Chris Paul’s NBA career is over after 21 seasons, and the way he went out is going to be remembered for quite some time.

Officially, Paul retired Friday, shortly after his release by the Toronto Raptors. However, his last game was months ago with the Los Angeles Clippers, who signed him for his final season in the NBA, then benched him, sent him home and traded him to Toronto.

In an appearance on his friend Carmelo Anthony’s “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast filmed last weekend, Paul addressed the circumstances of his Clippers exit. The podcast posted only part of the interview on social media as of Tuesday night, but Paul’s comments painted a picture of a relationship that went from friendly to contentious at rapid speed.

As Paul tells it, he reached out to both Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank to signal his interest in finishing his career in Los Angeles, where he was a five-time All-Star.

The reunion made for a nice story. No one expected Paul to replicate his old numbers with the Clippers, but at worst he could give them depth at point guard while supplying veteran experience, cementing his legacy as one of the franchise’s greats and playing near his Los Angeles-based family.

It was apparently going according to plan at one point in the season, as Paul claimed Frank praised his leadership: 

“Earlier in the season, Lawrence Frank sent me an article about how great my leadership was, an article I had never seen. He texted it to me saying, ‘Man, this is great leadership right here.'”

However, as we learned in the aftermath of Paul’s benching, there were apparently some major communication issues involving Paul and Lue. The pair reportedly clashed over Paul’s attempts to provide his own guidance to members of the team and coach and player were allegedly not on speaking terms by the end, though Lue has denied that latter part.

Paul, however, confirmed that some members of the Clippers organization didn’t want him giving players advice:

“During training camp, I talked to one of my teammates for a while and then, as soon as I went in the meal room, somebody came and told me they didn’t want me giving players advice. So I told them, ‘You were my assistant coach, I know you.’ But it was a lot of back-and-forth.”

Paul is possibly referring to Lue with that “I know you” line, as Lue was an assistant on the Clippers coaching staff during Paul’s first tenure there.

David Jensen via Getty Images

When the subject of the Clippers retiring Paul’s jersey number came up — which would be highly awkward anytime in the near future — Paul said that Frank actually said his number should be retired … before dropping the ax. He also indicated Frank neglected to set up a meeting with Lue, indicating there might be something to the reports they weren’t talking:

“[Frank] said that to me before he sent me home. … Before I left the room, I asked him, ‘So L-Frank, you said you was gonna get me a meeting with T-Lue, right?’ He said, ‘I’m sorry, I couldn’t do that. Go home.'”

There’s no telling what Paul’s relationship with the Clippers will be going forward. The team posted a tribute video for him after he announced his retirement, so there might be a willingness to bury the hatchet on their side already, but no one’s going to blame Paul for keeping them at arm’s length as long as the current leadership is in place.

The WNBA players union submitted a new counterproposal to the league on Monday afternoon, marking a significant step in negotiations between the two sides as the start of the new season inches closer.

According to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, the WNBPA is asking for an average of 27.5% of gross revenue over the course of the agreement, including 25% in the first year. The union is also asking for less than a $9.5 million salary cap.

By comparison, the last proposal that the WNBPA sent the league late last year asked for an average of 31% of gross revenue, starting at 28%, and about a $10.5 million salary cap.

The union also proposed that teams continue provide housing for players in the first several years of the new agreement, though teams wouldn’t be obligated to do so in the later years so long as players are making close to the max salary on multi-year deals and are receiving full salary protection. Housing for players has been a requirement since 1999, either through a one-bedroom apartment or a stipend. 

Players decided to opt-out of the current collective bargaining agreement in October 2024, and the two sides have been engaged in pretty tense negotiations ever since. They have agreed two two extensions already, and then reached a moratorium agreement that allowed league business to generally continue in the meantime.

The main issue at hand is the salary structure of the WNBA. Players want a revenue-sharing structure that links salaries to the business, and a salary cap driven by revenue. The previous proposal from the WNBA included an uncapped revenue-sharing model and a max salary of around $1.3 million. By comparison, the supermax contract in 2025 was less than $250,000.

Things have gotten heated, too. The union has previously claimed that the league isn’t taking negotiations seriously, and there was reportedly disappointment throughout the league that the WNBA did not respond to the players’ last proposal in December for about six weeks. The WNBA and members of the union met in person earlier this month in New York, roughly a month after the last deadline.

According to ESPN, the WNBA believed the union’s December proposal would have resulted in $700 million in losses over the course of the CBA, which would put the league’s financial health at risk. 

It’s unclear if this latest proposal will gain any steam, or how it was received by the WNBA front office. The new season is set to begin on May 8, the WNBA Draft is supposed to take place on April 13, and there is a two-team expansion draft that needs to happen with the addition of the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo. Those can’t get done, and the season can’t start, until a new deal is reached.

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

After a 23-0 start to the season, things have gone downhill fast for Arizona. 

The Wildcats have since lost two straight and fallen from their No. 1 ranking. And on Tuesday they revealed that they’ll be without one of their best players for an extended period. 

Arizona announced that star freshman Koa Peat has a muscles strain in his lower leg. He’ll be re-evaluated next week without a precise timeline to return. 

At this point, the comparisons only grow louder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has had an all-time run over the last two-plus seasons. He’s skyrocketed to the league’s best players. Now, his competition goes beyond the current field of players. He’s figuring out his place in the NBA’s lore.

Gilgeous-Alexander has been the NBA’s best scorer for four seasons now. He’s been a superb-efficient 30-point machine. Just a handful of games away, the reigning MVP is on the doorstep of usurping Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA-record 20-point streak of 126 consecutive games.

It feels like Gilgeous-Alexander is breaking some sorta scoring record every other night. He might not have the insane highs of a video-game-esque 60-point explosion, but his 30-point floor doesn’t get taken for granted. Especially as the rest of the league has yet to figure out how to slow him down.

Gilgeous-Alexander had one of the most complete individual seasons ever in the 2024-25 campaign. He won the MVP, NBA Finals MVP, an NBA championship and the scoring title. The trophies piled on in the offseason as he was universally viewed as the best pro athlete of the 2025 calendar year.

One of the few folks who can relate to Gilgeous-Alexander is Michael Jordan. Yep. You read that right. MJ. Anytime the former accomplished some rare scoring feat, the latter was always part of the group. The six-time NBA champion is viewed as most people’s greatest of all time. He defined basketball for an entire generation of fans.

Including Gilgeous-Alexander, who views Jordan as his GOAT. Which makes any comparisons made to him quite the humiliating experience. The one-on-ones don’t stop at just their respective trophy case. Both have similar scoring games from a stylistic standpoint.

Gilgeous-Alexander loves to dissect a defense with his league-best mid-range game. Anytime he pulls up from within the perimeter, you can bank on his jumper swishing through. When defenses sell out to stop that, he has no problem going with his herky-jerky drive game to get to the cup and either finish through traffic or go to the free-throw line.

At the peak of his powers, Jordan had a similar bag. He dominated the 1990s by being a 30-point machine that seldom shot below 50% from the field, which is quite the accomplishment considering he was a meh-sized guard. Along with Gilgeous-Alexander, they each have had big-man-esque efficiency inside the paint. That’s what separates them from the rest of the league’s top scorers.

Despite the parallels, Gilgeous-Alexander slowed down the Jordan comparisons. He fought through a chuckle when he was asked about them in an interview with Billboard.

“Honestly speaking, I don’t really love them. Just because he’s 3-peated twice. What he did for the sneaker business. Everything he’s been to the game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I think it’s a disservice to compare me seven years in to what he’s been. I don’t love them, but I appreciate them.”

I think that’s fair to say. While Gilgeous-Alexander is already one of the NBA’s best scorers ever, he has quite the resume to fill out if he wants to be in the same breath as Jordan. The good news is, he’s in the middle of his prime. There’s a reason why the Oklahoma City Thunder is viewed as the best bet to rattle off a handful of titles over the next decade.

We’ll see how the rest of Gilgeous-Alexander’s career plays out. Winning an NBA championship now is much more difficult than it was 30 years ago. The talent levels across the league have just been multiplied tenfold since then. But let’s not act like being called Gen Z MJ is some sorta outrageous opinion. The stats back it up. Let’s see if the accolades start to do the same soon.

“It’s greatness at the highest form. That’s what I’m after,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s what I’m chasing. That’s what I’m striving for.”

SGA on getting MJ comparisons: “Honestly speaking, I don’t really love them. Just because he’s 3-peated twice… I think it’s a disservice to compare me 7 years in to what he’s been. I don’t love them but I appreciate them.”
pic.twitter.com/RCRlSW8bxS

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) February 17, 2026

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: What does Shai Gilgeous-Alexander think of Michael Jordan comparisons?

Reactions from the first day and weekend of Division-1 baseball can stick in the minds of scouts throughout the entirety of the spring. One singular game of 55 can be a mental staple despite the reality that it has no more important than the next game.

In this edition of The Sporting Tribune’s bi-weekly draft notebook, we take a look at the most notable performances from the opening weekend of Divison-1 baseball, and what we saw over the weekend. Things that may stick with us through the entirety of the spring.

Kyle McDaniel, 2B, Utah Tech

One of the better hitters in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), McDaniel proved his hitting prowess with one of the better early season performances against UC Riverside. Over four games against the Highlanders, he reached base safely in 15-of-21 plate appearances with zero strikeouts (8-for-14, six walks, one hit-by-pitch, double).

With an unorthodox setup and slap-and-dash swing from the left side and limited defensive versatility at second base, McDaniel may not jump to the top of boards through the spring, but his track record of hitting will propel him into early second day talk with a projected draft stock of rounds 4-7.

Jackson Flora, RHP, UC-Santa Barbara

Seen as one of the top pitchers in the 2026 draft class, Flora had one of the loudest performances across all of D1 on Friday when he ended the first inning with a 100-mph fastball with 21 inches of induced vertical break — an uncommon shape for a fastball with that type of velocity.

Flora struck out five Southern Miss hitters over six scoreless innings with no walks, three hits allowed and three batters hit. While the triple-digit moment was the standout moment, Flora held upper 90’s velocity throughout the outing. Paired with his strike-throwing and pair of off-speed offering (sweeper, changeup) that both flash plus, he looks poised to be one of the top arms off the board come July — if not the top arm in the class.

Mason Edwards, LHP, USC

USC left-handed pitcher Mason Edwards made a strong statement as the Trojans’ Friday night starter. He struck out nine of the 15 batters he faced across five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and two walks on an efficient 78 pitches.

Edwin So – The Sporting Tribune

USC Trojan pitcher Mason Edwards (30) throws a pitch during an NCAA Men’s baseball game between the USC Trojans and Pepperdine Wave Friday February 13,2026 at Dedeaux Field in Los Angeles Calif

Edwards’ fastball sat 92–93 mph and topped out at 94, a slight dip from earlier reports, but he showed excellent command of the pitch throughout the outing. His slurve was particularly effective, generating the majority of his strikeouts and keeping hitters off balance.

With South Carolina left-hander Jake McCoy sidelined due to a preseason arm injury, Edwards has positioned himself as a potential frontrunner to be the top college left-hander in the 2026 draft class, especially if his velocity ticks back up over his next few starts.

Adrian Lopez, 3B/INF, USC

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USC infielder Adrian Lopez had a strong Opening Day performance, going 1-for-2 with a double and a walk. He displayed solid plate discipline, consistently avoiding chase pitches and showing mature swing decisions throughout his at-bats.

Lopez made the start at third base after playing first base for the Trojans last season. Defensively, he demonstrated a quick first step and good reactions on most balls hit his way, though his arm strength appeared average.

Over the weekend, Lopez finished 2-for-9 with two doubles, two walks, and a hit-by-pitch, and one fielding error.

Cody New, LHP, Cal Baptist

Standing out as one of the best starting pitchers in the Western Athletic Conference, the senior’s season debut was cut short after 2.2 inning when he exited the game due to some discomfort, which head coach Gary Adcock said was nothing serious, but also not worth pushing through so early in the season. 

Steven Park – The Sporting Tribune

CBU Lancers pitcher Cody New (21) pitches during an NCAA Baseball game against the CSUF Titans on February 13, 2026 in Fullerton, California.

New struck out three Cal State Fullerton batters while allowing three hits and two walks.  New’s four-seem sits around 93-94 MPH and he struggles to locate it at the top of the zone. His real standout pitches are his curveball and slider. 

New’s slider sits around 80 MPH and also has wicked movement that makes it unreachable for most right handed batters, while his curve ranges between 77-81 MPH, with great lateral movement and drop to elicit swings-and-misses and generate the majority of his strikeouts. 

Mikiah Negrete, LHP, Cal State Fullerton

Steven Park – The Sporting Tribune

CSUF Titans pitcher Mikiah Negrete (4) pitches during an NCAA Baseball game against the CBU Lancers on February 13, 2026 in Fullerton, California.

The Titan’s senior ace started the season strong against Cal Baptist by striking out four while allowing three hits in 5.0 innings of work. 

Negrete’s fastball hovers in the low 90’s but he shows impressive command with both his curveball, which sits around 83 MPH and features effective vertical drop, and his changeup that sits right at 80 MPH. The changeup looks to be Negrete’s bread and butter pitch, using it well to break up sequences in an admittedly limited pitch arsenal and disrupt opposing batter’s timing. 

Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

Jessica Cryderman – The Sporting Tribune

UCLA infielder, Roch Cholowsky (1) at bat, mid hit during a NCAA baseball game against UC San Diego on February 13, 2026 at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles, CA.

One of the most highly anticipated debuts of the season on Friday night was UCLA junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky against UCLA San Diego. 

Viewed as a potential No.1 pick for this year’s draft, and with player comps such as Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Correa, Cholowsky did not disappoint.

At the plate, Cholowsky went 1-4 with his lone hit coming in the 8th inning, blasting a double towards left field, which was just a foot shy of being a home run. The only other time he reached base was in the third inning when he reached on a fielder’s choice. Despite having one hit, he showed tremendous patience at the plate, working the count all the way to the top, and had a walk in the fourth inning.

Across the diamond, he showed tremendous speed and athleticism while playing defense. One of his most impressive plays at shortstop came on a blooper that was hit towards left-center field. Cholowsky sprinted back and robbed UC San Diego of a single.

Logan Reddemann, RHP, UCLA

Jessica Cryderman – The Sporting Tribune

UCLA pitcher, Logan Reddemann (24) pitching during a NCAA baseball game against UC San Diego on February 13, 2026 at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles, CA.

Junior UCLA right-handed pitcher Logan Reddemann showed why he deserved to be UCLA’s Friday night pitcher by showing fight and keeping the Bruins in the ballgame.

After struggling early on with command issues and giving up 3 runs by the third inning, Reddemann had a bounce-back 4th and 5th inning for UCLA by retiring six straight batters and striking out 3 of them. Reddemann finished the game, throwing 89 pitches, striking out 6 batters, while giving up 3 runs, 5 hits, and 2 walks.

His fastball was impressive during the night, tracking at 95-97 MPH, through five innings, while his breaking ball was around 84 MPH, and offspeed was at 78-79 MPH.

Roman Martin, 3B, UCLA

Jessica Cryderman – The Sporting Tribune

UCLA infielder, Roman Martin (7), at bat, mid-hit during a NCAA baseball game against UC San Diego on February 13, 2026 at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles, CA.

Junior UCLA third baseman Roman Martin possibly showed the best patience at the plate during the night, earning himself 2 walks, including one in the third inning with the bases loaded.

A prime opportunity to swing the bat, Martin sat at the plate with a 3-1 count and was looking to do damage against UCSD. Triton pitcher Steele Murdock was on the mound against Martin and threw a fastball that went outside the strike zone, giving the Bruins their first run of the game.

Martin, once considered a top prospect in high school, showed why he could be drafted in the 2nd-3rd round of this year’s draft, finishing the game going 1-3, with 2 RBIs and a single in the second inning.

Mulivai Levu, 1B, UCLA

Jessica Cryderman – The Sporting Tribune

UCLA Mulivai Levu (39) at bat, mid hit during a NCAA baseball game against UC San Diego on February 13, 2026 at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles, CA.

Considered one of the top hitting prospects out of this year’s draft, Junior UCLA firstbaseman Mulivai Levu had 1 RBI and scored two runs despite not notching a hit.

Levu’s single RBI was in the fourth inning, when he reached base on a fielder’s choice. Despite not having a single hit in the game, he showed great patience at the plate, working the count and finishing with two walks.

Steele Murdock, RHP, UCSD

Redshirt Sophomore, RHP, Steele Murdock had a promising start to the game, retiring the first three batters he faced, and getting out of an early jam after giving up a single to Martin and letting him reach second on a wild pitch.

Murdock retaliated in the second by striking out Will Gasparino and not giving up a run to the next four batters he faced.

But in the third, Murdock suffered command issues and walked three batters and gave up one single while Cholowsky reached on a fielder’s choice.

Murdock attempted to pitch to Payton Brennan but was removed from the game mid-at-bat after giving up two balls. Murdock finished the game, giving up 3 runs, 4 walks, 2 hits, while striking out 1 batter in 2 1/3 innings.

Murdock’s fastball consistently sat at around 92-93 MPH, with his breaking ball hitting 81, and his offspeed was at 76 MPH.

The goal scored this Tuesday (17), against Benfica, placed Vini Jr. on a new level in the history of the Champions League. The Real Madrid forward reached 31 goals in Europe’s main club competition, establishing himself as the second Brazilian with the most goals in the tournament.

Until then, he shared the mark with Kaká, who has 30 goals. Now, he is only behind Neymar, who leads the ranking with 43.

Vini opens up after reporting another case of racism: ‘Still not understanding’

At 25 years old, Vini Jr. achieves this feat wearing only the Real Madrid jersey. Among the top ten Brazilian scorers in the Champions League, he is one of three who scored exclusively for just one club. 

See the Top-10 below:

1st – Neymar – 43 goals in 81 games – Barcelona (22) and PSG (21)

2nd – Vini Jr. – 31 goals in 77 games – Real Madrid (31) 

3rd – Kaká – 30 goals in 86 games – Milan (25) and Real Madrid (5)

4th – Rivaldo – 27 goals in 73 games – Barcelona (22), Milan (2) and Olympiacos (3)

5th – Rodrygo – 26 goals in 69 games – Real Madrid (26) 

6th – Gabriel Jesus – 26 goals in 54 games – City (20) and Arsenal (6)

7th – Jardel – 25 goals in 46 games – Porto (19) and Galatasaray (6)

8th – Élber – 24 goals in 69 games – Bayern (21) and Lyon (3)

9th – Firmino – 22 goals in 57 games – Liverpool (22) 

10th – Luiz Adriano – 21 goals in 47 games – Shakhtar (20) and Spartak Moscow (1)

Mourinho criticizes Vini Jr.’s celebration: ‘It always happens with the same one’

Mbappé defends Vini and details racism report

Vini has two Champions League titles with Real Madrid (2021/22 and 2023/24).

He scored the goal in the 2022 final and was named the best of the tournament two years later.

In the current season, the number 7 maintains impressive numbers: 11 goals and 9 assists across all competitions for the Merengue club.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

The future of LeBron James remains as uncertain as ever as Los Angeles Lakers’ governor Jeanie Buss sounds doubtful the King will be returning next season, according to Alex Sherman of CNBC. Either because of retirement or choosing to play for another team (potentially his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers?).

“Never say never, but you know, he certainly hasn’t given us an indication,” Buss said. “He’s earned the right to decide how his career will go, and you know, he continues to impress.”

James, to this point, has kept his cards close to his vest. He’s refused to give any hint as to where he’ll be playing next season, or if he’ll be playing at all. This is a can that he keeps kicking down the road. Naturally, that means the next few months are going to be a never-ending cycle of speculation.

So, buckle up.

It only makes sense that in all of this chaos, the Cleveland Cavaliers are repeatedly found at the center of it.

Can anyone come up with a better ending to LeBron’s historic career than returning home for one final championship run? Another title in Cleveland would be more valuable than winning anywhere else. It’s the type of thing that sounds too perfect.

But the stars are alligned. The Cavs have dug themselves out of another rebuilding process and could, hypothetically, add James back into the mix on a minimum contract. Whether or not James would agree to that is another story. The point is, it’s possible.

Still, LA is not out of the picture. Sure, they’ve made Luka Doncic the new cornerstone of their franchise and have largely put James on the back burner (at least, aesthetically). But the Lakers are still reportedly open to having James back next season. I’d imagine all 30 NBA teams would welcome James, but you get the point.

“If James wants to play a 24th season, he would be welcomed back in LA. Pelinka declared before the start of this season that he would love it if James retired a Laker, and that sentiment was meant to reflect a 2026 retirement or a 2027 retirement, if James intends to extend his career.”via ESPN

The future of LeBron James remains as uncertain as ever as Los Angeles Lakers’ governor Jeanie Buss sounds doubtful the King will be returning next season, according to Alex Sherman of CNBC. Either because of retirement or choosing to play for another team (potentially his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers?).

“Never say never, but you know, he certainly hasn’t given us an indication,” Buss said. “He’s earned the right to decide how his career will go, and you know, he continues to impress.”

James, to this point, has kept his cards close to his vest. He’s refused to give any hint as to where he’ll be playing next season, or if he’ll be playing at all. This is a can that he keeps kicking down the road. Naturally, that means the next few months are going to be a never-ending cycle of speculation.

So, buckle up.

It only makes sense that in all of this chaos, the Cleveland Cavaliers are repeatedly found at the center of it.

Can anyone come up with a better ending to LeBron’s historic career than returning home for one final championship run? Another title in Cleveland would be more valuable than winning anywhere else. It’s the type of thing that sounds too perfect.

But the stars are alligned. The Cavs have dug themselves out of another rebuilding process and could, hypothetically, add James back into the mix on a minimum contract. Whether or not James would agree to that is another story. The point is, it’s possible.

Still, LA is not out of the picture. Sure, they’ve made Luka Doncic the new cornerstone of their franchise and have largely put James on the back burner (at least, aesthetically). But the Lakers are still reportedly open to having James back next season. I’d imagine all 30 NBA teams would welcome James, but you get the point.

“If James wants to play a 24th season, he would be welcomed back in LA. Pelinka declared before the start of this season that he would love it if James retired a Laker, and that sentiment was meant to reflect a 2026 retirement or a 2027 retirement, if James intends to extend his career.”via ESPN

The Denver Broncos were possibly one non-Bo Nix injury away from making it to the Super Bowl.

Sean Payton’s team had a remarkable season, with a young team growing up throughout the season, and Denver defeated Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills at home in an epic postseason contest.

Nix’s broken ankle, however, derailed what could have been a date with destiny against the Seattle Seahawks.

The Broncos know they will enter 2026 with one of the best defenses in the NFL.

They have a Super Bowl-winning defense, and if they can improve an already solid offense with a maturing young quarterback in Nix, the Broncos could be favorites to win it all next season.

In a recent ESPN insider article, senior writer Bill Barnwell has the Broncos making a major move this offseason to bolster their offense and give Nix another legitimate receiving weapon alongside Courtland Sutton.

Barnwell has the Broncos giving up cornerback Riley Moss, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2027 fifth-round pick for Philadelphia Eagles superstar wideout A.J. Brown and a 2026 fifth-round pick.

“Brown’s situation with the Eagles is tenuous,” wrote Barnwell. “… [He] would be the wideout of Bo Nix’s and Sean Payton’s dreams. Nix’s accuracy issues downfield would be mitigated by Brown’s size, catch radius and ability to win on contested-catch opportunities.”

If the Broncos could swing the deal for Brown, their offense, which was overlooked for most of the 2025 season, would begin to scare many of the teams on their schedule in the upcoming campaign.

Even in what was considered a “down year,” Brown was still strong, finishing with 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games played.

In an environment where the starting QB enjoys slinging the ball, it could be what Brown needs to rediscover his love for the game following a tumultuous year in Philly.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Broncos linked to blockbuster trade for Eagles WR A.J. Brown