National Basketball Association

National Basketball Association

NBA champion Metta World Peace (previously known as Ron Artest) has a warning for anyone who thinks they're a hard worker: there's probably someone-maybe even on your team-willing to work even harder than you. It's a career lesson he learnt from Kobe Bryant.In an interview with Fortune's Orianna Rosa Royle at Web Summit Qatar, World Peace revealed that he had heard the late Los Angeles Lakers basketball player was grinding hard at the gym before long days of grueling training.

If the NBA needs a Southland representative for a three-point shooting contest during All-Star Weekend at Intuit Dome, senior Dylan McCord of Thousand Oaks High would gladly raise his hand to participate. The 6-foot-1 senior made 113 threes in the regular season for 23-4 Thousand Oaks. In the Lancers' final regular-season game, he scored 43 points against Newbury Park, including 10 threes.

The NBA Shooting Stars competition returns to All-Star weekend after an 11-year hiatus, the league announced on Saturday with four teams set to compete in the Feb. 14 event. The Shooting Stars competition will feature a two-round format in which all teams participate in the first round with the top two advancing to the final rounds. Teams will be given 70 seconds to score points by hitting shots at seven locations on the court with each team member shooting in a set order at each spot.

Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum (Achilles) OUT John Tonje (trade pending) AVAILABLE Max Shulga (g-league) OUT Miami Heat: Tyler Herro (ribs) OUT Terry Rozier (not with team) OUT Boston Celtics: Derrick White, G Jaylen Brown, G Sam Hauser, F Luka Garza, F Neemias Queta, C Miami Heat: Davion Mitchell, G Norman Powell, G/F Pelle Larsson, G/F Andrew Wiggins, F Bam Adebayo, C Tipoff: 7:30 PM EST

Miami Heat high-flyer Keshad Johnson will be participating in the 2026 NBA Dunk Contest, the league announced. The All-Star weekend festivity is expected to be on Saturday, Feb. 14, inside the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. The other participants will be San Antonio Spurs rookie Carter Bryant, Orlando Magic rookie Jase Richardson (the son of Jason, a two-time dunk contest champion) and Los Angeles Lakers big Jaxson Hayes.

MILWAUKEE -- Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said new center Ivica Zubac's debut with the team could be delayed because he is currently on paternity leave and because of an ankle injury Carlisle said Zubac has been playing through since December. "It's kind of yo-yo'd a little bit," Carlisle said before Friday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. "My understanding from talking to him is that there's still something there that's not quite right. We're not going to put him out there until he's really ready."

Detroit Pistons forward Jalen Duren is pulling out of the 2026 Slam Dunk contest due to a knee injury he suffered last week, according to multiple reports. Duren, a first-time All-Star, exited Thursday's game against the Wizards early due to right knee soreness and then sat out Friday's win over the Knicks. Duren is being replaced by Orlando Magic rookie Jase Richardson, the son of two-time Slam Dunk champion Jason Richardson.

I have no intention of slamming Domantas Sabonis. I completely acknowledge that he's a former three-time All-Star, two appearances on the All-NBA Third Team, and a two-time league rebounding leader (something the Raps could desperately use). When healthy and in a system that maximizes his skillset, he can look like one of the league's most dynamic bigs. But at the same time, Sabonis can prove to be a defensive pitfall for his team, and he's earning a substantial salary over the next three seasons.

"This is the best group of people, character-wise, that I've coached," Pitino said. "In my 52 years. There's not one guy that doesn't give me everything."

Free agent guard Mike Conley Jr. plans to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania. The sides are working on timing of him re-signing, according to sources. Conley began the week as a member of the Wolves, but was traded to Chicago as part of a three-team trade. The Bulls quickly flipped him to Charlotte in a separate deadline move.

After a long period of figuring out exactly when the Raptors would trade Ochai Agbaji's expiring contract, they finally closed the deal yesterday, largely as a cost-cutting measure. Toronto acquired NBA legend Chris Paul in the transaction, but he is not expected to report. The 40-year-old all-time great is likely to be bought out sooner rather than later. It also cost the Raptors a future second-round pick to dump Agbaji's $6.3 million contract to the Brooklyn Nets,

as Brandon Ingram catches a pass and the way he avoids the steal attempt of Mikal Bridges just mesmerized me, even though the bucket is such a routine shot for the snubbed All-Star. A pretty rare play, at least to me. I haven't seen someone avoid a steal like that ever, and it just really stood out to me. Is this a routine play, or was it truly impressive?