LeBron James said nearly four years ago on his show “The Shop” that he wanted to own an NBA team in Las Vegas.
With team governors reportedly set to vote next week on whether the NBA can move forward with the bidding process for new franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle, James was asked if he’s still interested in NBA expansion team ownership.
.@DanWoikeSports: “We’ve heard you talk for years about your ownership desires. Where did the expansion stuff kind of hit you? Is that still something big-picture that you’re interested in?”
James, a four-time NBA MVP and four-time NBA champion, has worked with global sports investment firm Fenway Sports Group (FSG) since 2011. FSG owns both the Boston Red Sox and English Premier League soccer club Liverpool but, per a report from The Athletic, isn’t currently planning on placing a bid for the likely NBA expansion team in Las Vegas. The expected cost is reportedly a deterrent for FSG.
Without FSG’s financial support in pursuing that kind of NBA ownership opportunity, James is less likely to make a push in that realm, a source told The Athletic. As of Thursday, James’ net worth is $1.4 billion, according to Forbes. So he alone can’t cover the cost of the expansion fee.
He’d also need to retire from playing in the league first before he could put in a bid for NBA team ownership, and it’s reportedly possible these new franchises debut in the fall of 2028.
The NBA hasn’t expanded since 2004. That’s when the league added the Charlotte Bobcats.
NBA executives expect either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Memphis Grizzlies to move to the Eastern Conference, with the Seattle and Vegas franchises penciled in the for the West, pending expansion approval, per ESPN.
That way, both conferences would have 16 teams.
Expansion approval must come from league owners, 23 of whom must green-light the final proposals, according to The Athletic.
James has discussed the possibility of someday owning an NBA team on various occasions over the past decade. At the moment, though, he says he’s not interested in NBA expansion team ownership.
Smart home technology has really changed the way we live and work in our homes, giving us more control over our environment and appliances. We can now adjust the climate, monitor our resource consumption, and stream our media anywhere in the house with a tap of the finger or a few spoken words. But that convenience and power has come with a cost, and that cost is the, well, aesthetic of some of that smart tech. Smart devices are often clunky plastic monstrosities that insist upon taking over more than their fair share of flat surfaces. If you’re hoping for a more elegant, analog look—while still enjoying the benefits of modern smart tech in the house—the good news is that there are a lot of options for smart home technology that can be easily hidden (or at least made less obvious).
Up to 5 Gbps with two auto-sensing 5 GbE ports and wireless speeds up to 3.9 Gbps; Supports 200+ devices and 2,000 sq. ft. of coverage (a 25 foot radius).
eero Pro 7 tri-band mesh Wi-Fi 7 router
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Matter-Over-Thread Deadbolt Plus Apple Home Key – Keyless & Remote Access via Apple, Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings (Satin Nickel)
Levl Lock Pro
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Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers
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Use a wall-mounted, minimalist wifi router
Perhaps the ugliest device in your smart home is the most fundamental: Your router. You won’t get far with your smart home if your devices can’t connect to a robust network, but routers have become unattractive enough that people try hiding them in baskets or behind plants. Instead of hiding your router, try minimizing its visual presence. The eero Pro 7 is a solid WiFi 7 mesh router that not only has a sleeker look than most routers, it can be wall-mounted to get it off flat surfaces and out of the way. This isn’t exactly hidden, of course, but it’s a lot less noticeable and obtrusive than most routers.
Hide your smart outlets, locks, and security systems
Smart stuff like outlets, locks, dimmers, and security tools offer a lot of peace of mind and control over your house, but they can also be bulky, making the place look cluttered—not exactly the sleek, cutting-edge vibe a smart home should offer. You can eliminate the clunky, though, with these products:
The Level Lock Pro is a smart lock that looks like a traditional deadbolt and integrates inside your door, giving you a cleaner, more traditional look.
The Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer works with Alexa, Apple Home, Google Assistant, Ring, and more, and offers a range of useful smart functions. But it also looks just like every other dimmer switch in the world, so you don’t have to worry about making your house look like the set of a bad sci-fi show.
Home security can be smart, too, and when it comes to exterior cameras you might actually want them to be obvious so they can act as a deterrent. Other security options, like motion detectors, can add to your sense of safety but are often unsightly. Instead, choose the Aqara Zigbee Vibration Sensor, which is a slim, easily hidden tab that detects motion and alerts you immediately.
Make your media less intrusive with flush-mounted smart speakers and hidden smart TVs
Smart media devices let you take your entertaining to a whole new level and also make relaxing in your home more fun—but even the sleekest Bluetooth speaker can be an eyesore (and one more thing you have to keep track of). Products like the Sonos In-Ceiling speakers are installed flush with your ceiling and can be painted to match, making them all but invisible. Another option is in-wall speakers from Amina, which can be installed inside cabinets or covered by drywall, making them almost totally invisible.
Another smart device that sticks out in most homes is the television. There’s no shame in having a TV as the focal point of your living room, but if you’d rather not have an enormous hunk of plastic and glass dominate the room, modern frame TVs like the Samsung’s The Frame transform into framed art when not in use as a TV, so you won’t have an ominous black screen marring your next cocktail party.
Keep your bathroom clean and orderly with a smart mirror TV
Having a smart device in the bathroom is useful for checking the news and weather while you prep for your day, or jazzing up your bath time with some music or other media. But having a hunk of plastic on the limited counter space isn’t ideal, and wall-mounted TVs can be an eyesore in an otherwise clean and calming space. The Sylvox Magic Mirror TV, however, looks just like a bathroom mirror when not in active use, but blooms into a smart TV at the touch of a button, so you can play music, movies, live TV, or just get news and weather information.
Make your kitchen sleek and tidy with smart counters
Kitchens have always been magnets for clutter. Countertop appliances, groceries, junk mail—everything winds up sitting on the counters, and there’s never enough counter space. One solution is to install smarter countertops. Products like Invisicook install induction burners under your countertop, so you can use it as both prep space and cooking space—no separate burners needed. This creates an elegantly minimalist look and gives you extra prep space when you’re not cooking. These have to be installed by professionals, and you might need to replace your current countertops as they have specific thickness and material requirements.
Another way to make your kitchen invisibly smarter is the Freepower wireless charging countertops. This requires replacing your existing countertops with pieces that integrate the Freepower chargers, but once you do that, you can literally just drop your devices on the counter and they’ll charge—no bulky chargers or unsightly wires needed.
The two-time NBA MVP and the Milwaukee Bucks are in disagreement about how to approach the end of the season, according to multiple reports. The Bucks would like to tank, which is easier to do if Antetokounmpo can’t return from his hyperextended left knee for the rest of the year, only he still wants to come back as soon as possible.
Someone wanted us to know this, even though it does not look good for anybody. It is as if everyone else knows they are headed for a divorce at season’s end but them.
There is little room for the Bucks (28-40) to move in the standings. Only the Chicago Bulls (28-41) are within four games of them on either side. They will not win enough to catch the Charlotte Hornets (35-34) for 10th place in the Eastern Conference or lose enough to match the Memphis Grizzlies (24-44) for the NBA’s eighth-worst record.
Really, they are worried about out-tanking the Bulls. The Bucks hold the league’s 10th-worst record and a 13.9% chance at a top-four pick. But if they can out-lose Chicago, those odds improve to 20.3%. However, if the pick ends up higher than New Orleans, it conveys to the Atlanta Hawks, and Milwaukee would receive the Pelicans’ pick. It is very complicated. Know this: The Bucks will most likely pick ninth or 10th in the draft.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is hoping to return this season from a hyperextended knee injury. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Patrick McDermott via Getty Images
There is, however, a slim chance both Atlanta and Milwaukee move into the top four.
Are a few more ping-pong balls worth furthering a divide with Antetokounmpo, whose commitment to the organization has remained in question all season? Let him play, if it’s going to convince him to stay. But we’ve probably passed that point.
So, don’t play. That is what is best for the Bucks, after all.
Either way, it’s not that big a deal, until they made one of it and let us all in on the argument. Why can’t the Bucks see that it is not so bad if Antetokounmpo wants to play out the season? And why can’t Antetokounmpo see that it is better for them if he doesn’t? Because neither party is interested in meeting in the middle anymore.
They are operating in their own best interests now. It is best for Antetokounmpo if he plays, I guess, because then he can say, “I never quit on Milwaukee,” and we can say, “He’s the type of guy who just wants to compete,” even at the risk to his own health.
It is best for the Bucks if he sits, for sure, because they are being outscored 9.5 points per 100 meaningful possessions when he is on the bench, according to Cleaning the Glass, and if that continues they just might pick ahead of Chicago. Milwaukee also does not risk Antetokounmpo’s trade value on his potential injury.
Either way, it is a silly argument to be having in public, partly because the Bucks could now be fined for so brazenly circumnavigating the NBA’s anti-tanking rules.
But mostly because nothing has changed. It always made more sense for the Bucks to trade Antetokounmpo in the offseason, when a number of potential suitors — the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers among them — can improve their offers.
Yet, we’ve heard throughout the season every iota of Antetokounmpo’s uneasiness. We get it, man. It doesn’t make sense for you and the Bucks to be together anymore.
Let us know when the divorce is finalized. Otherwise, keep it down, Milwaukee.
It seemed so innocuous at the moment: just a bit of backcourt pressure early in a sleepy mid-March game between two teams on diametrically opposed ends of the Eastern Conference standings.
Cade Cunningham forces Tre Johnson to turn — Job No. 1 for any pressing defender trying to make a ball-handler uncomfortable. Johnson loses the ball and his balance as he tries to spin off Cunningham into open space; both players dive for the loose ball. Cunningham’s first to the floor: quicker, more assertive, more physical in pursuit of possession. But also, more vulnerable.
Cade Cunningham won’t return tonight due to back spasms. This is the play that took him out pic.twitter.com/Mj5ZHcWL7G
What looked at first like just an uncomfortable collision, the Wizards rookie landing hard on the Pistons superstar’s back before everybody got back up and kept it pushing, soon landed Cunningham in the Pistons locker room. And what looked at first like back spasms was revealed on Thursday to be something significantly more serious: a left lung pneumothorax, or collapsed lung, that will reportedly cost Detroit’s All-NBA table-setter an “extended period of time.”
“Average,” of course, means that some returns happen more quickly than that. Back in 2015, Houston Rockets forward Terrence Jones suffered a partially collapsed lung in late March. He would miss only two weeks and six games, returning for the final eight games of the regular season and playing a key role on a Rockets team that made the Western Conference finals. And when he sustained a collapsed lung in 2023 while with the New Orleans Pelicans, CJ McCollum was back after 22 days, missing 12 games.
It also means, though, that returns can take longer — sometimes much longer. Back in 2021, while still a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, when McCollum suffered his first collapsed lung, that one cost him 41 days, keeping him on the shelf for 18 games.
If Cunningham hits the bull’s-eye on the average return-to-play timeline in Stotts’ database, that would peg a prospective comeback to April 13 — the day after the end of the 2025-26 NBA regular season.
If Cunningham’s able to return immediately after his in-two-weeks re-evaluation, he could be available for the Pistons’ final five games, giving him an opportunity to get over the 65-game finish line. If the check-in turns up evidence that he’d be best served taking another couple of weeks to heal, though, costing him the rest of the regular season, Cunningham would find himself ineligible for consideration by the media members who comprise the awards electorate. Which feels preposterous, because the 24-year-old — who is 15th in the NBA in minutes per game and 28th in total minutes, and who had played in just under 90% of Detroit’s games before someone landed on his back — has been a top-10 player this season by virtually any measure.
Cunningham is averaging 24.5 points, 9.9 assists — second in the NBA, behind only Nikola Jokic — 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 34.4 minutes per game. (I know it’s, like, the 50,000th most notable thing about this situation, but still: Cunningham leaving after only five assist-less minutes against Washington dropped him down to 9.9 dimes per game, when he was on pace to become just the eighth player in NBA history to average 20-10-5 for a full season. Just brutal.) He’s finishing at the rim, generating free throws, dishing assists and snagging blocks and steals all at career-high rates, and doing it while grading out as a plus contributor to, and the leading minutes-getter on, the NBA’s No. 2 defense.
Reasonable people can quibble with Cade’s shooting marks: 51.3% on 2-pointers, 34.6% on 3-pointers and 81.3% at the free-throw line, landing in the bottom 10 in effective field-goal percentage and true shooting percentage among players who use at least 25% of their teams’ offensive possessions. But in spite of that relative inefficiency, chances are good that your advanced stat of choice loves him.
Cade Cunningham has helped the Pistons reach new heights. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
Steve Russell via Getty Images
Cunningham isn’t the only reason Detroit has built on last year’s incredible turnaround by climbing to the precipice of the franchise’s first 50-win campaign since 2007-08 and vaulting up to the top spot in the Eastern Conference. He’s the biggest one, though … which is why his absence could throw a pretty significant hurdle in the path of a Pistons team hoping to stay in that lofty perch.
Significant, but not insurmountable. The Pistons enter Thursday’s rematch with the Wizards in first place in the East at 49-19, holding a 3.5-game lead over the second-place Boston Celtics. They also hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Boston, having beaten the Celtics three times in four tries this season, and look to have a friendlier stretch-run slate, with the East’s seventh-toughest remaining schedule, while the C’s have the third-toughest, according to Tankathon.
While Boston might project to have a tougher finishing slate, though, Detroit’s isn’t exactly a picnic. The Pistons still have meetings coming up against the Thunder, the suddenly scorching Lakers and Hawks, the postseason-bound Raptors, Magic and Hornets, and a perked-up Pelicans team that’s been playing .500 ball for more than two months and is 9-5 since the All-Star break, plus a pair of games against the Timberwolves (who might be without their own All-NBA guard, Anthony Edwards).
The glass-half-full take: The Pistons have gone 5-2 in the seven games Cunningham has missed this season — 6-2, if you include the win over Washington after his early exit — and have outscored opponents by a sturdy-if-unspectacular 2.7 points-per-100 with him off the floor. They’ve survived non-Cade minutes largely on the strength of their elite defense, cranking up the ball pressure to force turnovers on a panic-inducing 18.1% of opponents’ offensive possessions, a mark that would lead the league. The concurrent absence of Isaiah Stewart, himself sidelined by a left calf strain, complicates the “let’s defend like demons” approach somewhat … but Detroit’s won the minutes with neither Cade nor Beef Stew on the floor, too.
It’s worth noting, though, that Detroit has benefited from opponents shooting just 32.8% from long range in those non-Cunningham minutes. A shift in the vicissitudes of 3-point variance could mean an analogous decline in the effectiveness of those units … especially if an offense that’s been precariously precipitated on Cunningham’s ability to unlock coverages and create good looks continues to sputter in his absence.
The Pistons have scored 8.4 fewer points-per-100 with Cade off the floor than when he’s at the wheel. According to Cleaning the Glass, among shot creators who’ve logged at least 1,500 minutes this season, only Jokić, LaMelo Ball, Jamal Murray, James Harden, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Julius Randle have had a larger on-court/off-court impact on their teams’ offensive fortunes than Cunningham.
“All year, we’ve shown that we have the depth of a group that can win basketball games, just based upon our physicality, style, how hard we play,” Pistons forward Tobias Harris told The Athletic. “So, I think, obviously, we want him to be in the best of health. Until he gets back, we’ve got to hold the fort down, and guys have just got to step up with the next-man mentality, and every player is going to be expected to do more.”
When Cunningham went down against Washington, Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff turned to reserve guard Daniss Jenkins, a pleasant early-season surprise who’d been in a frigid shooting slump for the better part of three months. Jenkins finished with 15 points on 4-for-9 shooting with seven assists against two turnovers in 21 minutes against the Wiz; Bickerstaff will need much more of that for the foreseeable future.
He’ll need more from center Jalen Duren, who’s proven capable this season of shouldering a more significant share of the scoring workload en route to his first All-Star appearance. He’ll need more from third-year guard Marcus Sasser, who’s undersized but pugnacious and can shoot the cover off the ball; he’ll need more from wings Caris LeVert and Kevin Huerter, who can both serve as complementary ball-handlers who can help lighten the load for the likes of Jenkins and Sasser as they step into larger on-ball responsibilities.
And — if he’s willing to use this dicey moment as an opportunity to experiment a little bit — he’ll need more from Ausar Thompson, who just returned from a five-game absence of his own due to a sprained ankle. In a Cade-less context, Thompson’s combination of size, strength, quickness and athleticism make him arguably Detroit’s best advantage-creator and most threatening downhill driver; tossing him the keys a bit and seeing whether he can make an on-the-ball impact similar to what brother Amen’s provided in Houston might not be the worst idea for a Pistons team with its sights set on making a deep playoff run.
“It’s extremely important trying to find the right combinations for the different situations that we might face,” Bickerstaff told reporters on Tuesday. “And we’ll continue to grow.”
They’ll need to. There’s no good time to lose a player as phenomenal as Cunningham, but having it happen with three weeks left in the season gives the Pistons a chance to develop some off-speed pitches that could prove beneficial in the playoffs. To get where they want to go, though — back to competing for a championship for the first time in 20 years — they’ll need to be able to rely on their heater. The Pistons go as Cade Cunningham goes; the state of his recovery is now the biggest open question in the Eastern Conference.
Fantasy basketball playoff weekend is here, and your schedule is the game. Friday: six games. Saturday: 10 games (no bueno). Sunday: five. Stack your squad with Knicks (slim pickings), Celtics, Nets, Nuggets, Wolves and Blazers — those are the best teams to stream from Friday-Sunday. Set your lineups with options who can help you win the margins.
Weekend strategy
Before we dive in, Pistons All-Star G Cade Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung and is going to be re-evaluated in two weeks. Cunningham left early in Tuesday’s game against the Wizards with what was initially called a back injury. This is a massive blow for the Pistons and fantasy managers who, unfortunately, have no choice but to drop their first-round pick. Look for Daniss Jenkins (13% rostered) and Marcus Sasser (1%) to take over at PG duties while Cade is out of the lineup.
If you’re still holding Bulls players after Thursday, let them go — Chicago doesn’t play again until Monday and you need those spots for the weekend. The Suns and Wizards are the only teams that play three games in four nights from Thursday through Sunday. As I mentioned in my Playlist article from Monday, both teams have fringe guys with streamable value across points and 9-cat leagues.
On Thursday, try to get ahead of the weekend by using one of my transactions on a player or two who play both Friday and Sunday slates. Saturday’s 10-game schedule may not prevent you from getting a waiver asset into your lineup; plan accordingly based on your needs. And it’s important to see where you stand mid-week. If you typically win assists and are down Cunningham, it’s okay to pivot and refocus on other areas that can help you overcome a deficit or steal a different category.
Anthony Edwards: Edwards will be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks. If your playoffs end in Week 22, he’s a drop. If your playoffs end in Week 23, I’d keep him stashed in IL, just in case he returns to meet the 65-game requirement for awards and All-NBA teams.
Trae Young: Young suffered a quad contusion on Monday and I’m hard-pressed to think the Wizards will try to be anything but cautious with Trae. I’m dropping him because Bub Carrington will hold more value than him on the bench.
Bulls players: No games after Thursday and Chicago doesn’t play again until Monday’s 10-game slate. Any fringe Bull you’re holding for counting stats is eating a roster spot through the weekend.
Ayo Dosunmu – PG/SG/SF, Minnesota Timberwolves (29%): With Edwards out, expect Ayo to continue playing 30-plus minutes while contributing an efficient statline in 9-cat formats with enough counting stats to be useful in points leagues. The Wolves play on Friday and Sunday, so he’s guaranteed to play in shallow-league lineups. I just spent 1/3 of my FAAB on him after an efficient 23-9-6 outing with 3 steals on Wednesday.
Royce O’Neale – SF/PF, Phoenix Suns (18%): I’d add O’Neale in deeper points and 9-cat leagues because of the counting stat volume across categories like 3s, steals, rebounds and assists. Just hold for a couple of hours so that we get some more info on whether he’ll play (he’s listed as questionable on Thursday).
Will Riley – SF/PF, Washington Wizards (15%): Riley’s minutes look to be the most consistent among the Wizards’ frontcourt players, and with another back-to-back, I have more confidence he won’t rest with three games left in the week.The rookie has scored at least 21 points in three of his last five contests and has been pitching in on 3s, boards and assists.
Scoot Henderson – PG, Portland Trail Blazers (19%): Points and assists with the minutes restriction lifted. Blazers play both Friday and Sunday.
Nique Clifford – SG/SF, Sacramento Kings (22%): Check if he’s available if you need a final bump in steals, assists or rebounds on Sunday because the Kings play the Brooklyn Nets.
Mitchell Robinson – C, New York Knicks (13%): Fortunately, the Knicks don’t play a back-to-back, so Robinson is arguably the best rebounding and blocking option on waivers. Get him before someone else does.
Oso Ighodaro – C, Phoenix Suns (12%): Steals, rebounding and assist upside for a big man who is starting and has three games left.
Bones Hyland – PG/SG, Minnesota Timberwolves (8%): Bones is a microwave bucket who will take advantage of Edwards’ absence. He scored 22 with 5 dimes on Tuesday and followed that up with 18-3-2 on Wednesday.
Bub Carrington – PG/SG, Washington Wizards (10%): Young was ruled out for Thursday’s contest and I doubt he’ll play again over the weekend, handing most of the ball-handling duties to Bub. Sharife Cooper will also get reps, but Carrington is the add coming off dropping 30-4-2 on Tuesday.
Baylor Scheierman – SF, Boston Celtics (1%): Another deep-league heave with games on Friday and Sunday, Scheierman has been a steady fixture in the rotation despite Jayson Tatum’s return. The big man’s had at least 5 rebounds and 2 assists in five straight and a steal in his last three contests.
Rasheer Fleming – PF, Phoenix Suns (0%): Merely a 3s and stocks guy for deeper 9-cat leagues.
Tim Hardaway Jr. – SG/SF, Denver Nuggets (13%): Hardaway is a deep-league add for scoring and 3s. His skill set might be best suited to points leagues over 9-cat.
Tre Johnson – PG/SG/SF, Washington Wizards – (8%): Johnson is capped around 24 minutes and is only a desperation play for fantasy managers needing points and 3s.
Others for consideration:
Danny Wolf – PF/C, Brooklyn Nets (9%)
Sandro Mamukelashvili – PF/C, Toronto Raptors (9%)
Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham will miss at least the next two weeks due to a collapsed lung, the team revealed Thursday.
The 24-year-old is in the midst of yet another strong season, averaging 24.5 points and 9.9 assists per game. Thanks to his contributions, the Pistons are 49-19 entering play Thursday, good enough to lead the Eastern Conference.
The team merely said Cunningham would be re-evaluated in two weeks, so it’s unclear when the star will return to the court. During an appearance on ESPN, NBA insider Shams Charania said “there is some optimism” Cunningham could make it back during the playoffs. The Pistons have just 14 regular-season games left in the regular season.
In the team’s statement, the Pistons implied Cunningham sustained the injury while going after a loose ball during Tuesday’s game. He had to leave the contest after falling to the floor, and was initially diagnosed with back spasms.
Following the contest, Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff declined to provide more specifics regarding Cunningham’s injury, saying, “I don’t have enough information.”
The injury could prove costly in a number of ways. Losing Cunningham for multiple games will obviously hurt the Pistons, who have played like championship contenders when Cunningham is on the floor.
The issue could also hurt Cunningham individually. Cunningham was on pace to receive MVP votes and potentially make the All-NBA team for the second-straight season. But the fifth-year pro has played in just 61 games this season. In order to be eligible for year-end awards, NBA players have to take part in at least 65 games.
Unless Cunningham can make it back in time to play in four more regular-season games, it seems likely he’ll be ineligible for those honors due to the injury.
(Washington, D.C., March 19, 2026) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. published a joint opinion piece in Fox News highlighting the need to strengthen SNAP retailer stocking standards.
March Madness is about Cinderellas. It’s about upsets. And it’s about the nation’s best teams fighting for a national championship.
For a select few players, it’s also about looking ahead to the NBA. March is the final proving ground for NBA prospects seeking to improve their draft stock. In those terms, this March is like few others before it.
This upcoming draft class is special, thanks to one of the best freshman classes in college basketball history with the potential to produce numerous NBA All-Stars. Several of those players will have more on the line in the upcoming weeks than cutting down the nets.
Here’s a look at five players with the most to gain from the 2026 NCAA tournament.
Which NBA prospect will boost his stock most in the NCAA tournament? (Davis Long/Yahoo Sports)
Darryn Peterson, Kansas
Before he ever played a college game, the consensus projections for this year’s NBA Draft had Darryn Peterson going No. 1 overall.
This is despite Peterson playing in a historic freshman class featuring AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson — all players who would be contenders for the top pick in most NBA Drafts. And there’s a boatload of high-end prospects behind them.
Now, with the regular season done, Peterson’s spot at the top isn’t so secure. Peterson has flashed the otherworldly gifts that made him a seemingly can’t-miss prospect — elite playmaking, shooting and athleticism combined with a 6-foot-5 frame to make him a three-level scorer. He’s arguably the best perimeter defender in the draft.
But flashed is the key word here. Peterson’s been a model of inconsistency with Kansas. His pile of DNPs and early exits for various reasons could reasonably give scouts second thoughts about spending No. 1 pick capital on a guy who may not have a passion for playing the game.
To be clear, the state of Peterson’s basketball drive isn’t known. He may be as driven as his fellow No. 1 pick contenders. But Peterson’s not saying anything to set the record straight.
Without clarity, NBA executives are now left to parse his shaky availability in their assessment of Peterson based on what they’ve seen. And nobody wants to be on the hook for a Ben Simmons redux — especially when there are elite talents sitting right behind him with zero questions about their basketball drive.
Peterson isn’t plummeting down draft boards. His talent is simply too tantalizing. But a strong showing when the stakes are highest could go a long way in cementing his spot at the top.
AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Dybantsa, meanwhile, has not disappointed.
The freshman forward arrived at BYU with enormous expectations and has met them. If Peterson falls, Dybantsa could be the biggest beneficiary.
There’s little not to like about Dybantsa’s game. A 6-9 forward with a 6-11 wingspan, he has prototypical NBA size. He’s a tremendous athlete who can face up and attack the basket or use his footwork and length to back down overmatched defenders.
He dunks. A lot.
AJ Dybantsa went OFF in his Big 12 Tournament debut 🔥
Dybantsa is a three-level scorer who can pull up from mid-range over shorter opponents or cross up his defender for a bucket. He’s a capable if not spectacular 3-point shooter (33.9%). He’s a strong rebounder and a willing playmaker and passer who rarely makes bad decisions with the ball.
He has upside as a high-level defender in the NBA who can leverage his size and athleticism to defend multiple positions.
Dybantsa led the nation in scoring in the regular season, averaging 24.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1 steal per game while shooting 51.2% from the floor.
There’s room for him to move up to No. 1 in this draft, especially if he can demonstrate improved 3-point shooting. And fans of the team who selected him there would be hard-pressed to find reason to complain.
The biggest hindrance for Dybantsa improving his stock is his team. BYU was once 17-2 and ranked as high as No. 9 in the nation. But it lost nine of its last 14 regular-season games to fall out of the rankings and drop its NCAA seeding stock.
The drop-off is largely due to an ACL tear to All Big-12 guard Richie Saunders. He won’t be back for the tournament, and an early exit isn’t out of the question.
A run to the second weekend of tournament play or beyond on Dybantsa’s back would give him the opportunity to further make his case to be the No. 1 pick.
Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
Acuff arrived at Arkansas this season as a top-10 prospect and the gem of John Calipari’s recruiting class.
His name was not, however, mentioned among the elite NBA prospects of this year’s freshman class. A standout campaign for the Razorbacks has changed the conversation and rocketed him up draft boards.
Acuff is an explosive scorer and offensive weapon who propelled Arkansas to a third-place finish in a strong SEC. In a conference loaded with individual talent, Acuff was named SEC Player of the Year as the conference leader in both scoring (22.2 ppg) and assists (6.4 apg).
His production, impact on winning and relentless motor have prompted chatter that he’s the most NBA-ready guard in the draft — even more so than Peterson. He’s a three-way scorer who’s crafty at the rim and developed into one of the nation’s best 3-point shooters (43.7% on 5.6 attempts per game).
There are questions about his NBA profile. He doesn’t jump off the charts athletically. At 6-foot-3, he doesn’t posses prototypical height. He’s strong at 190 pounds, but there are concerns about whether he can be an effective defender in the NBA against bigger guards.
Acuff’s height shouldn’t be a concern on offense at the next level. Jalen Brunson, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Darius Garland, Trae Young and De’Aaron Fox — all 6-3 or shorter — have all proven that you don’t need to be 6-6 to be an All-Star level weapon out of the backcourt.
His perceived shortcomings could end up acting as at tiebreaker on draft boards. But a strong NCAA tournament showing could be the difference in Acuff being selected high in the lottery or dropping closer to the teens.
Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville
Mikel Brown Jr. is another explosive guard with high-lottery upside alongside concerns that could drop him lower in the draft. His trajectory has moved opposite of Acuff’s.
A 6-foot-5 scoring point guard, Brown arrived at Louisville mentioned alongside Boozer and Wilson as an ACC Freshman and Player of the Year contender and a potential top-five pick. An inconsistent and inefficient scoring season with the Cardinals dropped him out of both awards conversations and has put his draft prospects on shakier ground.
Brown instead finished third-team All-ACC and will enter NCAA tournament play with questions about his health. Brown is skipping this week’s ACC tournament with a lingering back injury that’s plagued him all season and could, in part, explain his efficiency issues.
He’s doing so in hopes of playing in the NCAA tournament, where he’s hoping he can strengthen his draft stock alongside leading Louisville on a deep run.
Brown has ideal size for a point guard and can take over a game on offense with his shooting. He has the deepest shooting range of any guard in the draft. He flashed that explosiveness this season, most notably in a 45-point effort against NC State in which he shot 10 of 16 from 3.
Mikel Brown Jr. made HISTORY tonight 🤩
A 45-piece at home to eclipse Cooper Flagg’s single-game scoring record for an ACC freshman 🔥 pic.twitter.com/K5GtlQUWJY
Brown averaged 18.2 points an 4.7 assists per game.
But his shooting was streaky. His 41% field-goal rate (34.4% from 3) is probably the biggest concern for NBA scouts, and he had five games in which he was held below 10 points. He’s not a tremendous athlete, and he doesn’t play above the rim despite his height.
Brown’s upside is undeniable as that of an All-Star level guard who can light up the scoreboard. He probably has more to gain than anybody on this list from a strong NCAA tournament showing. That is, if he plays.
Koa Peat, Arizona
Koa Peat’s draft projections are all over the board. Some think he’s a lottery pick. Some think he’s a late first-rounder. Some think he’ll be best-served by returning to college for another season.
A 6-8, 235-pound forward, Peat is a classic high-performing college forward. A five-star recruit, he’s been one of the three best players alongside senior guard Jaden Bradley and fellow freshman standout Brayden Burries on an Arizona team that’s spent most of the season ranked No. 1 in the nation. Arizona’s a virtual lock for a No. 1 seed alongside Duke and Michigan.
Peat is a physical scorer and rebounder who averaged 13.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in the regular season while shooting 54.8% from the floor. He’s a high-energy guy who stepped immediately into a leadership role as a freshman. He burst onto the scene with 30 points in his college debut to lead Arizona past reigning champion Florida.
There are questions about how well his game translates to the next level. He’s a reluctant and below-average 3-point shooter (31.6% on 0.7 attempts per game) who doesn’t have great floor-spacing upside. He doesn’t have the height or size to bully NBA players in the post or to be an effective rim protector.
A strong performance in a deep Arizona run — particularly one with improved shooting — could go a long way to help Peat’s draft stock.
The NBA awards races are heating up. But in addition to the nightly on-court performances of the league’s brightest stars, fans (and voters) will have to keep an eye on whether or not the stars are actually, um, on the court.
Due to the NBA’s 65-game rule in which players must appear in 65 games over the course of the 82-game season in order to qualify for year-end awards, a number of injured stars — including Giannis Antetokounmpo and Stephen Curry — are already ineligible for regular-season honors. In addition, several other notable awards candidates are at risk of losing their eligibility with less than four weeks left in the season. Let’s take a look.
Players at risk of not qualifying for NBA awards
Under the league’s 65-game rule, players who miss 18 games will no longer be eligible for season-ending awards.
