BYU star AJ Dybantsa makes final NBA Draft decision
The 2026 NBA Draft will begin on June 23 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
And, it could very well begin with BYU star AJ Dybantsa. On Thursday, Dybantsa made it official as he declared for the NBA Draft during an Instagram live segment.
BYU's AJ Dybantsa — the potential No. 1 pick — has declared for the 2026 NBA draft. pic.twitter.com/ugIoWDVUp0
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 23, 2026
Dybantsa declaring for the NBA Draft was widely expected.
However, the BYU star raised eyebrows with some comments previously, saying his mom wanted him to stay and finish school.
“My mom wants me to graduate,” Dybantsa said. “So I might not leave. But I might leave.”
In Dybantsa’s lone season at BYU, he averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists while leading the Cougars to the NCAA Tournament.
BYU lost to Texas in the Round of 64 in the NCAA Tournament, but Dybantsa dropped 35 points with 10 rebounds.
Kansas Jayhawks star Darryn Peterson was discussed as the No. 1 pick going into the 2025-26 season, but his availability issues and injury concerns, along with Dybantsa’s strong play, have begun to shift the BYU star into the top pick projection.
ESPN’s Jeremy Woo had a new big board in April, and AJ Dybantsa was at the top spot.
The team selecting No. 1 overall will be decided during the NBA Draft Lottery on May 10, and the Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers all have the highest odds (14%) to land the top choice.
Kendrick Perkins makes bold Victor Wembanyama prediction
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was recently named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in a unanimous decision.
Wembanyama is only in his third season in the NBA, and the future looks very bright for the Spurs’ big man. Kendrick Perkins recently spoke about Wembanyama’s defensive play, and he even predicted that Wembanyama would win the next five DPOY awards during an episode of “The Road Trippin’ Show.”
Perkins also called Wembanyama the best defensive player in his lifetime, which is quite a statement.
“To be honest, he’s the best defense I’ve seen with my own eyes in my lifetime,” Perkins said. “I grew up watching Hakeem, I played with Kevin Garnett. I’ve never seen nothing like this…. He’s going to win the next 5 DPOY awards, hands down.”
Kendrick Perkins predicts Victor Wembanyama will win the next 5 DPOY awards:
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) April 23, 2026
“To be honest, he’s the best defense I’ve seen with my own eyes in my lifetime. I grew up watching Hakeem, I played with Kevin Garnett, I’ve witnessed some hell of defenders. I’ve never seen nothing… pic.twitter.com/FC9seN9tWb
Since the DPOY award began in 1982-83, there has never been a player to win the award five straight times.
Ben Wallace won four times in five seasons, and Dwight Howard won threee straight. In recent years, there has been even more winners, and only Rudy Gobert and Kawhi Leonard have won the award twice in a row since 2011.
Victor Wembanyama became the first-ever unanimous winner of the DPOY award, and Oklahoma City Thunder star Chet Holmgren was the only other player to have more than 100 total points, so it wasn’t a close race.
Flyers mascot causes a scene with a bizarre stunt
Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty is having himself quite a postseason.
Introduced in 2018, Gritty is loving the playoff atmosphere, which he hasn’t experienced in several years, as the Flyers missed the NHL playoffs for the previous five seasons.
During Wednesday’s Game 3 of the first-round series between the Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa., Gritty took his shenanigans to the next level.
The beloved mascot mauled his Penguins counterpart as everyone in the building cheered. After whacking the lights out of his counterpart, Gritty picked up a stuffed penguin and hurled it off the second deck. It’s something you’d expect to see from “The Sopranos,” but Gritty somehow pulled it off in an NHL playoff game. You can watch a video of that here.
There was also some harsh beating down on the ice, as the Flyers dominated Pittsburgh once again.
Philadelphia stormed to a 3-0 series lead, pushing the Penguins to the brink of elimination after a 5-2 victory in Game 3.
Evgeni Malkin put the Penguins on the board first with a power-play goal in the opening period before the Flyers responded with three consecutive goals in the second frame from Trevor Zegras, Rasmus Ristolainen and Nick Seeler. Erik Karlsson trimmed the Pens’ deficit to one with a goal in the third period, but Philadelphia answered right back with a goal from Noah Cates before Owen Tippett added an insurance with an empty-netter.
Connor McDavid had a confident message after Game 2 heartbreaker
Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers failed to build a 2-0 series lead in the first round of the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs after splitting two games at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, against the Anaheim Ducks.
But the three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner knows better than to panic after Edmonton’s 6-4 loss to the Ducks on Wednesday.
But the three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner knows better than to panic.
“We’ve been in this situation a lot, 1-1 going on the road, McDavid told reporters after the game, via the Oilers’ official X account. “We’d like a better outcome tonight but we’re comfortable going on the road.”
McDavid is still in pursuit of a Stanley Cup title, 11 seasons into his NHL career, but he can definitely act like he’s been in the playoffs several times before. For one, Edmonton is the two-time defending Western Conference champion. If not for the Florida Panthers, the Oilers could have won two Stanley Cup titles already with McDavid.
Playing in a new environment may also give McDavid the spark he needs. He has zero points through two games in the Ducks series after finishing the 2025-26 NHL regular season leading the league in assists (90) and points (138) while also netting 48 goals.
Game 3 will be on Friday at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
Travis Kelce reveals what he’s looking for in a Chiefs’ draft pick
Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs are on a mission to reclaim their lost glory after missing the playoffs in the 2025 NFL season.
The 2026 NFL Draft that begins Thursday presents a great opportunity for the Chiefs to add fresh talent they hope will aid their turnaround.
During a recent episode of the “New Heights” podcast, Kelce laid out a particular quality he’s hoping to see from the player Kansas City will take off the draft board.
Interestingly, it doesn’t relate to any actual football ability.
“I’m just hoping for a guy that loves ball, man,” Kelce said, as transcribed by Pete Grathoff of The Wichita Eagle. “You know, I think one of the things that you just want to have when you get back into the building after a season like last year, you just want guys that love what they’re … doing. And I think it’s one of the things that I look for in these young guys when they come in: … How infectious is your energy? I need that out of these young guys, man.”
Under head coach Andy Reid and with Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, the Chiefs have built a winning culture in Kansas City. Regardless of their recent struggles, the Chiefs remain a franchise others aspire to become, and that’s a standard Kelce wants to sustain.
Kelce isn’t the player he used to be, but he still wants to be inspired on the field, and he’s looking to get some of that from the incoming players Kansas City will add through the draft.
The Chiefs will pick twice in the first round, as they have the No. 9 and No. 29 (via the Los Angeles Rams) No. 29 picks overall.
Jeremiyah Love responds to draft interest from 3 teams
The guessing game on Jeremiyah Love’s landing spot in the NFL will most likely end on Thursday, as he’s expected to go early in the first round of the 2026 draft.
Unless the Las Vegas Raiders pull off an all-time shocker and veer away from Fernando Mendoza, Love should hear his name not long after the first-overall pick. The New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans and New York Giants round out the top five of the draft order in the first round, and any of those teams seems like a good bet to select Love, either out of necessity or by design, to take the best player available.
Love acknowledged the rumored interest of three of those teams on Wednesday, but made it clear that he’s fine with whichever club takes him.
“I have no idea where I’m going, but there’s a lot of talk of me going to the Titans, Cardinals, Giants,” Love said, per Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com (via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk). “Honestly, I’d be blessed to go anywhere.”
It is no surprise to hear a ton of interest in Love, considering the exploits he had during his time with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, especially in his final two seasons in South Bend.
From 2024 to 2025, Love amassed 2,497 rushing yards to go with 35 touchdowns on 362 carries, which comes out to 6.9 yards per carry.
Dillon Brooks calls out flopping in the playoffs after Game 2
Dillon Brooks couldn’t stand the quality of the officiating in Game 2 of the first-round series between the Phoenix Suns and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Following the Suns’ 120-107 loss on Wednesday at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., Brooks voiced his frustration, saying he felt the officials didn’t give Phoenix a fair shake, as Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drew several fouls and went 9/9 from the free-throw line.
“[Gilgeous-Alexander is] a little frail, and that’s what the refs are going to call,” said Brooks, via Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “I got to be smarter about it, but this is the playoffs. It’s a man’s game.”
Brooks, who led the Suns in Game 2 with 30 points on 12-of-23 shooting, did not stop there. The former Oregon Ducks star ripped the state of playoff basketball, which he believes has been too accommodating to flopping, perhaps also an indirect shot at Gilgeous-Alexander.
“Like, I used to watch this back when Michael Jordan was playing or whoever else, when LeBron was younger. This is physical basketball. I don’t get why all the dropping and the falling and the flopping and the flailing and all this stuff is allowed when we get to the playoffs. Leave that for the [regular] season for the fans. This is about who’s the better team, who’s a more with-it team. Don’t decide the games on no free throws,” added Brooks.
Oklahoma City has been the best team in the NBA this season, but they have also faced constant criticism, especially for Gilgeous-Alexander, for his tendency to draw fouls and get easy opportunities at the foul line. Conversely, refs have also been accused of having a friendly whistle when it comes to calling fouls, favoring the Thunder guard.
The Suns will have to overcome those as they look to avoid the dreaded 3-0 playoff hole in Game 3 on Saturday at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz.
Mike Vrabel is taking the next step amid fallout from Dianna Russini photos
Mike Vrabel has helped rejuvenate the New England Patriots franchise, but he’s now focused on rebuilding himself in the wake of the leaked photos of him and former The Athletic reporter Dianna Russini.
On Wednesday, the Patriots head coach said that he will not be around for the third day of the 2026 NFL Draft, as he starts counseling. Day 3 of the draft will be held on Saturday.
“As I said the other day, I promised my family, this organization and this team that I was going to give them the best version of me that I can possibly give them. In order to do so, I have committed to seeking counseling, starting this weekend,” Vrabel said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN. “This is something that I have given a lot of thought to and is something I would advise a player to do if I was counseling them.
The 50-year-old Vrabel has found himself right in the middle of a controversy that has seemingly affected his personal life.
“I have always wanted to lead by example, and I believe this is what I have to do to be the best husband, father and coach that I possibly can be,” Vrabel continued. “This is not an easy thing for me to admit, but it is one that I know will make me a better person. I appreciate the support that everyone has given me and promise a stronger resolve as a result.”
Vrabel did not share specific details about his planned counseling, but it remains a significant undertaking for the two-time NFL Coach of the Year.
However, Vrabel will still be in contact with New England during the final day of the draft, which covers Rounds 4-7. Executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden will run the show for the Patriots on Day 3, with the reigning AFC champions holding eight picks in those rounds.
Mets had the best post after their 12-game losing streak finally ended
New York Mets fans can finally come out of hiding.
The Mets officially broke their nightmarish 12-game losing streak with a win on Wednesday over the Minnesota Twins. They prevailed by a 3-2 final score at Citi Field in Queens, N.Y. after a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning by first baseman Mark Vientos.
Mark Vientos plates the go-ahead run in the eighth inning! pic.twitter.com/3O6V0yFv1O
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 23, 2026
In the wake of the Mets’ victory, their official page on X had the best post. They simply posted one letter — “W.”
W
— New York Mets (@Mets) April 23, 2026
That says it all for the Mets after their very first victory in over two full weeks. They last won on Apr. 7 against the Arizona Diamondbacks to improve to 7-4 on the season. But after their 12 straight clunkers, the Mets are now an NL-worst 8-16, even with Wednesday’s “breakthrough” win.
The Mets lead Major League Baseball this season with a total payroll of $334 million. Even after a 2025 season in which the Mets completely collapsed and missed the playoffs altogether after having the best record in baseball in mid-June, their fortunes have not gotten any better this year.
During their miserable 12-game losing streak, the Mets had $765 million man Juan Soto acting up and had their downtrodden fans giving sarcastic chants in the stands. While the Mets will still be facing a major uphill climb for the rest of the season, their fanbase finally has something to celebrate about for at least one night.
Caitlin Clark plans to make a notable change for 2026 season
Caitlin Clark is looking to drop her usage rate some in 2026.
The Indiana Fever superstar Clark spoke with reporters during media day at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. on Wednesday. During her remarks, Clark revealed that she plans to make a noteworthy change for the 2026 WNBA season.
Clark said that she wants to play off the ball more often. She cited the physical toll that facing constant full-court pressure as a ball-handler takes on her.
“It is exhausting, bringing the ball up 94 feet vs. pressure every single time,” Clark said, per Kareem Copeland of ESPN. “So we certainly need to find somebody that can handle the ball a little bit and give me a little bit of a break.
“‘I’m the best transition player in the league,” added Clark. “That’s where I thrive. Everyone knows that’s my game. So getting the ball off a rebound in transition, that’s probably when I’m going to be a primary ball handler more than anything. So I think there’s a lot of different things that can give us a lot of different looks and just make us harder to guard.”
Clark, 24, had her sophomore WNBA season in 2025 derailed by injuries. Thanks to both quad and groin problems, she appeared in just 13 total games and experienced decreased efficiency (with underwhelming shooting splits of 37/28/82) even in the games that she did play in.
Opposing teams love to be extra physical with Clark, and she will obviously be the undisputed focal point of any defensive gameplan that she faces. As Clark looks to prioritize her health and a reduced workload as she returns to action in 2026, Fever teammates like Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, Lexie Hull, and first-round draft pick Raven Johnson may have to lift her up in that regard.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is being linked to 1 surprising new team
Giannis Antetokounmpo might just end up with the team that he once beat in the NBA Finals.
The Phoenix Suns are a “preferred destination” for the disgruntled Milwaukee Bucks star Antetokounmpo, Suns writer Felix Cruz reported on Wednesday. Cruz added that Phoenix star Devin Booker and franchise owner Mat Ishbia are among the selling points for Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo, the 31-year-old two-time NBA MVP, is universally expected to finally get traded away by the Bucks this offseason. This comes after a disaster 2025-26 campaign in which the Bucks went a dismal 32-50 as Antetokounmpo openly feuded with the franchise.
Interestingly enough, Antetokounmpo does appear to have a friendship with Booker. Earlier this year at the NBA All-Star Game, Antetokounmpo indicated to Booker in a viral video that he might like to play with him some day.
Meanwhile, the Suns owner Ishbia is indeed known for taking big swings on the trade market (to varying degrees of success and failure). The 2023 trades for Kevin Durant and (later) for Bradley Beal are among the seismic moves that Ishbia has already made since taking over the franchise.
Phoenix also went a very respectable 45-37 during the regular season, and they are now up against the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA playoffs. They would have a number of trade chips to potentially dangle for Antetokounmpo (including 24-and-unders Jalen Green, Mark Williams, Oso Ighodaro, Ryan Dunn, and Khaman Maluach) and have notably been trade partners with Milwaukee in the recent past.
Charles Barkley calls out Magic players over questionable pregame moment
Charles Barkley does not care much for the Orlando Magic’s way of showing affection for one another.
Magic teammates Desmond Bane and Tristan da Silva went viral before Wednesday’s Game 2 against the Detroit Pistons over their curious moment together. Prior to taking the court at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich., Bane and da Silva decided to bond by … bumping their lower torsos together.
The unusual moment was aired live on ESPN, which led to quite the reaction from Barkley. The Basketball Hall of Famer was quick to express his disapproval, saying in an exasperated tone, “Oh come on. Come on. Oh.”
Here is the video.
Charles Barkley was in disgust seeing Tristan da Silva and Desmond Bane's moves pic.twitter.com/eiMgUTt6QZ
— The Magic Way (@MagicFilmRoom) April 22, 2026
The “dance” between Bane and da Silva did not end up being very good luck for the Magic either. After going into halftime tied 46-46 with the Pistons, Orlando got absolutely flattened in the third quarter, getting outscored 38-16 to fall behind by an ugly 84-62 score through three quarters.
Meanwhile, there is some precedent for these kinds of antics as the Los Angeles Dodgers did a rather similar move during the playoffs a couple of years ago. But as for the 63-year-old Barkley, who played in the NBA from 1984-2000, he definitely has some complaints about the new generation.
Steve Kerr drops a major hint about his next job
Steve Kerr may be following the lead of former Golden State Warriors colleague Bob Myers.
The longtime Warriors head coach Kerr has been meeting recently with media agents, Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports reported on Wednesday. Glasspiegel adds that all three NBA rights partners (ESPN, NBC, and Amazon Prime) would have interest in Kerr if he decides to return to television.
Kerr, 60, has served as head coach of the Warriors since 2014 and has led them to 1,109 total victories (both regular season and playoffs) plus four NBA championships over that span. But the partnership appears to have gone stale, especially after Golden State went 37-45 this season and missed the playoffs.
Notably, Kerr already has plenty of experience when it comes to the TV space. After retiring as a player, Kerr was a commentator for TNT from 2003-07. Following a subsequent stint as the general manager of the Phoenix Suns, Kerr returned to broadcasting for TNT in 2010 and gave coverage of both the NBA and the NCAA Tournament.
As it currently stands, Kerr is not under contract for the 2026-27 season. In recent days, we have also heard reports of friction between Kerr and the Warriors (including one claiming that Golden State had been muzzling Kerr).
Even some of Kerr’s star players do not believe that he will be back coaching the Warriors next season. While Kerr could also have further opportunities in coaching and in front office work, it appears that he may be gearing himself up for a potential return to the television airwaves.
Dodgers’ Dalton Rushing speaks out on ‘f–k him’ video that sparked backlash
Dalton Rushing appears to be doing some damage control after a viral video sparked criticism this week.
The Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Rushing drew ire during Tuesday’s game against the San Francisco Giants thanks to a moment at the end of the sixth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif. Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee was thrown out at home plate to end the frame and was slow to get up after seemingly injuring himself on the run.
In the video, Rushing was seen looking over in Lee’s direction and turning back towards the Dodgers dugout before dropping an expletive. “F–k him,” Rushing appeared to say about Lee, who was still on the ground in apparent pain.
Dalton Rushing after seeing Jung Hoo Lee possibly injured in a play at the plate (I’m pretty sure):
— Allen Stiles (@The_StilesFiles) April 22, 2026
“F$&k em”
Giants Dodgers rivalry is alive and well. pic.twitter.com/h4aAjFTZyk
On Wednesday, Rushing attempted to clarify the viral moment. Rushing claimed that the clip was taken out of context and that he was not actually using an expletive towards Lee.
“Hopefully he didn’t take it the way it was put out,” said Rushing of Lee, per Jack Harris of The California Post. “I’ll be sure to say something to him face-to-face tomorrow, making sure he’s OK. There was nothing really directed at him. He’s a great guy.
“I used a word, but it was not what [people thought] was said,” Rushing added. “I’ll just leave it at that.”
The Dodgers were losing 3-1 at the time of the incident and went on to lose to the Giants by that same final score. Meanwhile, Lee would exit the game in the eighth inning with what San Francisco called a quad injury but was back in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Dodgers.
Rushing, 25, is in his second MLB season and is having an excellent year thus far, batting .414 with seven home runs and 13 RBIs through just nine games. But Rushing is not doing himself any favors from a PR standpoint right now as he also sparked backlash a few days ago by claiming after a Dodgers loss that the opponents had cheated.
Juan Soto has concerning quote about his Mets teammates
Juan Soto is set to return for the New York Mets, but one comment he made prior to Wednesday’s game did not suggest he represents the end of the team’s problems.
Soto rejoins the team in the midst of a 12-game losing streak, but when asked about the streak, the star outfielder did not sound like he was taking much of a leadership role in trying to motivate his teammates.
Soto admitted he had not really spoken to any of his teammates during the losing streak.
“They’ve been on the road most of the time so I haven’t talked to them,” Soto said.
Juan Soto said he hasn’t been talking to his Mets teammates during the losing streak.
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 22, 2026
“They’ve been on the road most of the time so I haven’t talked to them” pic.twitter.com/W9SmiuEdd5
Admittedly, Soto has been on his own rehabbing the calf injury he suffered a little over two weeks ago. He didn’t really need to be reaching out to his teammates. However, this will not do much to convince anyone that the clubhouse is particularly tight or closely aligned, or that Soto is taking on much of a leadership role.
At one point last season, the Mets reportedly had some concerns that Soto had not really embraced playing for the team. Perhaps those worries are still relevant.
Carson Beck could go unexpectedly early in NFL Draft
Carson Beck apparently has some believers in NFL front offices.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero appeared on “The Rich Eisen Show” Wednesday and was asked about draft prospects he envisioned going earlier than the conventional wisdom suggests they will. Pelissero named the former Miami Hurricane as a potential name to watch among quarterbacks.
“This may not be in round one, though I can’t 100 percent rule it out. The quarterback who’s going to go higher than every projection has had him in this process is Carson Beck,” Pelissero said. “There was a lot that teams had to sort through going back to Georgia. All the things they saw on social media, all the things they heard out of the program, the celebrity obsessions and him and Kirby Smart not getting along. To his credit, Carson Beck heard some of that stuff after he transferred to Miami. He cleaned up some of those things. Carson Beck has impressed people in the process.
“There’s enough teams that have a quarterback need that I believe Carson Beck will go in the second round of this draft. And there’s at least a non-trivial chance (of) Carson Beck somehow finding his way into the bottom of round one.”
Carson Beck = 1st Rounder??@TomPelissero told us to be ready for anything in the #NFLDraft:#NFL @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/Hw9oxLhEqz
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) April 22, 2026
Beck did himself plenty of favors with a strong season at Miami, which saw him lead them to the national championship game. He threw 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season and grades out well in a lot of categories that scouts pay attention to, though he does turn 24 in November and is no guarantee to become a success.
One team did meet with Beck before the NFL Draft, sparking speculation that they might be a suitable landing spot for him.
Yankees players want team to break with a famous tradition
For the second year in a row, the New York Yankees break with tradition because of player pressure.
Yankees players have privately pushed to be allowed to wear alternate jerseys during games, according to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. Specifically, players have sought to wear their navy batting practice jerseys, which have “New York” across the front in gray letters. If the players get their way, the jerseys would be worn for occasional road games.
The final decision will ultimately lie with owner Hal Steinbrenner. Players are said to be hopeful of a change, but are not sure if they will get their wish.
The Yankees are the only team in baseball without an alternate third jersey. With only a few special exceptions, they have worn their famous pinstripes at home and their road grays when playing elsewhere. It is one of the ways the Yankees remain staunchly traditionalist in a league where third jerseys and City Connect uniforms have become the norm.
Last season, the Yankees did drop their longstanding facial hair policy in response to requests from players. Adding a third jersey for occasional use would not be quite as shocking as that was, but it would still represent a major change for one of the league’s most traditional franchises.
Nuggets coach throws shade at Jaden McDaniels
Denver Nuggets coach David Adelman had some fun with comments made by Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels following Game 2 of their Western Conference first round series.
McDaniels said after Minnesota’s 119-114 win that the strategy facing the Nuggets was to “go after” them because the entire team was made up of “bad defenders.” Naturally, those words made it back to the Nuggets’ locker room.
Adelman was asked to comment on McDaniels’ claims on Wednesday, and he seemed to find the whole back-and-forth to be amusing.
“I can’t wait for his podcast,” Adelman said. “What’s our defensive rating in this series through two games? 109. Sixth-best in the playoffs. Okay.
“He’s a really good player. Everybody has a sounding board nowadays. It’ll help his social media.”
Nuggets coach David Adelman on Jaden McDaniels calling the Nuggets defenders out by name
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 22, 2026
“I can’t wait for his podcast.”
“It’ll help his social media.”
“What’s our defensive rating in this series?”
109
“How is that?”
Sixth best in the playoffs
“Ok. Next.” pic.twitter.com/Kr6gKTbbWf
Essentially, Adelman is suggesting that McDaniels just wants attention. If that is the case, McDaniels got what he wanted, but Adelman does not intend to give his remarks any further oxygen.
McDaniels has demonstrated in the series that, for better or worse, he wants the smoke. The Nuggets probably don’t need any additional motivation, but the remarks may provide them some extra focus for Game 3 of a tied series.
Cause of death revealed for Garret Anderson
Garret Anderson died at his home in Newport Beach, Calif., last week on Thursday at the age of 53. The death came as a surprise due to his young age and no public reports about him struggling with his health.
So what happened that led to Anderson’s death? The California Post received a report from the Orange County Sheriff Coroner’s Office stating that Anderson died due to acute necrotizing pancreatitis. According to a definition from Cleveland Clinic, necrotizing pancreatitis is a complication of acute pancreatitis in which part of your pancreas dies. The leading cause of this issue is gallstone disease, and the second leading cause is alcohol abuse.
Anderson’s wife Teresa had previously told an ESPN reporter she believed her late husband died due to a heart attack, but the coroner’s report indicates otherwise.
Anderson’s death was deemed to be due to natural causes.
Anderson was a fourth-round pick by the Angels in 1990. He made his Major-League debut in 1994, though 1995 was his first full season in the bigs. He made an immediate impact by batting .321 as a rookie, finishing second in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Anderson became a cornerstone for the Angels. He batted .293 with 287 home runs during his career, and made the All-Star team in 2002, 2003 and 2005. He led the AL in doubles in both 2002 and 2003, and won the Silver Slugger award in both seasons.
Anderson finished fourth in AL MVP voting in 2002, the same year he helped the Angels win their first and only World Series ever, by slugging a tie-breaking 3-run double in Game 7 against the San Francisco Giants. Anderson is the Angels’ franchise leader in games played (2,013), hits (2,368), RBIs (1,292), doubles (489), total bases (3,743), extra-base hits (796) and grand slams (eight).
Todd Golden addresses NBA job speculation
Florida coach Todd Golden has issued a public response to speculation that he might be pursued by the Golden State Warriors.
Golden was asked Wednesday about reports claiming the Warriors have him at the top of their list if they part ways with Steve Kerr this offseason. The Florida coach seemed amused by the rumor, and dismissed the NBA speculation quickly.
“I’m definitely planning on coaching the Gators,” Golden said.
Todd Golden on NBA speculation 👀
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) April 22, 2026
“I’m definitely planning on coaching the Gators” pic.twitter.com/3zMOnjUf5V
Golden’s name emerged as a possible candidate after Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports suggested that he would be the Warriors’ top target. Those in the know have cast serious doubt on those claims, and now Golden himself has done so.
Golden has gone 103-41 in four seasons with Florida and guided the Gators to a national title in 2025. The 40-year-old has no experience coaching at the NBA level, but has impressed at the college level.
The Warriors, meanwhile, are waiting on a decision from Kerr, whose contract is up this summer. Kerr himself has said he plans to take time to decide on his next steps.
