Eastern Notes: Banchero, Poole, Pistons, P. Williams
Magic forward Paolo Banchero admits the first half of the season didn’t go the way he or the team wanted it to, but he has been playing excellent basketball over the past few weeks. The former No. 1 overall pick tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape he was motivated by not making the All-Star team.
“I’m always honest with myself,” Banchero told Andscape. “I looked in the mirror first. Over the All-Star break, I watched a lot of film over the early part of the season. I just wasn’t happy with what I put out. Some of that had to do with me being injured and coming back. …
“I could’ve had a better mindset, and that was part of it. But I know I’m an All-Star in this league. My confidence is still the same. It’s about being honest with yourself and realizing that you didn’t really deserve to be an All-Star, honestly. It’s about taking that with a grain of salt and being better in the second half of the season.”
In his 10 games (36.1 MPG) since the break, Banchero is averaging 26.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.7 assists (3.8 turnovers) on .508/.341/.822 shooting. The Magic are 7-3 in that span and currently have their longest winning streak of the season at four games.
“Paolo has been ultra-aggressive attacking, getting early baskets,” head coach Jamahl Mosley told Spears. “He’s also been taking on the best player assignments defensively.”
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Jordan Poole was disappointed he was traded by the Wizards over the summer, as he says he was told he was in the team’s long-term plans. “That’s what I was looking forward to,” Poole told Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “But it’s the NBA, so things happen differently.” According to Robbins, Poole’s tenure with the Wizards was largely “misunderstood.” While the team was abysmal during his two seasons, Poole was beloved by his teammates, who rushed over to greet the veteran guard after Sunday’s game in New Orleans. Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly all have said Poole helped boost their confidence, Robbins writes. “He just kept my head straight,” George said. “I didn’t necessarily shoot it well at the beginning of (last) season, but he was always there to tell me, ‘Keep going. Keep going. We need you to make shots at the end of the season. We need you to make shots through the next couple of years on the road, the important shots.’ (He was) just making sure that I stick with my habits, and I don’t lose confidence. I think that’s a big thing for me that he taught me: (With) 82 games in the NBA season, the first 15 don’t define you, the first 30 don’t define you. It’s really how you finish. And when it’s time to really play and hoop, you’ve got to show up.”
- The Pistons snapped their four-game losing streak on Tuesday with a 38-point road victory at Brooklyn, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “We’ve been playing high-level basketball all year. Had a little bit of a dip,” Cade Cunningham said in his post-game interview. “Every team has a moment in the season where they think the sky is falling. We had that and we just wanted to get back on the right track.”
- Bulls head coach Billy Donovan is optimistic better days are ahead for Patrick Williams, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “He’s turned out to be a really good catch-and-shoot three-point shooter, but one of the things he was getting himself into trouble [with] was putting it down on the floor — traffic, turnovers,” Donovan said. “For him, it’s just a consistency part. He’s shown more consistent signs this year than he has in the past, but I still feel like there’s more there for him. I believe that.” The sixth-year forward has battled injuries in recent weeks and Williams’ contract — he’s in the second season of a five-year, $90MM deal — is “effectively immovable,” Cowley writes.
Kyshawn George Has Partial UCL Tear, Will Be Reevaluated In Three Weeks
Kyshawn George suffered a partial tear of the UCL in his left elbow and will be reevaluated in three weeks, the Wizards announced (via Twitter). The team states that it plans to treat the injury “conservatively,” so there’s no guarantee that George will return before the season ends on April 12.
George left Monday’s game against Houston midway through the third quarter. He returned to the bench after being checked out in the locker room, but wasn’t put back into the game. George was also dealing with a left knee contusion that caused him to be listed as questionable for Monday’s contest.
The second-year forward has started all 48 games he has played this season. He’s averaging 14.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 29 minutes per night with .438/.381/.802 shooting numbers.
George was selected to participate in this year’s Rising Stars event at All-Star Weekend and was a member of Team Vince, which captured the championship.
The 24th pick in the 2024 draft, George will make $3.1MM next season on the third year of his rookie contract. The Wizards will have to decide by this fall whether to exercise their option on his $5.4MM salary for 2027/28, and he’ll become eligible for a rookie scale extension next summer.
Wizards Notes: Young, Davis, T. Johnson, Reese
The Wizards‘ rebuilding effort took an unexpected turn with trades for Trae Young in January and Anthony Davis in February. Injuries have kept both players on the sidelines so far, but the presence of two multi-time All-Stars has raised expectations for next season, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic.
“We’re already talking about the playoffs, how different it will be,” Bilal Coulibaly said. “We were talking about it with Trae and AD this morning. They’re just talking to us a lot about all that stuff. We’ve never been there, so we don’t know what it looks like. But we can’t wait.”
However, the four NBA scouts that Robbins consulted are less confident about Young and Davis being able to turn the franchise around. Both players drew limited interest on the trade market before Washington was able to acquire them at a discount price, and the questions surrounding them – Young’s defensive deficiencies and Davis’ susceptibility to injuries – aren’t going to go away.
“Trae’s defense is of paramount concern,” one scout told Robbins. “He’s coming to a team that’s horrific defensively by the numbers. I don’t care if you’re developing players or trying to win games — you can’t be that bad defensively and think, ‘Oh, we’re just going to get these guys and be better.’ We know Trae’s terrible (on defense), and I get the theory of bringing in AD. But AD’s not the AD he was three, five or seven years ago.”
There’s more from Washington:
- In a pregame session with reporters, coach Brian Keefe said Kyshawn George, Tristan Vukcevic and Tre Johnson were all on minutes restrictions Saturday against Toronto, Robbins tweets. George sat out Thursday’s game with a knee contusion, Vukcevic was listed on the injury report with a left hip impingement and Johnson’s playing time has been limited since returning from a sprained ankle.
- Johnson proved himself as a scorer in college, and now the Wizards want to develop his skills as a play-maker, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network (Twitter link). “We’re going to continue to put him in situations to grow. I think he can do that really well,” Keefe said. “We’ve seen his play-making this year, attacking the basket and when they put two on the ball he can hit (teammates) with either hand. I think he’s going to be a really good creator off the dribble.”
- Washington appears to have immediate plans for forward Julian Reese, who signed a two-way contract earlier today, Hughes adds (Twitter link). “He’s going to give us some physicality inside with his rebounding,” Keefe said. “He’s a great rebounder so we added some insurance underneath on the boards. We’re excited to have him.”
VJ Edgecombe Named 2026 Rising Stars MVP
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe was named the 2026 Rising Stars MVP after closing out two straight wins for Team Vince en route to the Rising Stars championship.
In Game One between Team Melo and Team Austin’s G League rising stars, Dylan Harper (Spurs) hit the game-winning shot to get Team Melo to the target score of 40 points. Team Austin had the top two scorers in the game in Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Clippers) and Yang Hansen (Trail Blazers), but Team Melo’s balanced scoring attack, led by Reed Sheppard (Rockets) and Donovan Clingan (Blazers) with nine points each, was too much for the G League stars to contain.
In Game Two between Team Vince and Team T-Mac, Edgecombe exploded for 17 points, including the last 10 and the step-back game-winner over Cam Spencer (Grizzlies). Jaylon Tyson (Cavaliers) led Team T-Mac with 10 points and Tre Johnson (Wizards) added eight while facing off against teammate Kyshawn George. Team Vince came away with the 41-36 victory.
The Rising Stars championship game, with a target score of 25, kicked off with back-to-back Clingan three-pointers while Matas Buzelis (Bulls) carried Team Vince early with a one-handed dunk and a smooth post move. An Edgecombe rebound and putback brought the game to 23-22 for Team Vince, prompting a Team Melo timeout.
After a Stephon Castle (Spurs) putback dunk, Edgecombe was fouled by Clingan on a drive, heading to the free throw line, where he knocked down the game-winning free throws. Carter Bryant (Spurs) contributed five points while playing against his teammate Harper, who led Team Melo with eight points.
Kevin Durant, John Wall, Kyrie Irving, Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, Jamal Murray, Cade Cunningham are among the future All-Stars who have won the Rising Stars MVP award over the past couple decades.
Flagg, Knueppel, Edgecombe Among Rising Stars Participants
The 2026 Rising Stars event will feature 11 sophomores, 10 rookies and seven G League representatives, the NBA announced in a press release. The mini-tournament will take place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on February 13.
Here’s the full list of participants:
Rookies
- Cedric Coward, Grizzlies
- Dylan Harper, Spurs
- Egor Dёmin, Nets
- Tre Johnson, Wizards
- VJ Edgecombe, Sixers
- Kon Knueppel, Hornets
- Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans
- Collin Murray-Boyles, Raptors
- Cooper Flagg, Mavericks
- Derik Queen, Pelicans
Sophomores
- Matas Buzelis, Bulls
- Alex Sarr, Wizards
- Stephon Castle, Spurs
Reed Sheppard, Rockets- Donovan Clingan, Trail Blazers
- Cam Spencer, Grizzlies
- Kyshawn George, Wizards
- Jaylon Tyson, Cavaliers
- Ajay Mitchell, Thunder
- Kel’el Ware, Heat
- Jaylen Wells, Grizzlies
G League
- Sean East II, Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz‘s affiliate)
- Alijah Martin, Raptors 905
- Ron Harper Jr., Maine Celtics
- Tristen Newton, Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Rockets‘ affiliate)
- David Jones Garcia, Austin Spurs
- Yang Hansen, Rip City Remix (Trail Blazers‘ affiliate)
- Yanic Konan Niederhauser, San Diego Clippers
All 10 of the rookies — headlined by No. 1 overall pick Flagg, No. 3 Edgecombe, and No. 4 Knuppel — were lottery selections in last year’s draft, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter links). By contrast, only five of the sophomores were lottery picks, with three being first-rounders outside of the lottery and three picked in the second round.
NBA assistant coaches selected the 21 rookies and sophomores, according to the release, and those players will be drafted onto three different seven-player teams on Tuesday at 6:00 pm CT on Peacock. Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady will draft and be the “honorary coaches” of the three squads, while Austin Rivers will be the honorary coach for the G League representatives.
The four actual head coaches will be assistants from the All-Star game coaching staffs.
Six of the seven players representing the G League are actually on NBA contracts: Yang (No. 16) and Niederhauser (No. 30) were 2025 first-round picks, while Martin, Harper, Newton and Garcia are on two-way deals with their respective clubs. East, who played in Canada and Romania last season, is the lone player on an actual G League contract after Utah waived him in the fall.
Dylan Harper, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 draft, is the younger brother of Ron Harper Jr. Both players are the sons of longtime NBA guard Ron Harper, who won five championships with the Bulls and Lakers.
As for the tournament itself, the four teams will face off in a single-elimination semifinal, with the two winners competing in the final. The semifinal is first to 40 points, whereas the final will be first to 25.
Wizards Rumors: Zion, Kuminga, Salary Dumps, Middleton, More
The Wizards‘ trades for Cam Whitmore last summer and Trae Young earlier this month exhibit the front office’s willingness to roll the dice on high-upside players in need of a change of scenery, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, who hears from league sources that Washington will likely be keeping an eye out for similar opportunities at this season’s trade deadline.
Multiple sources who spoke to Robbins identified Pelicans forward Zion Williamson as one player who fits that bill. While New Orleans has reportedly told rival teams that Williamson won’t be traded this season, people around the league are skeptical that the former No. 1 overall pick is truly off limits, Robbins explains.
According to Robbins, the general consensus is that the Wizards wouldn’t give up their most valuable assets – including any of their own first-round picks – for a player like Williamson, but their “least favorable” 2026 first-rounder (which will likely be Oklahoma City’s pick) could hold some appeal to the Pelicans.
Robbins stresses that a Wizards trade for Williamson is a long shot and that the idea is mostly based on speculation, but he notes that the Pelicans forward was mentioned by several of the sources he talked to. Another player who fits into the same “distressed asset” category would be Jonathan Kuminga, Robbins adds, though multiple recent reports suggested Washington may not be among the most serious suitors for the Warriors forward.
Here’s more on the Wizards:
- Although the Wizards will monitor the market for another buy-low opportunity like the one for Young, they’re more likely to operate as a “dumping ground for assets” at the deadline, Robbins writes. In other words, Washington – which is operating roughly $30MM below the luxury tax line – would be willing to take on unwanted multiyear contracts if they come attached to young players or draft picks.
- Robbins points to Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley ($32.5MM cap hit this season) and Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant ($32MM) as a couple examples of players with long-term contracts that their respective teams are looking to move off of. Quickley has three seasons on his deal beyond this one, while Grant has two more (one guaranteed year plus a player option). However, the sense is that neither Toronto nor Portland wants long-term salary relief badly enough to send out draft assets with Quickley or Grant in exchange for Khris Middleton‘s $33MM expiring contract. The Raptors and Blazers would prefer to use those contracts in deals that actually upgrade their rosters, per Robbins. “I think any smart front office would first obviously use those salaries to get better,” one rival team official told The Athletic.
- Most league sources who spoke to Robbins believe the most likely outcome with Middleton is that he remains in D.C. through the trade deadline and then emerges as a buyout candidate.
- According to Robbins, the Wizards will be reluctant to make a trade that would interfere with the development of any of their most important young players, such as big man Alex Sarr, forward Kyshawn George, guards Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington, and wing Bilal Coulibaly. However, Washington has no obvious long-term answer at power forward and should be more open to pursuing players at that position.
- Assuming they don’t acquire this sort of player at the trade deadline, the Wizards are expected to explore the free agent market during the offseason for a big man who can improve the club’s defensive rebounding and provides more rim protection, Robbins reports.
Wizards Rumors: Young, Sarr, Carrington, Kispert
Although rival executives have been expecting new Wizards point guard Trae Young to exercise his $49MM player option for 2026/27, he has yet to make a decision on that option, according to David Aldridge, Sam Amick, and Josh Robbins of The Athletic, who say the four-time All-Star is also open to discussing a contract extension with his new team or even opting out in favor of free agency this summer.
If Young did become a free agent, the Wizards would make a “full push” to sign him to a new contract, since they don’t want to lose him for nothing, per The Athletic’s trio. If he picks up his option, the team’s plan would be to talk to Young and his reps to see if he’s happy in Washington, then decide on the next steps from there. An extension, another trade, or Young playing out the final year of his contract would all be options in that scenario.
The Wizards want to assess how several members of their young core – including Kyshawn George, Bub Carrington, and Tre Johnson – respond to playing alongside Young, since that will be a key factor in determining whether the 27-year-old fits on their roster long-term, according to The Athletic’s report. However, it’s unclear how often that will happen in the next few months.
As Aldridge, Amick, and Robbins note, Young has appeared in just 10 games this season due to various injuries – most recently a quad issue – and the team isn’t in a hurry to rush him back. Pointing out that the Wizards have little incentive to win this season because their 2026 first-round pick is top-eight protected, The Athletic’s reporters suggest it’s possible Young will play a “limited number” of games the rest of the way, with the team more focused on his impact in 2026/27 (and potentially beyond).
If the Wizards go that route, it would be similar to what the Raptors did with Brandon Ingram last season. Toronto traded for the forward at the trade deadline and signed him to a contract extension, but with the club in tank mode down the stretch and Ingram still recovering from an ankle injury, he didn’t play until this fall.
Here’s more out of D.C.:
- The Wizards believe they have the sort of defensive personnel that can help make up for Young’s shortcomings on that end of the floor, per Aldridge, Amick, and Robbins, including rim protector Alex Sarr and wing stopper Bilal Coulibaly. The team is also optimistic about the way in which Young may be able to unlock the offensive potential of many of its young players, giving Sarr a pick-and-roll partner and Johnson someone who will get him more open looks.
- While George, Coulibaly, and Carrington have all taken on ball-handling responsibilities this season, George and Coulibaly are forwards rather than point guards, and some members of the organization believe Carrington is better suited to playing off the ball, per The Athletic. That’s one reason why the front office was motivated to make a deal for a true point guard like Young.
- Corey Kispert was “highly regarded” within the Wizards’ organization for his professionalism, according to Aldridge, Amick, and Robbins, but he was viewed as expendable due to the club’s depth on the wing.
Trae Young Rumors: Wizards, Nets, Rockets, Wolves
While Washington looks like the “clear favorite” for Trae Young at this juncture, no trade agreement between the Hawks and Wizards is imminent, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, who suggests Atlanta will continue to explore other trade scenarios involving the four-time All-Star guard in the coming weeks. The Hawks’ talks involving Young have been “minimal” so far, Siegel adds.
As ESPN first reported on Monday, the Hawks and Young are working together in the hopes of finding a trade partner. Ideally, Siegel writes, that trade partner would be willing to sign Young to a contract extension after acquiring him, though it’s unclear if the Wizards would be on board with that plan.
Exploring the possibility of a deal between Atlanta and Washington, Josh Robbins of The Athletic speculates that Wizards officials may view a hypothetical Young acquisition as a “one-year trial.” In that scenario, Young would presumably exercise his $49MM player option for the 2026/27 season, which Siegel notes is the most probable outcome if he’s not extended before then. An in-season extension would require Young to turn down that option.
As for what a trade agreement between the Hawks and Wizards might look like, Siegel says Washington is seeking draft compensation in addition to Young, while Atlanta would like to add young talent alongside CJ McCollum and his expiring $30.6MM contract. Siegel speculates that the Hawks are likely asking about players like Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly, and Tre Johnson, though he cautions that the Wizards have signaled they don’t want to part with their top young talent in a deal for Young.
Exploring next steps for the Hawks and Young, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) wonders if there’s a way for both Atlanta and Washington to get what they want out of a deal. For instance, Gozlan suggests the Wizards could include a useful role player like Corey Kispert along with McCollum, while the Hawks could perhaps offer a first-round pick swap.
Here’s more on Young:
- ESPN’s Tim Bontemps examines why the trade market for Young is limited, while in the same article, Kevin Pelton and Zach Kram pose four hypothetical trade offers for the Hawks guard. Bobby Marks’ favorite of the four proposals for Atlanta is one that would send McCollum, Malaki Branham, AJ Johnson, and Oklahoma City’s 2026 first-round pick to the Hawks for Young and a future second-rounder. However, Marks isn’t sure whether the Wizards would make that offer, pointing out that they may want more draft compensation from Atlanta for taking on Young’s potential $49MM salary for next season.
- While the Nets and Rockets have been connected to Young in the past, they don’t have interest in pursuing him at this time, Siegel writes for ClutchPoints. Sam Amick of The Athletic said the same of Sacramento on Monday.
- Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) views the Timberwolves as an unlikely suitor for Young. As aggressive as Tim Connelly is on the trade market, Young’s $46MM cap hit for this season and $49MM option for next season would make it difficult for the Wolves to put together a package they’re comfortable with — and to accommodate Young on their cap going forward.
Southeast Notes: Bridges, Diabate, Wizards, Wiggins
Injuries continue to be a problem for the Hornets, whose standout rookies Kon Knueppel (right ankle sprain) and Ryan Kalkbrenner (left elbow sprain) were among the players inactive for Monday’s loss to Milwaukee.
Veteran forward Miles Bridges joined Charlotte’s list of injured players in the first quarter of that game when he landed on Gary Trent Jr.‘s foot and turned his right ankle. Bridges grabbed at the ankle in obvious discomfort and checked out of the game at the next whistle — he didn’t return.
As Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer writes, head coach Charles Lee didn’t have a formal update on Bridges after Monday’s game, so it’s not yet clear whether the 27-year-old will miss additional time as a result of his ankle injury.
“We’ll evaluate him (Tuesday) at practice,” Lee said. “Right ankle.”
We have more from across the Southeast:
- With Kalkbrenner and Mason Plumlee (right groin strain) both on the shelf for the Hornets, Moussa Diabate has started the team’s past three games at center and has handled the role admirably, averaging 12.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per contest with a 78.9% field goal percentage. Spencer Davies of RG.org spoke to Diabate about his path to his current role and his impact on the offensive glass, among other topics. The big man is under contract through 2026/27 on a non-guaranteed minimum-salary contract that has turned into a bargain for Charlotte.
- Wizards forward Kyshawn George missed a second consecutive game on Monday vs. Phoenix due to a left hip flexor strain, while sharpshooter Corey Kispert sat out for a third game in a row as a result of a left hamstring strain, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Kispert, who has reportedly been the subject of some trade interest, has played just once since November 25 due to thumb and hamstring ailments.
- Andrew Wiggins‘ scoring average this season (16.4 points per game) remains below his career rate, but he has been at his best in the team’s past three games, putting up 21.7 PPG on .628/.571/.750 shooting. The Heat want to keep seeing the former No. 1 overall pick play with that sort of assertiveness offensively, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “They just tell me an aggressive me is the best version of myself,” Wiggins said on Monday. “So, I just got to stay with it and continuously do it.” Wiggins’ name has popped up in some trade rumors since the offseason, but there has been no indication as of late that Miami is looking to move him. He’s earning $28.2MM this season, with a $30.2MM player option for 2026/27.
Southeast Notes: Porzingis, J. Johnson, Wizards, McNeeley
After returning to action on Friday against Denver, Hawks big man Kristaps Porzingis will be held out of the second night of a back-to-back on Saturday at Washington, tweets Brad Rowland of Locked On Hawks.
Porzingis, a one-time All-Star, had missed the four games leading up to Friday with an unspecified illness. According to Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com (Twitter link), Porzingis said his most recent ailment wasn’t related to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), the condition he was diagnosed with after missing extended time last season.
“No, I wouldn’t say it’s the same thing,” Porzingis said after Friday’s game. “I just wasn’t feeling too good, honestly. Just not being healthy healthy, you know? But I wouldn’t say it’s the same stuff from last season, so that’s good.
“I think I kind of put that behind me even this summer playing for the (Latvian) national team, but anyway, just catching whatever, it’s frustrating, you know? I want to be healthy. And I will be healthy.”
Porzingis, who was on a minutes restriction, performed well in Friday’s one-point loss to the Nuggets, finishing with 25 points (on 9-of-13 shooting), two rebounds, and two blocks. He was plus-18 in 20 minutes. The Latvian center admitted that coming off the bench wouldn’t be his first choice, but said he’s willing to do whatever he can to help the team.
“Obviously, it’s not what I love, you know? But I think it makes sense in limited minutes, and I will do whatever is best for the team. When I say those words, I really mean it. I’m here just to help this team win,” Porzingis said (Twitter link via Chouinard).
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- Jalen Johnson continues to shine for the Hawks. As John Hollinger of The Athletic writes, the fifth-year forward recorded the second-fastest triple-double in NBA history on Friday and became just the sixth player to notch a triple-double in the first half. “We feed off him,” head coach Quin Snyder said of Johnson, who finished with 21 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists, including 11 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in the first half. “He has the ability to impact the game at multiple levels, and his stat line represents that.”
- Josh Robbins of The Athletic recently examined the Wizards‘ season after 20 games, a stretch in which the team went just 3-17. While the on-court results have obviously been lackluster, the Wizards are incentivized to tank again this season in order to retain their top-eight protected first-round pick, Robbins notes, and Kyshawn George and Alex Sarr have taken significant steps forward in their second seasons. “I think we’ve made a lot of progress as a team and as individuals comparing the first game (this season) to where we are now,” Sarr told The Athletic. “Obviously, (there were) a lot of games that we could have won that we didn’t. So it’s a little frustrating when you look at our record knowing that we could have won some more games definitely because we were up at the end of the games. But that’s something you can’t control. It’s in the past. All we can do is learn from it and take it as lessons.”
- Late first-rounder Liam McNeeley has received inconsistent playing time for the Hornets in his rookie season, but he’s thrilled he was able to fulfill his longtime goal of reaching the NBA and has remained a positive presence on the team throughout 2025/26. “I’m having the time of my life right now,” McNeeley said with a huge grin on his face, per Sam Perley of Hornets.com. “I can’t complain. It’s so cool getting to live out the dream. It’s even better than I thought it was going to be growing up. It’s everything I could have imagined and more. It’s something that I dreamt about as a kid and now I get to live it out. I really can’t say enough good things about it.”