Mac McClung makes a big decision on the 2026 Slam Dunk Contest
Mac McClung will be not be going for the four-peat.
The Windy City Bulls guard McClung confirmed a report on Saturday that he won’t be competing in this year’s NBA Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend. McClung did note though that he had prepared some dunks as if he planned to participate and will be releasing those dunks after the contest is over.
But since we prepared for it Chuck, I’ll be releasing the dunks we came up with after the contest! https://t.co/gi5Z1xMg4K
— mac mcclung (@McclungMac) January 24, 2026
McClung, 27, had won the last three straight Dunk Contests running. That made him the only player in NBA history to win three consecutive Dunk Contest crowns and tied him with Nate Robinson, who had three non-consecutive wins from 2006-10, for the most Dunk Contest victories ever.
Though a former undrafted player who has only made nine total appearances in the NBA since turning pro in 2021, McClung had singlehandedly been keeping the Dunk Contest afloat over the last several years. During last season’s event in particular, McClung pulled off two of the sickest slams in Dunk Contest history.
This season, McClung made three appearances at the NBA level for the Indiana Pacers. But he was waived by Indiana in early November and signed with Windy City (the NBA G League affiliate of the Chicago Bulls) days later. Overall for Windy City, McClung is averaging 25.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game through 22 total appearances this season.
2026 All-Star Weekend will be taking place next month at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. (with the LA Clippers set to play host to the festivities). But the NBA will now need to find a new savior to carry the Dunk Contest with McClung officially bowing out after winning the last three events in a row.
Dominique Malonga throws it down with authority during Unrivaled game
Dominique Malonga of the Unrivaled team Breeze woke up the crowd with a huge throwdown early in Sunday’s game against the Lunar Owls at Sephora Arena, in Medley, Fla.
After a miss by the Owls, Rickea Jackson pushed the pace and found Malonga wide open just inside the 3-point arc. Malonga, who is coming off her rookie season in the WNBA with the Seattle Storm, took the pass from Jackson and immediately attacked the basket for an uncontested dunk.
DOMINIQUE MALONGA UNRIVALED DUNK 🤯 pic.twitter.com/njwIaYhQYr
— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) January 25, 2026
Dunks are a rarity in women’s basketball, and when they occur, they usually don’t have the same sort of rim violence that Malonga’s throwdown displayed.
There was true power behind her slam, and the crowd made sure to show their appreciation for it with a raucous reaction.
Her ability to go above the rim was among the biggest driving forces behind her hype before she was taken second overall by the Storm in the 2025 WNBA Draft (just after her Breeze teammate Paige Bueckers).
But the 6-foot-6 Malonga did more than excite the fans with her rim-rattler. She helped the Breeze score a 75-68 win against the Owls by putting up 21 points on 9-for-16 shooting, adding 8 rebounds, a steal and a block.
Bueckers led the way for the Breeze with 28 points on 10-for-17 shooting, while Cameron Brink produced 12 points.
Mets signing 9-time All-Star pitcher
The New York Mets are taking a flier on a proven veteran pitcher in Craig Kimbrel.
Several reporters confirmed Saturday that the Mets have agreed to sign Kimbrel. The All-Star closer is expected to join the Mets on a minor league deal.
Craig Kimbrel agrees to a Mets Minor League deal pic.twitter.com/At9AL9fkpm
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) January 25, 2026
Kimbrel wrapped up his 16th MLB season last year in his first stint with the Houston Astros. The 37-year-old was effective in limited action for the Astros, posting a 2.45 ERA across 13 appearances.
If Kimbrel does suit up for the Mets next season, they would officially be the 9-time All-Star’s 10th team in the majors.
The Mets were middle-of-the-pack in pitching last season despite having the largest payroll in MLB. New York’s team-wide ERA of 4.03 was 18th in the majors, while the team’s bullpen ERA of 3.93 fittingly ranked 15th.
Earlier this week, the Mets acquired an All-Star starting pitcher in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. The team also got some positive buzz surrounding rotation piece Kodai Senga.
Earlier this week, the Mets acquired an All-Star starting pitcher in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. The team also got some positive buzz surrounding rotation piece Kodai Senga.
After a disappointing 2025 campaign, the Mets have revamped their roster in a big way. On top of the moves to improve the team’s pitching staff, New York also signed Bo Bichette to a nine-figure deal.
Earlier this week, the Mets acquired an All-Star starting pitcher in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. The team also got some positive buzz surrounding rotation piece Kodai Senga.
Michael Jordan has classy message for Derrick Rose ahead of his Bulls jersey retirement
Derrick Rose received a heartfelt message from Michael Jordan ahead of his Chicago Bulls jersey retirement ceremony.
The Bulls planned to raise Rose’s No. 1 jersey up onto the rafters Saturday following their game against the Boston Celtics at the United Center in Chicago, Ill. Rose became the fifth Bulls player to ever have his jersey retired.
The most famous member of that quintet had a sincere message for Rose before the ceremony. Jordan sent a lot of love Rose’s way via a video message posted on the Bulls’ official X account.
“Derrick, congratulations on your retirement of your jersey,” Jordan said. “Very happy for you. You had an unbelievable career. You really represent the city of Chicago, the Chicago Bulls, your family, and yourself very, very well. So I’m very proud of you and very happy for your special night.
“Looking forward to coming to the United Center and seeing your jersey hanging up there with my jersey. Congratulations and enjoy your night.”
Michael Jordan has a message for D-Rose 🐐 pic.twitter.com/l1K2hz7Y4C
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 24, 2026
Rose was the Bulls’ biggest star and lone NBA MVP since Jordan. The Bulls drafted Rose first overall in 2008, and fans quickly fell in love with Rose, who became a bona fide superstar just a few years into his NBA journey. The Chicago native looked like the next big thing for the franchise and the league before injuries derailed his career.
Despite Rose getting hurt before entering his prime, the impact he had on the city resonated long after he had lost his otherworldly athleticism. He still managed to carve out a solid 15-year NBA career. He averaged 17.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in over 700 games played.
Seahawks make intriguing RB moves before NFC title game against the Rams
The Seattle Seahawks are pulling out all the stops to make sure they have enough power on the ground in Sunday’s clash against the Los Angeles Rams.
As reported by Seahawks senior reporter John Boyle, Seattle has elevated running backs Cam Akers and Velus Jones Jr. from the team’s practice squad a day before the NFC title game at Lumen Field in Seattle, Wash.
This pair of moves for Seattle comes amid the team’s need to beef up its running back room. The Seahawks lost running back Zach Charbonnet for the remainder of the NFL playoffs following the season-ending knee injury he suffered in Seattle’s victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round.
Kenneth Walker III will remain as the alpha of the Seahawks’ ground attack, while Akers and Jones, along with George Holani, who was activated off the injured reserve earlier this week, are all going to be on standby, mainly to provide insurance in the running back position.
Akers saw three games with the Seahawks in the 2025 NFL regular season, while Jones, who started his pro career as a wide receiver, also suited up for three contests in Seattle uniform before the playoffs.
In the two previous meetings with the Rams, Seattle recorded 306 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 67 carries.
Former Steelers star bashes the Mike McCarthy hire
One former Pittsburgh Steelers player is not particularly enthusiastic about the team’s decision to hire Mike McCarthy as head coach.
Running back Le’Veon Bell, who spent five seasons with the Steelers, suggested that the team is heading for some bad seasons under McCarthy. In a post on X Saturday, Bell predicted that the team was bound for a 4-13 record, but that some fans would still be satisfied because it means Mike Tomlin left.
“4-13 incoming .. but hey, at least Mike Tomlin isn’t the coach of the Steelers anymore right?” Bell wrote.
4-13 incoming .. but hey, at least Mike Tomlin isn’t the coach of the Steelers anymore right? https://t.co/g0vhiK9Znd
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) January 24, 2026
Bell’s commentary arguably has less to do with the McCarthy hire and more to do with him being an ardent supporter of Tomlin. He has consistently argued that Steelers fans have not properly appreciated Tomlin, and that McCarthy is going to prove just how good the fans have had it.
It should be noted that McCarthy has never had a 4-13 season. He has made the playoffs in 12 of his 18 seasons as a head coach. While it’s fair to criticize his hire as unimaginative and overly safe, his track record of success is a huge reason why he got the gig in the first place.
Joel Embiid’s costly mistake dooms 76ers in their loss to the Knicks
The Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks had an entertaining battle on Saturday, but Joel Embiid and company had nothing to be happy about—particularly with how the contest ended.
With the Knicks up by three points, New York star point guard Jalen Brunson went to the foul line for a pair of free throws. Converting at least one of his attempts would have made it a two-possession game, virtually sealing the win for the Knicks.
However, Brunson bricked both shots, leaving the door open for Philadelphia to tie the score and force overtime with a 3-pointer. The 76ers never got the chance to launch a Hail Mary, though, as Embiid turned the ball over after securing a rebound.
Here’s how the play unfolded in the dying moments of the game.
Joel Embiid threw a turnover and blamed the refs 🤣 pic.twitter.com/cLcpkaoY17
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) January 24, 2026
It also appeared that Brunson tried to foul Embiid to prevent the 76ers from taking a 3-point shot, but no whistle was blown on the play, as time on the clock expired, giving the Knicks a 112-109 victory at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa.
Embiid’s blunder capped the 76ers’ spoiled bid to complete a series sweep of the Knicks in the 2025-26 NBA regular season. Philadelphia won the first two meetings, while the Knicks have a chance to tie the series on Feb. 11.
The former NBA Most Valuable Player led the Sixers in the loss to New York with 38 points on 13-for-21 shooting from the floor, while Tyrese Maxey added 22 points on 8-for-15 shooting.
Arthur Smith leaves Steelers for college coaching job
Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is heading back to college.
Smith is leaving the Steelers to become the new offensive coordinator at Ohio State, according to multiple reports. The Buckeyes needed a replacement for Brian Hartline, who left to become head coach at South Florida in December.
Sources: #Steelers OC Arthur Smith is expected to become the next offensive coordinator at Ohio State.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 24, 2026
Smith has received multiple requests for NFL HC and OC interviews this cycle. Smith has engineered multiple top 10 offenses in the NFL, and now he lands in college. pic.twitter.com/TKlLEdwlmh
Smith has no strong links to Columbus, but Ryan Day is clearly a fan of his work. He had actually been viewed as a potential head coach this cycle, but the job he was most likely to land went to Robert Saleh instead. In addition, the Steelers’ decision to hire Mike McCarthy, an offensive mind, as their new head coach likely meant Smith’s role in Pittsburgh was undefined at best.
In addition to his time as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, Smith has been offensive coordinator with Tennessee. He last worked collegiately as a defensive intern at Ole Miss in 2010.
Ohio State is no stranger to hiring big-name NFL coaches as coordinators. Matt Patricia was brought in as their defensive coordinator prior to last season, while they also employed Chip Kelly as an offensive coordinator before his ill-fated stint with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Ronald Acuña Jr. sparks position change rumors with his latest post
Ronald Acuña Jr. may be moving to a completely different part of the baseball diamond.
The Atlanta Braves star Acuña sparked some buzz this week about the possibility of a position change. Acuña was working out this week in his native Venezuela.
In a post to his Instagram Story, Acuña shared a photo of himself playing in the infield and apparently taking grounders. Take a look.
https://t.co/dxEdNkfQYg pic.twitter.com/i8AdvXZ07y
— Calico Joe (@CalicoJoeMLB) January 22, 2026
It is always possible that Acuña, a career-long outfielder, was just toying around with new things during a light winter workout. But a move to a less physically-demanding position might indeed makes sense at this point for Acuña, who turns 29 later this year.
Acuña was limited to 95 games played last season as he worked his way back completely from a 2024 ACL tear (the second of his MLB career). While the ex-NL MVP was still making some spectacular plays in the outfield, Atlanta could potentially look to prioritize Acuña’s long-term health any way that they can.
On top of that, the Braves are extremely needy at shortstop right now after new re-signing Ha-Seong Kim recently suffered a bizarre fluke injury that will keep him sidelined through the start of the 2026 season. Though it would be an unconventional move for Acuña, who has never played a single inning in the infield at the MLB level, he may at least be getting ready for the possibility.
3 leading candidates emerge for Cardinals head coach job
The Arizona Cardinals are reportedly down to three leading candidates for their head coaching vacancy.
The Cardinals are targeting former Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, and Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur for their head coaching opening, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The team is replacing Jonathan Gannon, who was fired at the end of the season.
Right now the Arizona Cardinals consider Raheem Morris, Anthony Campanile, and Mike LaFleur as their lead candidates, per sources.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 24, 2026
Two of Arizona’s three targets have never been head coaches before, suggesting the Cardinals are seeking fresh blood. LaFleur has been a head coach candidate before, while Campanile is a hot candidate this cycle after the Jaguars’ breakout season.
The Cardinals may be prepared to take their time on a hire considering the Rams are still in the playoffs, meaning they will not be able to speak to him in person until Feb. 1 if the team wins in the NFC Championship. That would threaten to drag the process out significantly.
Arizona is coming off a 3-14 campaign. They have not had a winning season since 2021.
Rick Pitino reveals next goal after winning 900 games
The St. John’s Red Storm’s win against the Xavier Musketeers wasn’t just another ordinary Saturday victory.
By thumping the Musketeers to the tune of an 88-83 score at Cintas Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Red Storm gave Rick Pitino his 900th career win as a college basketball head coach.
Surrounded by his players who were wearing commemorative shirts of his incredible milestone, Pitino was asked by college basketball reporter Andy Katz after the game about what’s out there left for him to accomplish.
“1,000,” the 73-year-old Pitino responded.
Getting to 1,000 victories will require Pitino to be on the sidelines for several more years, but in any case, he’s already joined an extremely exclusive fraternity of college basketball head coaches. With his 900th win, he joins Mike Krzyzewski (1,202), Jim Boeheim (1,116) and Roy Williams (903) as the only head coaches in Division I history to win that many games.
The Red Storm displayed incredible resilience on the court to beat Xavier, which led by as many as 16 points. St. John’s turned it around in the second half, as it went on a scorching 16-1 run before taking control of the contest.
The historic win also came against Pitino’s son, Richard, who is just in his first season as head coach of the Xavier men’s basketball program.
Stephen A. Smith doubles down on his awful mistake about the Patriots
Stephen A. Smith clearly has a hard time owning up to his mistakes.
The ESPN personality Smith made a bad error during Friday’s episode of “First Take.” While previewing this weekend’s AFC title game between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos, Smith gave a mention to Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams and credited Williams for New England’s top-five defense this year.
There was a big problem with Smith’s take though — Williams has been on leave from the Patriots for virtually the entire season. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer several months ago and has been away from the team since Sept. 10 (days after New England’s regular season opener). Zak Kuhr has been serving as the Patriots’ interim defensive coordinator over that span instead.
Exhibit #41,284 of national sports talk hosts being clueless.
— Kleaver (@KleaverSports) January 23, 2026
Stephen A Smith thinks Terrell Williams has been coaching the Patriots defense all year. Terrell Williams has been battling prostate cancer and Zak Kuhr has been the interim DC almost the entire season. https://t.co/593RhDT5DN pic.twitter.com/DkiGHEFGfY
In a post to his X page on Friday night, Smith somehow decided to double down on his awful mistake.
“Nice try!” wrote Smith. “First of all, we reported earlier in the year that [Williams] was out due to Prostate Cancer when it happened. Secondly, he still talks to coaches for game-planning purposes.
“Thirdly, forgetting to mention all of that is different than not knowing,” Smith wrote. “Plus it really doesn’t matter when I’ve got experts like Ryan Clark and Cam backing me up. But keep pushing the story. Hope it gets the clicks folks want. Carry on!”
Nice try!
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) January 24, 2026
First of all, we reported earlier in the year that he was out due to Prostate Cancer when it happened. Secondly, he still talks to coaches for game-planning purposes. Thirdly, forgetting to mention all of that is different than not knowing — plus it really doesn’t… https://t.co/fHWDn3ZlOQ
That was certainly quite the exercise in mental gymnastics from Smith. Effectively, he was saying that he did not make a mistake … and that if he did make a mistake, that it was justified … and that if his mistake wasn’t justified, then it didn’t really matter anyway.
It is fair to say that Williams likely has still had some role in shaping New England’s defense this season. But with Williams having to take an understandably major step back from his duties to recover, it is completely disingenuous to suggest that he alone should be credited for the team’s defensive success (without even a single mention of the excellent work that Kuhr has done).
Unfortunately though, these kinds of self-created spectacles are all too on-brand for Smith. That might have been even worse than the embarrassing “Charlie Kirk” tongue slip that Smith had on the air a couple of weeks ago.
Miami player will return for 8th season of college football
A Miami Hurricanes standout will return to school for one more season in 2026 for a staggering eighth season of NCAA eligibility.
Mohamed Toure, a senior linebacker, plans to return to the Hurricanes, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Toure lead the Hurricanes with 84 total tackles on the season.
Miami standout senior linebacker Mohamed Toure has informed the team that he plans to return to Miami for another season, sources tell me and @GabyUrrutia247.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 24, 2026
Led the team with 84 tackles this year. Eligible for another year because of two season-ending injuries while at Rutgers pic.twitter.com/WKqbSzkYP7
How can one player possibly play eight seasons of college football? For Toure, the math is actually quite straightforward. He redshirted as a true freshman at Rutgers in 2019, and then received a sixth year of eligibility due to the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He then tore his ACL in 2022 and 2024 while playing for Rutgers, and received a medical redshirt each time.
Toure’s first season at Miami was in 2025, when he joined as a transfer. He established himself as a key part of the team’s defense, and matched a career-high with 11 tackles in the team’s loss to Indiana in the national championship game.
Toure will likely be the most experienced player on the field no matter what in 2026. That should be advantageous to Miami as they look to build off this year’s success and win a national title.
Report: Corey Seager had issues with former teammate Marcus Semien
Corey Seager apparently did not get along with his partner in the middle infield.
The Texas Rangers shortstop Seager had a “toxic” relationship with ex-teammate Marcus Semien, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported Saturday. That relationship helped lead to the Rangers trading away Semien to the New York Mets earlier this offseason.
Texas reportedly became willing to take outfielder Brandon Nimmo and $5 million from the Mets in order to move on from the three years and $72 million still left on Semien’s contract. You can read Sherman’s full report on the situation here.
The three-time All-Star second baseman Semien had been teammates with Seager in Texas for the last four seasons, teaming up as the starting double-play tandem for the Rangers. The two even won a World Series together in 2023.
But Texas has failed to make the playoffs or even produce a single winning season ever since that World Series title. It appears that the rough stretch for the team may have exacerbated the tensions between Seager and Semien.
It is worth noting here that Semien has a notable leadership role as a Player Representative on MLBPA’s Executive Subcommittee. Now Semien will have the task of getting along with another mercurial star shortstop in New York — Francisco Lindor, who also had issues with his former second baseman.
Another Eagles OC candidate has taken a different job
The Philadelphia Eagles have to cross another offensive coordinator candidate off their list.
Miami Dolphins passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik is staying with the team and being promoted to offensive coordinator, according to reports. Slowik, the former Houston Texans offensive coordinator, had previously spoken to the Eagles about their offensive coordinator job.
Sources: The #Dolphins are hiring Bobby Slowik, their senior passing game coordinator, as the new offensive coordinator.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 24, 2026
The former #Texans OC helped CJ Stroud to his stellar rookie season. Now, he’s back as a play-caller in Miami. pic.twitter.com/5FjljGtPIm
Slowik was so heralded after CJ Stroud’s rookie season that he was getting looks as a head coach. One year later he was out of a job as the Texans decided to go in a different direction. The fact that Stroud has never been able to reach the same heights he did since Slowik’s departure probably has not hurt the coach’s stock, and the Dolphins will be hopeful of him achieving similar results with whoever leads their quarterback room.
Slowik should have full control over Miami’s offense after the team hired former Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as head coach.
As for the Eagles, their search to replace Kevin Patullo continues. Their top two options were Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll, but McDaniel chose a different job and Daboll is still getting looks as a potential head coach.
The Eagles have an attractive offensive coordinator position, but there are definitely some questions circling around it. That might be scaring off some candidates, though the organization does not seem to be in any rush to fill the job.
Yu Darvish may walk away from $43 million
San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish may retiring and giving the team significant financial assistance in doing so.
A report from Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune on Saturday said that Darvish has decided to retire with three years left on his contract. Darvish’s agent, Joel Wolfe, disputed that, saying that no decision has been made yet and that the situation is “complicated.”
From Yu Darvish’s agent, Joel Wolfe, on a report that he has informed the Padres he will retire:
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) January 24, 2026
“Yu has not made a final decision yet. This is a complicated matter we are still working through.”
The Padres still owe Darvish $43 million. Acee noted in his report that Darvish would likely give up the vast majority of that money and allow the Padres to keep it.
Darvish, 39, was limited to just 15 starts last season with a 5.38 ERA. He has been dealing with lingering elbow injuries, and underwent surgery in October that would have cost him the entire 2026 season.
If Darvish does walk away, he can do so knowing he will go down as one of the most accomplished Japanese players of all time. He posted a 3.65 career ERA over 13 seasons and finished as runner-up in Cy Young voting twice. The five-time All-Star pitched in the postseason for four different teams and appeared in the World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017.
The Padres would not have had Darvish at all in 2026. If he retires, they could theoretically use his salary to bolster the current roster, though that may be easier said than done at this stage of the offseason.
Video shows Kevin Durant having a profane confrontation with a heckler
Kevin Durant is no longer just confronting people over social media.
The Houston Rockets star Durant had a profane incident with a fan in the middle of Friday’s game against the Detroit Pistons. During a coach’s challenge in the fourth quarter at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich., Durant went over to confront a fan who was sitting courtside.
A clearly irate Durant started cursing at the fan, who was wearing Durant’s Brooklyn Nets jersey. Durant notably played for Brooklyn from 2019-23 but ended up demanding a trade after his relationship with the team soured.
“Who the f–k you talking to, motherf–ker?” Durant appeared to say to the heckler. “You ain’t gonna do s–t! … Watch your f–king mouth.”
After Durant walked away, the video then cut to Durant, with a towel around his neck, returning to the heckler during the video review. The two then had a still-heated but slightly less profane conversation.
The video of the two separate interactions last roughly a minute-and-a-half. You can view the video here (but obviously watch out for the bad language).
The former NBA MVP Durant finished Friday’s contest with 32 points on 11/19 shooting. That helped the Rockets earn an eventual 111-104 victory over the Pistons.
Now 37, Durant is no stranger to going after trolls, both online and in real life. During a Houston game earlier this season, Durant even went in on the father of an opposing player.
Charles Barkley goes off on Colin Cowherd
Charles Barkley has heard enough from Colin Cowherd regarding “Inside the NBA” and its lack of airtime this season.
On Friday, Cowherd had theorized on his radio show that ESPN “shelved” the show at the request of commissioner Adam Silver over their supposed negativity toward the league. Barkley was clearly aware of Cowherd’s comments, because he had some strong words regarding that theory on Saturday’s “Inside.”
“There’s some fools at home or on the internet saying that we were talking bad about the players, so they made us work less. Shut the hell up,” Barkley said. “Man, y’all need to shut the hell up. This was already planned months and months ago.”
"And then you got fools on television…saying that we were talking bad about the players so they made us work less, shut the fu.. hell up!" Charles Barkley appears to respond to Colin Cowherd https://t.co/wAd6yttWWV pic.twitter.com/eL5qdFeZkl
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 24, 2026
Barkley narrowly censored himself from using a word stronger than “hell,” as he was clearly fired up.
The whole conversation came from Barkley bemoaning the fact that ESPN has not made much use of the “Inside” crew this season. As he correctly noted, the show was scheduled sporadically for the first three months of the season, but will be on much more often down the stretch run and into the playoffs.
Barkley is never shy about calling people out, especially when he feels like he is being misinterpreted as is the case here. It would be silly of the NBA to shut down a show that draws attention to the league for any reason.
Zion Williamson is losing a notable endorsement line
Zion Williamson is no longer as marketable as he used to be.
Nike’s Jordan Brand is planning to discontinue the signature basketball shoe line of the New Orleans Pelicans star Williamson, Nicholas Vlahos of Sole Retriever reported this week. Vlahos notes that the Jordan Zion 4, which was released in Jan. 2025, will be the final sneaker released for Williamson.
While Williamson will no longer be a signature athlete for Jordan Brand, he will reportedly remain an athlete on the Jordan roster as his contract doesn’t expire until later in 2026. You can read Vlahos’ full report on the situation here.
Williamson, 25, first signed with Jordan Brand on a seven-year, $75 million endorsement deal prior to his NBA debut back in 2019. That marked one of the largest rookie contracts in the footwear world at the time.
But Williamson, now in his seventh year in the league, has failed to live up to expectations as a professional. Though a two-time All-Star in 2021 and 2023, problems with weight, conditioning, and injuries have dogged Williamson throughout his time in the NBA.
While Williamson was able to launch multiple successful signature sneakers for Jordan Brand over the last five years despite those struggles, his stock has continued to sink within the last several months especially. Williamson faced some extremely troubling allegations in a lawsuit from his ex-girlfriend last May and has not inspired much confidence with his subsequent work on the court either.
The former No. 1 overall pick Williamson has been limited to just 31 games played this season due to hamstring and adductor issues and is having a down year across the board even when healthy (22.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game). A report last month claimed that the Pelicans were now eager to move on from Williamson, and now Jordan Brand is officially moving on from Williamson as a signature athlete on their own accord.
Nets’ Cam Thomas got benched for stat padding
Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas wound up in his coach’s doghouse on Friday for seemingly passing up a shot to preserve his stats.
With roughly three seconds left on the shot clock, Thomas was on the receiving end of a pass while standing on the logo during Friday’s game against the Boston Celtics at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. While the shot obviously was not ideal, Thomas seemed to have no option but to throw up a heave and hope for the best.
Instead, Thomas quickly passed to Ziaire Williams, who was forced to throw up a hopeless shot that was blocked as the shot clock expired.
Thomas was immediately subbed out of the game, and even the Celtics announcers felt it was because he was trying to salvage some semblance of his stats by not taking a shot that was unlikely to fall.
Cam Thom passed up a shot to protect his FG% and got BENCHED immediately 😭
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) January 24, 2026
Celtics announcers COOKED him. pic.twitter.com/j7kXRVfGZI
Fair or not, Thomas has something of a reputation as a selfish score-first player, which he takes offense to. That reputation is not going to go away with moves like the one he pulled here, though, especially when he has been disrespectful to his coaches before.
Thomas has seen his role reduced this year and is averaging 16.2 points per game, primarily off the bench. He is widely viewed as a trade candidate prior to the Feb. 5 deadline.
