NBA

6:54 AM ET When Kendrick Perkins emerged as a key member of the Boston Celtics team that won the 2008 NBA championship, he credited his growth to Doc Rivers, the coach he called his “father figure.” That is, until his “father” shipped him to Oklahoma City in 2011. “Yeah, I didn’t like that,” Perkins told

7:00 AM ET Editor’s note: This as-told-to, from Phil Jackson, was originally published in the May 4, 1998, issue of ESPN The Magazine. In what appears to be the final season of the Chicago Bulls‘ 1990s reign, coach Phil Jackson has periodically collected his thoughts and analyzed the swirling action around him. Beginning with a

4:16 PM ET Former Chicago Bulls teammates Michael Jordan and Steve Kerr have had their disagreements before, but this one probably won’t end with anyone getting punched in the face. Jordan took an unflinching stance in Episode 2 of the documentary series “The Last Dance” when addressing then-teammate Scottie Pippen’s decision to delay foot surgery

7:04 AM ET BEN SIMMONS CAN still summon the bounces in his head. The first sprung high off the rim, then the ball descended straight back down to the iron, where it bandied about two, three, four times before finally nestling through the strings, coronating Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors as the Game 7

2:06 AM ET As Draymond Green watched the first two parts of “The Last Dance,” the proud forward saw parallels between the end of the Chicago Bulls‘ run with Michael Jordan in the 1990s and the end of the Golden State Warriors run last season with Kevin Durant. “It definitely hit close to home,” Green

2:52 AM ET The Nigerian basketball community was as stunned as the rest of the world when news broke that Brooklyn Nets point guard Spencer Dinwiddie was in the process of acquiring a Nigerian passport, which could see him represent the African nation at the next Olympics. It comes barely two months after the Nigerians

7:28 AM ET A few days after the Bulls won their sixth championship, Phil Jackson organized a dinner for players, coaches, and their wives at a Chicago restaurant. Midway through, he gathered the players into a private area. They sat in a circle, drinks and cigars in hand. Each made one toast. “It was so

8:49 AM ET Let’s punctuate the waiting game with five things from actual NBA games: 1. Bring back great starting lineup introductions This is one of the most important takeaways from “The Last Dance”: We need to restore starting lineup introductions to their Jordan-era glory. All these years later, I still get goosebumps when that

10:00 PM ET ESPN’s 10-part documentary “The Last Dance,” which chronicles Michael Jordan and the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls, premiered on Sunday with Episodes 1 and 2. Jordan and the Bulls allowed NBA Entertainment to follow them throughout the season and document their final championship together. The series features never-before-seen footage, as well as interviews with

10:25 PM ET ESPN’s Michael Jordan documentary “The Last Dance” debuted to the masses on the weekend that was originally scheduled for the start of the 2020 NBA postseason. The untold story of Michael Jordan‘s final season with the Chicago Bulls has been one of the most highly anticipated viewing events over the past several

6:47 AM ET ESPN’s 10-part documentary, “The Last Dance,” which chronicles Michael Jordan and the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls, premieres Sunday at 9 p.m. ET with Episodes 1 and 2. Jordan and the Bulls allowed NBA Entertainment to follow them throughout the season and document their final championship together. The series will feature never-before-seen footage, as

1:26 AM ET Associated Press After 15 years in professional basketball, Andrew Bogut is close to making a decision on when to end his career. The new coronavirus and subsequent postponement of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo isn’t making it any easier. The 35-year-old Bogut, a 2005 No. 1 draft pick by Milwaukee and who

6:49 PM ET Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie is in the process of acquiring a Nigerian passport in order to be eligible to play for the Nigerian national team, a source told ESPN on Saturday. The Athletic first reported Dinwiddie’s pursuit. Despite finishing 10th in All-Star voting for Eastern Conference guards and recording a career

6:52 PM ET The 1997-98 Chicago Bulls are one of the most famous and popular teams in NBA history. Led by Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and coach Phil Jackson, the Bulls became a worldwide phenomenon. The last run for that Bulls squad is captured in “The Last Dance,” a 10-part

6:27 PM ET THE PITCH WAS as audacious in 1997 as it would be today. A producer for NBA Entertainment wanted to do an all-access, season-long documentary with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls as they headed into what was likely to be their final season together. In the huddles as Phil Jackson coached. Behind

7:55 PM ET Commissioner Adam Silver said the NBA remains committed to resuming the season but that there is still no timetable for a possible return or even a deadline for canceling the 2019-20 suspended season. Following the NBA’s Board of Governors meeting held via video conference Friday, Silver said the league is still not

3:23 PM ET The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are finalizing a plan to withhold 25% of each player’s paycheck beginning May 15, sources told ESPN. A formal ratification of the plan was underway Friday, but details are in place to deliver a gradual reduction in player salaries should the force majeure provision

10:00 AM ET ESPN’s Michael Jordan documentary “The Last Dance” will debut on April 19 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. The 10-part documentary series takes an in-depth look at the the Chicago Bulls‘ dynasty through the lens of the final championship season in 1997-98. The Bulls allowed an NBA Entertainment crew to follow the