December 2025

There were 1,494 posts published in December 2025 (this is page 6 of 150).

Charlie Baker insists NCAA won’t grant eligibility to players who have signed an NBA contract

Since the news broke on Christmas Eve that 21-year-old James Nnaji, the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, had enrolled at Baylor, a collection of high-profile college basketball coaches have expressed their growing frustration toward the lack of appropriate NCAA regulation in the sport and, as a result, the blurred line between pro and college hoops.

NCAA president Charlie Baker tried to make that line clearer Tuesday. In a statement he posted to X, Baker clarified that the NCAA “has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract (including a two-way contract).”

Nnaji, a 7-foot center from Makurdi, Nigeria, who could provide relief to an injury-riddled Baylor squad as early as this weekend, never signed an NBA contract. The Detroit Pistons drafted him, but his rights were traded to the Charlotte Hornets on draft day and once more in 2024 to the New York Knicks as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade.

Although Nnaji played in NBA Summer League games for the Hornets and Knicks, as recently as this year for the Knicks, he never appeared in an NBA regular-season game.

Here’s Baker’s full statement, which arrives in the wake of Arkansas’ John Calipari pleading for the NCAA to explain its decision to grant Nnaji four years of eligibility, UConn’s Dan Hurley clamoring for guidelines and rules and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo saying “shame on the NCAA”: 

“The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract (including a two-way contract),” Baker wrote. 

“As schools are increasingly recruiting individuals with international league experience, the NCAA is exercising discretion in applying the actual and necessary expenses bylaw to ensure that prospective student-athletes with experience in American basketball leagues are not at a disadvantage compared to their international counterparts. 

“Rules have long permitted schools to enroll and play individuals with no prior collegiate experience midyear. While the NCAA has prevailed on the vast majority of eligibility-related lawsuits, recent outlier decisions enjoining the NCAA on a nationwide basis from enforcing rules that have been on the books for decades — without even having a trial — are wildly destabilizing. I will be working with DI leaders in the weeks ahead to protect college basketball from these misguided attempts to destroy this American institution.”

So there it is, a line in the sand.

Time will tell if players and lawyers attempt to challenge it in court.

Baylor plays Saturday on the road against TCU. Nnaji, who had been in the FC Barcelona organization since 2020, will be eligible. 

He’s the first former draft pick to be cleared to play in men’s college basketball.

It’s important to note, though, that Thierry Darlan and London Johnson, two former G League guards, committed to colleges this fall. 

Darlan has already been playing for Santa Clara. Johnson has joined Louisville but is expected to redshirt and make his college debut during the 2026-27 season.

Charlie Baker insists NCAA won’t grant eligibility to players who have signed an NBA contract

Since the news broke on Christmas Eve that 21-year-old James Nnaji, the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, had enrolled at Baylor, a collection of high-profile college basketball coaches have expressed their growing frustration toward the lack of appropriate NCAA regulation in the sport and, as a result, the blurred line between pro and college hoops.

NCAA president Charlie Baker tried to make that line clearer Tuesday. In a statement he posted to X, Baker clarified that the NCAA “has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract (including a two-way contract).”

Nnaji, a 7-foot center from Makurdi, Nigeria, who could provide relief to an injury-riddled Baylor squad as early as this weekend, never signed an NBA contract. The Detroit Pistons drafted him, but his rights were traded to the Charlotte Hornets on draft day and once more in 2024 to the New York Knicks as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade.

Although Nnaji played in NBA Summer League games for the Hornets and Knicks, as recently as this year for the Knicks, he never appeared in an NBA regular-season game.

Here’s Baker’s full statement, which arrives in the wake of Arkansas’ John Calipari pleading for the NCAA to explain its decision to grant Nnaji four years of eligibility, UConn’s Dan Hurley clamoring for guidelines and rules and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo saying “shame on the NCAA”: 

“The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract (including a two-way contract),” Baker wrote. 

“As schools are increasingly recruiting individuals with international league experience, the NCAA is exercising discretion in applying the actual and necessary expenses bylaw to ensure that prospective student-athletes with experience in American basketball leagues are not at a disadvantage compared to their international counterparts. 

“Rules have long permitted schools to enroll and play individuals with no prior collegiate experience midyear. While the NCAA has prevailed on the vast majority of eligibility-related lawsuits, recent outlier decisions enjoining the NCAA on a nationwide basis from enforcing rules that have been on the books for decades — without even having a trial — are wildly destabilizing. I will be working with DI leaders in the weeks ahead to protect college basketball from these misguided attempts to destroy this American institution.”

So there it is, a line in the sand.

Time will tell if players and lawyers attempt to challenge it in court.

Baylor plays Saturday on the road against TCU. Nnaji, who had been in the FC Barcelona organization since 2020, will be eligible. 

He’s the first former draft pick to be cleared to play in men’s college basketball.

It’s important to note, though, that Thierry Darlan and London Johnson, two former G League guards, committed to colleges this fall. 

Darlan has already been playing for Santa Clara. Johnson has joined Louisville but is expected to redshirt and make his college debut during the 2026-27 season.

USDA Advances Farm Security Action Plan to Protect U.S. Farmland and Federal Programs from Foreign Adversaries

(Washington, D.C., December 30, 2025) – As committed to under USDA’s National Farm Security Action Plan (PDF, 1.2 MB) U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced a number of coordinated actions to continue to emphasize American agricultural research and innovation by ensuring ideas stay in America or among our allies, not with hostile nations and that we are putting American farmers and ranchers first in every USDA program, period.

D’backs GM casts doubt on potential Ketel Marte-to-Red Sox trade

D’backs GM casts doubt on potential Ketel Marte-to-Red Sox trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Ketel Marte trade rumors have cooled since the MLB Winter Meetings, and now it appears the Arizona Diamondbacks plan to hold on to their All-Star second baseman.

D’backs general manager Mike Hazen spoke to reporters Tuesday about Marte’s availability in trade talks. Although the club continues to engage with teams about a possible deal, Hazen is ready to move on.

“We’re very likely to put an end to this shortly,” Hazen said. … “This isn’t going to continue to linger. We need to focus our offseason.

“Again, my gut this whole time was that (a trade of Marte) wasn’t going to happen, and I think it seems likely that that’s the case and we want to focus on other things we need to do.”

The Red Sox have been the club most prominently linked to Marte in recent weeks. Arizona has reportedly asked for young pitching in return, and Boston has two top pitching prospects in left-handers Payton Tolle and Connelly Early.

That price may be too steep for Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, and understandably so. Tolle has top-of-the-rotation upside as Boston’s No. 1 prospect, and Early showcased his intriguing potential in his first taste of the big leagues last season. Trading them for a 32-year-old middle infielder — even one as talented as Marte — is risky business.

That said, the Red Sox still need to add a big bat or two to their lineup this offseason, even after acquiring first baseman Willson Contreras from the St. Louis Cardinals. Re-signing Alex Bregman remains a possibility, and they’ve also been linked to sluggers Bo Bichette and Eugenio Suarez on the free-agent market. If the Marte trade talks indeed fall through, Boston could pivot to Cardinals utility man Brendan Donovan or Houston Astros infielder Isaac Paredes.

In 2025, the switch-hitting Marte slashed .283/.376/.517 with 28 homers and 72 RBI in 126 games. He has also been a solid defender at second base with +10 Outs Above Average over the past three seasons (+8 OAA in ’24).

Angels reportedly buy out remaining $38 million on Anthony Rendon’s contract, ending his tenure with the team

One of the most disappointing free-agent signings in recent memory is being paid to spend the final year of his contract away from the team. The Los Angeles Angels and Anthony Rendon have reportedly agreed to a buyout, ending Rendon’s tenure with the club, according to The Athletic. 

Rendon, 35, had one year and $38 million left on the seven-year, $245 million deal he signed with the team ahead of the 2020 MLB season. Instead of paying Rendon that money this year, the team will part ways with the third baseman and defer his contract roughly three-to-five years as part of the buyout, per The Athletic. It’s unclear exactly how it will be paid out.

Rendon was among the most coveted free agents when he hit the market following the 2019 MLB season. He was coming off a six-year stretch in which he hit .293/.374/.500 with 129 home runs and strong defense at the hot corner. He received MVP votes in four of those six seasons, finishing a career-high third for the award just before hitting the free-agent market. 

The Angels took the plunge on the then-29-year-old, agreeing to a seven-year, $245 million contract. The move came months after the team signed Mike Trout to a $430 million extension and was meant to give Trout a dangerous middle-of-the-order partner who would help lead the Angels back to the postseason.

For one season, it looked like a decent move. While the Angels struggled during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Rendon performed well, hitting .286/.418/.497 in 52 games. That performance earned him a top-10 finish in MVP voting.

But things quickly went downhill for the former star the following season. He battled numerous injuries and was limited to 58 games in 2021. Ailments soon became a major theme for Rendon with the Angels. In his five seasons with the club, he played in 257 of a possible 1,032 games due to injuries and surgeries, per The Athletic.

And he wasn’t very productive when he was on the field. Following his strong 2020 debut, Rendon hit just .231/.329/.336 over the next four seasons. He played in 206 games over that stretch.

Rendon was supposed to suit up for the Angels in 2025 but missed the entire season after undergoing hip surgery.

Amid his struggles, Rendon also drew criticism after a 2023 incident in which he angrily confronted an Athletics fan after a game. Rendon grabbed the fan by the shirt and lobbed expletives at him before appearing to take a swipe at the fan, which did not connect. MLB suspended Rendon for five games following the incident, though it was reduced to four games after an appeal. 

After missing all of 2025, the Angels essentially wrote off Rendon in 2026. The team reportedly considered a contract buyout early in the offseason. General manager Perry Minasian was asked about that possibility in December and responded by saying he had nothing to report on that front. Minasian, however, did not deny that the team was looking into the possibility, giving credence to the report.

With the buyout, the Angels will free up some immediate cash that can be used to add free agents ahead of the 2026 season. The team has already been active this offseason, trading for pitcher Grayson Rodriguez and infielder Vaughn Grissom and signing relievers Drew Pomeranz, Kirby Yates and Jordan Romano.

The Angels are looking to get back into contention after finishing last season 72-90 and last in the AL West. The team hasn’t finished higher than third in the division since 2017 and hasn’t reached the postseason since 2014.

Angels reportedly buy out remaining $38 million on Anthony Rendon’s contract, ending his tenure with the team

One of the most disappointing free-agent signings in recent memory is being paid to spend the final year of his contract away from the team. The Los Angeles Angels and Anthony Rendon have reportedly agreed to a buyout, ending Rendon’s tenure with the club, according to The Athletic. 

Rendon, 35, had one year and $38 million left on the seven-year, $245 million deal he signed with the team ahead of the 2020 MLB season. Instead of paying Rendon that money this year, the team will part ways with the third baseman and defer his contract roughly three-to-five years as part of the buyout, per The Athletic. It’s unclear exactly how it will be paid out.

Rendon was among the most coveted free agents when he hit the market following the 2019 MLB season. He was coming off a six-year stretch in which he hit .293/.374/.500 with 129 home runs and strong defense at the hot corner. He received MVP votes in four of those six seasons, finishing a career-high third for the award just before hitting the free-agent market. 

The Angels took the plunge on the then-29-year-old, agreeing to a seven-year, $245 million contract. The move came months after the team signed Mike Trout to a $430 million extension and was meant to give Trout a dangerous middle-of-the-order partner who would help lead the Angels back to the postseason.

For one season, it looked like a decent move. While the Angels struggled during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Rendon performed well, hitting .286/.418/.497 in 52 games. That performance earned him a top-10 finish in MVP voting.

But things quickly went downhill for the former star the following season. He battled numerous injuries and was limited to 58 games in 2021. Ailments soon became a major theme for Rendon with the Angels. In his five seasons with the club, he played in 257 of a possible 1,032 games due to injuries and surgeries, per The Athletic.

And he wasn’t very productive when he was on the field. Following his strong 2020 debut, Rendon hit just .231/.329/.336 over the next four seasons. He played in 206 games over that stretch.

Rendon was supposed to suit up for the Angels in 2025 but missed the entire season after undergoing hip surgery.

Amid his struggles, Rendon also drew criticism after a 2023 incident in which he angrily confronted an Athletics fan after a game. Rendon grabbed the fan by the shirt and lobbed expletives at him before appearing to take a swipe at the fan, which did not connect. MLB suspended Rendon for five games following the incident, though it was reduced to four games after an appeal. 

After missing all of 2025, the Angels essentially wrote off Rendon in 2026. The team reportedly considered a contract buyout early in the offseason. General manager Perry Minasian was asked about that possibility in December and responded by saying he had nothing to report on that front. Minasian, however, did not deny that the team was looking into the possibility, giving credence to the report.

With the buyout, the Angels will free up some immediate cash that can be used to add free agents ahead of the 2026 season. The team has already been active this offseason, trading for pitcher Grayson Rodriguez and infielder Vaughn Grissom and signing relievers Drew Pomeranz, Kirby Yates and Jordan Romano.

The Angels are looking to get back into contention after finishing last season 72-90 and last in the AL West. The team hasn’t finished higher than third in the division since 2017 and hasn’t reached the postseason since 2014.

Why You Should Give Yourself ‘Crappy’ Rewards for Your Fitness Goals

Rewarding yourself can backfire. If you tell yourself, “I’ll only listen to my favorite podcast while I’m at the gym,” it takes just one moment of weakness to realize you can cheat and listen to it any time you want. Instead, try this: Reward yourself with something that has no enjoyment value whatsoever. Like a checkmark on your calendar.

I first heard this tip from writer Tim Clare’s podcast. If you want to stay motivated, he says, the reward has to be so crappy that you’re not actually working for the reward. He said that he puts a checkmark on his calendar every day he writes, and at the end of the week enough checkmarks earn a gold star. The same approach has worked for me and for others. I have to admit: Buying myself a pack of stickers is embarrassingly motivating.

Why stickers work better than “real” rewards

Tim Clare likes the theory that this works because of cognitive dissonance: We have to change something major (our behavior) to earn something that’s not valuable (a sticker), so we try to resolve that dissonance by deciding we value the behavior change. The crappy extrinsic reward strengthens our sense that the new habit is intrinsically valuable.

And as my colleague Meredith Dietz has written, experts believe that the secret to lasting motivation lies in our intrinsic goals. Engaging in healthy behaviors like exercise only works if we’re doing those behaviors for their own sake, not because we’re enduring our gym time as a means to an end. Extrinsic rewards like streaks and badges can gamify this process so addictively that we lose sight of why we’re actually doing it in the first place. Note that I’m not saying you should chase streaks; I’m thinking more like literal stickers on a piece of paper, or a note in your phone where you write down how many miles you ran this week.

Another type of ineffective reward is the real-life splurge: promising you’ll treat yourself to something (a dessert, a clothing purchase) once you hit a certain goal. Here’s the problem: If you hate exercising so much that you need a bribe to do it at all, you’re quickly going to find a way to have the reward without the work. There’s nothing actually stopping you from listening to that “gym only” podcast at home, or ordering yourself the new outfit you had earmarked as a reward for when you make it through the couch to 5K program.

Using a crappy reward works because it just reflects your existing motivation back on itself. You check off today’s work, not because the checkmark is valuable in itself, but because the checkmark reminds you that you kept a promise to yourself. There’s a thrill to closing that loop, and those little wins really build your self-efficacy. In self-efficacy theory, small wins boost your motivation to keep working toward bigger goals.

The best part of using stickers or checkmarks is that it’s pointless to cheat. What are you going to do—lie to yourself when you didn’t actually go to the gym? But building up that row of numbers or stickers becomes its own reward. You’re really just rewarding yourself with the satisfaction of having stuck to your habit.

The High Score 100: The biggest rankings risers and fallers as we navigate Week 11 in fantasy basketball

The High Score 100 — the top 100 players in Yahoo’s newest fantasy basketball format — is a running reflection of year-to-date performance and trending production. Each weekly update captures who’s actually delivering value and who’s fading.

Here’s a breakdown of the biggest risers and fallers through the 10th week of fantasy basketball — with the complete High Score 100 at the bottom of the article. I’ll be updating my rankings every Tuesday throughout the fantasy basketball season.

[High Score is a new way to play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo with simple rosters and scoring. It’s not too late to create or join a league]

Before we get into it, the fantasy community is breathing a sigh of relief. Nikola Jokić hyperextended his left knee on Monday and is expected to miss at least four weeks, per reports. The injury comes on the heels of Jokić posting the most prolific fantasy performance of the season, dropping 108 High Score points after demolishing Minnesota on Christmas Day.

Because the injury occurred after Week 10 rankings locked, Jokić holds steady in this week’s update. But for managers scrambling to fill that void, Jonas Valančiūnas is the clear next-man-up add. He’ll absorb a steady diet of frontcourt minutes and touches while Jokić is sidelined.

📈 Risers — From Breakouts to Comebacks

Collin Gillespie – G, Phoenix Suns: 91st overall (⬆️ 49)

This one came out of nowhere. Gillespie vaults from No. 140 to No. 91 and earns a rightful spot among the week’s biggest risers. Since sliding into the starting lineup in late November, he’s been a problem for opponents — averaging 17.2 points, 5.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and a pair of stocks per game over his last 13 games.

Gillespie has been a must-add across formats for the production he’s providing in points, rebounds and assists from the guard spot. He’s fearless, efficient and thriving in an expanded role for Phoenix. With Jalen Green still sidelined, Gillespie’s delivering top-100 value in High Score this season and over the past two weeks, he’s leveled up to top-40. Fantasy managers should keep riding the wave until that changes.

Jaren Jackson Jr. – FC, Memphis Grizzlies: 82nd overall (⬆️ 14)

Just a couple of weeks ago, JJJ was on my fallers list. Now, he’s climbing again. He’s found life, averaging 46.2 fantasy points over the past two weeks, ranking in the top-25 in High Score. After posting consecutive 50+ fantasy-point games, he’s finally looking like the player managers drafted — active defensively and hitting 3s while showing more effort on the glass.

He’s averaging 22.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.7 blocks over his past six games, and his fantasy stock is trending back toward early-round territory. Still, I’d entertain selling because if he’s not blocking shots, JJJ’s value is limited to points and 3s.

Kawhi Leonard – G/FC, LA Clippers: 22nd overall (⬆️ 13)

What a week. Kawhi dropped a career-high 55 points in a win over Detroit on Sunday— adding 11 boards, 5 steals and 3 blocks for good measure. He averaged 41.3 points per game across Week 10, and it’s clear this new Clippers version requires him to be more aggressive offensively. 

Kawhi is backing it up by pacing toward a career high in points per game. He’s been the second-best player in per-game performance over the past two weeks, averaging 64.6 fantasy points in High Score.

📉 Fallers — Same Names, Same Problems

Quentin Grimes – G/FC, Philadelphia 76ers: 117th overall (⬇️ 27)

For the second straight week, Grimes lands in the fallers section. His scoring has cratered, down to 10.1 points on 35% shooting in December. There’s not enough volume available in a reserve role at the moment with the Sixers stars finally healthy(ish). 

While I’d still hold Grimes in 12-team, 9-cat leagues, fantasy managers can safely move on in High Score.

Myles Turner – FC, Milwaukee Bucks: 115th overall (⬇️ 18)

Turner’s been beyond underwhelming. He finally broke out of his slump on Monday, scoring 43 fantasy points. However, this is a Week 10 update, and in three games last week, he didn’t eclipse 27 fantasy points. 

Having Giannis Antetokounmpo back in the lineup should help his fantasy value moving forward, but tread lightly because Turner is still shooting a career-low 42% from the field, causing his points to drop to 12.6 PPG, his lowest in the past four seasons. Turner remains an asset in all formats because of his blocks, but he’s becoming less of a difference-maker in High Score.

Deandre Ayton – FC, Los Angeles Lakers: 110th overall (⬇️ 15)

Ayton’s slide continues as he drops from No. 95 to No. 110. He’s been too inconsistent on a nightly basis, making it hard to trust putting him into your lineups on any given night. Ayton’s been a low-end double-double guy all year, and that’s not particularly valuable in High Score, with rebounds only netting 1 point. 

The only hope would be Ayton picking up his scoring, assist rate or stocks, which is a lot to expect. Silver lining — over the past five games without Austin Reaves, Ayton has played much better. Still, I wouldn’t be mad if fantasy managers decided to drop him for a hotter waiver pickup, though.

The High Score 100 is a running reflection of year-to-date performance and trending production.