NBA

3:29 PM ET Associated Press MILWAUKEE — Thousands of fans lined downtown Milwaukee streets on Thursday to catch a glimpse of their beloved Bucks in a parade to celebrate the city’s first NBA championship in half a century. Six police officers on horseback clopped past cheering fans at the head of a procession that included

11:05 AM ET Associated Press BOSTON — The most decorated man in NBA history will be giving the public a chance to own some of the prized memorabilia from his Hall of Fame career. Bill Russell announced Thursday he is offering hundreds of items from his personal collection, including trophies, rings, basketballs, jerseys, letters, photos

11:58 PM ET Atlanta Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu — the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft — underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder on Wednesday and will miss approximately six months, sources told ESPN. Okongwu’s role grew as the season wore on for the Hawks, but a lingering

8:18 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Television ratings for the NBA Finals and playoffs posted sizable increases over last year. But that was the only good news for the NBA as far as viewer numbers. According to Nielsen, the NBA and ABC on Wednesday, the six-game series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix

11:26 PM ET James Jackson The Milwaukee Bucks are the 2020-21 NBA champions and have snapped a 49-year title drought, the league’s fifth longest entering this season. This ring proved to be hard-fought as Milwaukee is just the third team in Finals history to win four straight after trailing 2-0, joining the 2006 Miami Heat

7:35 AM ET Associated Press MILWAUKEE — Two shootings in downtown Milwaukee early Wednesday as crowds celebrated the Milwaukee Bucks‘ first NBA championship in 50 years left three people wounded, police said. The shootings both happened at about 12:42 a.m. at two locations near Water Street, police said in a statement. TV station WISN had

3:21 AM ET MILWAUKEE — The closest Chris Paul has ever got to the coveted championship that’s eluded him throughout his 16-year career ended up leaving him feeling still so far away from that initial title. The Milwaukee Bucks beat the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday, as the Suns

Jul 20, 2021 James Jackson The Milwaukee Bucks are the 2020-21 NBA champions and have won the second title in franchise history. Entering this season, Milwaukee’s 49-year championship drought was the fifth-longest among active franchises. Led by Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Roberson, the Bucks’ 1971 title marked the quick championship for a

11:45 PM ET Doug KezirianESPN Close ESPN Sports Betting Analyst Host of Daily Wager Behind The Bets podcast host Fresh off seeing an NBA champion crowned Tuesday night, oddsmakers have posted the Brooklyn Nets (+225) and Los Angeles Lakers (+400) as the betting favorites for the 2021-22 season. The champion Milwaukee Bucks, who wrapped up

1:01 AM ET Team USA guard Zach LaVine has cleared health and safety protocols, USA Basketball announced Tuesday night. He will join the rest of the U.S. Olympic team in Tokyo on Thursday afternoon. The Olympics begin Friday, with the U.S. set for its first pool-play game on Sunday against France. The Chicago Bulls star

12:17 AM ET The Milwaukee Bucks are the 2021 NBA champions after rallying from a 2-0 series deficit against the Phoenix Suns. Now what? We’re not wasting any time spinning forward to next season, where a host of current contenders and potential superteams will aim to unseat Giannis Antetokounmpo & Co. in 2022. What will

11:44 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN MILWAUKEE — Eight years ago, a skinny teenager stood between his parents on the court inside Bradley Center here and gazed up at the rafters, where the retired jerseys for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson hung in the rafters. “Maybe in 15 years, 20 years,” the young man said, “maybe

4:23 PM ET The Detroit Pistons, owners of the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, are conducting individual workouts with some of the top prospects in the draft pool this week, sources told ESPN. The Pistons hosted Cade Cunningham for a light workout in Detroit on Tuesday, and are slated to bring Jalen

3:49 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN MILWAUKEE — As Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns prepare for Game 6 of the NBA Finals Tuesday night, they do so knowing they’ll see a very familiar face when the game begins. Scott Foster, who has officiated 11 straight postseason losses in games Paul has played in, will be

1:30 PM ET The NBA board of governors approved Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez as limited partners with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx in a vote on Tuesday, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Lore and Rodriguez join Glen Taylor’s ownership group as part of an anticipated succession plan that includes a 2½-year pathway to

12:52 PM ET Twenty players have received invitations to attend the 2021 NBA draft and sit in the green room, sources told ESPN. Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs, Jonathan Kuminga, Scottie Barnes, Davion Mitchell, James Bouknight, Keon Johnson, Franz Wagner, Josh Giddey, Jalen Johnson, Corey Kispert, Moses Moody and Kai Jones received

9:44 AM ET Tudor Somacescu, one of Europe’s most promising prospects, is signing with Overtime Elite, the league told ESPN Tuesday. Somacescu is the 12th player to sign with Overtime Elite, bringing them halfway to their stated goal of 24 players for the upstart league’s inaugural season. The Romanian-born Somacescu, who turned 16 last month,

11:22 PM ET James Jackson Have you ever wanted to kick back and watch the Olympics at a Hall of Famer’s crib? If so, Scottie Pippen is offering an opportunity to do just that. The two-time Olympic gold medalist is offering basketball fans a nightly rate of $92 for full access to his two-bed, one-bath