48-year-old man charged after stalking Fever star Sophie Cunningham
A 48-year-old man has been charged after reportedly stalking and sending harassing messages to Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham.
According to a report from WTHR.com, Kevin Singh faces multiple charges after sending “multiple threatening and explicit messages.”
Here are the charges, according to the report.
- Stalking (Level 6 felony)
- Intimidation (Level 6 felony)
- Harassment (Class B misdemeanor)
Prosecutors said that Singh is currently on probation in Hendricks County after pleading guilty to two counts of invasion of privacy. Such charges are considered a Level 6, which can carry jail time and/or a fine in the state of Indiana.
Singh sent the messages to Cunningham on social media, and they date back to September 2025.
In September, security cameras saw the man giving a package to a security guard at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and inside was a letter addressed to Cunningham as well as a Guns N’ Roses shirt.
“Your Metallica shirt gave me the idea to add GN’R to your collection; and I’ve tried everything else to get your attention (smile emoji). I hope you hit me up! Your Friend & Fan,” part of the letter read, according to a report from The Indy Star.
Cunningham has been in plenty of headlines since joining the Fever. Recently, she tied her career high with six three-pointers in the Fever’s win at home over the Toronto Tempo.
Dianna Russini’s salary at The Athletic has been revealed in light of Mike Vrabel scandal
Former NFL reporter Dianna Russini has been in plenty of headlines since the photos with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel came to light.
Since then, Vrabel has remained as the coach, but Russini resigned from The Athletic and has not been seen publicly.
On Wednesday, a lengthy feature was released by Katherine Rosman and Ken Belson of The New York Times. A lot of information was revealed, but one of the most surprising was Russini’s salary at The Athletic, which is now owned by The New York Times.
“The Athletic paid her an annual salary of close to $800,000, according to a former manager who had knowledge of her salary negotiation,” the report stated.
“This would have made her one of the highest-paid journalists at the Times Company. She had been promoted as a face of the sports publication, which the company bought in 2022 for $550 million as part of an effort to expand the Times’s reach to sports fans around the world. At the time the story broke, The Athletic was in discussions with Ms. Russini about renewing her contract, which was set to expire at the end of June.”
It’s quite the development, and it shows how highly-regarded Russini was for her work as a journalist.
Russini insisted the photos of her and Vrabel holding hands were taken while at the hotel with other friends. In May, it was reported that Vrabel and Russini rented a private boat together in 2021 while Russini was pregnant.
Russini’s contract with the company was set to expire on June 30, although the latest report stated that the two sides were working on an extension.
However, Russini resigned due to the scandal with Vrabel, and she even went on to delete her X account.
NBA insider gives notable update on Kawhi Leonard’s future
With NBA free agency right around the corner, one player whose future is up in the air is Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard.
Leonard is entering the final season of a 3-year, $149.5 million contract, and NBA insider Chris Haynes believes he could be moved if the two sides don’t agree to an extension.
“If an extension is not worked out…I expect the Clippers to look to move Kawhi,” Haynes said on Tuesday night. “I don’t expect that he will stay and play on an expiring deal.”
Chris Haynes:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) June 24, 2026
"If an extension is not worked out…I expect the Clippers look to move Kawhi. I don't expect that he will stay and play on an expiring deal" pic.twitter.com/4KkcwmAhYf
Questions have been swirling about Leonard due to an ongoing NBA investigation regarding the Aspiration scandal.
At the same time, the Clippers traded away James Harden at last year’s deadline, and if Leonard doesn’t ink an extension, it would make sense to move him for assets as they try to get younger.
The Golden State Warriors are one team that has been linked to Leonard recently, so there should be interest if the Clippers open up the phone lines and explore deals for the former San Diego State star.
The NBA free agency negotiation period begins on June 30, and the Clippers might want an answer before then so they can figure out how to allocate their resources.
Austin Reaves set to make NBA history with new Lakers contract
Austin Reaves does not appear to be leaving the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency.
With Reaves set to be a free agent, the Lakers have been prioritizing a new deal. On Wednesday morning, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Lakers and Reaves intend to sign a four-year deal worth $185 million.
Moreover, Reaves’ new deal will be the largest ever for an undrafted player in the history of the NBA.
The Lakers and Reaves' agents, Aaron Reilly and Reggie Berry of AMR Agency, worked through discussions over the last 10 days after teams were able to negotiate with their own free agents. Reaves lands the richest contract for an undrafted player in NBA history. https://t.co/AZ5pKkRI5u
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2026
Reaves reportedly was hoping to cash in on a max deal, and teams such as the Brooklyn Nets were named as one potential bidder for the Lakers star ahead of free agency.
The Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks were two other teams that had been linked to Reaves, but it seems that the Lakers are not taking any chances and are bringing back Reaves.
Reaves played at Oklahoma in college and went undrafted, but he has blossomed into a star with the Lakers. He has started 216 games in five seasons in LA, and he has emerged as a solid running mate alongside Luka Doncic.
With the Reaves question now out of the way, the focus turns to whether or not LeBron James plays one more season in LA or not.
Major twist could emerge in the aftermath of Giannis Antetokounmpo trade
The dust has yet to settle from the fallout of the trade that went down on Monday, when the Milwaukee Bucks pulled the trigger on a deal that sent two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat.
But that hasn’t stopped people from speculating about what’s next for the Bucks.
On Tuesday, NBA insider Brian Windhorst of ESPN talked to ESPN Milwaukee and sounded off on the potential of the Bucks moving on right away from Tyler Herro, who is part of the package the Heat sent to Milwaukee in exchange for Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis.
Asked whether the Bucks would ultimately trade Herro before he even played a game for Milwaukee, Windhorst said that, at the moment, he doesn’t believe such a move is likely, though he didn’t rule out the possibility entirely.
“From what I understand, right now, and there’s a long way to go between now and then, but from what I understand right now, the plan is for the Bucks to keep Tyler Herro,” Windhorst said.
"From what I understand right now, the plan is for the #Bucks to KEEP Tyler Herro" @WindhorstESPN does not think the Bucks will try to trade Tyler Herro. pic.twitter.com/QrJVI33sLb
— ESPN Milwaukee (@ESPNMilwaukee) June 23, 2026
Herro is an interesting piece in the Antetokounmpo trade, mostly because he’s from Wisconsin. He has clear ties to Milwaukee, having attended Whitnall High School in Milwaukee County, Wis., before going to the Kentucky Wildcats to play college basketball.
For now, it will be a wait-and-see approach for Herro, who just finished his seventh season in the league.
Herro entered the NBA in 2019 as Miami’s first-round pick that year. in 394 games with the Heat, he averaged 19.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
Carlos Mendoza had strong words after Kodai Senga’s ugly start
Kodai Senga has to figure it out before the New York Mets completely lose patience with him.
The 33-year-old right-hander had another horrid start on Monday, when he was smacked around by the Chicago Cubs in a 9-6 Mets loss at Citi Field in Queens, N.Y.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza didn’t seem to mince his words when he spoke after Senga’s latest mound nightmare.
“Performing matters here and having outings like these are not gonna cut it,” Mendoza said, via Tyler Kepner of The Athletic.
“I’m pretty sure we’re gonna have a decision, but that ain’t gonna do it. We need better. They know that, and we’re to a point where you gotta go out there and earn it. So that’s the bottom line.”
In Senga’s second start since returning from the injured list due to lumbar spine inflammation, he allowed 7 earned runs on 3 hits (2 home runs). He had 6 strikeouts, but location was a clear problem for him still, as he walked five Cubs hitters across just 3 2/3 innings of work.
Over his last two starts, he has surrendered 11 runs on 5 hits. In the same span, he gave up 4 home runs and walked 9 to go with 11 strikeouts through just 7 2/3 innings.
Overall in the 2026 season, Senga carries around a 0-6 record, 10.08 ERA, 1.916 WHIP and 7.48 FIP after 6 starts.
It hasn’t been much better for the Mets as a team, as they dropped to 34-44, which is 14 games off the top of the National League East standings.
Bucks are facing a sobering reality after trading Giannis Antetokounmpo
With Giannis Antetokounmpo off to South Beach, it is truly the end of an era for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Widely regarded as the best player in franchise history, Antetokounmpo’s departure greatly affects Milwaukee’s outlook. While not as impactful as the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, Bobby Portis, who is the other player headed to the Miami Heat as part of the trade, will also be missed by Bucks fans.
To some extent, the same can be said about Antetokounmpo’s brother, Thanasis.
About to become a free agent in the summer and not expected to be re-signed by the Bucks, Thanasis is nothing more than a cap hold for Milwaukee.
With the Antetokounmpo brothers and Portis gone, the last remnants of the Bucks’ unforgettable 2021 championship team are now gone, which was pointed out by Shams Charania of ESPN.
“With Portis included in the deal and Thanasis Antetokounmpo a free agent, no players from the Bucks’ 2021 title team remain in Milwaukee,” wrote Charania.
At the same time, Antetokounmpo’s exit gives the Bucks closure on a drama that dragged on for far too long.
The challenge now for the Bucks is to find a new identity and work their way up to become a legitimate NBA title contender again.
Fans had all sorts of jokes about Mac Jones’ Tight End University cameo
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones was a vibe during his appearance at the sixth edition of Tight End University.
Jones was among the quarterbacks who showed up to support the annual event, and the former Alabama Crimson Tide signal-caller looked like he had an absolute time on the field.
In a video shared by Dana Beers, Jones looked like he was having the time of his life, casually throwing darts downfield while grooving to the music playing in the background.
If he hadn’t been throwing the ball with such velocity, it would have been easy to mistake Jones for someone’s uncle who had boldly wandered onto the field to show the young guns he could still throw a football over them mountains.
Mac Jones is slingin it. I love him pic.twitter.com/g8cnC5eYMV
— Dana Beers (@danabeers) June 23, 2026
Meanwhile, folks on the internet have come up with all sorts of jokes as reactions to Jones’ demeanor.
He’s moving like Randall from Recess back there
— Michael Grier (@OleGriersy) June 23, 2026
my dad after drinking all day thinking he still got it
— Rasslin Rob (@rob_bohanan) June 24, 2026
Thought that was the slap
— Hack City (@HackCityPod) June 24, 2026
Chop guy pic.twitter.com/swNCd5CAWy
Gotta be the most non-athlete lookin professional athlete of all time
— MAC (@chowmac_) June 23, 2026
How does he already have the aura of a 60 year old
— Primetime Carolina (@primetimecar) June 23, 2026
Tight End University was founded by his 49ers teammate George Kittle, Travis Kelce, and former Carolina Panthers star tight end Greg Olsen in 2021. The event has since become such a hit that many look forward to it every year, though few likely expected to see an ultra-chill Mac Jones casually slinging the football around.
Jones is coming off a notable season with the 49ers, appearing in 11 games with eight starts, and passing for 2,151 yards and 13 touchdowns against 6 interceptions. In the offseason, he signed a 2-year, $8.41 million contract with the 49ers.
Yaxel Lendeborg makes a surprising confession about Steph Curry
It is now time for former Michigan Wolverines star forward Yaxel Lendeborg to team up with his childhood villain.
After getting selected by the Golden State Warriors No. 11 overall at the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Lendeborg admitted that he used to root against Warriors superstar Steph Curry, mainly because he was such a big fan growing up of then-Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving.
“I’m a big Kyrie [Irving] guy,” Lendeborg told reporters, via Anthony Slater of ESPN. “So I used to hate Steph Curry.”
But there is nothing but respect now for the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player from Lendeborg, who stands to benefit from all the lessons he’s about to learn as Curry’s teammate.
“Now that I’m actually going to be able to be on the same team with him, play and actually learn so much from him, it means a lot,” Lendeborg added. “He’s a very great guy, genuine person. It’s going to be an honor to be able to watch what he does in person.”
The 23-year-old Lendeborg is older than most first-year NBA players, but he still has plenty of room to grow with the Warriors, who are hoping he lives up to his potential as a first-round pick.
Dusty May’s sudden eruption caught on video during the 2026 NBA Draft
Dusty May is used to winning, but he can’t have it all.
The new Dallas Mavericks head coach seemingly lost it for a moment during the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., when he saw the Oklahoma City Thunder swoop in and select his former Michigan Wolverines player, Aday Mara, with the No. 12 overall pick.
The broadcast showed May with his teeth clenched while furiously clapping in reaction to the Thunder’s move to draft the big man.
Here is the video of that moment.
When you realize you just helped the Thunder win the Western Conference Finals pic.twitter.com/2mXme5cGkr
— The Dan Le Batard Show (@LeBatardShow) June 24, 2026
At that point, the Mavericks had already made their pick, with Dallas going with another former Wolverines star in Morez Johnson Jr. at No. 9. Two picks later, May saw a second Wolverine get taken, with the Golden State Warriors drafting Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 11.
May’s strong reaction may be because he did not want Mara ending up with the Thunder, given how loaded Oklahoma City already is. But the Thunder seemingly wanted a counterpunch ready should they cross paths with the San Antonio Spurs again in the playoffs, especially after Victor Wembanyama showed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company the door in the Western Conference Finals.
Mara was a major reason for May’s success at Michigan, as the center averaged 12.1 points per game and led the Big Ten with 2.6 blocks across 40 games during the 2025-26 season, helping the Wolverines capture the national title.
Spurs GM clears air on De’Aaron Fox’s place on the team
The San Antonio Spurs do not sound ready to move on from De’Aaron Fox anytime soon.
The big question surrounding the Spurs heading into the offseason was what the team planned to do with Fox. Given Fox’s disastrous NBA Finals performance and Dylan Harper’s postseason leap, many assumed the former All-Star would be on the trading block.
Reports emerged last week that San Antonio was remaining committed to Fox despite his playoff shortcomings. Spurs GM Brian Wright confirmed this as he spoke to reporters after the first round of the 2026 NBA draft.
According to the San Antonio Express-News’ Tom Osborn, Wright stated that the team has “ultimate faith in De’Aaron and who he is as a player, what he’s been for us, and what he means to this team, and there’s no wavering in that at all.”
Even more questions arise should Fox remain on the Spurs’ roster come the start of next season. Would Fox remain the starter over Harper despite getting outplayed by the 20-year-old on the NBA’s biggest stage? Would Harper be okay with such a scenario when he had already been frustrated by his role last season?
Wright’s comments could be seen as calculated, as the Spurs potentially hope to build back some of Fox’s value before putting him on the trading block. With Fox’s 4-year, $219 million contract kicking in next season, benching him may tank his value completely.
But with San Antonio’s backcourt of the future already in place in Harper and Stephon Castle, what the Spurs do with Fox this season is worth keeping an eye on.
Yaxel Lendeborg had great reaction to Dusty May passing on him for his Michigan teammate
Yaxel Lendeborg may not be returning any of Dusty May’s calls anytime soon.
The NBA and college basketball worlds collided on Monday when news broke that the Dallas Mavericks were hiring May to be the team’s next head coach. The news prompted Lendeborg, who came into Tuesday’s NBA draft as a projected lottery pick, to joke that May needed to draft him with the Mavericks’ No. 9 pick.
“I’m very happy for him,” Lendeborg said. “I’d be way happier for him if he suddenly takes me at 9. He needs to draft me. Draft me, please.”
Yaxel wants the Mavericks to draft him at No. 9 to play for Dusty May, his coach at Michigan 😂
— ESPN (@espn) June 23, 2026
"Draft me, please." 😭 pic.twitter.com/8bSo4MBnlH
The former Michigan coach did end up drafting one of his Wolverines’ stars from the national title team — but it wasn’t Lendeborg. Instead, May green-lit the Mavericks taking Morez Johnson Jr.
Lendeborg, who went to the Golden State Warriors two picks later, wasn’t happy about May passing on him in favor of Johnson.
“I’m definitely mad at Dusty because we know who his favorite is now,” Lendeborg joked to reporters.
“But I’m happy it was Morez. If it was anybody other than a Michigan guy, I might’ve blocked Coach, for real. I’m super happy for Morez. He definitely deserves it. He’s going to be a great pro.”
Lendeborg was the best player on the May-coached Michigan team that cut up the nets during the most recent NCAA Tournament. He led the team in scoring with averages of 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. But Johnson and 7’3″ center Aday Mara were arguably just as integral to the Wolverines’ championship run.
The huge knock on Lendeborg is that he’ll turn 24 before the start of next season. May might have felt that drafting a 20-year-old Johnson makes more sense when the Mavericks’ best player doesn’t turn 20 until December.
It’s not even clear if the Warriors themselves unanimously wanted Lendeborg. Golden State team owner Joe Lacob and GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. appeared to be arguing just before the Warriors selected Lendeborg.
Juan Soto leaves game with concerning injury
New York Mets star Juan Soto left Tuesday’s contest early due to injury.
Soto was removed from left field to start the 5th inning of the Mets’ night game against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field in Queens, N.Y. Reports emerged indicating that Soto was dealing with a back injury, which was later confirmed by the team.
The Dominican slugger was seen wincing during his two at-bats against the Cubs. The pain he was feeling was written on his face as he put the ball in play during both of his plate appearances.
Juan Soto appeared to wince after swings in both of his at-bats tonight https://t.co/3RsRiFJEBV pic.twitter.com/WD3OhDOz4t
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 24, 2026
Soto was also seen wearing a heating pad on his back while standing in the dugout during the 2nd inning.
Juan Soto was pulled from the game to start the fifth
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 24, 2026
He was seen with a heating pad earlier in the game pic.twitter.com/WR2ojydNtR
After the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza called Soto’s injury a “back lock-up” and described him as “day-to-day.” New York decided to pull Soto after noticing him struggling to make routine throws and making faces at the plate.
The day-to-day tag is definitely good news for Mets fans. But a back injury for a premier hitter like Soto is nothing to trifle with. New York is already playing without star shortstop Francisco Lindor due to a strained left calf. Soto himself also missed some time recovering from a calf strain earlier this season.
Losing Soto for any extended period of time would turn an already gloomy season even more dour.
Rafael Devers goes on furious rant after his pinch runner fiasco
Rafael Devers did not hide his dislike for the media on Tuesday amid his latest controversy on the basepaths.
The San Francisco Giants first baseman sparked controversy on Sunday when he refused to let himself get replaced by a pinch runner in the 9th inning of a 2-1 game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park in Miami, Fla. He eventually yielded to Giants manager Tony Vitello’s wishes, but Devers looked frustrated as he walked back to the dugout.
The moment reverberated on social media and painted Devers as a malcontent causing trouble within the Giants’ clubhouse. Days later, Devers blamed the media for “blowing everything out of proportion.”
“I think what it is, the media in general, you guys just blow everything out of proportion,” Devers said, via the New York Post’s Evan Webeck.
“I think it’s a reflection that I really don’t talk to you guys. I really don’t talk to the media. So because I don’t talk to the media, things like this happen. So you guys gotta write everything and try to blow everything out of proportion.”
The 3-time All-Star explained further on Tuesday, claiming it was a complete misunderstanding. Devers clarified that he had waved off Vitello because he thought the Giants skipper was taking him out due to concerns about his hamstring.
Devers had an opportunity to speak about the incident following the Giants’ 2-1 loss Sunday, but did not make himself available to the media after the game.
Warriors owner, GM appeared to have disagreement on live feed during NBA draft
The camera may have caught the Golden State Warriors’ brain trust at a bad time during Tuesday’s NBA draft.
The Warriors were on the clock for the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA draft held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. As is customary on such a broadcast, ESPN flashed to Golden State’s war room just as the team was about to send in its pick.
The live feed showed Warriors owner Joe Lacob in an animated discussion with general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. while standing inside the team’s draft headquarters at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif.
While the feed didn’t have any audio, the hand gestures seemed to show the two in disagreement right before Dunleavy called in the Warriors’ pick.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob and GM Mike Dunleavy appear to disagree on what to do with the pick 😅 pic.twitter.com/LGKd0hvQav
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 24, 2026
Lacob and Dunleavy could have potentially just been very passionate about making the pick, which turned out to be Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg. But the mood in the Warriors’ draft HQ stood in stark contrast to that of some other teams, which looked much more celebratory than argumentative.
Given the Warriors’ win-now approach with Steph Curry still on the team, Lendeborg was hardly a surprising selection. Standing at 6’9″ and weighing 241 pounds, the 23-year-old Lendeborg already has the physical profile to compete in the NBA on Day 1.
Based on the seemingly testy exchange between Lacob and Dunleavy, perhaps the pick wasn’t as much of a no-brainer as most would have expected.
Notable update emerges on Anthony Edwards amid rumored unhappiness in Minnesota
The Ant Man will not be looking for a new colony any time soon.
Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards is not actually unhappy with the team, Chris Hine of the Minnesota Star Tribune reported on Tuesday. Hine notes that Edwards and his camp love Minnesota and that they still view the Timberwolves as the “ideal” situation for him.
Edwards, 24, was the Timberwolves’ No. 1 overall pick in 2020. He has since developed into a four-time All-Star and perennial MVP candidate, also leading Minnesota to back-to-back Western Conference Finals berths in 2024 and 2025.
But the Timberwolves lost in the second round this year to the San Antonio Spurs, sparking questions about the long-term viability of their roster. Minnesota still lacks a quality starting point guard, they traded away star Julius Randle earlier this week in a salary dump, and they also just lost popular lead assistant coach Micah Nori (who agreed to a very unusual deal to become the new head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers).
We learned earlier this month that Edwards now has questions about what the Timberwolves’ future will look like. It also probably does not help that Minnesota traded away Karl-Anthony Towns (who shares a close bond with Edwards) and had to watch this season as Towns won an NBA championship with the New York Knicks.
The Timberwolves have reportedly even been having some fears about Edwards potentially requesting a trade. But at least for now, it sounds like Edwards (who is signed in Minnesota through 2029) is entirely there to stay.
Everybody asked the same question about Shams Charania during the NBA Draft
Fans got a little bit less of Shams Charania during this year’s NBA Draft.
The ESPN reporter Charania kept a relatively low profile during Tuesday’s Day 1 of the draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Instead of spoiling picks before they were announced like he had in years past, Charania noticeably kept quiet as the first several picks of the draft were announced on the live television broadcast.
That led to everyone on social media asking the same thing. They were all wondering where Charania was and why he was not spoiling picks.
Shams not spoiling the picks? Am I dreaming?
—(@khlgrs) June 24, 2026
Shams not spoiling ?
— sill (@sillpilled) June 24, 2026
Shams really isn’t spoiling picks?
— Ethan (@SoftlyAugust) June 24, 2026
Shams not ruining the draft by announcing each pick before hand? Wow
— Lowry University (@LowryUniversity) June 24, 2026
Charania was notorious for spoiling picks on his X account several minutes before they were announced by NBA commissioner Adam Silver, especially when he used to work for Yahoo! Sports and The Athletic. But ever since joining ESPN in late 2024, Charania has played it much cooler during NBA Draft day.
Last year, fans were already surprised last year by how quiet Charania was during the 2025 NBA Draft. That certainly makes sense too given that Charania’s employer ESPN is the one that airs the draft in the first place.
But Charania recently sparked backlash by going back to his spoiling ways in prematurely announcing the winner of the 2025-26 NBA MVP Award last month. Many viewers were worried that Charania would go back to doing the same during this year’s NBA Draft, but he fortunately decided to keep a much lower profile this time around.
Adam Silver fooled fans so badly while announcing the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft
Adam Silver hit the people with the pump fake during the NBA Draft.
The NBA held Day 1 of the 2026 Draft on Tuesday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. But from the very start of the event, the NBA commissioner Silver was out there keeping viewers on their toes.
The Washington Wizards selected former BYU star AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick. It was largely the expected outcome all along (as even Dybantsa had already been talking for weeks as if he would be a member of the Wizards).
But when Silver announced the pick, he did something very unexpected. He called Dybantsa by his full name of “Anicet Dybantsa Junior.”
Yer a Wizard, AJ
— ESPN (@espn) June 24, 2026
AJ Dybantsa is heading to the District at No. 1 pic.twitter.com/42atCNr441
Many fans commented online about how Silver had gotten them with the announcement. Take a look at some of the funniest reactions.
When Adam Silver started to say AJ’s full name pic.twitter.com/8WAuEZ0RcN
— NYKTerry (@NykTerry) June 24, 2026
How Adam Silver felt pump faking us with “Anicet” pic.twitter.com/9t10DniUaU
— RunUp (@RunUpNYK) June 24, 2026
“The Wizards elect Anicet…”
— Offside (@joinoffside) June 24, 2026
…Dybansta” pic.twitter.com/pKagvDppyL
Me, when Adam Silver said, Anicet. Ha.#NBAdraft pic.twitter.com/XkLo8VFgKR
— Nick (@TheN1ckM) June 24, 2026
Dybantsa, 19, is of Congolese and Jamaican descent. He paid tribute to his family roots with his recently-released logo for Nike and did so again on Tuesday night as he entered the NBA with his full and complete name being called out by Commissioner Silver.
2 frontrunners have emerged to trade for Trey Murphy III
Trey Murphy III has a wide range of outcomes heading into the summer.
The LA Clippers and the Brooklyn Nets have been mentioned as the two frontrunners to trade for the New Orleans Pelicans forward Murphy, Sam Amick of The Athletic reported Tuesday on KNBR 680. Amick did also note though that Murphy is expected to have a “very long” list of suitors other than those two teams.
Murphy, 26, is one of the hottest trade candidates in the entire league this offseason. He is a 6-foot-8 combo forward who averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game last season for the Pelicans.
A former first-round pick in 2021 (No. 17 overall), Murphy has a perfect skillset for the modern NBA. He is a 38.2 percent career three-point shooter and can also be very disruptive on the defensive end with his 7-foot wingspan.
As for the Pelicans, they just completed another disappointing season by going 26-56 and missing the playoffs for a second straight year. Murphy is easily the most valuable asset left on their roster as New Orleans looks to possibly start anew under newly-hired head coach Jamahl Mosley.
Meanwhile, the Clippers are exploring contingencies right now in the midst of an uncertain future regarding Kawhi Leonard (which could lead to them making a notable move). The Nets are also looking to overhaul their team and just made a blockbuster trade earlier this week for a multi-time All-Star.
Kendrick Perkins had a bold claim on Darryn Peterson’s NBA potential
Former NBA big man Kendrick Perkins has seen his fair share of talent, and now he is predicting big things for Kansas Jayhawks star Darryn Peterson.
Just an hour before the 2026 NBA Draft, Perkins had a bold claim for Peterson regarding his floor and his ceiling.
“He is one of the most talented players offensively that we’ve seen in the last 10 years,” Perkins said. His floor is Bradley Beal. His ceiling is Kobe Bryant.”
“If he reaches his greatness and his potential, this man is going to be special,” Perkins added.
“His floor is Bradley Beal. His ceiling is Kobe Bryant."@KendrickPerkins on Darryn Peterson's potential in the NBA 👀 pic.twitter.com/mdteopW8i9
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 23, 2026
Peterson averaged 20.2 points in 24 games in his lone season at Kansas. However, the highly-touted freshman dealt with injuries, cramping and other factors that raised some concerns during the season and during the pre-draft process.
Those issues at Kansas have led some GMs to express concerns about taking Peterson first overall, especially with BYU star AJ Dybantsa projected as the favorite.
Peterson also only visited the Washington Wizards, who have the first pick, and no other team.
However, Peterson acknowledged that he was “not dodging any team” and said it was just a decision he made.
If Perkins is right about Peterson’s floor or ceiling, it should be a stellar NBA career for the Kansas star.
