Larry Brown Sports

Brown Bag it, Baby

Blog

Aaron Rodgers has brutally honest take on DK Metcalf’s altercation with Lions fan

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Aaron Rodgers has weighed in on the recent controversy surrounding his top target DK Metcalf.

The NFL on Monday imposed a two-game suspension on Metcalf after the Steelers wide receiver punched a fan during a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich. Rodgers was asked about the incident on Wednesday during a media scrum.

“There’s always a lot of different things that are said — some things that are benign, and some things that aren’t,” Rodgers said of Metcalf’s altercation with the fan.

“I think there’s a mindset that you pay for a ticket, you say whatever the hell you want. I think there should be some code of conduct. Obviously, that was intentional, and I think there was some celebration afterward on his part.

“I obviously don’t condone what DK did, but I understand. There’s been a lot of crazy comments said my way over the years, and the truth is, that would never happen face to face. Even some of the people that hate me the most … it’s always pretty cordial when you see some of those people out and about. But in that setting, there’s a lot of things that are said.”

While Rodgers has never punched a fan midgame like Metcalf, the veteran QB has had his fair share of spicy moments with opposing fan bases. Rodgers has even named which opposing fan base talks the best trash during games. The man has undoubtedly had heinous things shouted at him over the years.

Nothing justified Metcalf’s decision to get physical with a fan. But Rodgers reminded everyone that the fan played a role in the altercation, too.

Fans all made the same joke after former NBA draft pick gained college eligibility

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Fans had some fun amid the latest news that a former NBA draftee was going to join the college ranks.

Nigerian center James Nnaji, the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, made headlines Wednesday with his commitment to play for the Baylor Bears this season. Several reporters confirmed that the 21-year-old was granted four years of eligibility despite already playing on the New York Knicks’ summer league team earlier this year.

Nnaji is part of the new frontier of college sports, which has seen a softening of eligibility rules in the wake of the NIL explosion. Several fans couldn’t help but daydream about what else would be possible. Some even imagined a world wherein LeBron James could finally suit up for Ohio State after his NBA career is over.

Buckeyes supporters weren’t the only ones in the recruiting trail for James’ services, either.

Nnaji was granted four years of eligibility because he never suited up in an NBA or G League game. The same cannot be said for James, who has played more seasons than anyone else in NBA history. The NCAA probably won’t be as lenient with the Los Angeles Lakers star.

The Akron, Ohio, native has long suggested he would have enrolled at Ohio State had he gone to college before going pro. The Buckeyes even gifted James an honorary locker years ago.

While the rules wouldn’t allow it today, who knows what the future holds? If Nnaji, a longtime player of the professional Spanish team FC Barcelona, can go back to college, there may be a world wherein James takes Columbus by storm for a couple of semesters.

After all, one of James’ former teammates did end up playing in the NCAA after his retirement, albeit for a different sport.

Anthony Edwards has a new gun-themed celebration

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Anthony Edwards is doing his best Ja Morant impression.

The Minnesota Timberwolves star Edwards drew attention during Tuesday’s game against the New York Knicks with his new celebration. In the third quarter at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., Edwards hit a three-pointer over Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson.

As he was walking back up the floor into a Knicks timeout, Edwards raised his right arm and did a gun-shooting gesture into the crowd. Here is the video.

It was certainly a game to remember for the three-time All-Star Edwards. He finished with 38 points on 15/27 shooting as the Timberwolves went on to win by a 115-104 final score.

Minnesota now sits at 20-10 on the season, which is fifth in the Western Conference. Once again, they have been led by the 24-year-old Edwards, who is averaging a career-high 28.7 points to go along with 5.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.

Meanwhile though, the gun celebrations are more the signature move of the Memphis Grizzlies star Morant than of Edwards. Morant has done weapons-themed celebrations so often that he even now has a new celebration to mimic “putting the gun down.”

AJ Brown gets the meme treatment after missing practice for an unusual reason

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

AJ Brown missed practice on Wednesday for a reason that really bites.

The Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Brown had to sit out the team’s practice session for an unusual reason. Brown was listed as out due to his teeth.

In response to the unexpected midweek twist, fans on social media hit Brown with the meme treatment.

Later in the day Wednesday, some further context emerged on the situation. Eagles writer John McMullen of Sports Illustrated reported that Brown had a dental procedure on Wednesday, believed to be a wisdom tooth extraction.

Wisdom tooth removals can have painful recoveries and generally require some kind of sedation. Thus, it makes sense that Brown would have to sit out a practice session in order to recuperate from that.

That said, the three-time All-Pro Brown is in the midst of a frustrating season with the Eagles. While his overall numbers look decent (73 catches for 935 yards and seven touchdowns), Brown has spoken out publicly about his unhappiness with the team’s offense.

In recent days, there have even been rumors that Brown could possibly be a trade candidate for Philadelphia this offseason. But at least for now, Brown will be a tooth or two lighter when he takes the field against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

Fans stunned as former Knicks draft prospect commits to Big 12 school

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

A college basketball controversy is brewing after former NBA draft pick James Nnaji gets set for his NCAA debut.

Nnaji, whom the Detroit Pistons drafted 31st overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, has reportedly enrolled at Baylor. According to Draft Express’ Jonathan Givony, the 21-year-old Nigerian has “immediately” become eligible to play. On3’s Joe Tipton confirmed that Nnaji has been granted four years of eligibility.

The news was shocking to most fans, given that the New York Knicks currently own Nnaji’s draft rights. Aside from being the first name selected in the second round two seasons ago, Nnaji was also under contract with Spanish club FC Barcelona for half a decade. Nnaji and Barcelona parted ways in August.

The Knicks acquired Nnaji’s draft rights as part of the deal that sent Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves to New York. Nnaji played for the Knicks’ summer league team earlier this year, averaging 3.2 points and 3.6 rebounds across five games. Nnaji never played in the NBA or G League, which preserved his college eligibility.

A college sports landscape dominated by NIL has also seen a softening of eligibility rules. Nnaji is just the latest in a recent wave of former pros opting to go to college. Questions abound on where things go from here for Nnaji if he plays himself back onto the NBA radar.

Would the Knicks keep his draft rights, even after a four-year college stint, or would Nnaji be able to get drafted a second time? The answer to that question remain to be seen.

Clippers linked to a prominent 20-ppg scorer on the trade market

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

After formally banishing Chris Paul, the LA Clippers may now be going for another former NBPA president.

The Clippers have recently been brought up in connection with Washington Wizards guard CJ McCollum, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported this week. Siegel notes that McCollum is drawing attention from teams around the league and is believed to potentially be available for two or three future second-round draft picks.

McCollum, the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2016, is a well-known veteran piece who has produced 10 separate seasons of 20 points or more per game during his professional career. Though McCollum’s numbers have dipped slightly with the Wizards this season (18.6 points per game on 44/39/79 shooting splits), he remains a dynamic three-level scorer.

As a player on a $30.7 million expiring contract, McCollum makes perfect sense as a trade chip ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline. It also helps that McCollum is on an NBA-worst Wizards team (currently sitting at an appalling 5-23) that needs to focus all of its efforts on developing young players at this point.

Meanwhile, the Clippers are not much better this season at 8-21, which is 13th in the Western Conference. But the Clippers have gotten two quality wins in a row (over the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets) and do not have any incentive whatsoever to tank since the Oklahoma City Thunder own their first-round draft pick in 2026.

The Clippers lost shooting guard Bradley Beal to a season-ending hip injury in November and badly need a consistent third scorer behind Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. While McCollum is 34 years old and would surely spark punchlines by going to the oldest team in the NBA in the Clippers, he is at least younger than the other veteran scorer whom the Clippers were recently linked to as well.

NBA admits to a mistake on the game-deciding Bulls-Hawks play

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The NBA is offering an “our bad” after Tuesday’s Chicago Bulls-Atlanta Hawks game.

Chicago defeated Atlanta by a final score of 126-123 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga. The deciding moment of the game came with just 1.9 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and the score tied at 123 after a game-tying layup by Atlanta’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

On a Bulls inbounds play, Chicago guard Coby White fell down as he was trying to get open while being trailed by Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher. The referees then whistled Risacher for an away-from-the-play foul.

Because the foul was deemed to have occurred before the ball was inbounded, the Bulls received one shot as well as possession. They made the ensuing free throw and then hit two more to secure the win after Atlanta was forced to intentionally foul.

Here is the video of the full sequence.

On Wednesday, the NBA released the last-two-minute (L2M) report for the game. In the report, the league admitted that the foul call on Risacher was incorrect. The report stated that White fell to the ground on his own without any contact from Risacher.

If the play had proceeded without a whistle, Chicago’s Nikola Vucevic would have had to hit a tough turnaround jumper to win the game. Had Vucevic missed, Atlanta would have been able to force overtime carrying all the momentum on their home floor.

Last season, the NBA already admitted to multiple mistakes that directly swung the outcome of games. Though we had not seen too much of that up to this point of the season, it certainly seems like the Hawks had a legitimate gripe with how Tuesday’s game played out.

Yankees linked to a new All-Star outfielder in free agency

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The New York Yankees apparently have their failsafe in case Cody Bellinger leaves in free agency.

The Yankees have checked in on veteran outfielder Austin Hays, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Wednesday. Heyman notes that Hays will become more realistic for the Yankees if they are unable to retain Bellinger, their No. 1 free agent target.

Hays, 30, was an All-Star in 2023 with the Baltimore Orioles. A righty hitter, Hays spent last season with the Cincinnati Reds and batted .266 with 15 home runs, 64 RBIs, and seven stolen bases over 103 total games.

Though primarily a left fielder, Hays has gotten experience at all three outfield positions over the course of his eight-year MLB career. Hays also made 40 total appearances as a designated hitter for Cincinnati in 2025.

While the Yankees are very much trying to re-sign the former NL MVP Bellinger, he is expected to come with a high price tag this offseason. In 2025, Bellinger enjoyed one of the best years of his career, batting .272 with 29 home runs, 98 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases over 152 total games.

After winning 94 games but losing to Toronto in the ALDS this past season, the Yankees were recently revealed to be on the no-trade list of a three-time All-Star target. Thus, they could be going bargain shopping on the free agent market instead, particularly if their talented outfielder Bellinger ends up signing for more money elsewhere.

Russell Westbrook gets disciplined by the NBA for flopping

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Even Russell Westbrook is getting hit by the flopping police these days.

The NBA announced on Wednesday that they are fining the Sacramento Kings guard Westbrook a sum of $2,000. Westbrook is being disciplined for a flopping violation that occurred during the previous day’s game against the Detroit Pistons (after the league office conducted a postgame review).

Late in the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif., Westbrook was playing tight full-court defense on Pistons guard Cade Cunningham. When Cunningham bumped him a bit to create space, Westbrook crashed theatrically to the ground.

You can see the video of the play at the link here.

The Pistons went on to win the game by a final score of 136-127. While Westbrook did well individually with 27 points, six rebounds, and four assists, the Kings fell to a Western Conference-worst 7-23 with the loss.

Westbrook, the former MVP, is having a strong age-37 season with the Kings, averaging 14.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game in a starting role (especially given the significant number of injuries that have been hitting Sacramento lately). But now he becomes the biggest name yet to be fined by the NBA for flopping this season (though far from the first player as one of his Kings teammates was also recently punished for a flop).

John Harbaugh addresses questions about his relationship with Lamar Jackson

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh attempted to respond to speculation about his relationship with quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Harbaugh addressed a column by Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun, who argued that it was time for the Ravens to move on from Jackson. Preston wrote that it was “clear” that Harbaugh has grown “tired” of Jackson.

“I’ll tell you how I feel. I’m pretty transparent. All the guys will tell you if I have something I want to talk to them about, I’m right up front,” Harbaugh told reporters. “Had a great conversation with Lamar this morning about a few things, football, how he’s feeling, things like that. Our relationship is A-plus. I love him, always have, always will.”

The last week has seen increased speculation about Jackson after he suffered another injury in Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots. It has also been pointed out that the Ravens have a significant decision to make regarding Jackson this offseason about whether to commit to him long-term or not. One would assume that if there is tension between Harbaugh and Jackson, that would impact the ultimate decision.

The Ravens are 7-8 after Sunday’s loss, and while their playoff hopes are still alive, it would be a longshot for them to make it. That is enough to raise questions about the futures of both Harbaugh and Jackson given the Ravens’ high expectations.

Report: Michigan could target prominent NFL OC as head coach

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Another name has emerged as a possible candidate for the Michigan Wolverines’ head coaching job.

Michigan has begun vetting Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken and hopes to speak with him about their head coach job, according to John Brice and Doug Samuels of FootballScoop. Monken works alongside John Harbaugh, the brother of former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.

Monken’s appeal to Michigan is clear. He is familiar with the Midwest, has ample experience at both the college and pro levels, and has even been a college head coach before at Southern Miss. He has won plaudits for his work with the Ravens, although there has been speculation that his relationship with Lamar Jackson is strained.

Monken was also offensive coordinator for Georgia when the team won back-to-back championships in 2021 and 2022. His cousin, Jeff Monken, is head coach at Army.

Michigan appears to be casting a fairly wide net in its expedited coaching search. Another leading candidate for the position emerged earlier in the week, though Monken also appears to be getting serious consideration.

The Wolverines are searching for a replacement for Sherrone Moore, who was fired on Dec. 10 for allegedly engaging in an affair with his administrative assistant.

Steve Kerr addresses his incident with Draymond Green

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The Golden State Warriors appear determined to try to move on after Monday night’s confrontation between coach Steve Kerr and forward Draymond Green.

Kerr on Wednesday apologized for the part he played in the confrontation, which led to Green leaving the bench early in the second half and sitting out the remainder of the game. Kerr said he and Green had apologized to each other, and that he had needed to be calmer in the huddle than he was.

“Monday night was not my finest hour and that was a time I needed to be calm in the huddle, and so I regret my actions in that exchange,” Kerr said, via Joseph Dycus of the Mercury News. “I apologized to Dray. He apologized to me. We both apologized to the team.”

Green and Kerr got into a shouting match in the huddle during Monday’s win over the Orlando Magic. Green largely downplayed the incident, though it was fair to wonder if any bad feelings would linger.

Kerr made clear that Green would retain his lineup spot and essentially indicated that the Warriors were moving on with business as usual. The team will face the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday in their first game since the incident.

Former Alabama star issues apology to Kalen DeBoer

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer has received some criticism this year amid the team’s perceived underachievement, but the Crimson Tide’s College Football Playoff win over Oklahoma has some backing down a bit.

Former Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram is one of them. Ingram had to apologize to DeBoer after the former Alabama running back had questioned whether the Crimson Tide even belonged in the playoff field after losing to Georgia in the SEC Championship. He did, however, try to play it off as a motivational tactic.

“I was throwing the rat poison out there and clearly y’all heard me because we went out to Norman and we did the job,” Ingram said on “The Triple Option” podcast. “And we gonna do the job again in a few weeks. You know I go harder for ‘Bama than anybody in the nation. I go harder for you than anybody in the nation. Did I feel like we left our destiny in the committee’s hands? Yes, I did. But at the end of the day, I root for ‘Bama, I want Bama in the playoff, I want Bama to win the natty, I want Bama to ball every single time we on the field, so I do apologize.”

There have been times this season that DeBoer has been the target of criticism from fans and players alike. He still is not out of the woods, but he can at least point to the Crimson Tide’s comeback win over Oklahoma as evidence that he can get the job done with such a big program.

Comments like Ingram’s apparently served as fuel for Alabama’s players. Maybe DeBoer will want him to keep it going.

Matthew Stafford issues a warning to Puka Nacua

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had a firm reminder for Puka Nacua amid Nacua’s ongoing criticism of NFL referees.

Stafford said in an appearance on the “Let’s Go!” podcast that he understands why Nacua gets frustrated with the officiating. He also added, however, that the complaints are unlikely to help him get more calls in the future.

“Well, we need all the help we can get from the stripes, you know? So, it’s not fun when he’s running routes, guys are tugging on his jersey and stuff, I don’t know if he’s gonna get too many calls,” Stafford said, via Doric Sam of Bleacher Report.

Like it or not, Stafford is not wrong. Nacua developing a negative reputation among officials will only work against him. His recent comments about what he thinks of referees are precisely what Stafford is talking about.

Nacua is having an outstanding season, with 114 catches for 1,592 yards and eight touchdowns. However, his off-field behavior has been rubbing some the wrong way lately. Stafford is sending him another warning that it’s time to refocus ahead of the team’s playoff run.

Urban Meyer had a harsh review of the CFP 1st round

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Urban Meyer joined the chorus of critics who felt the first round of the College Football Playoff left something to be desired.

The former Ohio State coach labeled the first round of games “awful” and was critical of the inclusion of James Madison and Tulane in the field. Meyer felt that their inclusion was unfair to all players involved, and that the field should consist of the 12 best teams in the country.

“It was awful,” Meyer said. “It’s really not fair to have those two teams, James Madison and Tulane. It’s not the best 12 teams in America. It’s not even close. What’s amazing to me is what did you expect? When I saw it hit, I thought, that’s really not fair to the players involved. It’s not fair to the coach. And it’s certainly not fair to those two teams that were left out.”

By rule, at least one Group of Five team will always be in the College Football Playoff field. This season, both James Madison and Tulane made it largely due to a poor season from the ACC. Unfortunately, the gap between power conference teams and their non-power counterparts is huge, as was demonstrated by Oregon and Ole Miss in their wins.

How many Group of Five teams are entitled to a playoff spot, if any, remains a heated debate. There are other complaints about the playoff format as well, just as there have been since the tournament’s inception. If someone as prominent as Meyer is willing to be so critical, it’s a safe assumption that NCAA leadership will take a look at the format in the years to come.

Ravens have decision to make with Lamar Jackson

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Lamar Jackson’s future with the Baltimore Ravens may not be as secure as one would expect.

In their weekly notes column, Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN noted that the Ravens are likely going to have to make some sort of contractual decision on Jackson this offseason. While Jackson still has two years remaining on his current deal, his cap hit for 2026 will be $74.5 million, meaning the Ravens likely need to either extend Jackson or trade him in order to reduce that figure.

Jackson does have a no-trade clause, so the Ravens could not simply move him to another team without his permission.

The Ravens’ decision on Jackson is not as clear-cut as it likely would have been a year ago. The quarterback has been limited to 12 games by injuries, and his numbers have not been quite as good when he has played. He has thrown for 2,311 yards and ran for 340 more with 20 total touchdowns. He remains very good, but those are not the same numbers he was putting up in his MVP-caliber 2024 season.

Complicating things further is the fact that the Ravens have not found playoff success with Jackson. One can debate how much of that is his fault, but despite all their regular season success, Jackson and the Ravens have only won three playoff games in seven seasons.

The most likely outcome is that Jackson remains with the Ravens on a new deal. Things can change quickly, however, especially with both Jackson and the Ravens having underwhelming seasons by their own lofty standards.

UNLV ran the most embarrassing play during their bowl loss

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The UNLV Rebels pulled off one of the ugliest plays of the bowl season so far in their loss in the Frisco Bowl on Tuesday.

The Rebels essentially denied themselves a touchdown when tight end Matt Byrnes ran directly into running back Keyvone Lee after being sent into motion during Tuesday’s game against Ohio at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Tex. On 3rd and goal in the fourth quarter, Lee took the handoff before being blindsided by his own teammate as he tried to get to the goal line.

It is genuinely difficult to tell what was supposed to happen here. Clearly the timing was off, but it is uncommon to see that level of ineptitude in a game situation.

The consolation for UNLV is they did manage to score on the next play to narrow Ohio’s lead to 17-10. Unfortunately, they never got the ball back after that, and the Bobcats were able to walk away with a victory.

UNLV finished 10-4 in their first season under Dan Mullen. Their season was absolutely a success, but they probably will not want to dwell on how it ended.

Andy Reid had words for Travis Kelce before possible Arrowhead farewell

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The Kansas City Chiefs will not be part of the fray in the NFL playoffs, which feels unusual given their dynastic aura in the past several seasons. NFL fans may also have a new era to prepare for, as this season could be the final one in the league for superstar tight end Travis Kelce.

With the possibility that Taylor Swift’s fiancé would hang up his cleats after the 2025 NFL campaign, at least a few people believe that Kansas City’s Week 17 game against Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., could be Kelce’s NFL career’s final home game. 

Kansas City head coach Andy Reid said he has no idea about Kelce’s plans regarding a possible retirement, but he is well aware of the great legacy the tight end has built in the NFL.

“I think his numbers and personality and the person, I think, speak for themselves,” Reid said of Kelce on Tuesday, via Sam Jane of The Athletic.

“He’s a phenomenal person. He’s great for the community (and) has been great for the community. He’s everything you want from a player representing an organization.”  

Whatever Kelce decides, and despite how the season has turned out for the Chiefs, he’s clearly proven himself to be a winner in the highest stage of football.

The 36-year-old Kelce has three Super Bowl rings, 11 Pro Bowl nods and is the owner of multiple NFL records.

Brandon Aiyuk addresses concerning speeding video

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

It has been a while since San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk last saw action on the field. But when he recently passed by the Niners’ stomping grounds, he sparked even more questions — particularly about his mental health.

Aiyuk grabbed headlines this week when he posted a video of himself driving his Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing at over 100 mph. In the clip, he was also seen passing a familiar location, zooming past Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

On Wednesday, Aiyuk came forward to apologize for his actions behind the wheel.

“Sorry yall, my car content won’t come with speeding anymore!” Aiyuk wrote in a message he posted on YouTube. “Was Praying with my son tonight and wouldn’t want anybody else to miss out on an opportunity to do the same with their loved ones! My apologies.”

The video and the subsequent apology add to Aiyuk’s saga with the 49ers. He remains away from San Francisco, which appears to be on its way to a complete divorce with the talented but disgruntled wideout in the offseason. 

The Niners have already voided over $25 million of guaranteed salary in Aiyuk’s 2026 contract due to his lack of communication with the team, stemming from his missed mandated rehab while recovering from the ACL and MCL injuries he suffered during a Week 7 meeting with the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2024 NFL campaign. 

Even if Aiyuk and the 49ers somehow resolve their issues, he would still be ineligible to play in 2025 after being added to the reserve/left squad list.

James Harden clears 1 thing up about relationship with Kevin Durant

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

It has been years since James Harden and Kevin Durant last played as teammates, but in the eyes of the Los Angeles Clippers star, his relationship with his fellow future Basketball Hall of Famer remains the same.

On Tuesday, the Clippers and Durant’s Houston Rockets met for the second time in the 2025-26 NBA season, with Los Angeles scoring a 128-108 victory at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. After the game, the NBA posted a video of Harden getting a bucket and drawing a foul from Durant.

The NBA captioned it, “They used to be brothers in OKC,” which Harden later saw when he went on social media.

Harden reposted the video and added a confirmation about where he and Durant stand.

“Still brothers!” the 2017–18 NBA Most Valuable Player wrote.

Harden and Durant used to be teammates for three seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Harden later moved on to the Rockets, escaping the shadows of Russell Westbrook and Durant, who were then the face of the OKC franchise. Several years later, Harden and Durant reconnected as teammates with the Brooklyn Nets, though success turned out to be hard to come by for the team despite a superstar-laden roster.

As for Tuesday’s Clippers-Rockets meeting, Harden scored 29 points with 6 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in LA’s win, while Durant had 22 points with 5 rebounds, 2 blocks and 1 assist.

The Clippers and the Rockets will see each other two more times this season, so expect more fireworks on the court between Harden and Durant as opponents.

  • Read more stories

Football

College Football

Basketball

Baseball

Media

Headlines

  • i want more great stories!

Sign up today for free and get the best sports content sent to your inbox.

You can unsubscribe anytime. For more details, review our Privacy Policy.

.
LBS iPhone App
Get the App

Get instantly notified of the most viral news stories via Google!