NEW YORK — A social media influencer who serves up advice on sports betting and romance pleaded guilty Thursday to his role in two sweeping basketball game-fixing schemes involving NBA stars, the NCAA and the Chinese Basketball Association.

Marves “Vezino Locks” Fairley — who was still selling $60 betting tips this past Tuesday on Game ...Read more

CHICAGO — The pieces are beginning to fall into place for the Chicago Bulls.

After hiring two right hands in Acie Law IV and Stephen Mervis earlier this month, new executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham turned his focus to the next item on the checklist: finding a coach to replace Billy Donovan.

This entire process ...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — We learned Tuesday morning that the 2026-27 Kentucky-Indiana men’s basketball game, originally slated to be played in Indianapolis on Dec. 27, will instead take place Nov. 20 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

What will be fascinating about the second game in the renewed series between border rivals UK and IU is whether Mark Pope’s ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — In the NBA, it's all: "Together, on three!" Or "defense, on three!"

Or maybe, "Cancún, on three!"

But when the NBA braintrust breaks a huddle, it's, "3-2-1, overreact!"

"3-2-1, obfuscate!"

"3-2-1, complicate!"

The NBA's owners are expected to meet Thursday to approve new "anti-tanking draft reform" via a "3-2-1 lottery." I ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The 76ers have four primary candidates — Jameer Nelson, Matt Lloyd, Nick U’Ren and Mike Gansey — in their search for a new day-to-day lead front office executive, according to a report from the Stein Line.

Bob Myers, the president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and former president of basketball ...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Milan Momcilovic, the top 3-point shooter in all of college basketball last season, has decided to remove his name from the 2026 NBA draft and return to school.

Kentucky could end up being his next destination.

Momcilovic — a 6-foot-8 forward from Pewaukee, Wis. — spent the first three years of his college career at Iowa...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Lakers informed employees Wednesday there would be a round of layoffs as the organization continues restructuring under new ownership, according to multiple people.

Those familiar with the situation but unable to speak publicly confirmed to The Los Angeles Times that at least 15 people across multiple departments, including ...Read more

CHICAGO — Andrej Stojaković is withdrawing his name from the NBA draft and will return to Illinois for his senior season.

Stojaković made the announcement on social media Wednesday. His return means the Illini will have five key pieces of their Final Four team back for the 2026-27 season.

The 6-foot-7 wing first announced his return to ...Read more

NEW YORK — Karl-Anthony Towns knows the struggle as well as anyone.

He understands the patience, loyalty and heartbreak Knicks fans endured as they waited — and waited and waited — for this return to the NBA Finals.

He used to be right there with them.

“I grew up a Knicks fan,” Towns, who was born and raised in New Jersey, said ...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. — The March glory of the past few years has dimmed, if not obliterated, memory of that “blue period” of UConn men’s basketball. Maybe the low point was Jan. 20, 2018, when Villanova, the old Big East rival, came to Hartford on a Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats were ranked No. 1 in the country. UConn, destined for a 14-...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — One little line. One short disclaimer. That’s all it would have taken.

The biggest mistake that Bob Myers made earlier this month, while laying out the future for the Philadelphia 76ers’ front office, was coming off like the competent, respected executive he has been throughout his career — and never making it clear that ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Victor Wembanyama is making news these days as a third-year player who has led the San Antonio Spurs to a 2-2 series tie with the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals.

A sports card from the 7-foot-4 French star's rookie season has also made headlines. Wembanyama's 2023-24 Panini Prizm ...Read more

Manny Fernandez came from California by way of the University of Utah, and this always was part of his good story, because the Miami Dolphins didn’t sign players west of the Mississippi River back then, due to added cost of scouting or travel.

Joe Thomas, as general manager, convinced team owner Joe Robbie to sign an undrafted Fernandez ...Read more

BOSTON — Joe Mazzulla won the award he insisted he did not want.

The Celtics bench boss was announced Tuesday as the 2025-26 NBA Coach of the Year, beating out fellow finalists J.B. Bickerstaff of Detroit and Mitch Johnson of San Antonio.

Mazzulla is the fourth Coach of the Year recipient in Celtics history, joining Red Auerbach (1964-65), ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Lakers hired former New Orleans Pelicans executive Rohan Ramadas to fill one of two new assistant general manager roles, The Los Angeles Times confirmed Monday.

Ramadas previously worked as the vice president of basketball operations and strategy for the Pelicans and will be involved in managing the salary cap, analytics and...Read more

NEW YORK — The Knicks bet big on Jalen Brunson.

Back in the summer of 2022, when the Knicks signed Brunson to a four-year, $104 million contract in free agency, there was hardly a guarantee the point guard would blossom into a franchise-changing superstar.

At 6-2, Brunson was undersized, and he’s always relied more on IQ and footwork than ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — While I’m skeptical that tanking can be legislated out of a league with the talent scarcity of the NBA, I’m also a sucker for a tire fire. So count me in favor of the lottery reforms that the league office is pushing. Sixers fans should also be in favor, given how much their team stands to benefit.

The NBA’s so-called “...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — At least according to the Oxford English Dictionary and archives of Newspapers.com, the term “bracket creep” originated in 1977 in the context of inflation and taxes and such.

But the first time I heard it used was by my friend Bill Hancock when he was executive director of the Bowl Championship Series in the years ...Read more

MIAMI — This deep into the NBA playoffs offers a measuring stick for teams willing to wonder why they’re on the couch watching. It’s when teams like Miami see Oklahoma City and San Antonio vie for who out West might be the league’s next dynasty while New York and Cleveland decide the top of the East as Detroit and Boston still reel from ...Read more

Former Kansas Jayhawks basketball forward Flory Bidunga has removed his name from the NBA draft pool, and thus will play college basketball at Louisville during the 2026-27 season, On3.com has reported.

Bidunga declared for the 2026 NBA draft on April 2 while maintaining his college eligibility and also placing his name in the NCAA transfer ...Read more