3:38 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN New Orleans Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes was arrested in the Los Angeles area early Wednesday morning following an alleged altercation with a police officer, TMZ Sports reported. “We have been made aware of the incident involving Jaxson Hayes,” the Pelicans said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “We are working in
NBA
4:20 PM ET OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder have announced an exclusive 15-year naming rights partnership to rename the city’s downtown arena after Paycom, a local company that offers online payroll and human resources services to employers. The arena was renamed to the Paycom Center effective Tuesday, according to The Oklahoman. Terms of
1:18 PM ET The G League Ignite is finalizing a deal with USC associate head coach Jason Hart as the program’s new head coach, sources tell ESPN. Hart, a nine-year NBA veteran, takes over an NBA-run program that produced two of the top of the picks in Thursday’s NBA draft — forwards Jalen Green and
8:00 AM ET The 2021 NBA draft has finally arrived! Who’s rising? Who’s falling? Will the Detroit Pistons take Oklahoma State star Cade Cunningham at No. 1? Is Cunningham more Khris Middleton … or Luka Doncic? Where will USC big man Evan Mobley get selected? Will the Oklahoma City Thunder begin to spend its considerable
10:21 PM ET Associated Press The NBA’s play-in tournament is back for at least one more season. As expected, the league’s board of governors gave approval Tuesday to the plan that would bring back the event in April 2022. The format will be the same as it was this past season: the teams that finish
4:52 PM ET Marc J. Spears Former President Barack Obama has joined NBA Africa as a strategic partner and minority owner, sources have told ESPN’s The Undefeated on Tuesday. NBA Africa conducts the league’s business on that continent, including most notably the new Basketball Africa League (BAL). Obama plans to help the league’s social-responsibility efforts,
3:08 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN METAIRIE, La. — When the New Orleans Pelicans were searching for a new head coach, they found the answer in Phoenix Suns assistant Willie Green. Green, the lead assistant during the Suns’ improbable run to the NBA Finals, now shifts his attention to trying to find success in New Orleans
11:00 AM ET Milwaukee Bucks guard Bryn Forbes is declining his player option for the 2021-22 season and will become an unrestricted free agent, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. Forbes played a significant role off the bench as the Bucks delivered the franchise’s first NBA championship in 50 years. He had his most efficient NBA
10:14 AM ET The Dallas Mavericks are on the verge of hiring Igor Kokoskov to join Jason Kidd’s coaching staff, sources confirmed to ESPN. Kokoskov, whose two decades of NBA experience includes a one-season stint as the Phoenix Suns‘ head coach, has a strong relationship with Mavs superstar Luka Doncic stemming from his time coaching
9:00 AM ET Miye Oni’s favourite Nigerian food is pounded yam with egusi soup served with oxtail. That is as Nigerian a dish as you are likely to get, especially the oxtail part. It is a dish that can be found in classy restaurants and run-down bucks alike, and is a staple in most Nigerian
4:47 PM ET The New Orleans Pelicans are finalizing a trade to send Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe and two future first-round picks – including the 10th overall pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft – to Memphis for center Jonas Valanciunas and the 17th overall pick, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Determined to create significant financial flexibility
4:43 AM ET Associated Press SAITAMA, Japan — Luka Doncic is only a 22-year-old Olympic rookie, a player who might still be a few years away from his best basketball. Sergio Hernandez doesn’t need to wait. “For me, I said this two years ago: He is the best player in the world, including the NBA,”
10:08 AM ET The Unites States faltered down the stretch Sunday in a 83-76 loss to France at the Olympics. The U.S. led 74-67 with 3:41 remaining, before Evan Fournier ignited a 14-0 run that helped France secure the victory. Fournier finished with 28 points for France. It is the United States’ first Olympic basketball
9:53 AM ET Jeremy WillisESPN.com Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email print The Olympic Games are for the best athletes in the world. The basketball tournaments feature elite pro athletes like Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, Sue Bird and A’ja Wilson. But they might have to move out of the way for the robot hitting 3-pointers
9:06 AM ET TOKYO — Devin Booker, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday arrived in Japan on a private jet just before 11 p.m. Saturday, less than 24 hours before Team USA opens Olympic play against France in a vital game out of the gate. It was a brutal travel day after an exhausting playoff stretch,
7:51 PM ET Associated Press CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers extended a qualifying offer Friday to center Jarrett Allen, making him a restricted free agent. The team had until Aug. 1 to make the offer to Allen, a 23-year-old acquired last season in a trade from Brooklyn and viewed as one of Cleveland’s core pieces. The
12:40 PM ET Tory BarronESPN Editor Close Tory Barron is a Bristol-based writer and editor for ESPN.com. After retiring from playing lacrosse at UConn, the DC native decided to try her hand at writing about people playing sports. Two-time gold medalist and two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant was seemingly everywhere — and being trolled mercilessly
12:53 AM ET TOKYO — The trio of players making the unprecedented jump from the NBA Finals to the Olympics are all scheduled to be in Japan by Saturday. The hope is for Devin Booker, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday to be available when Team USA opens play Sunday against France, according to coach Gregg