Pro Bowl games used to be full contact affairs. Then they slowly started removing some of the contact elements for injury concerns. It started to resemble non-contact football, especially across the line of scrimmage. So they decided to replace it with flag football and a skills competition. It's a thing that they did out of necessity, but just decided to go full on fun. I would embed this here, but NFL sharing rules refuse it.
The fans never got an opportunity to give a grateful goodbye, Pat Riley resigning on an early summer afternoon 36 years ago after the end of a lost season. Everyone will have that chance now. When Riley left town at the wrong end of grumblings from players and fans, he was the greatest coach not only in Lakers history but also in basketball history, his .730 winning percentage and 102 playoff victories both NBA records at the time. Everyone will understand now.
The 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend is heading to the sunny beach town of Los Angeles this year. And despite how well Josh Giddey played this season, it looked like the Bulls wouldn't have any representation. Or so we thought, until the NBA announced Matas Buzelis as a participant in the Rising Stars Game, which takes place on All-Star Friday. This will be Matas Buzelis' second appearance in the Rising Stars Game as a Chicago Bull after playing on Team Mitch last season.
The Charlotte Hornets are retiring Dell Curry's No. 30 jersey in the home arena rafters on March 19 against the Orlando Magic, sources tell ESPN. Curry, the 1994 Sixth Man of the Year for Charlotte, ranks second in career points scored (9,839) in Hornets history. Curry spent 10 of his 16 NBA seasons in Charlotte (1988-98) and currently serves as a Hornets team ambassador.
On Saturday, the league's top-tier talents will demonstrate their skills in the 3-point shoot-off, shooting stars competition and slam dunk contest. Most notably, Damian Lillard will participate in the 3-point contest despite an Achilles injury that has kept him out the entire season. The two-time 3-point champion will be challenged by Donovan Mitchell, who leads the league in 3-pointers made, along with other sharpshooters, including Tyrese Maxey and Devin Booker.
Averaging a career-high 14.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists, while shooting 45.9% from field goal range and an impressive 40.5% from beyond the arc, the 22-year-old has raised eyebrows about how good he can be in the coming years. The 6-foot-8 wing has the offensive versatility to play both on and off the ball, the size to serve as a capable defender that can guard multiple position and the IQ to be an impact player on both ends of the court.
Caleb Williams is no stranger to letting it fly from deep. So perhaps it should come as no surprise that the Chicago Bears quarterback will be a participant in the upcoming 3-point shooting competition during the NBA's All-Star Game Weekend festivities. No, seriously ... this is a thing that is happening. The event is set to take place on Friday. So if you saw this tweet and thought Jacob Infante was just having a laugh, think again:
LeBron James, whom Ovechkin first met in 2009, played in what could be his final game in DC and made sure to dap up The Great 8 during the Lakers' 142-111 blowout victory. Monumental Sports Network reporter Ethan Cadeaux caught the brief interaction between two of the greatest athletes of all time. Ovechkin and James then met up postgame, where they exchanged autographed jerseys.