Everyone said the same thing after Timberwolves stunned Nuggets in Game 6
One player was clearly the biggest winner of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ win on Thursday over the Denver Nuggets.
The T-Wolves were down three of their top-scoring guards in Game 6 of their first-round series at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. But as Anthony Edwards famously touted, the home team had Jaden McDaniels.
McDaniels talked a lot of smack after Game 2, ridiculing Denver for supposedly having a team full of poor defenders. He let his play do the talking in Game 6.
The 25-year-old swingman was arguably the best player on the floor on Thursday, and that’s in a contest that included Nikola Jokic. McDaniels finished with 32 points and 10 rebounds on 13/25 shooting, while also clamping up Murray like he was prime Kawhi Leonard.
Fans and media members alike were quick to praise McDaniels for backing up every word that he said throughout the series.
Jaden McDaniels talked it and walked it and the only time he smiled was when Jokic grabbed him at the end of game 4.
— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) May 1, 2026
Jaden McDaniels is having a top 3 aura moment in basketball history
— RB (Ringless Bitch) (@RyB_311) May 1, 2026
Unfathomable levels of backing it up by Jaden McDaniels
— Adam Nayman (@brofromanother) May 1, 2026
McDaniels was draped on Murray all night, holding the Nuggets star to just 12 points on 4/17 shooting. That’s a championship-caliber guard known for playoff heroics that McDaniels took out of the game.
Murray was helpless to stop McDaniels on the other end, as the lanky forward just shot over the top of him every time down the floor.
For as loud as Nuggets fans booed McDaniels in Game 5, the cheers he heard in Minnesota were even louder.
Makai Lemon gets blessing to use Eagles number not worn in nearly a decade
Philadelphia Eagles rookie Makai Lemon has gotten the green light to bring back a jersey number that means a lot to the city he’s moving to.
Lemon shared on Thursday that he would be wearing the No. 9 when he takes the field for the Eagles this season. The number has not been used since the 2018 season, when a certain backup quarterback by the name of Nick Foles was still slinging passes in Philly.
“I appreciate the Eagles so much. Nick Foles, especially, to pass that number down,” Lemon told reporters.
“He could have easily kept that number to himself. Such a great player when he was here, wearing that number 9. Led them to the Super Bowl. … I’ll represent the 9 well.”
The USC product said that he was well aware that the number had not been used for several years. Lemon added that he had a phone call with Foles, who wanted to “pass that number over” to him. Foles was the first to tell Lemon that he was getting the go-ahead to rock the No. 9.
Fortunately for Lemon, there were no take-backs (so far) from his call with Foles. That wasn’t the case during the NFL draft, when Lemon was on the phone with the wrong team before hearing his name called.
Lemon wore No. 6 in his final season with the Trojans. That number is already taken by fellow wide receiver DeVonta Smith, who also used No. 6 during his four years at Alabama.
Knicks fans already taunting next opponent with 3-word chant
New York Knicks fans were puffing their chests for good reason Thursday after the team manhandled the Atlanta Hawks to advance to the second round.
The Knicks laid the smackdown on the Hawks in a 140-89 beatdown in Game 6 that broke all kinds of NBA postseason records. New York led by as many as 61 points in front of a silent crowd at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga.
Knicks fans did not let hundreds of miles of separation stop them from celebrating. Thousands gathered around Madison Square Garden for the contest and celebrated the win as if it had just taken place at the “World’s Most Famous Arena.”
The chant that broke out after the Knicks’ Game 6 win directly taunted one team while indirectly dismissing the other.
“We want Boston! We want Boston!” fans chanted outside MSG.
Knicks fans chant “WE WANT BOSTON” after a Game 5 win at MSG
— Alex Monaco (@Alex__Monaco) April 29, 2026
7th Avenue is rockin’#Knicks #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/O1GiCi6ZsF
A week ago, the Celtics looked more likely to advance to the second round than the Knicks did. Boston led its series against the Philadelphia 76ers 3-1, while New York was deadlocked at 2-2 against Atlanta.
The Knicks took care of business on Thursday night. The Celtics failed to do the same, as the Sixers beat them 106-93 to force a Game 7 in Boston.
The fans along 7th Avenue should probably be hoping for Philly to advance so that New York would get homecourt advantage in the second round. But the prospect of eliminating the Celtics in back-to-back seasons may be what has fans so focused on the boys from Beantown.
Grant Hill dropped the craziest line about Joel Embiid in Game 6
Grant Hill was dropping bars during Thursday night’s game.
The retired Basketball Hall of Famer Hill was on the call for NBC during Game 6 between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers. In the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa. Hill busted out the craziest line about 76ers star Joel Embiid.
Reacting to a behind-the-back pass that Embiid made to 76ers teammate Kelly Oubre Jr. for an easy dunk, Hill started waxing poetic. “No appendix, no problem!” exclaimed Hill.
“Joel Embiid: No appendix, no problem!!!”
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) May 1, 2026
New tier of color commentary achieved. pic.twitter.com/YDx3lWE9gZ
That is, of course, a reference to Embiid’s recent health situation. The former NBA MVP Embiid recently returned to the lineup after missing roughly two-and-a-half weeks while recovering from an emergency appendectomy.
Embiid’s impact since returning has been immense as well. He put up 19 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists on Thursday as the 76ers won 106-93 to force a Game 7 against the Celtics on Saturday.
The seven-footer Embiid, who also powered through a separate injury scare in Game 5 of the series, generally has a reputation as a playoff choker. But if he can lead the No. 7 seed 76ers to a comeback upset of the No. 2 seed Celtics, it could definitely do wonders for Embiid’s overall legacy.
Grizzlies get good news on Ja Morant
There may finally be a light at the end of the tunnel for the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies are expected to find a “wider trade market” for their disgruntled star point guard Ja Morant this offseason, veteran NBA writer Jake Fischer reported to Substack on Thursday. Fischer notes that Memphis is widely expected to resume their efforts to trade Morant in the coming weeks.
Morant, a two-time All-Star at 26 years old, has been with the Grizzlies since they drafted him with the No. 2 pick in 2019. But after seven seasons together, all signs are pointing to a split between the two sides in the summer.
Memphis reportedly shopped Morant extensively ahead of the trade deadline in February but did not find very much of a market for him. It also did not help either that Morant appeared in just 20 total games due to injury and was causing problems for the Grizzlies throughout the year (including a team-levied suspension for an incident with head coach Tuomas Iisalo).
The Grizzlies went a miserable 25-57 in 2025-26 and already traded away two other core players in Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. over the course of the last year. Now even Morant himself, who is owed roughly $85 million in the next two seasons, seems to be turning up the pressure on Memphis to finally trade him as well.
By waiting until the summer to make a trade, interested teams will have more financial flexibility as well as one less season to pay out on Morant’s contract. That may be why we have seen two notable new teams emerge as potential suitors for Morant over the last couple of weeks.
Shaq pulls a hilarious stunt during Knicks-Hawks blowout
Shaquille O’Neal has still got his fastball.
The retired basketball icon O’Neal pulled a priceless stunt on the air during ESPN’s coverage of New York Knicks-Atlanta Hawks Game 6 on Thursday. Atlanta headed into halftime trailing New York by (gulp) 47 points. They went down 83-36 in front of their home crowd at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga., representing the single largest halftime deficit in NBA playoff history.
That led to a hilarious display by O’Neal and the “Inside the NBA” crew at halftime. O’Neal went on the air and pretended to perform CPR on a plush figure of Harry the Hawk, mascot of the Atlanta Hawks.
The Big Aristotle’s efforts were apparently unsuccessful though, and he proceeded to lay the plush figure into a makeshift casket while singing, “It’s so hard to say goodbye!” Here is the hilarious video.
Shaq trying to revive the Hawks.
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 1, 2026
This is great. pic.twitter.com/6JClZTSlOX
Hawks fans were probably wishing that the game was called at halftime as it somehow got even worse for their team from there. Atlanta ended up losing by a final score of 140-89, officially eliminating them from playoff contention as New York won the series 4-2. They even trailed by as many 61 at one point, leading to some incredible reactions on social media.
Apr. 30, 2026 will ultimately go down as a day that the extended Atlanta metropolitan will collectively try to forget. Things got so bad down the stretch that the Hawks even started a fight while down by 50.
Shilo Sanders ripped for telling female reporter to ‘go make a sandwich’
Shilo Sanders is being ripped this week for his controversial comment over social media.
The former University of Colorado safety Shilo, who is the son of Deion Sanders, sparked backlash on Thursday with his message for reporter Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Cabot covers the Cleveland Browns, who currently employ Shilo’s brother Shedeur at the quarterback position.
Shilo was reacting to some recent remarks made by Cabot giving her opinion that Deshaun Watson should win the Browns’ starting quarterback job over Shedeur in 2026. In an Instagram comment, Shilo took a misogynistic jab at Cabot.
“Go make a sandwich Mary,” Shilo wrote. Here is the screenshot.
TRENDING: Former #NFL safety Shilo Sanders is under criticism for a “SEXIST” comment about #Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot after she said Deshaun Watson should be the starting quarterback over his brother Shedeur.
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) April 30, 2026
“GO MAKE A SANDWICH MARY”
pic.twitter.com/u5e11jeWji
The 26-year-old Shilo received universal condemnation online over the comment. Making the optics even worse for him too was that Cabot has been covering the Browns since 1988 and was simply sharing her informed opinion on a football topic related to the team.
Ever since graduating college, Shilo has also been earning himself some negative publicity in other regards. Most notably, Shilo was briefly with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2025 NFL preseason but was cut by the team after getting ejected for throwing a punch at an opponent. Shilo has been facing some financial troubles as well and had a six-figure lawsuit filed against him last year.
Internet reacts to Knicks taking 61-point lead on Hawks in Game 6
The New York Knicks dealt the Atlanta Hawks a beatdown of epic proportions on Thursday in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference first-round series.
The Hawks had their backs against the wall in an elimination game at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga. But the Knicks were the ones who came out with a sense of urgency. The road team went on a 39-4 (!!) run that extended from the 8:11 mark of the first quarter to early in the second quarter in front of a stunned crowd.
Atlanta eventually just rolled over. New York’s run extended to 67-13 to take a stunning 50-point lead on their way to the second round. The Knicks’ 47-point lead at halftime was the largest halftime difference in NBA playoff history.
The Knicks went on a 67-13 run to take a 50-point lead in a Game 6.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 1, 2026
This is a thing that happened. pic.twitter.com/pGfqBtN6qJ
The margin grew to as high as 61 points, leaving fans watching from home completely stunned by the historic drubbing that was taking place.
IS THAT KNICKS HAWKS SCORE REAL????
— A ✩ (@adryanashton) May 1, 2026
what the knicks are doing to the hawks right now is actually illegal in 49 states
— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) April 30, 2026
Dawg what the hell are the Knicks doing to the hawks
— ProCy ☘️ (@_ProCy_) May 1, 2026
The Knicks toyed with the Hawks like they were two completely mismatched teams during March Madness.
This is just a pure humiliation pic.twitter.com/u3QN4Gnza7
— ᴅ ʀ ᴇ ᴡ (@FeelLikeDrew) May 1, 2026
Despite the lopsided score, there was still some fiery action on the court in Game 6. It came in the form of Dyson Daniels and Mitchell Robinson getting into a major scuffle that led to their ejection before halftime.
The game mercifully ended with the Knicks winning 140-89.
Cade Cunningham gets punished by the NBA after Game 5
Cade Cunningham was absolutely brilliant in Wednesday’s Game 5 but is now being reprimanded after the fact.
The NBA announced on Thursday that they are giving the Detroit Pistons superstar point guard Cunningham a retroactive flagrant 1 foul. Cunningham fouled Orlando Magic guard Jamal Cain during the second quarter of their game at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich. during a boxout and was given a common foul at the time.
More precisely speaking, the incident occurred with 20.4 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Orlando guard Anthony Black missed on a three-point attempt, and Cunningham gave a two-handed shove to Cain to prevent Cain from crashing the offensive glass.
You can see the video of the incident at the link here.
Cain has been a primary defender on Cunningham during the first-round series. But it was Cunningham who won the battle on Wednesday, scoring 45 points to lead the Pistons to a 116-109 victory over the Magic (cutting Orlando’s advantage in the series to 3-2).
Unfortunately for the two-time All-Star Cunningham though, he will now be getting a flagrant foul point put onto his total for the postseason. Six points result in an automatic fine and one-game suspension, so Cunningham will have to be careful if Detroit ends up making a deep playoff run (though that is still very much in doubt right now).
Mitchell Robinson, Dyson Daniels get ejected for fighting in Game 6
Thursday’s Game 6 between the New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks had a little bit of everything.
The two teams met on Thursday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga. for the sixth installment of their first-round series. In the second quarter, things got heated between Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson and Hawks guard Dyson Daniels.
The two players were attempting to box each other out on a free throw attempt by New York’s OG Anunoby and got tangled up. Daniels appeared to initiate the hostilities by throwing an elbow into Robinson’s upper ribcage, and Robinson got into his face as a result.
That led to players from both teams exchanging shoves, and referee Brent Barnaky even getting knocked down at one point. Here is the video of the full incident (which ultimately led to both Robinson and Daniels getting ejected).
Dyson Daniels and Mitchell Robinson ejected for brawl pic.twitter.com/AATM8JiIPV
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 1, 2026
The Hawks were down enormously at the time of the incident, so that might have been some pent-up frustration on Daniels’ part. He finished with three points on 1/4 shooting at the time of his ejection while Robinson finished the night with six points on 3/3 shooting.
Thursday’s matchup was an elimination game with the Knicks entering play nursing a 3-2 series lead. Meanwhile, that scuffle brought back memories of the shoving match that Robinson got into during the first round of last year’s playoffs as well.
Seahawks announce 6-foot-5 WR will attempt rare position switch
The Seattle Seahawks are attempting something a bit rare in the NFL.
Former Arkansas wide receiver Tyrone Broden, who spent three seasons at Bowling Green and the final two years with the Razorbacks.
However, the Seahawks announced on Thursday that Broden will be attempting to make the transition from wide receiver to cornerback.
“Seahawks Tyrone Broden, who is moving from receiver to cornerback, also changed his jersey number to No. 31,” the team wrote on the official website.
The jersey numbers are in.
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) April 30, 2026
Read more » https://t.co/8iEcGft9gS
Presented by @lumentechco pic.twitter.com/XJzFN0ytpY
Broden, who stands at 6-foot-5, will now try and make the switch.
Last season, Green Bay Packers player Bo Melton – a Seahawks’ 2022 draft pick – made the switch to cornerback and ended up playing in 16 games.
Broden’s best seasons came in 2021 and 2022 with Bowling Green. He had 36 catches for 596 yards and five touchdowns in 2021 and then 32 receptions for 506 yards and a career-high seven scores in 2022 before transferring to Arkansas.
Broden then went undrafted in 2025 and signed an UDFA deal with Seattle, but he remained on the practice squad.
Former Seahawks CB Tariq Woolen, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason, was listed as the tallest CB currently in the NFL at 6-foot-4, but Broden is one inch taller.
Kyle Shanahan gives hopeful George Kittle injury update
The San Francisco 49ers are sure hoping that star tight end George Kittle can be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.
Kittle suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the 49ers’ Wild Card game against the Philadelphia Eagles, and now, head coach Kyle Shanahan said the goal is that the tight end will be ready to start the season.
Kyle Shanahan told @ESPNNFL that George Kittle is shooting to return Week 1 against the Rams from his Achilles injury. Unclear if Kittle is indeed on track for that, but that's where he's aiming
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) April 30, 2026
The initial timeframe for Kittle’s return was somewhere between 8 and 12 months, which is the average for a torn Achilles injury. So, the expectation had been that Kittle could return for Week 1 if everything goes well, and Shanahan continued with that sentiment on Thursday.
Kittle, who was selected by the 49ers in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, has spent his entire career with the franchise and has made the Pro Bowl seven times.
The 49ers’ offense has seen some changes with Mike Evans and Christian Kirk signing in free agency. Tight ends coach Brian Fleury left to become the new offensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks after Klint Kubiak took the head coaching job with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Nonetheless, it is encouraging that the team is hopeful that George Kittle can return for Week 1, and his status will be one to monitor throughout the summer.
John Wall lands a new job in college basketball
Former No. 1 overall draft pick John Wall retired from the NBA in August 2025.
Wall then joined Amazon Prime Video’s coverage team as an NBA analyst. Now, Wall has a new job, this time in college basketball, as he is the new president of basketball operations at Howard University, as first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Howard later made it official with the release on social media.
A DC legend is coming home!
— Howard Men’s Basketball (@HUMensBB) April 30, 2026
John Wall has been named President of Basketball Operations for the program.
We’re excited to have @JohnWall bring his expertise to the Mecca!
Full Press Release:https://t.co/LmSKV0vWX0#dreamfactory🦬🔵🔴 #howarduniversity pic.twitter.com/VpV0oOSVcH
Wall, who was selected No. 1 overall by the Washington Wizards in 2010, spent the majority of his career in DC before playing one season with the Houston Rockets and his final year with the Los Angeles Clippers before announcing his official retirement in 2025.
It is a return to DC for John Wall, who spent nine seasons of his NBA career with the Wizards.
Wall said moving into the new role is something he is “truly excited” about.
“Stepping into this role is something I’m truly excited about,” Wall said in a statement. “Washington, DC has always been my second home, and it means a lot to me to be able to come back and pour into a community that’s given me so much. Howard is an HBCU program that’s proving to the world that Black Excellence has no limits. To be part of what is building here and help shape the future of these young men is something I take a lot of pride in.”
Howard finished the season with a 24-11 overall record and an 11-3 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
Howard won the First Four game against UMBC but lost to Michigan, 101-80, in the Round of 64.
Wild stat shows Kyle Schwarber is keeping up with Babe Ruth
Anytime your name is next to that of MLB legend Babe Ruth, you are doing something right.
Now, that is exactly the case for Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber. On Thursday, Schwarber hit the 350th home run of his career in the Phillies’ 3-2 win over the San Francisco Giants in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pa.
That puts Schwarber two home runs above where Ruth was after 1,321 career games.
Babe Ruth hit 348 HRs in his first 1,321 MLB games.
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) April 30, 2026
Kyle Schwarber hit 350 HRs in his first 1,321 MLB games. pic.twitter.com/HcmfTUhdR6
Ruth, the Yankees legend and Hall of Famer, is third all-time with 714 home runs, trailing only Barry Bonds and Hank Aaron, respectively.
Schwarber, 33, is in his 10th MLB season, so he is well on pace to get past 500 if he continues to play well.
Schwarber has been with the Phillies since 2022, and he signed a five-year, $150 million contract in free agency despite drawing a similar offer from the Baltimore Orioles, who quickly pivoted to sign Pete Alonso.
Schwarber spent the first six seasons with the Chicago Cubs, but he has 40 or more home runs in three of the past four years in Philadelphia, including a career-high 56 dingers in 2025.
After Game 1 of the doubleheader, Schwarber’s batting average is just .196, but he has 10 home runs this season and continues to be on pace with Ruth.
Devin Booker trade speculation draws firm stance from Suns owner
The Phoenix Suns saw their postseason come to an end with a four-game sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Entering the offseason, trade speculation has swirled with superstar guard Devin Booker, who has spent his entire NBA career in Phoenix.
However, it seems that the franchise has no plans to trade Booker, according to Suns owner Mat Ishbia.
“Devin Booker is gonna be here,” Ishbai said. “Devin Booker is not getting traded. Devin Booker is our franchise player. We’re gonna win a championship here with Devin Booker.”
Mat Ishbia shuts down Devin Booker trade speculation:
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) April 30, 2026
"Devin Booker is not getting traded. Devin Booker is our franchise player." pic.twitter.com/16VItjv0Ro
Ishbia said he would “ride into a fire” with Booker and added that the guard loves being in Phoenix.
The roster in Phoenix has changed a lot over the years, including Kevin Durant being shipped off to the Houston Rockets. However, the franchise has been consistent in remaining committed to Booker.
Booker’s contract runs through th 2029-30 season after he signed a two-year, $145 million maximum extension in the summer of 2025.
The Suns selected Booker at No. 13 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft after he played college basketball at Kentucky, and he averaged 26.1 points per game with 6.0 assists and 3.9 rebounds this past season, so he is still a valuable part of the roster.
Orioles pull off rare grand slam feat
The bats are coming to life for the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday against the Houston Astros at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Md.
In the bottom of the fifth, Adley Rutschman hit a grand slam to give the Orioles a 5-0 lead, and it was almost caught by Astros center fielder Brice Matthews.
ADLEY GRAND SLAM!!! pic.twitter.com/ZUalJjyBUR
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) April 30, 2026
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Orioles second baseman Jeremiah Jackson followed suit with another grand slam to give Baltimore a commanding 10-1 lead.
Jeremiah Jackson can't stop hitting grand slams! pic.twitter.com/YOJwB7YsVM
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) April 30, 2026
This marks the first time Baltimore has hit two grand slams in the same game since 2015, and it is just the eighth time in franchise history.
This is the first time the Orioles have had multiple grand slams in a game since Sept. 11, 2015. It's the eighth time in franchise history.
— Andy Kostka (@afkostka) April 30, 2026
That 2015 double slam game was Steve Clevenger and Nolan Reimold in the same inning https://t.co/91GYvvAIJv
Veteran pitcher Chris Bassitt tossed a gem for the home team, going 6.2 innings with just one run on seven hits while striking out seven batters in his longest start of the season.
And, having tons of run support helps.
Coming into Thursday, the Orioles had nine runs combined in the past three games, and this offensive barrage came in the first game of a doubleheader.
Lakers’ stance on Luke Kennard re-signing has been revealed
The Los Angeles Lakers are up 3-2 in the first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, and whenever the postseason ends, they will face plenty of roster decisions.
Questions remain about the future of LeBron James and Austin Reaves, although Reaves is a candidate to sign a massive deal with the Lakers this summer.
Another question is regarding sharpshooter Luke Kennard, who came to LA via a trade with Atlanta Hawks at the NBA trade deadline. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Lakers are planning to prioritize re-signing Kennard this offseason.
Kennard will have Non-Bird rights this offseason, which means the Lakers can offer a $13.2 million deal as a starting point and can go higher as a mid-level exception.
Kennard played in 32 regular-season games for LA, averaging 9.0 points per game with a 44.8 percentage mark from three-point land.
With Reaves and Luka Doncic out for the start of the Lakers-Rockets series, Kennard saw big minutes. Kennard averaged 37.8 minutes through the first five games with 14.4 points per game.
Reaves did return for Game 5 and Kennard remained in the starting lineup, but he scored just 1 point on a 0-for-4 clip in the Lakers’ loss.
Kennard signed a one-year deal worth $11 million with the Hawks prior to the 2025-26 season, and he should get a bit of a pay raise wherever he lands in free agency, although the Lakers will be a favorite to bring him back.
7-foot-9 center Olivier Rioux is headed to the West Coast
Former Florida center Olivier Rioux, the tallest player in college basketball history, has found a new home in the transfer portal.
Rioux announced on Instagram that he will join the UC Irvine Anteaters.
Rioux, who is from Canada and played at IMG Academy in Florida, spent two years with the Florida Gators but played sparingly.
Rioux decided to enter the transfer portal after Florida’s 2026 NCAA Tournament run came to an end, and he now lands at UC Irvine in hopes of getting significant playing time.
IC Irvine head coach Russell Turner released a statement after the news became official on Thursday.
“We are excited to welcome Olivier Rioux to our program,” Turner said, per the release. “Olivier is a high-character young man whose presence will elevate our team, our university, and our community…We’ve built a strong relationship with Olivier and his family over the years, dating back to his high school recruitment, and that familiarity gives us tremendous belief in who he is both on and off the court.”
Rioux redshirted in his first season at Florida and played in 11 games this past season, averaging just 0.6 points in 1.5 minutes per game.
Rioux had 2 points with 2 rebounds in Florida’s Round of 64 win over No. 16 seed Prairie View A&M.
UC Irvine finished 23-12 overall and won the Big West regular season crown before losing to Hawaii in the conference tournament to miss the NCAA Tournament.
Andrew Luck, Stanford land 4-star QB in Class of 2027
Former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is now the GM for the Stanford football program, and the Cardinal are making big moves.
On Thursday, Stanford landed a commitment from Class of 2027 four-star quarterback Sione Tu’amoheloa-Kaho, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN.
NEWS: Four-star quarterback Sione Tu’amoheloa-Kaho is committing to Stanford, he tells ESPN. He’s ESPN’s No. 18 QB in the Class of 2027 from Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Wash. He’s a 6-foot-2, 210-pound pocket passer who pledged to coach Tavita Pritchard and GM Andrew Luck. pic.twitter.com/7IpljzcUZ4
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 30, 2026
Both On3 and 247Sports have Tu’amoheloa-Kaho as a four-star prospect, and both outlets have him ranked as a top-20 QB in the Class of 2027.
Tu’amoheloa-Kaho currently plays at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Wash. The future Cardinal QB has plenty of ties with Pritchard, the new head coach in Palo Alto. Pritchard is also from Tacoma,
Lots of connections between Kaho and Tavita Pritchard, who both come from Tacoma, Wa. Pritchard also overlapped in the Washington Commanders organization with Kaho’s older brother, former Alabama and UCLA linebacker Ale Kaho.
— Eli Lederman (@ByEliLederman) April 30, 2026
Big get for Stanford and Pritchard’s debut class. https://t.co/ebUXymw9AE
In November, Stanford hired Washington Commanders quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard as the new head coach. Pritchard was also a former Stanford QB, so he returns to his alma mater to try and right the ship in Palo Alto.
Stanford also received a $50 million donation from ex-player Bradford M. Freeman, so the Cardinal are trying to stay competitive in the new era of NIL and in the ACC after making the move from the Pac-12.
Stanford went just 4-8 in 2025 in its second season in the ACC, and Frank Reich was the interim head coach after Troy Taylor was fired due to bullying allegations.
Ravens reunite with 6-time Pro Bowler ahead of his 19th season
New Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter is going to have a lot of pieces to work with in the 2026 NFL season.
On Thursday, the Ravens added another key piece, with veteran defensive end and six-time Pro Bowler Calais Campbell signing a one-year deal with Baltimore.
Campbell spent time with the Ravens from 2020 to 2022, and he is set to play in his 19th season in the league.
Six-time Pro-Bowl DE Calais Campbell, who played in Baltimore from 2020-2022, is returning to sign a one-year deal with the Ravens, per source. Campbell will 40 on Sept. 1 and this will be his 19th NFL season. pic.twitter.com/9j73pAI6xk
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 30, 2026
The Arizona Cardinals selected Campbell in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft, and he spent the first nine seasons of his career with Arizona before spending the next three with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Campbell then spent three seasons with the Ravens, and one each with the Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins and the Cardinals again, so this marks his fourth different team in four seasons.
Campbell considered retirement prior to the 2021 season, and then again in 2025, before signing a one-year deal to return to Arizona.
The Ravens’ defense should be fun to watch with Minter as the new head coach after he spent time as the Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive coordinator.
The Ravens also signed former Cincinnati Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson in free agency.



























