It began with a viral photo. There was Patrick Mahomes, standing victorious in a locker room, his arm raised in triumph, his torso shirtless, his gut exposed and … kind of flabby? Maybe it was the lighting. Or a bad angle. Mahomes blamed that. Still, the evidence seemed undeniable: Here was one of the greatest…
Activity at the NBA trade deadline reshaped the league for years to come with maneuvers that will take weeks, if not months, to fully process. There are winners and there are losers, as outlined below, but no cheap shots. There is also a fundamental sea change under way as to who calls the shots. LeBron…
The NBA trade deadline is right around the corner, and front-office executives across the league are working the phones to scan the market and figure out the best paths forward for their respective teams. The Athletic NBA staff decided to offer an assist. For all 30 teams, we’ve selected a short-term route — buy, sell…
The East’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell, and the West’s Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James were selected as NBA All-Star starters, according to voting results announced Thursday on TNT. James will make his record 21st consecutive start as an All-Star and Curry, the…
The NBA trade deadline is two weeks away, and the rumor mill is starting to heat up. A lot could happen between now and Feb. 6, and many of the names below may sound familiar if you’ve been following the news cycle for the past few weeks. But a few new names may surprise you….
We’re firmly into conference play in the college basketball season, which means it’s time to update the 2025 NBA Mock Draft here at The Athletic. Why does conference play matter so much more than the nonconference slate? First and foremost, it’s later in the season. Freshmen have had a chance to adjust to the speed…
Nikola Jokić’s dramatic leap as a shooter this season isn’t directly linked to the Denver Nuggets’ playoffs semifinal loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves last spring. But when one goes 2 for 14 from 3-point range over Games 6 and 7 as Jokić did, it certainly can be looked at as a turning point. Jokić didn’t…
All your favorite characters are competing for the same NBA award once again. Nikola Jokić is the MVP favorite. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander follows him up. Two-time winner Giannis Antetokounmpo is on their tails, as are Jayson Tatum and Luka Dončić. Those five made up First Team All-NBA last season. Now, they make up the quintet atop…
Dec. 15 has come and gone, which means NBA trade season has officially commenced. Players who changed teams over the offseason are now able to be traded, which opens up a world of functionality and flexibility across the trade market. It’s now a race to Feb. 6, a nearly two-month window for teams to figure…
Since the NBA is considering altering the format of the All-Star Game, I have some ideas. USA vs. The World has more juice than ever, from an NBA perspective. Think about the starting lineup the Americans would have to face: Nikola Jokić at center, Luka Dončić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the backcourt, Giannis Antetokounmpo and…