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.
Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel Once Again Named Rookies Of Month
Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg and Hornets wing Kon Knueppel have once again been named the Western and Eastern Conference Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in January, according to the NBA (Twitter links).
Flagg and Knueppel, who were Duke teammates last season, have monopolized the award this season, gaining those monthly honors three consecutive times. No one else has won it this season, as the months of October and November were combined.
Flagg, the top overall pick, averaged 20.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game last month. He capped off the month with a 49-point eruption against Charlotte and 34 points against Houston.
Knueppel averaged 17.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per night in January. He scored a season-high 34 points in the same game Flagg scored 49.
Ace Bailey (Jazz), Cedric Coward (Grizzlies), Caleb Love (Trail Blazers) and Derik Queen (Pelicans) were the other Western Conference nominees. Egor Demin (Nets), VJ Edgecombe (Sixers), Tre Johnson (Wizards) and Collin Murray-Boyles (Raptors) were also nominated in the East.
Giannis Trade Rumors: Warriors, Wolves, Blazers, Sixers, Nets
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Monday morning that the Warriors have been the most aggressive team in pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, with ESPN’s Shams Charania later reporting that Golden State had made a “pick-heavy offer.”
Writing for The Stein Line (Substack link), Jake Fischer says the Warriors were cautiously optimistic over the weekend about their odds of acquiring the superstar forward if the Bucks decide to trade him prior to Thursday’s deadline.
However, there may be a significant holdup in a deal coming to fruition. League sources tell Fischer there have been “recent rumblings,” which the Warriors are aware of, that Giannis may not be enthusiastic about landing in Golden State.
Fischer acknowledges that only Antetokounmpo may know how credible those rumors are, but he’s heard from sources close to the situation that the 31-year-old “could be turned off” by the prospect of playing on an older team and/or being criticized for teaming up with Stephen Curry, just as Kevin Durant was and continues to be years later.
Although one source with knowledge of Antetokounmpo’s thinking told Fischer that he “wants to win,” Fischer has heard separately that also Giannis cares about his career arc.
As Fischer explains, part of the reason the Knicks appeal to the perennial All-NBA member is the fact that they haven’t won a championship since 1973; that same line of thinking is part of the reason why Giannis is intrigued by the possibility of joining Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves, who have never won a title, Fischer writes.
Here are several more Giannis-related trade rumors and notes:
- Fischer continues to hear the Warriors’ offer for Antetokounmpo is unlikely to include Jimmy Butler, whom Golden State wants to retain despite his torn ACL. If the deal is instead built around around Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green, rival teams don’t expect the Bucks to actually keep Green. That said, Fischer hears the 35-year-old forward/center’s trade value is “murky” for a variety of reasons, including the fact that he has a $27.7MM player option for ’26/27. People around the situation noted that the Suns would have been a good fit in the offseason, but that was before they acquired Dillon Brooks. Phoenix is still on the lookout for frontcourt upgrades, sources tell Fischer.
- Like many teams around the NBA, the Timberwolves have spent “weeks” preparing for the possibility of Giannis becoming available, multiple team sources tell Jon Krawcyznski of The Athletic. The Wolves are considered one of the strongest suitors for the five-time All-Defensive member for multiple reasons, Krawczynski explains: the Wolves are viewed as a contender, having made the Western Conference finals each of the past two years; Giannis and Edwards have mutual respect; and president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has pulled off multiple blockbuster trades since he was hired by Minnesota in 2022.
- Still, some rival teams remain skeptical the Bucks will actually trade Antetokounmpo by the deadline, Krawcyznski writes, since they could get more appealing offers in the summer.
- Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link) weighs the pros and cons of the Trail Blazers getting involved in a potential Antetokounmpo trade, whether it’s dealing for him themselves or acting as a facilitator. Portland certainly has assets Milwaukee wants, since the Blazers control the Bucks’ first-round picks from 2028-2030 (two swaps and one pick). According to Highkin, the Blazers are willing to act as a third team — if they get a player they really like. But Highkin doesn’t think Mikal Bridges (Knicks) or Jalen McDaniels (Timberwolves) would fit that bill. As Highkin writes, the Blazers were interested in Bridges, but that was a few years ago when he was obviously younger and on a more team-friendly contract, not the four-year, $150MM extension that will begin next season.
- The Trail Blazers could put together a very compelling package for Antetokounmpo, but it could be riskier than it would be for other teams since they aren’t close to being a contender at the moment and there have been no indications to this point that Giannis wants to end up in Portland, Highkin notes. It could end up being a one-year rental scenario, since Antetokounmpo has a player option for ’27/28, which may not appeal to Portland.
- On Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports’ podcast, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports said the Sixers will definitely inquire about Antetokounmpo prior to Thursday at 2:00 pm CT (Twitter video link). “If you think that Giannis is on the trade block and there is not gonna be a call between the Sixers and the Bucks at some point between now and the deadline on Thursday, I don’t think you’ve been paying attention,” Neubeck said. “I think that they are interested. Any time a player like Giannis is on the market … (president of basketball operations) Daryl Morey is a guy who wants stars. He cares about stars.” Neubeck previously reported that VJ Edgecombe was unavailable in trade talks, and reiterated to O’Connor that he would be “stunned” if the standout rookie is moved.
- As of Monday afternoon, the Nets had not called the Bucks about Antetokounmpo, a source tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscriber link). ClutchPoints reported earlier on Monday that the Nets had inquired about Giannis, but Brett Siegel tweeted it was a mistake that was quickly corrected. Brooklyn has long been linked to Giannis and there has been speculation the team will make an offer for him.
- Zach Kram and Kevin Pelton of ESPN propose fake six Giannis trades, which are evaluated by Bobby Marks.
Giannis Trade Rumors: Timeline, Lakers, Sixers, Raptors
Although the Bucks are more willing than ever to consider trading two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, the widespread expectation around the league is that the Giannis saga will extend to at least Thursday and potentially well beyond that, according to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
As Bontemps and Windhorst note, general manager Jon Horst and the Bucks won’t want to rush into an Antetokounmpo trade without making sure they’re getting the best deal they can. Three sources who spoke to ESPN speculated Milwaukee will decide not to pull the trigger until the offseason.
“I’m just not sure why it wouldn’t make sense to wait,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “They can see where the draft (lottery) is, and survey their options then.”
Several of the teams involved in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes will be in position to offer stronger trade packages in the summer. For example, the Knicks don’t have any of their own first-rounders to move now, but could put two (2026 and 2033) on the table in the offseason. The Heat have two of their own first-round selections available right now, but could offer as many as four (one would be conditional) in June.
Additionally, Bontemps and Windhorst write, the fact that Antetokounmpo is currently out indefinitely due to a calf strain is another factor for the Bucks to consider as they decide whether or not to wait. If Milwaukee plans to pivot into tank mode to improve its 2026 first-rounder (the team controls the last favorable of its own pick and the Pelicans’ pick), hanging onto the superstar forward and shutting him down may be the best way to do so.
Here’s more on Antetokounmpo:
- Appearing on The Zach Lowe Show (Spotify link; 19:00 mark), Howard Beck of The Ringer suggested the Lakers may appeal to Antetokounmpo as a landing spot. “I was told recently that the Lakers were a team to keep an eye on from Giannis’ standpoint, just as another team of interest,” Beck said. However, he acknowledged that Los Angeles probably doesn’t have the pieces necessary to make a strong offer, at least until the offseason. The Lakers can only offer one first-round pick (2031 or 2032) right now, but could include up to three (2026, 2031, and 2033) in an offseason package.
- While one Thursday report suggested Antetokounmpo is intrigued by the idea of teaming up with Tyrese Maxey in Philadelphia, there has been no indication to this point that the Sixers are planning to make a play for the nine-time All-Star. In fact, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link) spoke to a league source who “completely shot down” the idea that Philadelphia would be willing to include standout rookie VJ Edgecombe in an offer for anyone on the trade market, including Giannis.
- Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca spoke to several sources around the NBA about what it would take for the Raptors to acquire Antetokounmpo, and the general consensus was that the Bucks would be unlikely to make a deal that doesn’t include Scottie Barnes. One executive who talked to Grange suggested that Toronto could still make a competitive proposal centered around draft assets (four first-round picks and three pick swaps) and promising youngsters like Collin Murray-Boyles and Jamal Shead, but Grange views either scenario as a long shot.
- In the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (YouTube link) observes that teams pursuing Antetokounmpo will have to determine not just whether they’re comfortable giving up a huge trade package for him, but also whether they want to do a four-year extension projected to be worth $275MM when he becomes eligible in October. That contract would begin in 2027/28, his age-33 season. “I think most teams would say yes, but I’m not sure everybody would. In fact, I know that,” Windhorst said. “There’s one team I talked to who would be able to put a package together, a pretty compelling package, and they said, ‘We’re just not crazy about that contract, with our other options that we can do. Just don’t know if we want to commit to $275MM to him.’ And you can’t trade all that stuff if you’re not that committed to him.”
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.
Sixers Willing To Consider Trading Andre Drummond
The Sixers are willing to move veteran center Andre Drummond before next week’s trade deadline, sources tell Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required).
Drummond, 32, holds a $5MM expiring contract. He provides a reliable backup for Joel Embiid when Embiid is able to play and a veteran presence in the starting lineup when he’s not. But the strong performance of second-year big man Adem Bona has lessened the need to keep Drummond on the roster.
Drummond has appeared in 35 games this season, making 16 starts and logging 20.0 minutes per night. One of the league’s best rebounders, he’s averaging 7.1 points and 9.0 boards per night while shooting 49.7% from the field.
A report last month noted that the Knicks have shown interest in Drummond in the past, but New York has limited flexibility on the trade market due to its hard cap and may be more focused on backcourt help.
Pompey explores the Sixers’ overall trade outlook heading into the deadline, concluding there are no pressing needs on the roster. He notes that the team is about $7MM above the tax threshold and roughly $1MM away from the first apron. They have a history of making deals to avoid the tax, but that philosophy could be different this year as they’ve shown signs of being one of the East’s best teams when their star players are healthy.
Pompey points to veteran guard Eric Gordon, who has a $3.63MM expiring contract, as another player who could be moved. Gordon, who’s 37 and in his 18th NBA season, has only appeared in six games and hasn’t played at all since December 23. He agreed to the deal in July after turning down a $3.47MM player option, but he only counts $2.3MM against the cap, which could help his trade value.
Pompey suggests the Nets or Jazz might be convinced to take on Gordon if a sweetener is included, but he also points out that Gordon has been serving as a mentor to rookie standout VJ Edgecombe, which is an argument for keeping him on the roster.
Pompey notes that Kelly Oubre Jr. ($8.3MM) and Quentin Grimes ($8.7M) have expiring contracts as well, and Grimes holds an implicit no-trade clause that allows him to veto any deal. There are teams around the league that are watching to see if the Sixers are willing to part with Oubre, according to Pompey.
Pompey also makes a case for keeping second-year guard Jared McCain, who has fallen out of the rotation and was sent to the G League last week. McCain was off to a promising start before an injury ended his rookie season after 23 games, and Pompey notes that he provides insurance in case Grimes leaves in free agency this summer.
Sixers Notes: Healthy Starters, Embiid, Maxey, Edgecombe
Improved health is turning the Sixers into a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. During a three-game road winning streak that moved Philadelphia to within three games of second place, the biggest news surrounding the team is that Joel Embiid and Paul George were both in the starting lineup for all three contests. They’re pairing with the explosive backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe to make the Sixers a difficult challenge for opposing defenses.
“For three games, we have had the same players in our starting lineup,” coach Nick Nurse said. “For three games, we have started the same five people. I don’t think I’ve been able to say that very much, since I’ve been here. You guys (the reporters) would have to go and check your notes on that. It’s been good to finally have some continuity.”
The most significant development is the health of Embiid, who is showing flashes of his MVP form in recent games. He posted 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in Saturday’s win at New York and is proving that he’s still among the NBA’s best centers. Jones notes that he’s also figuring out how to benefit from playing with the team’s high-scoring guards after that relationship looked “clunky” earlier in the season.
“I’m just super happy to see Joel and Tyrese and PG on the floor and healthy,” Edgecombe said. “I’m super happy, man. It’s like the little kid in me, playing alongside the superstars that I watched growing up. Yeah, man, this is great.”
There’s more from Philadelphia:
- Embiid’s performance on Saturday included his first dunk of the season, which is a sign that his troublesome right knee could be feeling better, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Embiid was nonchalant about the achievement, but his teammates were excited. “I was so happy,” Maxey said. “So now, it’s my fault because the play before, I dropped him off a pass, thinking he wasn’t going to dunk it. Now he’s telling me to throw him a lob. So I’m going to throw him a lob, and we’re going to see how that goes.”
- Maxey’s scoring numbers have made him a contender for first-team All-NBA honors, but Nurse is equally impressed by his improved defense, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Maxey ranks fourth in the league in steals at 1.8 per game and has already blocked 28 shots, which is five away from his single-season career high. “He’s been much better this year, I think the whole way,” Nurse said. “I think you’d agree that he’s into the ball, he’s over screens, getting his share of pick-sixes, getting his share of turnovers. So he’s been really alert on that end of the floor, I think all season. He just keeps getting better.”
- There was some debate heading into the draft about who the Sixers should take with the No. 3 pick, but Edgecombe is showing they made the right choice, Pompey adds in the same piece. The rookie guard is proving there’s a lot more to his game than the highlights he displayed at Baylor. “He’s been awesome,” Nurse said. “I think just, again, the composure. I think that he has it just so steady out there. He plays like a 10-year vet with his composure. He just kind of keeps making plays. He does a little bit of everything, which is great.”
Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel Named December’s Rookies Of The Month
For a second consecutive month, former Duke teammates Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel have been named the NBA’s Rookies of the Month for the Western Conference and Eastern Conference, respectively, the league announced today (Twitter link).
Flagg, this year’s No. 1 overall pick, averaged 23.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.0 steal in 35.5 minutes per game in 13 outings this past month for the Mavericks, making 51.6% of his shots from the floor and 80.8% from the free throw line.
While Dallas still hasn’t looked like a playoff team – the Mavs went 6-7 in December – Flagg is showing why he was the consensus top prospect in the 2025 draft class and is considered one of the best rookies to enter the NBA in the past decade. He’s the NBA’s youngest player, having turned 19 on December 21.
Although Flagg has taken over as the betting favorite in the Rookie of the Year race, that’s through no fault of Knueppel, who showed no signs of slowing down after his hot start to the season. In 12 games in December, the Hornets sharpshooter averaged 20.8 PPG, 4.7 APG, and 4.2 APG, with an outstanding .500/.462/.903 shooting line.
Only Donovan Mitchell and Stephen Curry have made more three-pointers so far this season than Knueppel, who knocked down 4.0 per game in December and now has 117 on the season.
Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward, Spurs guard Dylan Harper, Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard, Pelicans big man Derik Queen, and Kings center Maxime Raynaud were also nominated for the Western Conference Rookie of the Month award, while Nets guard Egor Demin, Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe, and Wizards guard Tre Johnson were nominated in the East (Twitter link).
Eastern Notes: Edgecombe, Wizards, Hall, Williams, Cavs
While he has been overshadowed to some extent by former Duke teammates Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel, Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe has been one of the NBA’s very best rookies so far this season. As Tony Jones of The Athletic writes, Edgecombe is further along his development than anticipated and showed again on Tuesday why Philadelphia made the right call drafting him with the No. 3 overall pick.
In a back-and-forth overtime matchup with Memphis, Edgecombe racked up 25 points, six rebounds, four assists, and four steals in nearly 41 minutes of action. He also knocked down five shots from beyond the arc, including a game-winning three-pointer with two seconds left in the overtime period (video link via NBA.com).
“VJ has been telling us for three weeks that he deserves to shoot a game-winner,” said Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, who had the assist on that final shot. “I said, OK. I trust him. I knew he would shoot it with confidence. He took the shot, and he made it. We’re blessed to have him. You can thank the basketball gods, or (Sixers president of basketball operations) Daryl Morey, or whoever. He’s got a chance to be a special player.”
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- The Sixers were able to draft Edgecombe because they were bad enough last season to hang onto a top-six protected 2025 first-round pick. The Wizards find themselves in a similar position this season, with their 2026 first-rounder headed to New York if it doesn’t land in the top eight. As David Aldridge of The Athletic writes, that no longer looks like the lock that it did after Washington lost 15 of its first 16 games this season. The Wizards’ young core has shown positive signs during the team’s recent 4-4 stretch, which bodes well for the future but could jeopardize the team’s 2026 first-round pick if the trend continues.
- The two-way contracts recently signed by PJ Hall with the Hornets and Malik Williams with the Hawks each cover two seasons, Hoops Rumors has learned. If Hall and Williams play out those full deals, they’ll be eligible for restricted free agency during the 2027 offseason.
- With the Cavaliers off to an 18-16 start after winning 64 games last season and surpassing the second tax apron over the summer, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) considers potential moves for Cleveland’s front office, exploring whether it would make sense for the team to shake up its roster in a major way at the upcoming trade deadline. As Gozlan outlines, the Cavs’ inability to aggregate salaries will create challenges on the trade market, but players on smaller or mid-sized contracts – like Herbert Jones and Jose Alvarado of the Pelicans – would still theoretically be attainable.
And-Ones: Simmons, NCAA, Rookies, Tanking, 2026 Draft
After recently confirming to Marc J. Spears of Andscape that he continues to work toward a potential NBA comeback, former No. 1 overall pick and three-time All-Star Ben Simmons spoke to Sam Jane of The Athletic about why he has been in no rush to sign a new contract. As Simmons explains, recurring back issues have resulted in him playing – and living – through pain for several years.
“(It’s) one of those things where you’re dealing with it every day, sitting down, going to sleep, flying on planes,” Simmons said. “People don’t understand that.”
According to Simmons, he determined it would be in his best interest to take a more extended rehab period after the 2024/25 season rather than immediately signing a new contract and once again reporting to a team’s camp at less than 100%. His goal as he works out in Los Angeles, he tells Jane, is to become “bulletproof” to avoid more health-related setbacks.
“I’m about to be 30 years old, and I need to make the best decision for Ben Simmons,” Simmons said. “It’s not fun going out there, not being able to move, not be able to jump, or, you know, take hits. There’s no fun in that. Sometimes you got to make a decision with how you feel and what’s best for yourself. And that’s what I’ve done, and it’s not for everybody to really understand, because they’re not in my shoes.”
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Amid reports that college basketball coaches are reaching out to players with NBA experience, Jeff Goodman of Field of 68 (Twitter links) hears from a source that the NCAA has yet to grant eligibility to anyone who has played in NBA games. Asked if that could happen, an NCAA spokesperson provided the following statement: “Schools are recruiting and seeking eligibility for more individuals with more international, semi-pro, and professional experience than ever before and while the NCAA members have updated many rules following the House injunction, more rules must likely be updated to reflect the choices member schools are making. At the same time, NCAA eligibility rules have been invalidated by judges across the country wreaking havoc on the system and leading to fewer opportunities for high school students, which is why the Association is asking Congress to intervene in these challenges.”
- A little over two months into the NBA season, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has updated his rookie rankings, evaluating first-year players based on how they’ve performed so far in 2025/26. The top four players on Vecenie’s list are the same ones selected with the first four picks in the 2025 draft: Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, Hornets wing Kon Knueppel, Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe, and Spurs guard Dylan Harper. Pelicans big man Derik Queen rounds out Vecenie’s top five.
- With the NBA reportedly considering rule changes to further disincentivize tanking, Tony Jones, Eric Koreen, and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic evaluate the rumored proposals, expressing the most enthusiasm for one that would prevent teams from drafting in the top four in back-to-back years.
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report spoke to three scouts about who should be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, with each of those three scouts laying out the case for selecting a different prospect: Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, and Duke forward Cameron Boozer.