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Luka Doncic goes up for a dunk

Video of Luka Doncic’s East Bay dunk emerges

January 27, 2026 by Rex Villas
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Luka Doncic is an elite shot creator, but he’s not necessarily someone who plays above the rim.

Still, he reminded his teammates and some reporters on Monday that he once pulled off an East Bay dunk as a teenager.

The topic was brought up while Lakers forward Jake LaRavia was talking about LA big man Jaxson Hayes’ between-the-legs dunk late in the game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center in Chicago, Ill.

“I did it when I was a teen … I have a video!” Doncic can be heard in the background saying, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

It did not take long before McMenamin found video evidence that proves Doncic’s claim.

Here’s a young Doncic showing his hops for his version of the East Bay throwdown.

He wasn’t lying here is the video of 13 year old Luka Dončić between the legs DUNK😮‍💨

Youtube/ teamflightbrothers pic.twitter.com/baRJkSfIol

— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) January 27, 2026

Doncic has gotten bigger and heavier since he made that dunk, but he doesn’t need to get up that high to embarrass opponents.

The Bulls know all about it after the former NBA scoring champion lit them up on Monday for 46 points on a 15-of-25 shooting, including 8 triples, while adding 12 assists and 7 rebounds to help the Lakers notch a 129-118 victory.

As a bonus, the 26-year-old Doncic became the only Lakers player ever besides Kobe Bryant to score at least 45 points, record at least 10 assists, and make at least five 3-pointers in a game.

BasketballLos Angeles LakersLuka Doncic
The Golden State Warriors logo

Fans ruthlessly troll the Warriors after a lineup announcement

January 27, 2026 by Rex Villas
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The Golden State Warriors took a beating on the court Monday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but they were already getting pummeled online before the game even started at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.

The Warriors severely lacked star power in the Minnesota game. Already without Jimmy Butler for the rest of the 2025-26 NBA season, the Dubs showed up at the meeting with the Timberwolves with two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry and former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green not in uniforms because of knee and back issues, respectively.

When Golden State shared its starting lineup for the game on X, the post was met with online ridicule. Let’s just say it wasn’t  close by any means to Golden State’s “Death Lineup.”

pic.twitter.com/EFu5wkxG4b

— wellconnected (@wellconnctd) January 27, 2026

The meme team

— ▶︎ 𝙂𝘼𝙇𝙄𝙇𝙀𝙊 𝙁𝙀𝙍𝙍𝘼𝙍𝙄 ガリレオ 🇯🇵🇦🇺 (@galileoferrari) January 27, 2026

G leauge to glory

— CapitalizeFX (@CapitalizeFX) January 27, 2026

team is so buns

— Tuff Picks (@tuffpicks) January 27, 2026

pic.twitter.com/Cu1s93pItK

— 🛸 (@l_3G3ND_) January 27, 2026

The banged-up Warriors did not get the last laugh either. After the first quarter concluded with Minnesota ahead by just a point, the Timberwolves broke away and dominated the rest of the evening for a 108-83 victory.

Quinten Post led Golden State with 13 points, while Brandin Podziemski added 12 points. Overall, the Warriors shot a horrible 35% from the floor and went only 9-for-39 from deep, showing just how much they missed the offensive brilliance of Curry.

Looking ahead, the Dubs have a date with the Utah Jazz on Wednesday at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

BasketballGolden State Warriors
Bo Bichette in the dugout

Carlos Mendoza weighs in on Bo Bichette’s crucial adjustment

January 27, 2026 by Rex Villas
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Acquiring Bo Bichette is one thing, and making him a dependable third baseman is another for the New York Mets.

Bichette has played the shortstop position for most of his career in the big leagues thus far, but now that he’s in Queens, he will have to learn to play the hot corner. 

He’s shown glimpses of what he can do in that position on Monday in Port St. Lucie, Fla., with Mets manager Carlos Mendoza there to watch New York’s shiny new weapon do some work.

In an appearance on “The Show” podcast, Mendoza sounded positive about Bichette’s workout.

“We’re looking at a guy that has played shortstop his whole career — watching him today moving around third, taking grounders, creating angles, and just the throws to first I was telling him, ‘It looks like you’ve played here before,’” Mendoza said during a recent appearance on the New York Post’s “The Show” podcast (as transcribed by Jeff Gold of MLB.com).

The 27-year-old Bichette will be faced with the challenge of helping New York improve on its defense at third base, where the Mets finished the 2025 season with only a minus-2 DRS (defensive runs saved) above average. 

New York should be less worried about his bat. Bichette is coming off arguably his best season yet in MLB, as he hit .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs to go with a 129 OPS+ through 139 games in his final year with the Toronto Blue Jays.

BaseballBo BichetteCarlos MendozaNew York Mets
The Angels logo at Angel Stadium

Angels taking chance on former 35-HR hitter

January 26, 2026 by Renzo Pocholo Salao
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The Los Angeles Angels are hoping a former slugger can regain his form in Anaheim.

The Angels on Monday agreed to sign Trey Mancini to a contract. According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Mancini is joining the team on a minor-league deal.

The Angels are signing Trey Mancini to a minor league deal, per @Ken_Rosenthal pic.twitter.com/LDAklhLhfV

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) January 26, 2026

The move is a low-risk gamble for the Angels. Mancini was once a rising star slugger who hit 35 home runs for the Baltimore Orioles in the 2019 season. His path to stardom, however, was derailed by a battle against stage 3 colon cancer that kept him out for the entire 2020 campaign.

Mancini returned in 2021 and remained a 20-HR hitter for the next two seasons. He was traded to the Houston Astros in the middle of 2022 and won a World Series ring with the squad.

The 33-year-old had his power sapped the following year, when he signed a two-year pact with the Chicago Cubs. Mancini only clubbed four home runs and batted .234 across 79 games, which pushed the Cubs to cut him. Mancini remained in the minors over the last couple of seasons before getting the call to join the Angels.

It helps that the Angels now employ hitting coach Brady Anderson, who worked extensively with Mancini a decade ago during their shared time in Baltimore. Anderson had a ton of sway in getting Mancini a shot, hoping they could recreate the magic a decade later on the opposite coast.

BaseballLos Angeles AngelsTrey Mancini
BYU star AJ Dybantsa asking for the ball during game against Arizona

BYU coach slammed for his polarizing call in final seconds against No. 1 Arizona

January 26, 2026 by Renzo Pocholo Salao
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BYU head coach Kevin Young was under fire Monday for seemingly forgetting he had AJ Dybantsa on his team.

The Cougars were right on the doorstep of dealing the No. 1 Arizona Wildcats their first loss of the season in front of a capacity home crowd at the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah. BYU trailed 84-83 but had possession with 12 seconds left in the contest and arguably the best player in the country on their side.

However, Dybantsa did not even touch the ball with a chance to win the game in the closing seconds. Young instead went to sophomore guard Robert Wright III for the final shot.

BRAYDEN BURRIES BLOCKS THE POTENTIAL BYU GAME-WINNER 😳

ARIZONA ESCAPES UNDEFEATED 🔥 pic.twitter.com/y9CJev1oej

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 27, 2026

Wright got rejected on his go-ahead layup. Arizona corralled the rebound and tacked on two more points from the free throw line to seal an 86-83 victory.

Several fans took to social media to crucify Young for not putting the ball in the hands of Dybantsa.

Game on the line and AJ Dybantsa doesn’t even touch the ball???

— Zlatni Topki (@ZlatniTopki) January 27, 2026

AJ Dybantsa should've been the one in the backcourt to catch the ball with a full head of steam. I don't know how BYU doesn't do that.

— rodlo 🪬 (@roddystr) January 27, 2026

You’ve got AJ Dybantsa, paid him all that money, and you run a play for Rob Wright? What

— Josh Hamlin (@Coach_Hamlin) January 27, 2026

I love Kevin Young, but why does AJ not get the ball on that last play…

— Space Coug (@byufan1984) January 27, 2026

Dybantsa did not have a good shooting night. The freshman forward finished with 24 points on 6/24 shooting. Wright, however, had an even-worse 3/16 shooting clip for just 7 points.

Overlooking Dybantsa in that moment was almost criminal for BYU fans. Despite not shooting well from the floor, the 18-year-old had put enough pressure on Arizona’s defense to draw 16 free throws. Several fans believed having AJ make the final play was the obvious call, and Young simply overthought things against the top-ranked team in the country.

College BasketballAJ DybantsaBYU Basketball
DeAndre Hopkins without a helmet

DeAndre Hopkins has honest take on being underutilized by Ravens

January 26, 2026 by Renzo Pocholo Salao
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DeAndre Hopkins felt like he had much more to offer the Baltimore Ravens last season, but just didn’t get the chance.

The Ravens took a flier on Hopkins in the offseason on a one-year deal, and it seemed to pay off early. The 33-year-old scored a touchdown in each of his first two games with Baltimore. Those two TDs ended up being the only ones he would score for the rest of the season.

On a recent appearance on the “Up & Adams” show, Hopkins shared that he felt like he was underutilized by Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken for the rest of the season.

“Obviously Lamar and I had a great connection. I think when he came to me, you know, l might have been top 10 … productive receivers in the NFL, and that’s just when the ball came my way,” Hopkins said.

“But of course I love Baltimore, and you know, me being a competitor, I would have loved to have been used more even though we had Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman on the field and Isaiah Likely, I’m always gonna have that mindset that I want to be in the game every third down, every big down. So, as long as I’m playing, that would never change.”

Hopkins added that despite his frustrations over his lack of targets, he never felt like he was becoming a “bad teammate.” He still cheered on his fellow wide receivers who were playing ahead of him.

Zay Flowers was far and away the Ravens’ No. 1 option among the team’s wide receivers with 86 catches for 1,211 yards and 5 touchdowns. While Flowers was targeted 118 times, none of Hopkins, Bateman, and Flowers had more than 40 passes thrown their way.

Hopkins finished with 39 targets for 330 receiving yards — both second on the team. But his usage dropped significantly during the second half of the season. He finished without a catch in three of the Ravens’ last five regular-season games.

FootballBaltimore RavensDeAndre Hopkins
Justin Verlander in a Giants uniform

Justin Verlander linked to 1 team in free agent rumors

January 26, 2026 by Darryn Albert
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Justin Verlander may have a pathway back to the American League.

The Baltimore Orioles are in the conversation for the three-time Cy Young Award Verlander, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported on Monday. Morosi notes that the Orioles would like to add at least one more starting pitcher this offseason (with Verlander still available as an unsigned free agent).

Additionally, Baltimore is reportedly interested in fellow veteran righty Max Scherzer as well. However, Morosi indicates that a Scherzer signing is less likely in light of a recent report that Scherzer could wait a very long time before making his free agent decision.

Verlander, who turns 43 years old next month, would be entering his 21st MLB season in 2026. He was very passable for the San Francisco Giants last year, posting a 3.85 ERA and 137 strikeouts over 29 total starts.

The former AL MVP Verlander was also a surprisingly strong innings-eater in 2025, especially for a player of his age. Verlander threw 152.0 innings and managed to post a positive season-long WAR of 1.2.

As for Baltimore, they were the basement team of the AL East last season at 75-87 but have since had a very strong winter. On top of signing Pete Alonso, re-signing Zach Eflin, and trading for both Taylor Ward and Shane Baz, the Orioles could add Verlander to the mix after picking up another multi-time All-Star pitcher too.

BaseballHeadlinesBaltimore OriolesJustin Verlander
Cooper Kupp without a helmet

Report reveals disrespectful move Rams pulled on Cooper Kupp

January 26, 2026 by Renzo Pocholo Salao
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Cooper Kupp’s exit from the Los Angeles Rams last year was far from amicable. One report has shed more light on the messy divorce between the two sides.

Last February, the Rams informed Kupp that the team was moving on from the All-Pro wide receiver. Kupp has been vocal about pleading his case to the Rams to give him another chance. But his longtime team held firm in letting Kupp go, eventually allowing him to sign with his hometown Seattle Seahawks.

The Rams reportedly did not make it easy for Kupp to find his next landing spot. According to The Athletic’s Michael Silver, the Rams were “urging him to retire” instead of being open to renegotiating Kupp’s salary.

Per the report, Kupp was also led to believe that some Rams officials “had cautioned potential suitors against paying him anything more than the veteran minimum. The officials were said to have claimed Kupp had declined significantly due to his age and slew of injuries.

Kupp himself admitted to Silver that his relationship with the Rams was not “in a good place” when he was on his way out.

The Seahawks took a chance on Kupp and willingly paid his asking price on a three-year deal. While Kupp has indeed looked a step slower this season compared to his best days in L.A., he still filled in the WR2 role admirably next to Jaxon Smith-Njigba during the regular season. Kupp was second on the team in targets (70) and receiving yards (593) on a Seattle team that finished with the best record in the NFC.

Kupp also got the last laugh on his former team in the NFC Championship Game. The veteran wideout caught four passes for 36 yards and a touchdown in the Seahawks 31-27 win over the Rams on Sunday.

FootballCooper KuppLos Angeles Rams
Cris Carter in a suit

Cris Carter made a brutal mistake with his Sam Darnold post

January 26, 2026 by Darryn Albert
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Sam Darnold is headed to the Super Bowl … but he still can’t get Cris Carter to spell his name right.

The Seattle Seahawks quarterback Darnold led the team to victory in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams. Darnold completed 25/36 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns as Seattle won by a 31-27 final score in front of their home crowd at Lumen Field in Seattle, Wash.

In response to Darnold leading the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl berth since the 2014 season, the Pro Football Hall of Famer Carter issued a congratulatory post on X. The only problem was that Carter [checks notes] totally botched Darnold’s name.

“Hell of a win by Seattle and congratulations to Sam Darnell,” Carter wrote.

Hell of a win by Seattle and congratulations to Sam Darnell

— Cris Carter (@criscarter80) January 26, 2026

Social media users promptly came for Carter over the hilarious mistake. Take a look at some of the funniest posts at Carter’s expense.

Who?! pic.twitter.com/DboMXpARYx

— nimothy (@nimothy) January 26, 2026

pic.twitter.com/iKhNTMyPhO

— Stephen (@tiedtothe90s_) January 26, 2026

@tkcaddie pic.twitter.com/aIBvd1uvaU

— robmillertime (@robmillertime) January 26, 2026

He was watching the game like https://t.co/4cCfGQEyqZ pic.twitter.com/Xobji9W4RK

— Charles J. Moore (@charles270) January 26, 2026

“Sam Darnell” https://t.co/6TDYZyNAMu pic.twitter.com/wNQ85xCFTp

— jimmy toots (@futtywap) January 26, 2026

The 60-year-old Carter would eventually correct his mistake several hours later.

Darnold

— Cris Carter (@criscarter80) January 26, 2026

It is unclear if the eight-time Pro Bowler Carter, who now serves as executive director of player engagement for Florida Atlantic, fell victim to autocorrect there or if he actually thought that was Darnold’s real name. But Carter has also been getting into some bizarre beefs online over the last few months, so maybe the social media thing is not quite for him.

FootballCris CarterSam Darnoldscrew ups
Kevin Durant with the Houston Rockets

Ex-Kevin Durant teammate pitches himself to the Rockets

January 26, 2026 by Darryn Albert
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One veteran NBA guard wants another tour of duty with The Slim Reaper.

Spencer Dinwiddie appeared this week on the “Ball Don’t Stop” podcast. During the appearance, Dinwiddie, who remains an unsigned free agent, pitched his services to the Houston Rockets.

“I would love to go to the Rockets,” said Dinwiddie. “One of my best NBA friends, Dorian Finney-Smith, is on the Rockets … They have all the makings of having a championship-type team.”

In addition to Finney-Smith, who played with Dinwiddie on both the Dallas Mavericks and the Brooklyn Nets, the Rockets have another notable former Dinwiddie teammate — one-time NBA MVP Kevin Durant. Dinwiddie was teammates with Durant in Brooklyn from 2019-21 and again very briefly in 2023.

Houston lost starting point guard Fred VanVleet before the season to a torn ACL. As such, they have been using Amen Thompson as their de facto point guard and shifting greater playmaking duties to Alperen Sengun instead.

Even so however, Dinwiddie is probably a longshot to attract the Rockets’ interest. He averaged 11.0 points and 4.4 assists per game during his last NBA stint last season with the Dallas Mavericks but is known as more of a streaky, score-first guard rather than a true playmaker. It can’t hurt for Dinwiddie to shoot his shot though as he tries to get back into the NBA and continue his bizarre personal tradition.

BasketballHouston RocketsKevin DurantSpencer Dinwiddie
Paul Pierce in a suit

Paul Pierce is facing a paternity lawsuit

January 26, 2026 by Darryn Albert
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The Truth is facing a lawsuit from a woman who is seeking to discover the truth.

Retired Basketball Hall of Famer Paul Pierce has been hit with a paternity lawsuit by Princess Santiago, an event director in Los Angeles, Calif. who claims that Pierce is the father of her son King. Santiago filed the lawsuit on Jan. 12 and is asking the court to compel Pierce to take a DNA test.

“I filed for paternity papers after multiple attempts to resolve this privately,” Santiago said in a statement, according to TMZ. “Paul Pierce is the father of my son, King, and I am simply asking for a paternity test so the truth can be confirmed. This isn’t about drama or attention — it’s about accountability and doing what’s right for my child.”

TMZ adds that there has not yet been a hearing in the case and that Pierce’s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment. You can read their full report in the situation here.

Pierce, now 48, was a 10-time NBA All-Star and a four-time All-NBA selection who also led the Boston Celtics to the 2008 NBA championship as the Finals MVP. He retired as a player in 2017 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

But Pierce, who has since gone into a career as a sports analyst, has already been facing drama in his personal life over the last few months. In Oct. 2025, Pierce was arrested on suspicion of DUI and hit with multiple charges after being found asleep at the wheel on a California freeway (read the full details here). Pierce has since pled not guilty in that DUI case.

The Celtics legend Pierce has three children with his ex-wife Julie Landrum. Now Santiago is taking Pierce to court with allegations that Pierce had another child with her.

BasketballFeatured StoriesLegal MattersPaul Pierce
Allen Iverson standing on the court

Reddit user accuses Allen Iverson of snubbing children battling cancer in Australia visit

January 26, 2026 by Renzo Pocholo Salao
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Allen Iverson may need some more practice when it comes to his meet-and-greets.

Iverson has made negative headlines this past week over his recent trip to Australia. A few reports have shed light on Iverson’s alleged lack of professionalism as the guest of honor at various events.

Perhaps the most shameful account of Iverson’s visit was an unverified post on Reddit. The user Fit-Tourist2852 shared his experience alongside his 12-year-old brother, who is currently receiving chemotherapy for ALCL lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer.

“I’m writing this post about the NBA ‘star player’ Allen Iverson,” the poster wrote.

“On the 22nd of January 2026, Alllen iverson [sic] came to Cavalo Prestige Melbourne to meet 12 kids who are battling cancer. The experience was organised by Challenge – Supporting kids with cancer, and Allen Iversons management team. My little brother who is 12 years old and is currently receiving chemotherapy for ALCL lymphoma, was so excited to meet one of his idols. He came out to be extremely disgusted and disappointed in Allen Iversons behaviour, and so were the other familys.”

The poster shared several details about their group’s unsavory encounter with Iverson. They were supposedly promised a 45-minute sit-down with Iverson from 10:45 to 11:30 a.m. However, he was said to have stayed in a podcast room until 12:30 p.m., with a member of AI’s security team later informing the group that he was “having a bad day” and did not feel like coming out.

The Reddit poster also shared that the group of child patients and their guardians were told Iverson would sign some of their personal items, but that ended up being another unfulfilled promise. All the kids got was a quick photo op with Iverson, who allegedly refused to smile in any of the photos.

“After we waited hours, his security firmly told us he is not signing anything at all, and we did not get to talk to him at all, he did not say a word to anyone,” the poster continued.

“We were lined up and all the kids got was a photo, and he did not seem impressed about that. He had his hands in his pockets and did not smile or put his arm around any kids in any photos. He knew the kids were sick, and still did not put any effort or acknowledgement to that.

“Everyone was so disgusted in his behaviour, it was honestly so disappointing.”

While it’s fair to question the authenticity of the post, the alleged interaction was in line with how some have categorized Iverson’s multi-day visit to Australia.

NBL legend Jason Cadee openly slammed Iverson in a recent episode of his “Cut to the Jase” podcast. Cadee described Iverson’s visit as a “s–t show,” stating that the NBA icon was repeatedly late and “barely spoke” to anyone during events.

Cadee claimed that Iverson was considered cold and unapproachable by most who encountered him, leaving many feeling “disappointed” and “let down” by one of their idols.

Cadee compared Iverson’s visit to that of fellow NBA legends Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, whom he described as “the easiest people to approach.” He also recalled a warm encounter with Carmelo Anthony when Melo visited last year.

Iverson may not have the most sterling reputation off the court, but the Hall of Famer has made strides to better himself over the past year. In October, Iverson shared that he was six months sober.

BasketballFeatured StoriesAllen Iverson
Ja Morant looks ahead

Ja Morant still has 1 team interested in trading for him

January 26, 2026 by Darryn Albert
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Ja Morant may be down to his final interested trade suitor.

The Brooklyn Nets are one of the last teams “truly interested” in potentially trading for the Memphis Grizzlies star guard Morant, Grizzlies beat writer Chris Dodson of ClutchPoints reported on Monday. Dodson adds that Brooklyn has the salary and the picks to make such a move happen and could be motivated by a desire to steal some of the spotlight away from the local rival New York Knicks.

Morant, the two-time NBA All-Star, was an extremely hot trade candidate earlier this month. That came in the midst of reports claiming that Morant has had problems with his teammates in Memphis and that he was possibly eyeing a move to one particular team.

But interest in Morant seems to have cooled significantly over the last couple of weeks. That may be in part because Morant is hurt again (dealing with an elbow injury that will cost him the next three weeks) and because Memphis’ asking price for him is said to be a bit high.

When it comes to the Nets though, they have one of the few situations that might actually be conducive to a Morant trade. At a putrid 12-32, Brooklyn is once again bottoming out this season. They also have the lowest payroll in the NBA this year and own a treasure chest of future draft capital thanks to their blockbuster trades of Kevin Durant (in 2023) and Mikal Bridges (in 2024).

Morant, who is in Year 3 of a five-year, $197.2 million contract, recently hinted that he would be perfectly content with staying in Memphis. But if the Nets view the 26-year-old Morant as a potential foundational piece who could drum up renewed interest in their franchise, they would certainly have the means to make such a trade happen.

BasketballBrooklyn NetsJa Morant
Rich Paul looking on

Report: Rich Paul is making a run at Giannis Antetokounmpo

January 26, 2026 by Darryn Albert
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Rich Paul is trying to add to his list of superstar clientele.

The Klutch Sports mega-agent Paul would like to represent disgruntled Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, Henry Abbott of TrueHoop reported on Monday. Abbott notes that Paul has been talking to Antetokounmpo’s brother Thanasis lately and is trying to make the case that he is the guy who can help get a superstar to his desired destination.

Additionally, Antetokounmpo is said to have been close to firing his longtime agent Alex Saratsis over Saratsis’ continued failure to secure a move out of Milwaukee. You can read Abbott’s full report on the situation here.

The former NBA MVP Antetokounmpo, who is expected to be sidelined through the Feb. 5 trade deadline due to a calf injury, is clearly unhappy right now with the 18-26 Bucks. He already requested a trade from Milwaukee over the summer, and now Antetokounmpo’s frustration with the team is said to be at an all-time high.

As for Paul, he already represents some enormous names such as LeBron James. Paul has also successfully gotten some of his other star clients traded to their preferred destinations over the last several years (including Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers, De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, and most recently, Trae Young to the Washington Wizards).

One reporter even went so far as to say this week that he believes Antetokounmpo has already played his last game for Milwaukee. Now it appears that Paul is trying to take advantage of the situation by making a well-timed bid to represent the 10-time NBA All-Star Antetokounmpo.

BasketballSports BusinessGiannis AntetokounmpoRich Paul
A Kansas City Royals hat and glove

Royals land former World Series-winning pitcher

January 26, 2026 by Renzo Pocholo Salao
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The Kansas City Royals are adding a former World Series winner to the team’s pitching staff.

The Royals on Monday reportedly signed veteran relief pitcher Hector Neris. According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, the right-handed hurler agreed to a minor league deal with a training camp invite.

Neris spent the first eight years of his MLB career with the Philadelphia Phillies. He had an ERA of 3.42 and a WHIP of 1.19 across over 400 games. He also served as a closer for a couple of seasons, with 84 saves during that span.

The Dominican had his most successful stint with the Houston Astros. He played an integral part in the Astros’ 2022 World Series run. He allowed just one earned run across eight playoff games to help Houston hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy at season’s end. He followed that up with his best regular season in 2023, when he posted a career-best 1.71 ERA over 71 games.

Neris’ effectiveness has waned since then. He played for three different teams last season and posted a combined 6.75 ERA in 35 games.

The 36-year-old joins a Royals bullpen that ranked 4th in the American League with a 3.63 ERA last season. While Kansas City’s relief corps was effective, only the Cleveland Guardians’ bullpen pitched fewer innings. Adding some veteran depth on a low-risk contract couldn’t hurt going into the 2026 season.

BaseballHector NerisKansas City Royals
Todd Monken coaching for the Buccaneers

Todd Monken ‘still in the mix’ for 1 head coaching job

January 26, 2026 by Matt Wadleigh
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This year’s NFL head coaching cycle saw 10 openings, and six of them have been filled as of Monday afternoon.

The four remaining openings are the Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns and the Las Vegas Raiders. One name who is still a finalist for one of the openings is former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken.

Monken is reportedly still “in the mix” for the Browns’ opening, via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.

As of earlier today, #Ravens OC Todd Monken was still in the mix for the #Browns HC. He's flown under the radar, but isn't out of it yet.

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) January 26, 2026

Monken is also in the mix to be the New York Giants’ offensive coordinator, especially with former Ravens coach John Harbaugh being hired as the new coach there.

The Browns saw Jacksonville Jaguars OC Grant Udinski withdraw his name from consideration on Monday, and the Browns then had a long in-person interview with Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase.

But, despite that, Monken remains in consideration for the Browns HC job, and other finalists are Browns DC Jim Schwartz, as well as Washington Commanders running backs coach Anthony Lynn.

Monken has a ton of coaching experience, with his first coaching job coming in 1989 as a graduate assistant at Grand Valley State. Monken’s stints include time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as OC, the Jaguars as WRs coach, and the Georgia Bulldogs as the OC and WRs coach.

Monken also spent one season as the Browns’ OC before taking the Georgia job, and he went 13-25 in three seasons as the head coach at Southern Miss, which marks his only stop as a head coach at either level.

Nonetheless, as the browns search continues, Monken is still a name to watch, and the decision could come very soon.

FootballCleveland BrownsTodd Monken
The Alabama logo

Alabama adding 3-time Super Bowl winner to coaching staff

January 26, 2026 by Matt Wadleigh
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After the Alabama Crimson Tide’s season came to an end, Kalen DeBoer decided to move on from offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic.

Kapilovic had been with the program for two seasons, but after some disappointing OL play, the Crimson Tide made the move. Now, all signs point to three-time Super Bowl champion OL and USC offensive analyst coach Adrian Klemm taking over the job, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz.

Alabama is expected to hire USC’s Adrian Klemm as offensive line coach, sources tell me, @ByScarborough and @C_Morrissette.

Before USC, the former NFL starting offensive lineman was an offensive line coach for the New England Patriots, Oregon and the Pittsburgh Steelers. pic.twitter.com/xcFu1voL9N

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 26, 2026

Alabama’s season came to an end with an ugly 38-3 Rose Bowl loss to the Indiana Hoosiers.

Then, DeBoer moved on from Kapilovic, but bringing in Klemm is a big move for the program. Klemm won a pair of Super Bowls during his playing days with the New England Patriots.

Klemm was a second-round draft pick in 2020 after playing in college at Hawaii. His coaching experience is vast, as he has stops with each of the UCLA Bruins, SMU Mustangs and Oregon Ducks in college before he joined the USC Trojans in 2025.

Klemm also spent three seasons as the assistant OL and OL coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was the Patriots OL coach in 2023, so he has a lot of valuable experience working under coaches such as Bill Belichick and Mike Tomlin.

Alabama’s OL allowed the most pressures and fourth most sacks in the SEC this season, so this group needed a shake-up going forward.

College FootballAlabama FootballKalen DeBoer
Cowboys helmet on the field

Cowboys make series of coaching changes after DC hire

January 26, 2026 by Matt Wadleigh
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The Dallas Cowboys made sure to cast a wide net this time around in their search for a new defensive coordinator.

After firing Matt Eberflus following his only season as the Cowboys’ DC, Dallas hired Christian Parker, who spent the past two seasons as the passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach with the Philadelphia Eagles.

On Monday, a series of defensive coaching changes were announced as the staff continues to change. According to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News, three coaches were let go.

As part of the defensive coaching changes with the Cowboys, Andre Curtis, David Overstreet II and Dave Borgonzi will not return for the 2026 season according to a person with knowledge of the decision.

— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) January 26, 2026

Borgonzi was the linebackers coach, Overstreet coached the safeties and secondary, and Curtis was the defensive pass game coordinator.

Curtis, Borgonzi and Overstreet all just finished their first season at Dallas after being with Eberflus with the Chicago Bears, so it seems there is even more turnover than initially expected with the defensive staff.

This move comes on the heels of Watkins’ previous report, which stated that the assistants were allowed to search for other jobs.

Cowboys assistant coaches have been given permission to seek other jobs and to interview with new DC Christian Parker to remain with the staff. Some coaches are at Senior Bowl getting ready for those practices next week.

— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) January 24, 2026

Parker’s move to Dallas is a big one, and it is a bit different than the route the Cowboys have gone in the past for the DC role.

FootballChristian ParkerDallas Cowboys
Diego Pavia smiling

Fans puzzled by Diego Pavia’s Senior Bowl measurements

January 26, 2026 by Matt Wadleigh
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The Reese’s Senior Bowl is the first step for many college football players in their NFL Draft process.

This year’s Senior Bowl game is on Jan. 31, 2026, in Mobile, Ala. On Monday, some measurements were released, including those for Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, who was a Heisman Trophy finalist this season.

Pavia’s official height measurement came in at 5’9 7/8”. However, it was quite different from Vanderbilt’s measurement listed on the team website, which fans quickly took notice of.

https://t.co/cCG8B7FQD6 pic.twitter.com/AiZuZTYYwd

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) January 26, 2026

Vanderbilt listed Diego Pavia as 6’0”.

His official Senior Bowl height: 5’9 7/8” https://t.co/kZwkYuGhfy pic.twitter.com/dOS2BP3d9J

— Jon Tweets Sports (@jontweetssports) January 26, 2026

You lied to us @VandyFootball https://t.co/udd6OxNQIb pic.twitter.com/1rdsUK2i0R

— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) January 26, 2026

🤨 https://t.co/oNfwD5YQQL pic.twitter.com/YASzL5uR16

— Barstool SEC (@SECBarstool) January 26, 2026

For what it’s worth, the shortest QBs to be measured during the Senior Bowl’s history are Bryce Young and Kyler Murray, both of whom came in at 5’10” 1/8, per Peter Burns of ESPN.

Pavia is one of six quarterbacks on the Senior Bowl roster, with LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier another notable name.

Pavia’s height has been a topic of discussion, especially in regard to his NFL Draft hopes. However, there is still potential for Pavia, and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has the former Vanderbilt star at No. 7 on his big board.

At the end of the day, his listed height on the team website is different from the Senior Bowl measurement, which is interesting.

College FootballDiego PaviaNFL DraftVanderbilt Football
Giannis Antetokounmpo drives to the basket.

NBA reporter thinks Giannis Antetokounmpo has played his last game with Bucks

January 26, 2026 by Grey Papke
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Giannis Antetokounmpo may be set to miss roughly a month due to another injury, but that is not turning down the trade speculation at all.

ESPN’s Marc J. Spears speculated on Monday that Antetokounmpo has played his last game with the Milwaukee Bucks. Spears suggested that the Bucks might just shut Antetokounmpo down for the rest of the season, even if they do not trade him before the Feb. 5 deadline.

“I think he’s played his last game in a Bucks uniform,” Spears said. “There’s so much benefit for him not playing. You could make a trade for him now, get that generational piece, maybe the No. 1 pick, the No. 2 pick. If you play him and they win, it just pushes back their potential pick further.”

Marc Spears on Giannis: "I think he's played his last game in a Bucks uniform" pic.twitter.com/fU46fgObxr

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) January 26, 2026

The Bucks enter play Monday at 18-26, and that is with their star player unlikely to suit up again until at least March. Their record may well get worse before Giannis is able to play again, and at that point, they might be out of the playoff race entirely.

The chances the Bucks trade Antetokounmpo before Feb. 5 likely did drop some thanks to the injury, though it won’t help long-term. The star forward is said to be frustrated with the franchise, though if they can land a high lottery pick and get a foundational piece to pair with him, that might change the equation.

Antetokounmpo has been the subject of trade rumors for much of the season as the Bucks keep floundering. He was averaging 28 points and 10 rebounds per game this year before his latest injury.

BasketballFeatured StoriesGiannis Antetokounmpo

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