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Orlando Magic players appear to do a drug-themed handshake before game

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The Orlando Magic are definitely acting different right now.

Orlando went viral before Monday’s Game 4 against the Detroit Pistons at Kia Center in Orlando, Fla. for their unusual pregame embrace. Magic teammates Noah Penda and Goga Bitadze were shown on television in the tunnel doing what appeared to be a drug-themed handshake.

As part of the elaborate routine, Bitadze put out his palm, and Penda appeared to simulate cutting up and snorting an imaginary line of cocaine from it. Here is the video.

Whatever that handshake was, it appeared to be good luck for the No. 8 seed Magic. They went on to defeat the No. 1 seed Pistons by a final score of 94-88 to take a surprise 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven first-round series.

Penda, who did not even play at all on Monday, and Bitadze, who had two points and six rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench, are two fairly obscure players. Bitadze in particular is probably only known by the casual fan due to his heated feud with Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic earlier in the season.

But Penda and Bitadze definitely put themselves on the map in Game 4 with that unorthodox pregame handshake. The Magic have become somewhat infamous for that this postseason as Orlando teammates Desmond Bane and Tristan da Silva also did a similarly questionable “handshake” earlier on in the series.

2 Lakers players get fined for criticizing the referees

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Two Los Angeles Lakers players are now feeling the wrath of the league office.

The NBA announced on Monday that Lakers guards Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard have been fined. Smart is being fined $35,000 for “questioning the integrity of the game officials,” and Kennard is being fined $20,000 for “directing inappropriate language towards game officials.”

Smart was seen on the television broadcast yelling at referee James Williams after the Lakers’ Game 4 loss to the Houston Rockets on Sunday at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas (by a final score of 115-96). It appears that Kennard was also saying something in the direction of the officiating crew within the same clip.

For context, the Lakers were not pleased with the performance of the Williams-led crew during Sunday’s game. Lakers center Deandre Ayton was ejected after being given a questionable flagrant 2 foul for an elbow to Rockets counterpart Alperen Sengun in the third quarter.

Additionally, Williams went on to eject Lakers forward Adou Thiero (along with Rockets guard Aaron Holiday) for an incident during a fourth-quarter box-out. It did not appear that Theiro did much other than standing there and saying a word or two to Holiday.

The Lakers are still in total control of the first-round series as they take a 3-1 lead into Game 5 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif. on Wednesday. But complaints about the officiating have been commonplace for the Lakers this season, especially for Smart who already got fined by the NBA earlier in the year for flipping off the referees during a game.

Chiefs sign the son of a former NFL MVP

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The Kansas City Chiefs are adding a player with a famous (albeit common) last name.

Kansas City has signed running back EJ Smith as an undrafted free agent. Smith’s former school, Texas A&M, made the announcement in a post over the weekend.

Smith, 23, is notably the son of all-time running back legend Emmitt Smith. Emmitt, now 56, was a three-time Super Bowl champion, an eight-time Pro Bowler, and the NFL MVP in 1993. He also still holds the league’s all-time records for both career rushing yards (18,355) and career rushing touchdowns (164).

As for EJ, he played out the last two seasons at Texas A&M after transferring from Stanford. EJ rushed for 205 yards and four touchdowns over 12 games last season as a sixth-year senior.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs are a bit weak at the running back position after losing Isiah Pacheco in free agency to the Detroit Lions last month. While they did sign reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to replace Pacheco, Emari Demercado and the unproven duo of Brashard Smith and rookie Emmett Johnson are the only other RBs on the depth chart.

Once a four-star recruit, EJ was getting college scholarship offers from a young age. Now the Hall of Famer’s son will officially be getting a look in the NFL from Andy Reid and the Chiefs.

Phil Jackson shares his 1 suggestion for improving the NBA

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Phil Jackson is respawning this week with a suggestion for how to improve the modern NBA.

The legendary Hall of Fame coach Jackson posted his first message to X in more than a year on Monday. In his post, Jackson reacted to some comments from Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, Jackson’s former Chicago Bulls player, on the NBA potentially eliminating the three-point line.

Jackson put his own twist on Kerr’s remarks and revealed that he had already been pitching an idea to the NBA for well over a decade now. Essentially, Jackson wants to create a uniform three-point line.

“15 years I’ve been asking the NBA rules committee to widen the court apron,” the 11-time NBA champion head coach Jackson wrote. “Corner shot b-comes 23.9 [feet].”

The NBA three-point line above the break already sits at 23.9 feet from the basket. However, the corner three-point line is just 22 feet away from the basket, creating an inefficiency that today’s perimeter-oriented offenses have been more than happy to exploit.

Of course, Jackson’s suggestion would involve widening the width of the entire court and doing away with at least a row or two of expensive courtside seating (giving the NBA a major financial disincentive to take Jackson’s advice). But it is always good to hear from The Zen Master Jackson, who last coached in 2011 and is now 80 years old. The last that we heard of Jackson on social media, meanwhile, came last year when he ripped the NBA for supposedly disrespecting sacred holidays.

Report: Angel Stadium is dealing with a rodent infestation

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The baseball is not the only revolting thing about the Los Angeles Angels this season.

The team’s home ballpark, Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., is dealing with an infestation of rodents. Edward Lewis of The California Post reported on Monday that health officials shut down a concession area at View Level 432 in the stadium on Apr. 22 after a discovery of “rodent droppings.”

Lewis notes that the routine inspection by Orange County Public Health Services revealed vermin excrement in five different locations. Additionally, a “hole greater than 1/4 inch on the ceiling” for rodents to potentially pass though was allegedly discovered by inspectors.

“[We] take great pride in delivering a high-quality fan experience at Angel Stadium, including maintaining the cleanliness of our nearly 160 concession locations,” the Angels said in a statement to The California Post. “After receiving guidance from the health department, we acted promptly with our concession partner to resolve the issue at the single stand and expect it to pass inspection and reopen in time for the upcoming homestand.”

Nicknamed “The Big A,” Angel Stadium has been the home of the Angels ever since it opened back in 1966. But under current owner Arte Moreno, who took over the team in 2003, the stadium has faced criticism for a number of various structural issues (including an embarrassing leak that was discovered last year).

Meanwhile, the Angels, who have the longest-active playoff drought in Major League Baseball, are in the middle of another losing season. They now sit at 12-17 on the year after losing six of their last seven games and (after their current roadtrip) will get to go home to a stadium that is dealing with an infestation of rodents.

Chargers player makes ‘starving’ admission ahead Year 3 with Jim Harbaugh

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The Los Angeles Chargers are hoping for a playoff win in 2026, and defensive lineman Teair Tart is not holding back on that matter.

Tart, who signed a new three-year, $30 million deal this offseason, admitted the team is “starving” after two straight 11-win seasons that ended in first-round playoff exits.

“I think we’re starving,” Tart said, via Eric Smith of Chargers.com.

The Chargers finished with 11 wins in each of the first two seasons with Jim Harbaugh as the head coach. In the 2025 playoffs, the Chargers lost to the Houston Texans 32-12. This past postseason, LA fell to the New England Patriots 16-3.

Following another quick exit, LA moved on from offensive coordinator Greg Roman and hired Mike McDaniel. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter took the head coach job with the Baltimore Ravens, and Chris O’Leary returned to LA to be the new DC.

So, there have been a lot of changes to the coaching staff in LA, and the Chargers also re-signed veteran pass rusher Khalil Mack, added former Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell, and reunited Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold with McDaniel.

The Chargers were also active in the NFL Draft and turned five picks into eight, including several offensive linemen and Miami Hurricanes pass rusher Akheem Mesidor.

Whether or not it will work is another question, but Tart feels this team is starving for some playoff success in 2026.

Notable update surfaces on Nikola Jokic’s future

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The Denver Nuggets are facing elimination right now, but Nikola Jokic still appears to be fully committed to them regardless.

There is “zero indication” at the moment that Jokic intends to pursue a move out of Denver, veteran NBA writer Marc Stein reported this week during an appearance on the “The ALL NBA Podcast.” Stein added though that Jokic is up for an extension this summer and that legitimate concerns exist about the rest of the Nuggets’ roster right now.

Jokic has been with the Nuggets for his entire NBA career since 2015, making him one of the longest-tenured one-team players in the entire league (trailing only Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Giannis Antetokounmpo). Over that span, Jokic has experienced immense success, making eight All-Star teams, winning three NBA MVP awards, and leading Denver to the NBA title in 2023 as the Finals MVP.

But ever since that championship run, the Nuggets have won just two total playoff series and have failed to advance past the second round once. Now this season, Denver is down to the Minnesota Timberwolves 3-1 in their first-round series, meaning that they need to win three straight games (including one in Minnesota) just to keep their season alive.

Jokic is also 31 years old now, and the Nuggets badly need to maximize the remainder of his prime. On top of that, Jokic himself has not been helping matters lately with some of his recent playoff duds.

As it stands right now, Jokic is under contract for $59 million next season and can become a free agent after that by declining his $62.8 million player option for 2027-28. But while Denver once hinted at the possibility of trading Jokic in a nightmare scenario, it does not appear that a split between the two sides is coming any time soon.

Report sheds light on why Kon Knueppel lost NBA Rookie of the Year award

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Just a few weeks ago, Charlotte Hornets star Kon Knueppel seemed to be in the driver’s seat for the NBA Rookie of the Year award.

On Monday, the league announced that Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg won the award. Flagg earned 412 total points while Knueppel received 386 in a close finish.

After the results came out, Tomer Azarly and Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported that one possible reason why is due to Knueppel’s struggles during the Play-In Tournament.

“A number of media members who have votes admitted the Play-In Tournament, which Knueppel struggled significantly in, weighed in their decision for the regular season award,” Azarly wrote.

“Several NBA media voters publicly admitted to the play-in tournament changing their minds from Knueppel to Flagg. Have to wonder if pre-play-in whether Knueppel would’ve won the vote,” Siegel added.

At the beginning of March, Stephen A. Smith predicted that Knueppel would win the award, and the Hornets star and Flagg were neck and neck for quite some time.

Knueppel’s struggles were evident as he shot 2-of-12 from the field with six points in the 127-126 overtime win in the first Play-In game against the Miami Heat.

Kon Knueppel then went jus 3-of-10 with 1 three-pointer in the 121-90 blowout loss to the Orlando Magic that ended the Hornets’ season.

Fans even blamed Hornets coach Charles Lee as he sat Knueppel down the stretch against the Heat amid a poor shooting performance.

Now, Flagg has beaten out his former Duke teammate for the award, and the close race certainly raises questions about the timing of the voting process.

NBA announces Rookie of the Year winner between Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel

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The votes are in, and Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg has been named the NBA Rookie of the Year, defeating Charlotte Hornets forward and former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel.

Flagg also joins Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to lead their teams in total points, rebounds, assists and steals since steals became a stat.

Here are the final votes for the NBA Rookie of the Year award, and the gap between Flagg and Knueppel was the second-smallest in the current format.

  • Cooper Flagg: 412 total points, 56 first-place votes
  • Kon Knueppel: 386 total points, 44 first-place votes
  • VJ Edgecombe (76ers): 96 total points, 1 second-place vote, 93 third-place votes
  • Dylan Harper (Spurs): 5 total points and third-place votes
  • Cedric Coward (Grizzlies): 1 third-place vote

There was a lot of debate between Knueppel and Flagg for the award, but the Mavericks star just beat out Knueppel.

Flagg finished the season averaging 21 points with 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game, while Knueppel had 18.5 points with 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists.

Knueppel made NBA history by setting a new record for threes made in a season by a rookie, and that mark was previously made by Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray. Knueppel broke that record at the end of February after hitting his 207th three-pointer.

Still, it was quite the season by both rookies, and the future looks bright for the two former Duke stars.

Steelers’ fourth-round pick learns of selection while playing golf

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For a long time, the NFL Draft phone calls have become a tradition and have included some noteworthy stories.

This year was no exception, although this one was a bit different. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Kaden Wetjen in the fourth round on Saturday, and he answered the draft call while playing a round of golf.

Wetjen going in the fourth round was a bit of a surprise, and NFL.com’s Chad Reuter had the Iowa WR as a fifth-round pick in his final mock draft.

Wetjen, though labeled as a WR, is more of a return specialist. In three years at Iowa, he had just 23 receptions and 23 carries, but he returned a total of 57 punts and 56 kickoffs for six total touchdowns.

Still, Wetjen was expected to get drafted at some point, yet he was out on the golf course on Day 3 of the NFL Draft in a story he will remember for a long time.

The Steelers also selected Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, and they were about to select USC wide receiver before the Philadelphia Eagles traded up to select him, even though the Steelers were on the phone with Lemon.

Eagles exercise fifth-year options on former first-round picks

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The 2026 NFL Draft is over, and now teams are making final decisions on the fifth-year options.

The Philadelphia Eagles have decided to exercise the option for pass rusher Nolan Smith, meaning he will earn $13.7 million in 2027.

The Eagles also announced that they picked up the fifth-year option for defensive end Jalen Carter, who was the ninth overall pick in 2023 and also played with Smith at Georgia. Carter’s fifth-year option is worth $27.1 million, according to Over The Cap.

Smith was selected in the first round at No. 23 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he has played well early on for the Eagles.

Smith had just one sack in 17 games as a rookie, but he earned more playing time in 2024 and finished with 6.5 sacks and a pair of fumble recoveries.

Last season, Smith played just 12 games but had three sacks and showed he is an important part of the defense when he is healthy.

Carter has played in 44 games with 13.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in his NFL career. However, his name came up in trade rumors.

For now, both 2023 first-round picks are staying in Philadelphia in a huge boost for the defense.

John Schneider had a classy gesture for new Red Sox manager

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After the Boston Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora, Triple-A Worcester manager Chad Tracy was named the interim.

Tracy has been the manager for Boston’s Triple-A affiliate since 2022, and now he gets the promotion to the majors. After the news came, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said he reached out to Tracy to offer his support, via Keegan Matheson of MLB.com.

“People did that to me, especially in our division, when I was literally in that same spot … I don’t know him and I’ve never met him, but I felt like it was the right baseball thing to do, to reach out and offer my support,” Schneider said.

In July 2022, the Blue Jays fired Charlie Montoyo and then named Schneider as the interim. Schneider had been a manager and assistant in the Blue Jays’ farm system since 2008.

The Red Sox fired Cora on Saturday after a rough start to the season. Unfortunately, the decision to move on from Cora has not sat well with Boston players, with shortstop Trevor Story saying the coaches didn’t “get a fair shot.”

The Red Sox have an 11-17 record entering Monday, and they face the Blue Jays in Toronto, so Schneider will get to manage against Tracy face-to-face.

Boston defeated the Baltimore Orioles 5-3 on Sunday in Tracy’s first game as the new manager for the Red Sox.

George Pickens’ latest move sparks new trade speculation

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Just after it seemed that his immediate future was settled, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens seems to be putting it in doubt again.

Reports had emerged prior to the NFL Draft saying Pickens was signing his franchise tag with Dallas, locking him into a $27.3 million contract for one year. On Monday, however, it emerged that Pickens has not actually signed the paperwork yet.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Cowboys received a “verbal commitment” from Pickens’ agent that he would sign the tag.

Adam Schefter maintained that nothing has changed on the Pickens front, and that signing the tag was simply not a priority for him during the weekend of the draft.

Still, until Pickens signs the tag, speculation about a trade will linger. The fact that the wide receiver has yet to follow through was enough to cause many to wonder if there were problems between him and the Cowboys, or that he might still be trying to force an exit.

Pickens caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns for Dallas last season. The Cowboys have already said they have no further plans to try to negotiate a long-term contract with him.

Everyone said the same thing about Mike Vrabel returning to Patriots

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Mike Vrabel’s time in counseling was quite brief, it turns out.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday that Vrabel is already back at work with the New England Patriots. Vrabel is back with the team two days after he missed the third and final day of the NFL Draft in order to attend counseling. The Patriots coach made that decision in light of the emergence of numerous photos of himself with NFL reporter Dianna Russini, sparking rumors of an extramarital affair.

Social media reaction was swift. There were many sarcastic comments about how his brief trip to counseling had clearly solved everything, and a few insinuations that his temporary absence had been more performative than anything else.

Vrabel has not offered any real details on the nature of his counseling or the specific reason he is seeking it. He simply said he would miss a day of the draft in order to seek it, and that he was doing so in order to be a better husband, father, and coach.

The Patriots are scheduled to hold their rookie minicamp from May 8-10. Presumably, that will be the next time he might address the media.

Paige Bueckers addresses her relationship with Azzi Fudd

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Paige Bueckers has tried once and for all to address chatter about her relationship with Azzi Fudd.

Fudd, the No. 1 WNBA draft pick, will join Bueckers on the Dallas Wings this season. The two have been dating since 2025, and their relationship has prompted some questions now that they are professional teammates.

Bueckers said Monday that Fudd has earned her success, and that the two would not let any on-court situations carry over into their personal life. The reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year said she does not intend to discuss the topic again.

“Quite frankly, I believe me and Azzi’s personal relationship is nobody’s business but our own. And what we choose to share is completely up to us,” Bueckers said. “We’ve never let anything that happens off the court carry onto the court, and that’s what we’ll continue to do.

“Azzi Fudd was the No. 1 draft pick because she earned it, and it had nothing to do with me and everything to do with who she is as a human being, who she is the basketball player.”

The Wings made the relationship even more of a talking point by shutting down a question about it at a recent press conference. That likely informed Bueckers’ decision to try to make a blanket statement now so the intrigue will not hang around into the season.

Bueckers and Fudd publicly confirmed their romantic relationship on social media in 2025. The two were teammates at UConn before winding up together on the Wings.

Pat Riley takes another shot at Jimmy Butler

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Miami Heat president Pat Riley certainly seems to feel vindicated by his decision to trade Jimmy Butler last year.

Riley addressed the media in his end-of-season press conference Monday, and he clearly suggested that his decision to get rid of Butler was a net positive for the team. He cited the fact that the team won more games this season than they did the season before.

“When you look back on what we did with Jimmy in that trade, we won 37 games last year, for a lot of reasons. Winning six more games this year, it’s an improvement. We did improve from that standpoint,” Riley said.

Butler and the Heat had an acrimonious breakup that stemmed from Riley’s unwillingness to give the veteran the new contract he was looking for. Butler did not have many nice things to say about Riley after he was traded to the Golden State Warriors, and Riley was just as critical.

The Heat did improve in terms of their win total, but finished 10th in an improved Eastern Conference, which was a step down from 2024-25. Riley acknowledged that further improvement is necessary, but he has clearly never had any second thoughts about the Butler deal.

Victor Wembanyama criticizes NBA concussion protocols

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San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama voiced frustration with the NBA’s concussion protocol after returning for Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

Wembanyama said after Sunday’s win over the Portland Trail Blazers that he felt the way the protocol was handled was “very disappointing.” He refused to open up about why, though he did say the doctors involved in treating him were “great.”

ESPN’s Shams Charania offered more context on Monday in an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.” He suggested that there was conflict between the Spurs’ doctors and the NBA’s concussion doctors over whether Wembanyama would be cleared to play in Game 3.

“He felt he was cleared to play Friday. He felt like the Spurs doctors had cleared him to play. And that’s why the frustration comes into play when the league decides he wasn’t,” Charania said.

Wembanyama suffered a concussion in Game 2 when he fell hard and hit his head on the floor. He was ruled out of Game 3, though he still attended and let the Blazers have it from the bench.

Ultimately, Wembanyama returned for Game 4 and put up 27 points and 12 rebounds. His Spurs can close out the series in Game 5 Tuesday with one more victory.

Mike Brown’s job with Knicks may not be safe

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Mike Brown may be coaching for his job during the playoffs, even though he is still in his first season as head coach of the New York Knicks.

Brown’s future remains the subject of speculation and he may need to reach the NBA Finals to keep his job, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. There is speculation that even that might not be enough, and Brown has to win a title or risk being replaced.

That would be pretty harsh on Brown, who was brought in to replace Tom Thibodeau last year after the Knicks lost in the Eastern Conference Finals. The team went 53-29, a slight improvement on last year, but are locked in a tough first round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks.

Whether Brown has actually made the Knicks better is a matter of debate. He has drawn criticism for some of his moves, and at the very least, the team does not look to be clearly better this season compared with last year.

Brown may have reason to sweat if this is true. After all, even he isn’t sure the Knicks have what it takes to win a championship.

Texas Tech QB checks into rehab for gambling addiction

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Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is leaving the team to seek treatment for a gambling addiction.

In a statement released Monday, Texas Tech announced that Sorsby will take an “immediate indefinite leave of absence” from the team in order to enter a residential treatment program for gambling addiction. The school said it was committed to supporting Sorsby for long-term recovery.

Sorsby only just arrived at Texas Tech as a transfer from Cincinnati. He threw for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns with the Bearcats last season, and was expected to be the Red Raiders’ starting quarterback in 2026.

Sorsby previously played for Indiana before joining Cincinnati. He was a second-team All-Big 12 selection in 2025.

The Red Raiders are coming off a 12-2 season and an appearance in the College Football Playoff. They have an opening at quarterback after Behren Morton, last year’s starter, graduated.

Joel Embiid has evasive response to questions about 76ers

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Joel Embiid was not exactly effusive on Sunday when asked about the state of his relationship with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Embiid was asked about whether his relationship with team management is in a better place following his team’s 128-96 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals on Sunday.

“I mean, we’re in the playoffs, we’re 3-1 so that’s what we focus on,” Embiid said. “I think we try to do the best job possible to try to make sure that I get back on the court but the focus is on the playoffs, trying to find a way to win one at a time.”

Obviously, Embiid is focused on other things, but he did not really go out of his way to say nice things about team management. There were reports last season that he had internal tension with the organization over treatment of his injuries, and it is not clear if that has subsided.

Embiid made his playoff debut Sunday after a bout with appendicitis. The frustration about his inability to stay healthy is high, both for him and the team, and one has to wonder how much longer the organization can stay committed to a player who has so rarely been available to them over the past several years.

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