Michael Malone’s daughter emerges as key reason for his North Carolina move
Michael Malone’s shocking decision to take the North Carolina Tar Heels head coach job may be partially explained by his daughter.
North Carolina caught the basketball world by surprise when they hired Malone on Tuesday as their new head coach. Several people were quick to point out that he has a family connection with the school: his daughter, Bridget, is a sophomore volleyball player for the Tar Heels.
Bridget Malone committed to North Carolina all the way back in 2023. Presumably, her father would have been quite familiar with the school’s athletics program from that process.
Malone almost certainly could have waited for the NBA offseason and pursued a job at that level, and he would have been a top candidate for every opening. The Tar Heels, however, seemingly offered him the opportunity to continue coaching basketball while also being close to his family.
Bennett Durando of the Denver Post noted that Malone even skipped an NBA Cup game with the Nuggets just to watch Bridget compete in the state tournament.
Happy for Michael Malone. His daughter Bridget is on the UNC volleyball team and he’s her biggest fan. He even skipped an NBA Cup game a couple years ago to see her play in the state tournament. Not that he’ll have a lot of free time with this job, but a cool landing spot for him
— Bennett Durando (@BennettDurando) April 6, 2026
The interest had to be mutual, of course, but the Tar Heels were evidently impressed enough by Malone’s resume to make him the hire. Much was made about the school going outside the “family” and hiring someone with no ties to the school, and on the surface, they did that. It turns out, however, there is at least some family connection there after all.
North Carolina makes unexpected decision on its next head coach
The North Carolina Tar Heels have decided on their new head coach, and it is not a choice many saw coming.
The Tar Heels plan to hire former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone to replace Hubert Davis, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. Malone has most recently served as an NBA analyst for ESPN.
Sources: North Carolina intends to hire longtime NBA coach Michael Malone as the school’s next basketball coach. He’s an NBA Championship coach with the Denver Nuggets from the 2022-23 season and has won 510 games as an NBA head coach. pic.twitter.com/JwJmUNRLQT
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 6, 2026
Malone was not on anyone’s radar as a potential option for the Tar Heels. He worked as a collegiate assistant from 1994 to 2001, but all of his head coaching jobs have come at the NBA level. While it is no shock he is returning to coaching, the widespread expectation had been that it would be at the NBA level.
On the other hand, Malone has a track record of success. He is 510-394 as an NBA head coach and won the NBA title with the Nuggets in 2023. Denver unexpectedly fired him last year amid reports that he was clashing behind the scenes with other members of the organization.
The Tar Heels are presumably hoping Malone will be able to attract NBA-level talent and draw players in with the strength of his resume. That strategy has not necessarily worked well on the football side, but the Tar Heels are betting on reputation and experience.
North Carolina had targeted the likes of Dusty May of Michigan and Tommy Lloyd of Arizona, but both opted to remain with their current programs. A different NBA head coach had also been strongly linked to the job.
Giants All-Pro has asked for a trade
A key member of the New York Giants has asked the team for a trade after a breakdown in contract negotiations.
Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has requested a trade and will not report for the team’s offseason program on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The request comes after two offseasons of unsuccessful haggling over a new deal.
ESPN sources: Giants All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has requested a trade and he will not be participating in the team’s off-season workout program that opens Tuesday.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 6, 2026
Lawrence and the Giants have been through two off seasons attempting to negotiate a contract… pic.twitter.com/WUSTNxmeGh
Lawrence has firmly established himself as one of the game’s best defensive tackles. The 28-year-old has been selected to three Pro Bowls and twice named second-team All-Pro. While he is coming off something of a down year, he is still seen as the anchor of the Giants’ defensive line.
Lawrence is due to make $20 million in 2026 and signed a contract extension three years ago. The defensive tackle market has reset itself since then, particularly after Chris Jones signed a 5-year extension worth nearly $160 million with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Giants’ defensive line is really in flux right now, with some other players potentially being on the move. They would not want to trade Lawrence, but it seems they will have to either move him or pay him.
Angel Reese has been traded by the Chicago Sky
Angel Reese has been traded by the Chicago Sky in a blockbuster deal.
The Sky traded Reese to the Atlanta Dream on Monday. The Dream confirmed the deal on social media, as did Reese herself.
An Angel’s DREAM💭
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) April 6, 2026
🅰️TL WHAT UP?! @AtlantaDream pic.twitter.com/obtqyhl35e
Kendra Andrews of ESPN reported the Dream are sending two first-round picks to Chicago in exchange for Reese.
Reese’s relationship with the Sky had soured over the past year after she made some explosive comments about the team’s struggles and the need for change going forward. Those comments did not sit well with the organization or her teammates, and probably helped seal her fate with the franchise. It is hardly a coincidence that trade rumors started shortly after that.
The trade sends Reese to a legitimate playoff team. The Dream went 30-14 last season, but fell to the Indiana Fever in the first round of the playoffs.
Reese has emerged as a strong interior presence during her first two WNBA seasons. She has averaged 14.1 points and 12.9 rebounds per game and made the All-Star game in both seasons. However, the team has not had much success during her time there, and she has drawn critics for perceived stat-padding during her time with the Sky.
Dan Hurley bluntly addresses rumors linking him to North Carolina
Dan Hurley has no plans of leaving his job with the UConn Huskies to coach the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Before the No. 1 seed Huskies take on fellow No. 1 seed Michigan Wolverines in the NCAA Tournament championship game on Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., Hurley tried to set the record straight about his level of desire on the Tar Heels’ coaching opening.
“I’m the UConn coach until the end, and maybe the NBA someday down the line. But yeah, I’m the UConn coach,” Hurley told Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68.
The Tar Heels fired Hubert Davis shortly after the blue-blood college basketball program suffered an embarrassing meltdown in a loss to the VCU Rams in the first round of the Big Dance. Since then, several names have been rumored as Davis’ potential successor, including Hurley.
Hearing Hurley’s name in rumors linking him to the Tar Heels’ job isn’t surprising, given the success he’s been having with the Huskies. Based on his resume alone, several programs would want him to run their programs.
He has guided UConn to back-to-back national titles in 2023 and 2024, and he is just a win on Monday away from becoming a three-time NCAA champion head coach.
If Hurley leaves UConn, it’s probably going to be for a gig in the NBA, though it’s worth noting that he previously turned down a job to coach the Los Angeles Lakers.
Travis Kelce’s tweet gets an unexpected response from NASA nearly 16 years later
Long before he captured Taylor Swift’s heart, Kansas City Chiefs superstar tight end Travis Kelce had one of those nights when he looked up at the sky and admired the cosmos — particularly Earth’s lunar friend.
“The moon looks crazy tonight… Imma chill out here for a little and just visualize my success n vibe to the scenary,” Kelce tweeted back in August of 2010.
Nearly two decades later, NASA unearthed Kelce’s tweet and responded to it amid the hype surrounding the Artemis II mission.
“It’s been a long time coming,” NASA responded on Sunday to Kelce’s old post.
What some might have missed about NASA’s response was the space agency’s savvy reference to one of Swift’s songs.
Swift used to begin each performance during her “Eras Tour” with the line “It’s been a long time coming,” which is apparently a lyric taken from her song “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince.”
Given the breadth of Taylor Swift’s canon, NASA has plenty of lyrics from her works to choose from if the world’s premier space agency wants to continue referencing her songs to describe space or have wholesome fun with people on the internet.
As for Kelce, he can add to the success he visualizes each evening while staring at the moon, as he has decided to return for at least one more season with the Chiefs.
Dawn Staley responds to a reporter’s awkward USC-South Carolina mix-up
Dawn Staley faced the media following the South Carolina Gamecocks’ 79-51 loss to the UCLA Bruins in the national championship game on Sunday, and one of the several questions she fielded came straight out of the land of confusion.
While doing her postgame press conference duties at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., Staley was asked about her level of excitement for having Saniyah Hall on her team next season.
It seemed like an ordinary question, but the reporter was asking the wrong person.
Hall committed to the USC Trojans, not South Carolina, which the reporter seemed to confuse with USC.
The reporter later backtracked upon realizing her mistake.
“Did something come over the transfer portal? That’s USC,” the 55-year-old Staley said, as the reporter apologized for her blunder.
You can watch the exchange here.
The good: USC got the #1 recruit for next season
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) April 6, 2026
The bad: you asked the wrong USC about it pic.twitter.com/xOW2WKIWp5
Considering the loss the Gamecocks just suffered, Staley could have reacted to the question in a less friendly manner, but she handled it quite well.
South Carolina fell just a win short of winning the NCAA title for the second year in a row, and the Gamecocks will try to make another deep run and get the job done next season — without Hall in the lineup, of course.
Video: Donovan Mitchell drops two defenders at the same time with a wild crossover
Donovan Mitchell’s crossover claimed two victims at the same time.
During the third quarter of Sunday night’s game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Mitchell pulled back and found himself facing the defense of Micah Potter. The Cavs guard then tried to make his move to the basket as Potter fell to the ground along with his teammate, Kobe Brown.
To top it all, Mitchell finished the sequence with a made floater, sending Cavs fans inside the building into a frenzy.
You can watch the play here.
DONOVAN MITCHELL BROKE 2 DEFENDERS ANKLES 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/xJ7GgHKF0Q
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) April 5, 2026
Mitchell is one of the hardest players in the league to guard one-on-one for several reasons. His ball-handling skills, quickness, and athleticism make him extremely difficult to contain, as Potter and Brown can attest.
The seven-time NBA All-Star Mitchell had an ankle situation himself in the fourth quarter of the game, as he tweaked it toward the end of the contest. However, he said he was fine (via Danny Cunningham of Locked on Cavs) shortly after the game in which he led the Cavaliers with 38 points on 16-for-27 shooting from the field, along with 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal in 33 minutes in a 117-108 victory.
Mitchell and the Cavs now sport a 49-29 record, just a game behind the New York Knicks for the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
Draymond Green was visibly irate with Brandin Podziemski after Warriors-Rockets game
The Golden State Warriors got a major boost on Sunday, with two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry returning to action after a 27-game absence.
But Curry’s night against the Houston Rockets at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., did not have the ideal ending for the Warriors, as he missed a potential game-winning attempt from deep as time expired in the fourth quarter, resulting in a 117-116 Golden State loss.
Right after Curry’s miss, Draymond Green showed his frustration with teammate Brandin Podziemski over a misunderstanding on the final play.
Green wanted Podziemski to come closer to the ball to get Curry a more favorable matchup on a switch. But Podziemski stayed on the left side for the entire sequence, idly waiting for Curry to either shoot or pass him the ball.
Curry was unable to get a great look at the basket, with Jabari Smith Jr.’s long arms bothering him and Amen Thompson helping out.
You could see Draymond trying to direct Podz to come over so they could get Sengun guarding the action but Podz didn't understand. Left Jabari on Steph and he played really good defence to make it a tough look. pic.twitter.com/I1SjXePCRk
— Vivek Jacob (@vivekmjacob) April 6, 2026
Green and Podziemski can talk over improving late-game execution and communication, as the Warriors prepare for the Play-in Tournament.
The loss to Houston was Golden State’s fourth in a row, as Curry’s remarkable performance in his first game back from a knee injury went for naught. He came off the bench and fired 29 points on 11/21 shooting with five 3-pointers for the Warriors, who dropped to 36-42 overall and 21-18 at home.
Jason Kidd shares his honest opinion on Luka Doncic’s situation
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd is among the latest to voice his opinion on the NBA’s 65-game rule as it relates to Luka Doncic’s situation.
Doncic is ineligible for major postseason awards, as he’s been ruled out for the remainder of the 2025-26 NBA regular season with just 64 games played. The NBA requires players to play in at least 65 games to be eligible for the awards.
Doncic suffered a hamstring injury in his 64th game, against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Following the Mavs’ 134-128 win over Los Angeles on Sunday at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Kidd weighed in on the NBA’s polarizing policy.
“It’s unfortunate. Not just for Luka, but there’s others in that same situation,” Kidd told reporters following the game against the Lakers, via Noah Weber of The Smoking Cuban.
“Again, Luka is having an MVP season, he was playing at a very, very high level, and for him to get hurt and not to be rewarded for that season, is unfortunate. So hopefully, the NBA will look at these cases and hopefully find a way to make sure that guys don’t get left off the list.”
Before Doncic hurt his hamstring, there was no doubt that he was among the best players in the Association this season. He just had a spectacular March, averaging 37.5 points on 49.2% shooting over 16 games. The former NBA scoring champion was on track to make an All-NBA team and be among the top considerations for the 2026 NBA MVP award.
Those are no longer on the table for Doncic, but what likely hurts him more is his inability to help the Lakers on the court due to his injury.
There is no definite timeline on Doncic’s return, but many expect him to miss at least the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
LeBron James shares his honest reaction to Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves injuries
LeBron James embodied every Los Angeles Lakers fan when he found out he was going to carry the team’s offense by himself.
The Lakers veteran went from third option to first option in a matter of days over the weekend. First, Luka Doncic was diagnosed with a serious hamstring injury on Friday expected to keep him out indefinitely. Less than 24 hours later, Reaves was ruled out for at least a month with a grade 2 oblique injury.
James had an exasperated reaction to the news, just like every Purple and Gold fan who received the updates on social media.
“It was a shot to the heart, obviously, and the chest and the mainframe with Luka, we got that news kind of quick. [Austin Reaves] was dealing with the pain, we knew he was going to get an MRI.”
“Woke up from my nap yesterday, saw that news, and was like, ‘S–t,’” James told reporters.
James turned back the clock on Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks, posting a usage rate akin to his days with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He scored 30 points on 12/22 shooting to go along with a season-high 15 assists to orchestrate the Lakers’ offense during their road contest at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Role players Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes combined for 44 points with LeBron as the floor general. But it wasn’t enough in a 134-128 loss to the Mavericks.
Even at 41 years old, James can still put up numbers with the best of them. For how long he can do it without breaking down himself is the bigger question.
Report reveals Dusty May’s plans amid North Carolina rumors
Dusty May is not expected to leave Ann Arbor anytime soon.
The Michigan head coach was among the high-profile names tied to North Carolina amid the Tar Heels’ search for their program’s next head coach. But according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, May has informed Michigan officials that he is “not pursuing any college basketball jobs.” May wants to continue to coach the Wolverines.
Per the report, North Carolina’s interest in May never took the next step because Michigan advanced all the way to the national title game.
Sources: Dusty May has informed Michigan officials that he’s not pursuing any college basketball jobs, per me and @jeffborzello. May had been an initial target at North Carolina, but that never materialized because of Michigan advancing in the NCAA Tournament. pic.twitter.com/RM1Q2yFYNf
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 5, 2026
May is just in his second season as Michigan’s head coach after taking over for Juwan Howard in 2024. He enters Monday’s national championship game with a 63-13 record (82.9% win rate) in his two years calling plays for the Wolverines.
The 49-year-old head coach drew national attention after leading Florida Atlantic to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2023 and 2024.
May potentially going from coaching Florida Atlantic to North Carolina within the span of three seasons would have been one of the fastest rises in NCAA hoops history. But he clearly believes he still has something to prove at Michigan.
1 notable coach emerges as Doc Rivers’ possible replacement on Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks may already have their succession plan in place for Doc Rivers.
Former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins has surfaced as the “likely prime candidate” for the Bucks’ coaching job if they decide to fire their current coach Rivers, veteran NBA writer Marc Stein reported to Substack on Sunday. Stein further notes that there is indeed growing anticipation that Rivers and the Bucks may be headed for “some sort of parting or job restructuring” after the season.
Rivers, 64, has been the head coach of the Bucks since 2024 but now holds an overall losing record in Milwaukee of 95-100 (.487) with zero playoff series victories. He is also currently presiding over a nightmare season in which the Bucks have gone 31-47, guaranteeing a bottom-five finish in the Eastern Conference.
For roughly a month now, we have heard that Rivers could be on the outs in Milwaukee. Then earlier this week, a report emerged claiming that Rivers has now supposedly lost the confidence of his players.
As for Jenkins, 41, he served as head coach of the Grizzlies from 2019-25. Prior to that, he actually spent one season an assistant coach for the Bucks in 2018-19.
In Memphis, Jenkins helped turn a young, rebuilding team into a perennial Western Conference threat (though he did only have one playoff series victory with the Grizzlies to show for it). For a Bucks team that is likely headed into a young, rebuilding phase of their own with an expected trade of Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer, Jenkins may be just the man for the job (assuming Milwaukee does not promote this in-house option instead).
81-year-old Dodgers fan fuming over team’s latest policy change
The Los Angeles Dodgers are at odds with one of their most loyal fans.
81-year-old Dodgers season ticket holder Errol Segal is beefing with his beloved team after he received a notice for this season that he would no longer get printed tickets. The team was going fully digital for tickets to season ticket holders beginning this year.
The problem is that Segal, who has been a season ticket holder for 50 years, “doesn’t know how to use a computer” and only owns an old flip phone that cannot store virtual tickets.
This 81 year old man is a lifelong Dodgers fan & has been a season pass holder for over 50 years & was just told that he would no longer be allowed to get printed tickets only digital from now on & he’s barely able to navigate a computer & phone.Dodgers aren’t replying to anyone. pic.twitter.com/mwQaHNKeLA
— Suzie rizzio (@Suzierizzo1) April 5, 2026
What stung even more for Segal was that he was given physical tickets when he tried to purchase tickets in person at the Dodger Stadium ticketing booth.
“They can print them. They just don’t want to print them for me. … 50 years, five generations, 50 years and they threw me under the bus,” Segal told NBC Los Angeles.
Season ticket holders spend thousands of dollars on tickets every year. The least the Dodgers or any franchise, for that matter, could do is give them the option to receive physical tickets, even just as a memento. And if not, the Dodgers could’ve at least rewarded Segal’s longtime dedication by grandfathering him in under the new policy.
Jon Jones addresses video him flipping off another driver in road rage incident
Jon Jones has addressed the viral clip of him confronting another driver in an apparent road rage incident.
A video of the former UFC heavyweight champion has emerged, showing him in a contentious exchange with another driver at a Little Caesars parking lot. Jones walked toward the man while keeping his hand buried in the pocket of his hoodie.
The man accused Jones of “almost hitting” him with his truck. Jones responded by telling the man to “calm down” and “relax yourself.” Jones flipped the bird at the other driver before walking away.
Jones spoke out on the issue on Sunday, stating that he was “proud of myself” for standing up for himself.
“This kid proceeded to chase my car down for two blocks, revving his engine and trying to intimidate me,” Jones posted on X. “I am glad this happened to me and not one of the senior citizens in our community. I am proud of myself for standing up for myself and not allowing that kind of bullying or intimidation.”
Without additional footage of the two vehicles on the road moments before the confrontation, it’s impossible to know whether Jones was actually in the right under traffic rules. But given Jones’ checkered history with the law, keeping the exchange relatively peaceful was already a win for him in and of itself.
Jones handled the situation much better than when he appeared to threaten a police officer during an incident last year.
Details emerge on Lakers’ plan for Luka Doncic
The Los Angeles Lakers are in scramble mode to get Luka Doncic back on the floor.
Doncic hurt his hamstring during what was essentially garbage time of the Lakers’ Thursday game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Lakers were trailing by 32 points in the third quarter when Doncic came up limping and made a beeline for the locker room at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Doncic was later diagnosed with a grade 2 hamstring strain, potentially keeping him out for at least the rest of the regular season and potentially beyond. Both Luka and the Lakers appear to be determined to beat the initial timeline.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Lakers have agreed to let Doncic “seek specialized medical treatment” in Europe to “expedite his return to play.”
After consultation with Lakers doctors and his own medical team, Luka Doncic will seek specialized medical treatment in Europe on his Grade 2 left hamstring in an attempt to expedite his return to play, agent Bill Duffy of WME Basketball tells me and @mcten. pic.twitter.com/qutILIxzMK
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 6, 2026
It’s not the first time a Lakers star has retreated to Europe to find a way to get back on the floor as quickly as possible. Kobe Bryant famously went to Germany to receive a platelet-rich plasma treatment for his knee, and he came back “a new man with a brand-new knee,” his teammate Pau Gasol said back in 2013.
Lakers fans can only hope the same happens to Doncic and his hamstring. Perhaps Austin Reaves can join him, too. The Oklahoma product also suffered a significant oblique injury, leaving LeBron James to fend for himself on a roster devoid of star talent.
Mike Trout fumes at the Mariners after getting injured on HBP
Mike Trout was about as mad after Sunday’s game as we ever see Mike Trout get.
Trout and the Los Angeles Angels earned a dramatic 8-7 victory over the Seattle Mariners after 11 innings at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. But unfortunately for Trout, he had to exit the game in the eighth inning after getting hit on the left hand by a pitch from Seattle’s Casey Legumina.
Mike Trout leaves the game after getting hit by a pitch on the hand pic.twitter.com/ISOz5Janj6
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 5, 2026
After the game, Trout spoke with reporters and was clearly peeved. He called out the Mariners for being reckless with their inside pitches to him.
“We know where they’re trying to get me out, fastballs up and in, so it’s just frustrating,” said Trout, per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. “You know, if you can’t control it up there, you shouldn’t do it. So it is what it is.”
The resentment from Trout had been brewing all series. For context, Trout took back-to-back pitches upstairs from Seattle’s Bryan Woo during his very first at-bat in Friday’s season opener, the second of which plunked him too.
Bryan Woo’s 1st 2 pitches to Mike Trout
— Barstool Baseball (@StoolBaseball) April 4, 2026
Up and in at Head
Hit by pitch
Mike ain’t happy pic.twitter.com/eq4zrrpohF
X-rays after Sunday’s game on Trout’s hand were reportedly negative, but he was said to be dealing with some swelling. Meanwhile, it is tough to give Seattle the benefit of the doubt here since Trout has been complaining about upstairs pitches from them for several years now.
Division III national championship game ended in wild buzzer-beater
NCAA Division III provided top-flight drama on Sunday in the closing moments of its championship game.
Mary Washington led Emory 72-70 with under 20 seconds to play in Division III’s title game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. Mary Washington forward Colin Mitchell split a pair of free throws, which kept the door open for Emory to tie the game.
Emory sharpshooter Ethan Fauss didn’t waste that chance. He grabbed the rebound, handed it off to senior guard Ben Pearce, then relocated for a right-wing triple to tie the game at 73. Mary Washington, out of timeouts, gave the ball to star guard Kye Robinson. He airballed a floater with a couple of seconds left that fell right into the hands of Mitchell for a putback layup.
BUZZER-BEATER TO WIN A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 😱
— ESPN (@espn) April 5, 2026
THE MARY WASHINGTON EAGLES WIN THE D-III NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN WILD FASHION 🤯 pic.twitter.com/1p03REKlg8
Here’s another angle capturing the full sequence, including Fauss’ game-tying three-pointer that preceded Mitchell’s game-winner.
INSANE FINISH!!
— Sam Federman (@Sam_Federman) April 5, 2026
MARY WASHINGTON WINS THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE BUZZER 75-73 ON A COLIN MITCHELL PUTBACK!
Comes right after Emory drills a game-tying three coming from down 13.
Division III. What a finish pic.twitter.com/rCKkdmLGMm
Nothing beats a buzzer-beater to decide a national championship game. Mitchell’s putback gave Mary Washington, a Virginia-based university, its first national title in program history.
Mitchell entered Sunday’s contest averaging just 3.2 points and 1.4 rebounds across 32 games. He left Gainbridge Fieldhouse as a school icon for decades to come.
UConn and Michigan better be taking notes ahead of their own Division I clash Monday for the NCAA Tournament crown.
LeBron James gets upset at son Bronny during game
LeBron James was not giving his son any preferential treatment during Sunday’s game.
The Los Angeles Lakers played Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks. In the third quarter at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, James was jockeying for position in the post as his son Bronny had the ball up top.
Instead of bouncing in the entry pass to LeBron, Bronny floated in the ball instead, allowing Dallas defender Marvin Bagley III to deflect it out of bounds. LeBron was visibly upset about the flub and sternly lectured Bronny as a result.
Here is the video.
— @MindOfBron (@FunKneeBone) April 6, 2026
The 21-year-old NBA sophomore Bronny is still very much learning the nuances of the pro game, especially as a ball-handler. To that point, Bronny has averaged just 1.0 assists versus 0.5 turnovers per game for his NBA career thus far.
That said, Bronny is now getting a chance to audition for a legitimately important role with the Lakers. Luka Doncic (hamstring), Austin Reaves (oblique), and Marcus Smart (ankle) are all now in the middle of extended absences, leaving the team with a dangerous lack of options at the guard position.
The evidence would suggest that Bronny is in over his head at this point as a true rotation player on an NBA team. But he did have a pretty nice showing a few days back that drew heavy praise from his father LeBron instead.
Cameron Boozer dealt with significant injury during Duke’s loss
Cameron Boozer dealt with a fairly significant injury during the final loss of Duke’s season, he revealed Sunday.
At an awards ceremony Sunday, Boozer revealed he suffered “a couple of fractures” around one of his eyes during the team’s 73-72 loss to UConn last Sunday. He decided not to have surgery to address the issue.
Cam Boozer says he received “a couple of fractures” in the UConn game around his eye. pic.twitter.com/qy8QR7v7cB
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) April 5, 2026
Boozer looked fine and it wasn’t readily apparent that he had suffered any injury. He likely suffered the issue when he took an elbow to the face from UConn’s Eric Reibe, which left his eye visibly swollen. Duke trainers had to take the step of holding a soda can up against Boozer’s face during the game to try to alleviate the swelling.
"He's like a boxer that went to his corner." -Ian Eagle on Cameron Boozer pic.twitter.com/Apgvy9acXk
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 29, 2026
Boozer still scored 27 points and collected eight rebounds during the defeat.
The Duke star is expected to be one of the top picks in June’s NBA Draft. There have, however, been questions about his toughness and athleticism. This probably won’t play into those too much, but it might be one reason he opted against pre-draft surgery.
