks; what if Thibs coached the Spurs?

  18-06-2026 19:11 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  BRONX, NY - JUNE 17: Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart of the New York Knicks smile after throwing out the First Pitch at the New York Yankees Game on June 17, 2026 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York. 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 Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Ryan Stetz/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Imag
  
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• Kendrick Perkins rips reporter over ‘participation’ trophy remark about NBA title

  18-06-2026 19:01 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  An ESPN pundit is furious over recent comments by Vincent Goodwill, calling the NBA Championship a “participation trophy.”Kendrick Perkins went off on Wednesday evening on “The Road Trippin Show.” “That was a bunch of bulls–t. It was all the way disrespectful, and when I heard him say it, the first thing came to mind is that your ass never was an athlete then. You couldn’t have never participated or been a basketball player or played on anybody&rsqu
  
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• Tyler Kolek, NBA Champion

  18-06-2026 19:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 13: Tyler Kolek #13 of the New York Knicks smiles after winning the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/
  
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• Suns extend qualifying offers to Mark Williams and Koby Brea

  18-06-2026 19:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  With the offseason officially underway, the Suns have several questions to answer with their own free agents. They want to bring back multiple players and are expected to prioritize Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin. Fans are also wondering what that could cost the team. Two other names fans want back are set to be restricted free agents.Those two names are Mark Williams and Koby Brea, and even if only one got real playing time last year, both have a path to success in the Valley. The Suns als
  
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• 2026 NBA mock draft roundup: Latest Celtics first-round pick predictions

  18-06-2026 18:54 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  2026 NBA mock draft roundup: Latest Celtics first-round pick predictions originally appeared on NBC Sports BostonThe 2026 NBA Draft is less than one week away.Most of the focus surrounding the Celtics right now is on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors. But the upcoming draft is an important one for the Celtics, who own the No. 27 pick after finishing second in the Eastern Conference during the regular season.The C’s could go in several different directions with this pick. The most glar
  
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• Mariska Hargitay, Timothee Chalamet among celebs showing out for Knicks’ championship parade

  18-06-2026 18:42 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  It was celebrity row on wheels Thursday. The famous Knicks loyalists certainly weren’t going to miss the championship parade through the Canyon of Heroes to celebrate the Knicks’ first NBA championship since 1973.A Jalen Brunson favorite, Mariska Hargitay made an appearance on the Finals MVP’s float with her son, August, who was wearing a blue shirt that read “Marknickska Hargitay.” The “Law & Order: SVU” star was seen dancing and waving to fans whil
  
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• Thousands of Knicks fans celebrate big win with joyous New York parade: ‘We family now’

  18-06-2026 18:38 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Knicks fans cheer as a float carrying Karl Anthony Towns with the championship trophy passes by during a parade in New York on Thursday.Photograph: Julius Constantine Motal/The GuardianThousands of Knicks fans – decked out in blue and orange jerseys, shorts, hats, necklaces and more – gathered in downtown New York City on Thursday to celebrate the team’s NBA championship in a lively ticker-tape parade.All along Church Street, the street running parallel to the parade route, fan
  
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• Diehard NYC Knicks fans climb trees, fire escapes, scaffolding and more to catch glimpse of NBA champs

  18-06-2026 18:37 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Their Knicks mania couldn’t be topped!Diehard fans climbed scaffolding, fire escapes, street signs — and even precarious treetops nearly two stories high — in desperate attempts to catch glimpses of their NBA champions parading down the Canyon of Heroes for the first time Thursday.NYPD officers seemed to be letting rowdy Knicks fans slide as long as they don’t get too disruptive Brian Zak/NY PostWild video from Lower Manhattan showed revelers resorting to acrobatics almos
  
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• More than a million Knicks fans line the streets to celebrate team’s first title in 53 years: Photos

  18-06-2026 18:31 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  More than a million Knicks fans line the streets to celebrate team's first title in 53 years: PhotosThe New York Knicks Championship Parade down Manhattan’s “Canyon of Heroes” to celebrate their 2026 NBA Championship, Thursday, June 18, 2026.
  
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• Trae Young reportedly will opt out of $48.9 million for next season, likely staying in Washington

  18-06-2026 18:24 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Every step of this — including the ones likely to come — has been expected.Washington Wizards point guard Trae Young will decline his $48.9 million player option for next season, something first reported by Marc Spears of ESPN.In something that may seem counterintuitive, this just means Young is more likely to stay in Washington.As reported before here at NBC Sports, the expectation in league circles for some time was that Young would opt out, then re-sign with the Wizards on a multi
  
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