Basketball news

• Top four picks follow chalk in NBA Draft: Wizards take Dybantsa, Jazz draft Peterson

  24-06-2026 02:55 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  This is expected to be a wild first round of the NBA Draft — but never in the top four.There was a tier with the top four players in this draft — every one of them projected as a potential franchise cornerstone player — and the teams with the top four picks were not trading out or messing up their chance. The first four picks of the 2026 NBA Draft followed the chalk.As expected, the Wizards selected AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick. The 6'9" wing was one of the top scorers in co
  
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• NBA Draft: Spurs gamble on shot-blocking Kentucky F Jayden Quaintance to pair alongside Victor Wembanyama

  24-06-2026 04:35 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The San Antonio Spurs arrived to the NBA Finals ahead of schedule this season after knocking off the reining champion Oklahoma City Thunder. When they got there, they weren’t ready as the New York Knicks staged repeated comebacks to beat the Spurs in five games for the NBA championship. On Tuesday, the Spurs added size, length and shot-blocking up front with the 20th pick in the draft in selecting Kentucky forward Jayden Quaintance. But Quaintance may not be able to contribute immediately
  
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• What the Spurs are getting from new NBA Draft pick Jayden Quaintance

  24-06-2026 04:31 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  CHICAGO, IL - MAY 11: NBA draft prospect, Jayden Quaintance poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 11, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images Jayden Quaintance
  
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• Grizzlies, Thunder make first trade of 2026 NBA Draft

  24-06-2026 04:29 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  For the first half of the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, all was quiet on the trade front. At pick No. 16, the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder shook things up.ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported shortly after the Grizzlies selected Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz that Memphis was trading his draft rights to the Thunder. In return, Oklahoma City sent the Grizzlies the No. 17 pick and two second-round picks.Fewer than 10 minutes later, Charania reported that the Grizzlies moved back
  
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• Celtics guard Derrick White takes role as president of basketball strategy with alma mater, Colorado

  24-06-2026 04:27 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  DENVER (AP) — The name of Boston Celtics guard Derrick White surfaced on draft night. Not as part of a trade or anything, just for taking on a new title with a familiar school.White was announced Tuesday as the president of basketball strategy for his alma mater, Colorado. When he's not shooting jumpers for the Celtics, he will assist head coach Tad Boyle in mentoring and inspiring future Buffaloes players.In addition, White, who turns 32 on July 2, and his family are donating $2 million t
  
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• A championship frontcourt — and a lottery sweep: Michigan’s rare draft night

  24-06-2026 04:23 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Follow along for every pick of the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.Michigan needed a whole frontcourt of pros to win a national title. Tuesday night, the NBA took all three of them before the lottery was over. It had never happened before at Michigan. Three Wolverines went in the lottery, the first time the program has produced three lottery picks in a single draft. The 1990 team sent three players into the first round, but only Rumeal Robinson went inside the lottery that year, with Loy Vaugh
  
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• The Utah Jazz get their guard in Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft

  24-06-2026 04:19 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — After a trip to Canton, Ohio last weekend, the Utah Jazz felt more confident than ever in drafting Darryn Peterson. And Peterson felt peace knowing where his new home would be.“I remember telling my agent after meeting in Chicago (at the combine), there's something about Utah. I liked their energy ... so for them to come and meet me again, I still felt the same way. I knew if they were to take me, I was going to be super comfortable,” Peterson said. Utah c
  
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• One-and-done freshmen have another historic showing in 2026 NBA Draft

  24-06-2026 04:15 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  NEW YORK — The young kids continue to rule the day in the NBA draft, as one-and-done collegiate players dominated the selections of the first round at the Barclays Center in New York.BYU freshman forward AJ Dybantsa was selected with the first overall pick by the Washington Wizards. His selection was just the beginning of a run of first-year players, as the first eight picks in the 2026 NBA Draft were college freshmen. That mark ties the 2025 NBA Draft for the most freshmen selected at the
  
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• Becky Hammon defends Jalen Brunson '1A' take after Knicks title, then admits she was wrong: 'He's an outlier'

  24-06-2026 04:09 via cbssports.com
  
  Hammon insisted that Brunson merely proved 'history wrong' with his Finals MVP award
  
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• NBA Draft: Thunder trade for Iowa star Bennett Stirtz at No. 16 with Grizzlies, who load up on picks in opening round

  24-06-2026 04:08 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The Oklahoma City Thunder landed Iowa star Bennett Stirtz in the first trade of the night on Tuesday. The Thunder selected Stirtz with the No. 16 overall pick in the NBA Draft on Tuesday, thanks to a late trade they made with the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies briefly got the No. 17 overall pick, but dealt that away to the Detroit Pistons almost immediately to move back to No. 21. That netted them three additional future second round picks. While the full list of picks that the Grizzlies secur
  
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• NBA Draft: Thunder don't need to trade up to address Victor Wembanyama problem

  24-06-2026 03:54 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The Oklahoma City Thunder drafted 7-foot-3 Michigan center Aday Mara at No. 12 overall Tuesday night without having to trade up.That's a preposterously good result for executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti, who handed coach Mark Daigneault a ton of size to throw at San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama.Mara isn't just raw size. He's got great timing as a shot-blocker, he can make a wide array of passes, has spacing upside and could turn into a full-time starting center dow
  
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• What Nate Ament will bring to the Milwaukee Bucks

  24-06-2026 03:49 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Mar 29, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament (10) drives against Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images Nate Ament has been drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks at pick No. 13. The pick was a result of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade earlier in the day. The Bucks selected Bray
  
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• NBA Draft: Thunder select Michigan big man Aday Mara, a possible answer for Victor Wembanyama at 7-foot-3

  24-06-2026 03:48 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Aday Mara's defense helped Michigan win a national championship this year. The Oklahoma City Thunder are likely hoping he can do something similar for them next season.With the No. 12 pick of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Thunder selected Mara, giving them the best true big man in the class and a potential defensive standout at the next level at a towering 7-foot-3.Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor had Mara ranked as the No. 8 player in the draft, praising his basketball IQ and his hands in addition to his
  
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• Nate Ament taken by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 13th pick of the 2026 NBA Draft

  24-06-2026 03:43 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Tennessee forward Nate Ament (10) and his teammates celebrate in front of the Tennessee fan section after Tennessee defeated Iowa State in a NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game at the United Center in Chicago on March 27, 2026. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Nate Ament ended up where most experts figured he would — even if it wasn’t exactly at the moment they predicted.Ament was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with pick No. 13 in the 2026 NBA Draft on
  
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• Michigan Mavs? Morez Johnson Jr. reunites with Dusty May in Dallas

  24-06-2026 03:41 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Most of the early picks in the 2026 NBA Draft went exactly as many expected. But few anticipated the Dallas Mavericks' selection with the No. 9 overall pick.Michigan big man Morez Johnson Jr. rarely appeared in the top 10 picks of NBA mock drafts ahead of the first round. On the same day the Mavericks officially hired former Michigan head coach Dusty May to be their head coach, Johnson learned he'd be reuniting with May as Dallas' first-round pick in the NBA draft.2026 NBA Draft grades:Instant a
  
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• Warriors take Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 11: We grade the NBA draft pick

  24-06-2026 03:36 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Questions loomed on what the Golden State Warriors would do with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.Will they trade it? Will they make a selection? We finally have the answer. The Warriors selected Yaxel Lendeborg out of Michigan with the 11th overall pick in the NBA draft.The Warriors had a bunch of needs to address with the draft from player health to another ball-handler, playmaker, scorer, two-way wing and big man, preferably a center. Lendeborg is coming off of a national championship an
  
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• NBA Draft: Bucks get Nate Ament with Miami's No. 13 pick from Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, Brayden Burries with their own at No. 10

  24-06-2026 03:31 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The Miami Heat selected Tennessee forward Nate Ament with the No. 13 pick in the NBA Draft Tuesday night. But that’s a pick that belongs to Milwaukee, and Ament is slated to be a Buck. The Heat shipped the No. 13 pick as one of three first-round selections they traded to the Bucks in Monday’s blockbuster deal to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo.The Bucks received a haul from the Heat to part with the two-time MVP and Bobby Portis. In return, Milwaukee reportedly got All-Star guard Tyler
  
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• NBA Draft: What Michigan F Yaxel Lendeborg brings to the Warriors

  24-06-2026 03:25 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) looks to keep the ball in bounds during the second half of the NCAA national championship game against Connecticut at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday, April 6, 2026. | Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The Golden State Warriors drafted former Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, and the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year brings a lot to the table. He is one of the most experienced, v
  
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• NBA Draft: Michigan F Yaxel Lendeborg picked by Warriors in first round

  24-06-2026 03:18 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 06: Yaxel Lendeborg #23 of the Michigan Wolverines looks on during the second half of a game against the UConn Huskies in the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 06, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the 11th pick in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft in New York o
  
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• NBA Draft: Hawks prioritize long-term playmaking with Kingston Flemings at No. 8

  24-06-2026 03:16 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Atlanta did something a little surprising Tuesday night in the first round of the NBA Draft.Many figured the Hawks would go with size and choose 7-foot-3 Aday Mara out of Michigan at No. 8 overall to get a jumbo center in the fold.Instead, they opted for 6-foot-3 lead guard Kingston Flemings from Houston.It's not a bad pick, but with CJ McCollum re-signing for next season, it made sense that Atlanta would opt for size to shore up their frontline to complement Jalen Johnson and Jonathan Kuminga.F
  
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• NBA Draft: What Michigan F Morez Johnson Jr. brings to the Dallas Mavericks

  24-06-2026 03:12 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Will Tschetter (left) and forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) celebrate after a play against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. was just selected at No. 9 overall in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks.Pl
  
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• NBA draft: Clippers select Keaton Wagler at No. 5; AJ Dybantsa goes No. 1

  24-06-2026 03:06 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Keaton Wagler arrives for the first round of the NBA draft Tuesday at Barclays Center. (Adam Hunger / Associated Press)With their highest draft pick since 2009, the Clippers selected Illinois guard Keaton Wagler fifth overall at the NBA draft on Tuesday at Barclays Center.The 6-foot-6 guard was selected Big Ten freshman of the year after averaging 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. When NBA Commissioner Adam Silver read Wagler’s name aloud, he hugged everyone at his t
  
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• 2026 NBA Draft winners, losers: Deep class, big swings after No. 4

  24-06-2026 03:06 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Follow along for every pick of the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.NEW YORK — The common thread for the first round of this draft is that it really begins after pick No. 4.And while, yes, AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson are widely viewed as the top four players in the 2026 NBA Draft, this nonetheless projects to be one of the deeper classes we have seen over the past decade – especially at the guard position.All of which means that there are plent
  
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• NBA Draft: Michigan F Morez Johnson Jr. picked by Dallas Mavericks in first round

  24-06-2026 03:05 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Mar 29, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) looks to shoot in the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers during an Elite Eight game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images With the ninth pick in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, Dusty May and the Dallas Mavericks selected Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr.Ann Arbor ➡️
  
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• NBA Draft: Mavericks select Michigan's Morez Johnson at No. 9, reuniting him with new head coach Dusty May

  24-06-2026 03:01 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Dusty May is getting a familiar face to join him in Dallas.The Mavericks selected Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr. with the No. 9 overall pick in the NBA Draft on Tuesday. The move came just one day after the franchise hired May as its next head coach.May spent the past two seasons with the Wolverines and led them to a national championship last season with Johnson. May was hired to replace longtime Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd on Monday."It's his second day. I think he had a little bit, bu
  
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• NBA Draft: Keaton Wagler's defensive ceiling will be the key to his success

  24-06-2026 03:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Illinois freshman guard Keaton Wagler going No. 5 overall to the Los Angeles Clippers is interesting and was the first real unknown of Tuesday night's first round of the NBA Draft .It's a clear upside play, even if there are questions about Wagler's defensive ceiling.He's got small hands, a short wingspan at 6-foot-6 and is just a decent athlete at 6-5 and 188 pounds. It's not necessarily a great position to be in when entering a league that's becoming longer and bigger.This doesn't mean Wagler
  
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• Sacramento Kings take Darius Acuff Jr. at No. 7: We grade the pick

  24-06-2026 02:53 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The new era of the Sacramento Kings is officially here.The Kings selected Darius Acuff Jr. out of Arkansas with the No. 7 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.Sacramento entered the draft with a major hole to fill at the point guard position. It was a point of emphasis the team wanted to address this draft season. But now, they've found their guy. Acuff, 19, has a heavy weight on his shoulders as all eyes are looking towards him to be the cornerstone piece that helps lead Sacramento to winning basketball.
  
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• Clippers NBA Draft pick grade: LA selects Keaton Wagler

  24-06-2026 02:51 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The L.A. Clippers selected Illinois guard Keaton Wagler with the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center in New York.The 6-foot-6, 185-pound guard helped lead Illinois to a Final Four appearance this past season.“I definitely learned a lot,” Wagler told ESPN. “Different ways to use my body, use my length offensively and defensively. I can compete with anyone on any stage.”The consensus All-American averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists
  
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• NBA draft fit check: AJ Dybantsa, Darius Acuff Jr. turn heads ahead of big night

  24-06-2026 02:43 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The NBA draft is when dreams come true.And the best rising stars in the game dress for the occasion.The 2026 NBA draft featured monochromatic moments, designer statements and perfect patterns. First overall pick AJ Dybantsa impressed, as did Dailyn Swain, Darius Acuff Jr. and Isaiah Evans.Past NBA draft outfit highlights included Paolo Banchero's bedazzled purple suit, Scottie Barnes' silver suit and, of course, the early 2000s fits of everything oversized. LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony were
  
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• Mikel Brown Jr. selected No. 6 overall by Brooklyn Nets

  24-06-2026 02:40 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  NEW YORK - JUNE 22: NBA Draft Prospect, Mikel Brown Jr. poses for a portrait during the content circuit as part of the 2026 NBA Draft on June 22, 2026 at the Lotte Palace Hotel in New York City, New York 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 Steve Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBA
  
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