Oregon 5-star recruit honors late uncle Kobe Bryant
It’s been six years since NBA legend Kobe Bryant passed away, but the tributes continue to pour in for the former Los Angeles Lakers star.
Jett Washington, who is a five-star recruit for the Oregon Ducks football team, is the nephew of Bryant. And, Washington posted a photo on his Instagram page revealing that he is wearing No. 24 as his jersey number, the same number Bryant wore for the latter part of his career.
Oregon 5-star freshman Jett Washington will wear #24 with the Ducks, per his IG. The same number as his uncle, the late Kobe Bryant.
— Zachary Neel (@zacharycneel) March 12, 2026
That feels special. pic.twitter.com/1M6bv1hWaC
Sharia Washington, Bryant’s older sister, is Jett’s mother, and his father played running back at Virginia before being selected by the New England Patriots in the 1994 NFL Draft.
Washington plays safety and he was ranked as the No. 18 overall prospect according to 247Sports rankings.
Washington committed to Oregon last June, picking the Ducks over USC and Alabama, and he played at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas.
Oregon had another strong season, but the Ducks lost to the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff. The good news is that quarterback Dante Moore is back for another season, and former Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola is also coming to Eugene after transferring this offseason.
Despite being a freshman, Washington could see playing time, especially considering he is a highly-ranked recruit.
Team USA makes roster moves after advancing in World Baseball Classic
It was a close call, but Team USA is moving on to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic.
The United States lost to Italy 8-6 on Tuesday in pool play, but Italy’s 9-1 win over Mexico sent Team USA into the quarterfinals.
It begins on Friday as Team USA faces Canada, but they announced a series of roster moves on Thursday, including Detroit Tigers star Tarik Skubal leaving the team, which was expected.
RHP Will Vest, RHP Tyler Rogers, and LHP Tim Hill have been added to the Team USA roster for the #WorldBaseballClassic Quarterfinal Round. They replace pitchers Tarik Skubal, Michael Wacha, and Ryan Yarbrough. pic.twitter.com/wPEhjQrpnC
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 12, 2026
Skubal is the big name here, but the Tigers ace was always expected to make just one start, although he considered staying longer before announcing he would go back to camp prior to the game against Mexico.
New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes is also leaving to return to spring training, although a replacement for Holmes hasn’t been announced yet.
Clay Holmes will return to the Mets from the World Baseball Classic and pitch in a Grapefruit League game tomorrow. The Mets wanted him back, because Team USA could not guarantee him the workload he needs to build up for the season.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 12, 2026
Holmes pitched three innings and struck out six batters against Great Britain on Saturday, and he got the win.
Team USA advancing to the quarterfinals was a close call, and manager Mark DeRosa went viral for saying that he thought the USA had already advanced despite the loss to Mexico.
But Italy played hero for the United States by knocking off Mexico and sending the Americans into the quarterfinal round.
Team USA faces Canada on Friday at 8:00 pm ET at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas.
Collin Morikawa withdraws from the Players Championship after just one hole
Collin Morikawa entered the Players Championship as one of the favorites to win the event.
However, after just one hole, Morikawa has withdrawn from the event due to a back injury. Morikawa started on the 10th hole, but right before teeing off on the 11th hole, he walked around, grabbing his side and grimacing, before being removed from the event.
Collin Morikawa has withdrawn from @THEPLAYERS. pic.twitter.com/HsffCRoKH4
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 12, 2026
Per FanDuel’s odds, Morikawa had the second-highest odds to win the Players Championship, with only Scottie Scheffler ahead of him.
After withdrawing from the event, Morikawa said it’s “the worst thing in the world.”
“Teed it up on 11, and took one practice swing, and I just knew it was gone,” Morikawa said, via Cameron Jourdan of Golf Week. “Like I just had the feeling before when it happened. I can’t swing through it. Trust me, I would play if I could. It’s just the worst thing in the world.”
Here’s a video of Morikawa leaving the 11th tee, and he is clearly frustrated by the turn of events.
Collin Morikawa has withdrawn from THE PLAYERS Championship after one hole. pic.twitter.com/SZtsluwsqE
— Paul Hodowanic (@PaulHodowanic) March 12, 2026
Morikawa is a two-time major winner, and he won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier this season. He finished fifth in the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, and he was expected to be a big name to watch in the Players Championship this time around.
Fans are ripping Jim Boeheim for his take on Adrian Autry’s firing
The Syracuse Orange have a head-coaching vacancy following their decision to dismiss Adrian Autry on Wednesday. His predecessor, the legendary Jim Boeheim, shared his thoughts on the firing and appeared to put some of the blame for Autry’s fate on Syracuse’s weak NIL power and on a couple of players.
“Well, you know what happens, you don’t have enough resources. That puts you behind. You look at the league, BC, Georgia Tech, now Syracuse. Three of the least NIL money in the league. You have to look at that,” Boeheim said during Wednesday’s ACC Network broadcast.
The 81-year-old Boeheim then said that Autry’s top players didn’t deliver as expected.
“With Adrian Autry, his two best players had horrible years, Boeheim continued. “If you take any team in this league and you take their two best players, and they have really, really bad years, like Cam Boozer and Isaiah Evans have a bad year at Duke, they don’t win. That’s what happened this year at Syracuse. His two best players just didn’t play well”.
Boeheim may have valid points, but fans have not received his take on the players well.
Yes Jim. Blame the players. No accountability whatsoever!
— Klinickal (@Klinickal) March 11, 2026
What an awful take. Autry decided to put all his eggs in one basketball with JJ and that failed big time. The main reason being he was developed (coaching)
— Everything ‘cuse🍊 (@cuse365) March 11, 2026
There's no way Jim Boeheim, who set the program up for failure in his last years, is now going to blame the players 🤣
— Jack W (@JWillsNH) March 11, 2026
This is an insane take
— . (@Nyg6977) March 12, 2026
This is what 50 years of experience in throwing others under the bus gets you. Just a pure masterclass in throwing out excuses and taking shots at others.
— IdentityTheftMAAC (@MaacTheft) March 11, 2026
Boeheim must've felt like he was still coaching there https://t.co/eODpWnR49d
Although Boeheim did not specifically name the players, he likely was referring to guard JJ Starling and forward Donnie Freeman.
Starling averaged 17.8 points per game in the 2024-25 season, but regressed mightily in 2025-26, with his scoring average dropping to 10.9 points per outing. Freeman, meanwhile, upped his average from 13.4 points per game in 2024-25 to 16.5 per contest in 2025-26, but he missed a lot of games due to injury.
There is a lot to figure out this offseason for Syracuse, and whoever takes the job Autry left will be under immediate pressure to revive a legendary but faded basketball program.
Doris Burke makes an ‘uncomfortable’ admission about Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game
Doris Burke has chimed in on Bam Adebayo’s suddenly polarizing 83-point masterpiece.
What was supposed to be universally celebrated has instead ignited heated conversations about its merits.
As Adebayo approached Kobe Bryant’s 81-point mark during Tuesday’s game against the Washington Wizards at Kaseya Center in Miami, Fla., his teammates seemingly did everything they could to help him reach 80 points by feeding him the ball nonstop.
Burke admitted she was uneasy about how the final minutes of that game played out, but said she fully appreciates what Adebayo pulled off in South Beach.
“Was I slightly uncomfortable with the 6-minute mark and down with some of the intentional fouling and free throws? A little bit, but I am taking nothing away from Bam Adebayo,” shared Burke during Wednesday’s ESPN broadcast of a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic.
Doris Burke on Bam Adebayo's 83-point game:
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 12, 2026
"Was I slightly uncomfortable with the 6 minute mark and down with some of the intentional fouling and free throws? A little bit, but I am taking nothing away from Bam Adebayo."
"If you're going to go out of your way for anybody if… pic.twitter.com/ucAu9m1ow0
“If you’re going to go out of your way for anybody, if you’re the Miami Heat, he would be the guy.”
On the one hand, there’s the school of thought that the Heat star big man’s historic performance deserves nothing but praise. Regardless of the circumstances, scoring at least 80 points in a game is a tough thing to accomplish.
On the other hand, there’s a group of basketball philosophers who argue that a chunk of those 83 points was achieved “unethically,” as Adebayo launched 22 attempts from deep (made seven) and sank 36 of his 43 free-throw attempts.
There is only one way to get everyone on the same page about this matter, and that’s with Adebayo scoring 83 points (or more) again on nothing but contested fadeaways.
Video: Wyndham Clark’s dating analogy about drivers nearly leaves Kay Adams blushing
Wyndham Clark has a unique perspective on his frequent driver changes in the 2026 PGA Tour season.
During an appearance on the “Up & Adams” show ahead of Thursday’s start of the 2026 THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., the 32-year-old Clark discussed with host Kay Adams the shuffling he’s been doing with his drivers. The analogy he used to clear things up seemed to catch Adams by surprise.
“I mean, sometimes it’s nice to have a week-long girlfriend,” Clark said. He later said he was joking, but he didn’t stutter either.
"Sometimes it's nice to have a week-long girlfriend… I haven't found the right one. When you find the right one, you lock it down."
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) March 10, 2026
Wyndham Clark had an interesting analogy when asked about why he switches his driver so often 😅😂@Wyndham_Clark | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/PORYokIa7H
Clark has made at least four driver changes as of his last start at the Genesis Invitational in February. The three-time PGA Tour winner is also a brand-free agent, giving him the freedom to test different drivers until he finds one he feels comfortable with.
“I’m a free agent, and you know, sometimes it’s nice to spice things up, as you said, the honeymoon stage is gonna be really nice,” added Clark.
The former U.S. Open is still looking for his first win of the season. His best finish to date was a T-13 at the American Express in January. Since then, he’s gone 4-for-4 but never finished better than a T-35 in any of those starts.
Statistically speaking, Clark is only 78th among PGA Tour players in total driving (171) and 41st in driving distance (310.5).
Fans are outraged by Raptors players’ behavior after a disrespectful moment
Toronto Raptors guard Jamal Shead may want to have a talk with his teammates.
During the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s game between the Raptors and the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, La., Shead aggressively tried to defend against Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray, who used a series of moves to shake free from Shead’s sticky defense. Murray succeeded, sending Shead tumbling onto the court before swishing in a three-pointer.
Instead of running back on defense, Murray decided to add insult to Shead’s bruised ego, standing over him and mocking the Raptors guard.
Here’s what happened.
Dejounte Murray in his face pic.twitter.com/9zgfUSVMDT
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) March 12, 2026
Murray was hit with a technical foul for his actions, which he deserved. What upset many fans online, however, was that no Raptors player besides Immanuel Quickley seemed to have Shead’s back after what Murray did.
That was so weak by Toronto for only quickley to defend shead smh
— 🦉 (@ASWJ9100) March 12, 2026
If I’m Jamal Shead, everyone except for Immanuel Quickley is getting called out in the locker room for not stepping up for me.
— Libaan Osman (@libaanstar1) March 12, 2026
No leaders. Dejounte Murray just hit a 3, dropped Shead, stood over him and barked. And except for quickley, no one did anything. Soft.
— BBall Deepdives (@bballdeepdives) March 12, 2026
Raptors teammates not defending Jamal Shead after that play was quite telling, this team is cooked
— AAR (@stoicwalker_) March 12, 2026
Jamal Shead getting shown up while his teammates watched and did nothing told us everything we need to know about this team. Then exchanging pleasantries after the game. Gross.
— slaw (@slawman75) March 12, 2026
Perhaps the Raptors were just too demoralized to take any further action after Murray extended the Pelicans’ lead to 18 points with 1:24 left in the fourth quarter. He quite literally took the fight out of them.
Seeing such inaction from his teammates in a moment like that doesn’t seem like a fair reward for Shead for playing at a high level, regardless of the deficit.
Shead deserves credit for playing with that kind of intensity despite the insurmountable lead. He was not a former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year winner for nothing.
The Raptors will have to find that fire again after losing four of their last five outings.
They will regroup and look to get back up on Friday against the Phoenix Suns at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario.
Chargers make $9.25 million splash on former AFC North running back
The Los Angeles Chargers are welcoming a new weapon to their ground attack.
Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported Thursday that the Chargers are signing former Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell to a 2-year, $9.25 million contract, with $5 millionguaranteed.
Mitchell joins a Chargers backfield, which has Omario Hampton, Jaret Patterson, Kimani Vidal and Amar Johnson. Hampton has been tendered by the Bolts and can be expected to compete this offseason with Mitchell for the team’s RB1 role in the 2026 season.
Landing with the Chargers gives the 24-year-old Mitchell an opportunity to break out in the 2026 campaign after spending his first three seasons in the league with the Ravens.
The East Carolina product went undrafted in 2024 but later signed with Baltimore. During his time with the AFC North franchise, he rushed for 767 yards and 3 touchdowns on 121 carries, adding 184 receiving yards on 19 receptions and 24 targets through 26 games with two starts. Baltimore did not offer him a restricted free agent tender, paving the way for him to sign with another NFL club.
Although he had limited touches with the Ravens, his NFL career average of 6.3 yards per carry speaks volumes about his potential to become a major contributor to the Chargers’ offense under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
Logan Webb responds to Vinnie Pasquantino’s message for Team USA
Team USA may have to treat Vinnie Pasquantino to a fancy steak dinner.
Pasquantino put together a memorable World Baseball Classic performance for Italy on Wednesday, as he powered them to a 9-1 victory over Mexico at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas, to finish Pool B play with an immaculate 4-0 record.
With Italy’s drubbing of Mexico, the need for math to settle what would have been a tie atop the standings between Italy, Mexico and Team USA was effectively nixed.
Pasquantino, who plays for the Kansas City Royals in the big leagues, topped his three-homer night with a big message for his Royals teammate Bobby Witt Jr. and the rest of Team USA.
“You’re welcome, USA. We were thinking of you guys,” Pasquantino said in the postgame interview.
Vinnie Pasquantino: "You're welcome, USA" pic.twitter.com/3UoQVGuITc
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 12, 2026
Meanwhile, Team USA and San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb later saw Pasquantino’s interview and responded accordingly, posting a mere “laughing with tears” emoji.
It was a harmless response from Webb, who must have let out a big sigh of relief after Italy took care of business.
Team USA’s 8-6 upset loss to Italy on Tuesday left them in the predicament they faced on Wednesday, with manager Mark DeRosa mistakenly thinking his squad had already booked a ticket to the next round before they even faced Pasquantino and company.
Team USA will next face Canada in the quarterfinal round on Friday at Daikin Park, while Italy takes on Puerto Rico in the same round and at the same venue on Saturday.
Desmond Bane does banned celebration after hitting clutch shot for Magic
Desmond Bane continues to be a real menace to society.
The Orlando Magic guard Bane went viral for his antics during Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. With just under 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter at Kia Center in Orlando, Fla., Bane hit a catch-and-shoot three-pointer off an inbounds pass from Magic teammate Jalen Suggs to give Orlando a 125-120 lead.
Bane then went on to celebrate the game-sealing basket in a rather interesting way. The ESPN broadcast caught Bane doing the “Big Balls” dance. Take a look.
DESMOND BANE IN THE CLUTCH pic.twitter.com/Pyv9efi8Cs
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 12, 2026
The “Big Balls” dance, first popularized in the 2000s by retired former All-Star guard Sam Cassell, has been banned in the NBA for many years now. The league views it as a profane celebration, but that has not stopped other NBA players in recent years from busting it out and simply eating the ensuing fine.
Meanwhile, the former first-round pick Bane is in his first season with the Magic and is averaging 20.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game on the year overall. But Bane has also produced a number of bizarre moments this season, including multiple times that he has randomly attempted to start fights with opponents.
In all likelihood, Bane will now be facing a five-figure fine from the NBA for doing that notorious “Big Balls” celebration. That said, one NBA star did once manage to avoid punishment for doing the danceunder some more extenuating circumstances.
Michael Jordan sent a message to Bam Adebayo after his 83-point game
Bam Adebayo even managed to impress His Airness with his 83-point fever dream this week.
The Miami Heat big man Adebayo appeared Wednesday on ESPN’s “NBA Countdown” following his game-of-a-lifetime on Tuesday night against the Washington Wizards. Adebayo revealed during the interview that he received a text message from Michael Jordan congratulating him on his 83-point explosion.
“[He] just [said], ‘Congratulations,’” said Adebayo of Jordan. “Just short and sweet. If you know Mike, he’s not talking a lot.”
Adebayo, a three-time NBA All-Star at 28 years old, surpassed Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game in 2006 as the single highest scoring performance of the modern basketball era. In the all-time history of the NBA, now only Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game back in 1962 tops the 83 points that Adebayo erupted for this week.
As for Jordan, now 63 years old, his single-game career-high was “only” 69 points (set in 1990 with the Chicago Bulls during an overtime victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers). Jordan does however still hold the NBA’s single-game playoff scoring record of 63 points, set with the Bulls in 1986 during a double-OT loss to the Boston Celtics.
While Jordan was happy to show love to Adebayo after Adebayo’s historic game, the same cannot be said of some other retired NBA players. In particular, one retired former Kobe Bryant teammate went on a profane rant against Adebayo in response to the 83-point outing.
Fernando Tatis Jr. delivers bat flip of the year during World Baseball Classic
Fernando Tatis Jr. has managed to produce the bat flip of the year … before even the start of the MLB season.
The San Diego Padres star Tatis was suited up for his native Dominican Republic during Wednesday’s World Baseball Classic game against Venezuela in Pool D play. In the fourth inning at loanDepot Park in Miami, Fla., Tatis came up to bat with runners on the corners and two outs.
Tatis tattooed a 1-1 offering from Venezuela’s Antonio Senzatela into the left-field seats for a three-run home run to give the Dominican Republic a commanding 7-3 lead. But perhaps even better than the dinger was the bat flip that Tatis uncorked in the process.
In the same motion after launching the pitch from Senzatela, Tatis helicoptered his bat down the third-base line. The bat then landed on the dirt with a dramatic thud as the local crowd in Miami roared in approval.
Here is the video.
NOW IT'S NANDO'S TURN!!! 🇩🇴 pic.twitter.com/up5kC3iGr7
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 12, 2026
The three-time MLB All-Star Tatis, 27, is no stranger to epic bat flips and even busted one out for the Padres last season on a walkoff home run. But doing so for his native Dominican Republic surely added to the sense of pride for Tatis, especially with the D.R. already having advanced to the knockout rounds of the World Baseball Classic, regardless of the result of Wednesday’s game against Venezuela.
Lakers’ expected contract offer to Austin Reaves is revealed
The Los Angeles Lakers are ready to open up the vault for Austin Reaves.
The Lakers plan to offer their star guard Reaves a five-year, $240 million contract upon the start of free agency this summer, Ashish Mathur of Lakers Daily reported on Wednesday. Mathur adds that the Lakers have “no fear” of losing Reaves to another team and notes that Reaves has close relationships with both Lakers superstar Luka Doncic and with head coach JJ Redick.
Reaves, 27, holds a modest $14.9 million player option for next season. But given his superb 2025-26 campaign thus far, it will be a no-brainer for Reaves to turn down that option in order to test free agency this offseason.
The former undrafted player Reaves is putting up career numbers in his fifth season. He is averaging 23.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game on 50/38/87 shooting splits despite having to share usage with both Doncic and LeBron James.
There had been some talk in recent months that Reaves might potentially have a max contract offer to be a No. 1 option elsewhere (with one particular rival team beckoning). But the incumbent Lakers have the built-in advantage of being able to offer a fifth contract year to Reaves on top of the familiarity factor with Reaves having spent his entire NBA career in Los Angeles.
Of course, the issue with paying Reaves roughly $48 million per year through 2031 is how the Lakers will fill out the rest of their roster beyond that. Doncic is making just under $54 million per year on his own mega-contract that runs until 2029, so Los Angeles may have to get creative in order to build a championship-caliber supporting cast.
Buccaneers speak out on WR Emeka Egbuka’s bizarre alleged posts online
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are trying to set the record straight on wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.
Fans grew concerned on Wednesday after an X account allegedly belonging to Egbuka began making several bizarre posts. One such post (from the handle @EgbukaEmeka) controversially read, “Is CTE even real?”
Later in the day on Wednesday, the Buccaneers addressed the situation. They stated that the account was not at all affiliated with either Egbuka or their organization.
“The below account is neither owned nor operated by Emeka Egbuka,” the team wrote. “It is in no way affiliated with Emeka or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.”
The below account is neither owned nor operated by Emeka Egbuka. It is in no way affiliated with Emeka or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. https://t.co/d3uZHhH5Nc
— Buccaneers Communications (@BuccaneersComms) March 11, 2026
Here is a screenshot of the post from the account, which has since been suspended by X.
See way too many legit people on here following this account. This is not Emeka Egbuka.
— Buckeye HQ (@RealisticBuck) March 11, 2026
Block this account https://t.co/CbiOBZ78ab pic.twitter.com/QUFVWkeafC
The real Egbuka, 23, is coming off a standout rookie season for Tampa Bay. He caught 63 passes for 938 yards and six touchdowns while playing in all 17 games. Egbuka is expected to have an even larger role in 2026 now that longtime Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans has since moved on to another NFC team.
Deandre Ayton gets snippy with the media amid his struggles
Deandre Ayton continues to crash out.
The Los Angeles Lakers center Ayton addressed reporters on Thursday night after the team’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. While the Lakers cruised to a 120-106 victory at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif., Ayton was still in a foul mood after the game.
During his postgame press conference, Ayton offered little more than one-sentence answers. “It was just good terminology,” “I just played,” and “It was good communication” were among Ayton’s testy responses to the media.
Ayton then closed out his media session by shutting down a question about the Lakers’ momentum after two straight quality wins, saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know what you mean.”
An odd ending to a presser by Deandre Ayton after @DStarkand asked the starting center about the #Lakers current momentum after two big wins over NYK and MIN: pic.twitter.com/qlywI9NgL7
— Carlos Yakimowich (@CarlosYakJr) March 11, 2026
The former No. 1 overall pick Ayton actually had a strong game on Thursday, scoring 14 points on 7/11 shooting and grabbing 12 rebounds as well. But it has otherwise been a very difficult first season for Ayton in Los Angeles as he has openly expressed frustration with the way that the Lakers are using him.
Many of Ayton’s struggles this year have been self-inflicted as many viral videos have shown just how lazy he looks during certain Lakers’ possessions. With his overall averages of just 12.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game on the season (both career-low tallies), even some of Ayton’s teammates have seemingly been calling him out lately.
Former NBA player has profane rant about Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game
A former NBA player thinks Bam Adebayo had no right to pass Kobe Bryant to claim the mantle of the second-highest single-game points total in league history.
Longtime NBA winger Nick Young was a guest on “Gil’s Arena” on Wednesday and had a profane reaction to the Miami Heat center’s 83-point game against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. Young said he would have stopped at 81 points if he had a game like that, and went off on Adebayo and the Wizards for making it happen.
“F–k Bam and the Wizards. F–k all that s–t. All that ‘records are supposed to be broken?’ Hell no,” Young said. “Bam’s nice but he’s not 83 nice. Kobe’s probably rolling over in his grave right now like ‘You? F–k that.’ You see how he was going for it at 74? That was nasty.
“Get out of the game. You’re winning by 30. If I had 81 I would’ve stopped. I’m not trying to get fouled with one minute left up 30.”
Young spent three seasons as Bryant’s teammate with the Lakers and has always been very protective of Kobe’s legacy. Of course, that legacy is secure whether Bryant’s 81-point game gets surpassed or not, and it’s pretty hard to believe that Young would have stopped trying to score had he been in Adebayo’s shoes.
The fact that it was a player like Adebayo who achieved the game he did seemed to make it more shocking in the eyes of many. Young obviously does not like it, but he appears to be in the minority.
Favorite emerges to sign Kyler Murray
A favorite has emerged in the Kyler Murray sweepstakes.
Murray has been released by the Arizona Cardinals and officially is a free agent. He is likely to find a new team before long, and the favorites to sign him reportedly are the Minnesota Vikings.
NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport on Wednesday termed the Vikings the favorite for Murray.
The Vikings plan to make a push for Kyler Murray and are the favorite to land the former No. 1 overall pick, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 11, 2026
Finally released today by Arizona, Murray will take his time and wants to speak with interested teams. But Minnesota is the team to beat. pic.twitter.com/ke2A5P4Cay
The Vikings have JJ McCarthy at quarterback, but the team’s owners may not be too excited about that prospect, which is why Murray seems like a strong possibility for them.
The Vikings have Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson as pass-catching options, and just need a quarterback who can get them the ball. Murray was the No. 1 overall pick by Arizona in 2019 and spent seven seasons with the Cardinals. He played in all regular season games just three times and missed time due to injuries in four seasons. Last year, he played in just five games due to a foot sprain. In 2022, he suffered a torn ACL.
The Cardinals were 38-48-1 in games Murray started. Arguably his best season came in 2021 when he passed for 3,787 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also rushed for 423 yards and 5 touchdowns that season.
Kirk Cousins linked to 1 team in free agency
The Atlanta Falcons officially released quarterback Kirk Cousins on Wednesday, and it did not take long for him to be linked with a new team.
The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to show interest in Cousins, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Cousins would serve as a bridge quarterback in 2026 while the Raiders develop likely No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.
Expect the Las Vegas Raiders to show interest in Kirk Cousins as they look for a veteran QB addition to help develop presumptive No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza. pic.twitter.com/TFNo023SnY
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 11, 2026
Cousins certainly makes sense for the Raiders, particularly since indications are that they will not want to start Mendoza right away. They just traded Geno Smith to the Jets to open up a quarterback spot, and Cousins profiles as a short-term fix for any team that lands him.
From Cousins’ perspective, he would probably rather be a clear-cut starter, but teams appear to have a lot of doubts about him at this stage of his career. A one-year bridge deal with a team like the Raiders may be the best outcome he can hope for.
Cousins went 5-3 in eight starts for Atlanta last season after starter Michael Penix Jr. got hurt. He threw for 1,721 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions, suggesting the 37-year-old still has something left in the tank.
Brandon Aiyuk is being strongly linked to an NFC team
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk may not have to wait very long to find a new team following his inevitable release from the San Francisco 49ers.
Aiyuk is being strongly linked to the Washington Commanders once he is cut by the 49ers. ESPN’s Nick Wagoner and John Keim both suggested that the Commanders are the most likely landing spot for Aiyuk, who is known to be close with Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Wash knows how much Aiyuk wants to play here and with good friend Jayden Daniels. Aiyuk Has been working out. Peters of course was in SF. So they have insight into Aiyuk. Ideally under 10 mil on the 1 year. We’ll see. https://t.co/4cfxlQAzg8
— John Keim (@john_keim) March 11, 2026
Aiyuk and Daniels were college teammates at Arizona State, and Aiyuk has dropped hints in the past that he would be interested in playing with Daniels again. The Commanders have a need at the position and could land Aiyuk on a one-year prove-it deal.
The 49ers will cut Aiyuk after he effectively forced his way off the team less than two years after signing a new contract. He has not played in an NFL game since Oct. 20, 2024 due to a torn ACL and MCL.
When healthy, Aiyuk has shown himself to be a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver. He caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023, and earned second-team All-Pro honors that year.
Reason Ravens backed out of Maxx Crosby trade revealed
The Baltimore Ravens stunningly backed out of their trade for Maxx Crosby this week. Their decision came after teams such as the Las Vegas Raiders had already begun reaching agreements with players in free agency.
Since the Ravens’ decision, questions have arisen regarding why the team opted not to go through with the trade. Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network and Dianna Russini of The Athletic both offered the same explanation: the belief around the league is that the Ravens simply got “cold feet.”
One NFL general manager told me everybody involved in Maxx Crosby trade talks knew he would be out until June/July coming off meniscus surgery.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) March 11, 2026
Consensus opinion I’ve got from NFL decision makers: Ravens got cold feet & it could impact how other teams work w/ BAL going forward.
It’s been made clear by multiple people around the NFL at all levels that Baltimore had all the information and understood where Maxx Crosby’s knee was in terms of his recovery timeline.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 11, 2026
Many in the league believe GM Eric DeCosta and the Ravens ultimately just got cold feet.
Initial reports suggested Crosby failed his physical, but the Raiders characterized it as the Ravens backing out of the deal. Whether the Ravens had concerns about Crosby’s medical status or not, his knee injury was not a secret and there have been no indications he is behind in his recovery. In fact, Crosby’s agent was quick to state that Crosby is on track to be ready for the start of the season.
The Ravens certainly seem to have done themselves no favors in terms of league-wide perception. As Wolfe noted, if they are seen as an unreliable or fickle trade partner, other teams might not be as eager to do deals with them.
Crosby, meanwhile, remains with the Raiders for the time being. At the moment, the team is signaling that they plan to move forward with him, but that could certainly change if another team is aggressive enough to try to make a big offer.
