Russell Westbrook deserved better. For 18 seasons, Westbrook never cheated the game. He played every game as if it was his last. And yet, he was heavily criticized by fans and the media.

Westbrook, 37, announced his retirement on social media in a video narrated by Oscar-winning actor Michael B. Jordan.

Westbrook may not have won an NBA championship ring, but he will be remembered as one of the most electric and inspirational players of our generation. At the end of the day, what defined his basketball career was his effort and energy. He played the game at 100 mph. Sometimes he played too fast.

His candle was always lit. He didn’t need to flip a switch because his switch was always on. He was a human power generator, pumping energy into an arena. He was highly entertaining. As a fan, that’s all we ask of our athletes. Compete at the highest level and provide moments of joy. Russ was a one-man show.

Was he flawed? Sure he was. Did he turn the ball over too many times? Sure he did. Did he take too many ill-advised shots? Sure he did.

But you cannot question his heart, his toughness, and his competitiveness.

Westbrook finished his NBA career as a two-time league scoring champion and led the league in assists three times. He was a nine-time All-Star, a two-time All-Star Game MVP, and the MVP in 2017. He retires as the NBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles. For someone who supposedly couldn’t shoot and was tagged as a ball hog, Westbrook scored 27,000 points and more than 10,000 assists, placing him in an extremely small historical group.

Russ was one of the most athletically gifted players to play in the NBA. He put together a historic 2016-17 season when he became the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double for an entire season. He set a record with 42 triple-doubles, one more than Robertson’s old mark set in 1962.

During his MVP season in 2017, Westbrook averaged 31.6 points per game, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists. He carried the undermanned Oklahoma City Thunder into the playoffs as a sixth seed in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, a year after Kevin Durant left OKC to join the Golden State Warriors.

Durant had a complicated relationship with Westbrook, but the two patched things up and KD posted a touching tribute on social media following Westbrook’s retirement, highlighting his former OKC teammate’s leadership style and his impact on the court.

“He led by example, and once the lights were bright, he let everything out and experienced pure freedom,” Durant said. “It was inspiring as his teammate, and everywhere I went, I saw it inspire people from all walks of life. The crazy thing is, he didn’t say much, he just showed up.”

Westbrook definitely showed up and showed out. You might knock him down a few times, but he kept coming.

In a 2015 game against the Portland Blazers, Westbrook got kneed in the head by a teammate and fractured his cheekbone. He stayed in the game with a visible dent and finished with 40 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. Brodie had surgery and missed one game. In his next game, wearing a protective mask, he dropped 49 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and had 10 assists.

Westbrook had as many detractors as admirers. Westbrook joked that “Spalding” was his best friend. Westbrook rubbed people the wrong way with his abrasive personality. But what drove a lot of basketball pundits completely batty was Westbrook’s shot selection and recklessness.

In his short stint with the L.A. Lakers, he was reportedly called a “vampire” for sucking the life out of the team. He got blamed for everything that went wrong. Many Lakers fans pinned losses on him.

“If you don’t respect and admire Russell Westbrook, there’s something wrong with you,” Charles Barkley said. “I’ve never seen a player give maximum effort every single night.”

Here’s a question Lakers fans who dissed Russ: how can you hate on a guy who grew up idolizing the Lakers. He attended Leuzinger High School in Lawndale. He went to UCLA and made two Final Four appearances. He represented L.A. He never forgot his L.A. roots. If he was such a bad guy, then why do all his teammates love him? You’d be hard-pressed to find a Westbrook teammate who didn’t like him.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves was one of countless Westbrook teammates who had nothing but love for him. Reaves, who was then a role player with the Lakers, recalled getting COVID during a road trip and was forced to isolate in a hotel room for a few days. Reaves said it was Westbrook who checked on him and asked him if he needed anything.

That was Russ. A good guy and a great teammate.

***

Since 1956, when the first NBA regular season MVP award was handed out, six most valuable players finished their careers without winning a championship and two are still in pursuit of that elusive chip.

Twelve of the 15 players with multiple MVPs led their teams to at least one NBA championship. The only three multiple MVP winners — Karl Malone, Steve Nash — don’t have a championship. Malone reached the NBA Finals twice, but lost each time to Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. Nash never made it to the NBA Finals.

Here are the ringless NBA MVPs: Charles Barkley (1993), Malone (1997, 1999), Allen Iverson (2001), Steve Nash (2005, 2006), Derrick Rose (2011), Russell Westbrook (2017), James Harden (2018), Joel Embiid (2023).

Charles Barkley (1993 MVP)

Barkley is one of the most beloved sports figures of all-time. He had a big personality to match his big physical presence on the court. He was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1984 and quickly became a fan favorite in Philly. After being traded to Phoenix in 1992, Barkley enjoyed his best season as he captured the 1993 MVP and led the high-powered Suns to the best record in the league and advanced to the NBA Finals. But Barkley’s Suns ended up losing to Michael Jordan’s Bulls in the ’93 Finals, and Barkley never got back to The Finals. He did manage to win two Olympic gold medals, and his career was validated by being selected to the 1992 Dream Team. The Round Mound of Rebound finished with more than 23,000 points and 12,000 rebounds. He was a unique player who wasn’t defined by one position. Barkley has said many times publicly that not winning a title shouldn’t and didn’t define his basketball career. Hard to argue with Sir Charles.

Karl Malone (1997, 1999 MVP)

The Mailman finished his career as the second-leading scorer in history (36,928). He made the All-NBA first team 11 times and made the All-Defensive team three times. He was named to the NBA’s top 50 greatest players list and widely regarded as one of the best power forwards. With the help of longtime teammate and fellow Hall of Famer John Stockton, The Mailman delivered two MVPs as a member of the Utah Jazz but couldn’t deliver a title to Salt Lake City. Malone led the Jazz to appearances in the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. Both times his teams lost to Michael Jordan’s Bulls in six games. In 2003-04 Malone joined Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in L.A., hoping to make one final push for a ring. But it wasn’t meant to be, as Malone had an injury-plagued season and the Lakers went down to the Detroit Pistons in five games in The Finals.

Allen Iverson (2001 MVP)

Much like Westbrook, Iverson was a fearless competitor who played with reckless abandon. A.I. answered the call several times throughout his 13-year career, putting together an MVP season in 2001 and leading the Sixers to the NBA Finals. But Iverson ran into Goliath in the form of Shaq and the Lakers, and the Sixers were defeated in five games. That was the closest A.I. got to playing for a title. After stints in Detroit, Denver and Memphis (extremely short stint there), Iverson rejoined the Sixers but did not finish the season. He took his talents to Turkey, but that lasted about as long as A.I.’s career as a hip-hop artist. Iverson desperately wanted to finish his career in the NBA, but no team took the bait. Iverson will go down in history as a polarizing figure who gave us great highlights and one memorable soundbite. Yes, we’re talking about practice!

Steve Nash (2005, 2006 MVP)

Nash helped revolutionize the game with how he manipulated the pick-and-roll. Point guards today use the “Nash dribble” coming off picks. He reached the conference finals four times but fell short each time — three times with the Phoenix Suns and once with the Dallas Mavericks. He teamed up with Dirk Nowitzki to lead the Mavs to the 2003 Western Conference finals, losing to eventual champion San Antonio. He captured his first regular-season MVP in 2005, leading the Suns to the NBA’s best record. But the Spurs got in the way again, bouncing Nash and a loaded Suns squad that also featured Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, and Joe Johnson in five games. Nash won his second MVP award in 2006, but was eliminated by Dirk’s Mavs. MVP voters may have made a mistake by giving Nash the MVP in 2006. Nash probably didn’t deserve to win it over Kobe Bryant, who had one of the best statistical seasons and delivered the signature moment of the year when he scored 81 points against Toronto. Nash maxed out in Phoenix and was never able to recapture that magic he had with coach Mike D’Antoni.

Derrick Rose (2011 MVP)

Rose’s once promising career was derailed by injuries. D-Rose was bitten by the injury bug several times and was never the same. We’ll never know how good Rose could have been had he not gotten hurt. During his time in Chicago, Rose’s Bulls teams had a nice nucleus and were strong title contenders. One year after becoming the youngest MVP in league history, a devastating ACL injury in the 2012 playoffs dramatically cut down Rose’s game. Despite flashes of his old self, Rose never returned to his MVP form. He lost the burst that made him such a tough cover, and his jump shot never got good enough to keep defenses from sagging back. All the physical gifts that made him special were no longer there. Rose bounced around the league for the next eight years, playing in New York, Cleveland, Minnesota, Detroit, and Memphis before retiring in 2024 at age 35.

James Harden (2018 MVP)

Harden came into his own when he arrived in Houston after leaving Oklahoma City. Harden went from a 17-point scorer to a 27-point scorer. He went from Sixth Man to MVP. His 2017-18 season was almost like a video game. He led the league in scoring (30.4) and was the runaway leader in free throw attempts and free throws made. No one draws fouls (or tricks referees) better than Harden. In fact, he does it so well, and so often, league officials changed the way they call games. He gets to the line 11 times a game. For an 87% free-throw shooter, that’s 10 points in the bank. Harden is so clever and crafty that he has referees completely fooled. Harden does have other skills aside from gimmicks and tricks. He has a dependable step-back jumper to create space for his 3-ball, and he had straight-line drives going to his strong hand. Once the NBA cracked down on non-basketball moves to bait referees into calling fouls, Harden’s numbers have significantly dipped.

Joel Embiid (2023 MVP)

Embiid, who had long lobbied for the award, earned his first NBA MVP trophy in 2023, beating out Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. Embiid has been through the wringer in terms of working through various injuries, and his durability has been questioned. He pieced together a healthy season for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2022-23 as he averaged 33.1 points to win his second straight scoring title, 10.2 rebounds and tied a career high with 4.2 assists per game. “It’s been a long time coming. A lot of hard work. I’ve been through a lot. I’m not just talking about basketball. I’m talking about my life. My story. Where I come from. How I got here and what it took for me to be here,” said the big man from Cameroon. He’s the second winner from Africa, joining Hakeem Olajuwon, the Nigerian who won for Houston in 1994.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. He hosts a sports podcast on YouTube @onemanfastbreak1.

Caleb Wilson was the last one among the top-four picks in the NBA draft to make his summer league debut, and boy, oh, boy was it worth the wait.

The No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft lit up the Las Vegas Strip with a 35-point performance against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Chicago Bulls’ 20-year-old budding superstar followed up his sensational debut with 19 points, eight rebounds, and five blocked shots against the Utah Jazz, and another 19-point, eight-rebound outing against the Washington Wizards. He capped off his Vegas one-man show with 21 points and eight rebounds against the L.A. Lakers.

Wilson was named to the all-summer league first team, along with fellow rookies Cameron Boozer (Memphis Grizzlies), Brayden Burries (Milwaukee Bucks), Maleek Thomas (Cleveland Cavaliers), and Yaxel Lindeborg (Golden State Warriors).

The Bulls fanbase hasn’t felt this good since Derrick Rose’s MVP season in 2011. Many of them came out to Thomas & Mack Arena to watch Wilson, and they certainly liked what they witnessed.

The uber-athletic 6-10 forward averaged 23.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 2.5 blocks. He shot 50% from the field, including a stunning 41.9% from behind the 3-point line. The 3-ball was supposed to be Wilson’s Achilles’ heel. He clearly worked on his long-range shooting in the months leading up to the summer season. He worked with renowned shooting coach Chris “Lethal Shooter” Matthews, and the extra reps definitely paid off.

About the only thing that went wrong for Wilson was his free throws. He would have had a higher scoring average if he made more free throws. But that was the only blemish in an otherwise impressive summer league for the former North Carolina Tar Heel.

Individual scoring stats were a bit inflated because of the new summer league rules in which one free throw was worth two points, and if a player were fouled behind the 3-point line, one free throw would be worth three points. The new free-throw rule — which was enforced until the last two minutes of a game — was adopted to speed up the game and improve game flow.

Wilson has drawn comparisons to NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett for his two-way ability and defensive intensity. But the more we see Wilson’s game, from the way he handles the ball to get to his spots and the way he shoots his picture-perfect jumper, he reminds us of Kobe Bryant. Caleb is the latest in the long list of ballers who subscribe to the Mamba Mentality.

“We have some similarities, but I feel like we’re much different players,” Wilson said about the KG comparison. “Kevin Garnett’s a Hall of Famer. I don’t want to be compared to a Hall of Famer because that messes up my expectations.”

Unlike the Big Ticket, who relied heavily on post-ups and face-up mid-post moves, Wilson operates more like a big perimeter wing. Just like Kobe, Wilson has a tight handle. Just like Kobe, Wilson creates most of his shots off the bounce. More than anything, Wilson plays with an edge. Just like Kobe.

Check out this move by Wilson against the Grizzlies. Watch how he navigates around defenders to get to his spot for a 3-ball to beat the buzzer. He walks off the court dejected despite hitting a spectacular shot. The fact that he wears No. 8 seals it.

Future Hall of Famer and current Golden State Warrior Draymond Green thinks KG is Wilson’s baseline instead of his ceiling.

“Caleb Wilson is so good, and I think he’s still clumsy,” Green said on his podcast “The Draymond Green Show.”

“I think he’s so clumsy that he can’t really walk and chew gum at the same time. And yet, he’s already that good right now,” Green continued. “So, if that guy is still clumsy and he’s that good right now, man, what happens if he continues to grow into his body and he ain’t clumsy no more?

“I actually think Kevin Garnett could be his floor. That’s how special I think Caleb Wilson is,” Green concluded.

While top picks AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson shut it down after two games in Vegas, Wilson pulled a Kobe-esque move by running through the tape while some of his peers were making a rest stop.

“I wanted to win a game before I stop,” Wilson said to reporters after the Bulls’ victory over the Dybantsa-less Wizards. “I don’t get to play again until October, probably, or whenever the season starts. I’m just trying to learn as much as I can, and there’s no better place to do that than Summer League.”

When asked about Peterson and Dybantsa skipping a showdown with him and the Bulls, Wilson said that he’s “different from all of them.’’

“I can’t say they don’t enjoy basketball, but I enjoy basketball,’’ he said. ‘‘I love this [expletive]. I’m going to play as much as I can, as much as my team will let me. I’m not the type to go away from a game because I don’t feel good because I know in the NBA, I’m not going to feel good some games. As long as I don’t have an injury or something wrong with me, I’m gonna play every time. People come from all over the world to see me play, so I don’t want to let them down.”

The Bulls have been searching for someone worthy of wearing Jordan’s sneakers. He wore Jordan Brand in college. Now he’ll be playing his home games at the house Jordan built.

Winning is what Cam does best

Cameron Boozer was the most consistent player throughout the summer. He was rock solid at the Salt Lake City Summer League, and he was outstanding at the Las Vegas Summer League. He made impactful plays. He did what was required for his team to succeed. That’s always been his best asset. He finds a way to win. He won at the high school level. He won a gold medal as a member of Team USA at the FIBA U17. He won at the AAU level. He led Duke to the Elite Eight.

Now, as a pro, he led the Memphis Grizzlies to the championship game of the Las Vegas Summer League. The Grizzlies ran their offense through Boozer in the fourth quarter. And Boozer got better as the stakes got higher.

Boozer recorded 19 points (7-for-17 from the field, 3-for-7 on threes), eight rebounds, four assists and two steals in 35 minutes during the Vegas Summer League championship game loss to the Golden State Warriors. Boozer appeared in all six games for the Grizzlies. He made the Vegas Summer League first team, averaging nearly a double-double (18.5 points, 8.0 rebounds) and had a top-five rating.

“He’s special, man,” Cedric Coward said of his Grizzlies teammate. “I mean, there are no other words I can use to describe it. Like I told people before, I can’t believe he’s 18, but he’s a special, special player.”

Boozer turned 19 on July 18, one night before the Vegas Summer League championship game.

Mixed reviews on point guards

If there was a rookie point guard who benefited most from the Las Vegas showcase, it was Mikel Brown Jr. The Brooklyn Nets first-round pick answered questions about his health as the back injury that shortened his lone season at the University of Louisville seemed to be a thing of the past. Brown Jr. was effective on both ends of the floor in the three games he played. Despite shooting just 39% from the field (33% on threes), there was nothing wrong mechanically with MBJ’s shooting stroke. In fact, he had one of the sweetest strokes among all the guards despite the poor shooting percentage. He has Damian Lillard-type range. He has great positional size (he’s listed at 6-5). He plays with a boatload of confidence.

Brown Jr. had a high-profile showdown with fellow lottery pick Darius Acuff Jr. Some thought Brown (No. 6 pick) won the head-to-head matchup with Sacramento’s Acuff (No. 7 pick), but in reality it was a stalemate. Both players had their moments.

Before coming to Vegas, Acuff played in the California Classic in front of Kings fans. The former Arkansas Razorback looked like he had heavy legs. Fatigue may have a lot to do with his poor shooting percentages. He shot a dreadful 26% from behind the 3-point arc and 36% from the field in three games.

Brayden Burries, the Bucks’ first-round pick and 10th overall selection, lived up to expectations. The 6-4 guard played with poise and first-class pace. They were the same attributes he displayed in his one season at Arizona. He averaged 23.5 points per game, which was second-best at the Vegas summer league based on a minimum of four games.

Keaton Wagler and Kingston Flemings may have made some L.A. Clippers and Atlanta Hawks fans a bit nervous. Wagler, the No. 5 pick overall, put up decent scoring stats (18 points per game) in four games for the Clippers, but he seemed overwhelmed by the physicality. He’ll need to add more muscle to his thin frame. He also struggled bringing up the ball as the lead guard. He may have to play more off the ball next to natural point guard Darius Garland.

Flemings averaged just 7.0 points in two games and shot 33% from the field. The struggles that Flemings dealt with during March Madness resurfaced in summer league. The eighth overall pick needs to pick up the pace because he’ll be counted on to fill the Hawks’ starting point guard spot after the departure of Trae Young. Flemings did play for Kelvin Sampson at the University of Houston. So far, Houston Cougars guards have done well at the pro level.

These 3 rookies exceeded expectations

Cameron Carr — The former Baylor Bear looks like a first-round steal for the Lakers after an impressive summer. He looked comfortable playing on the ball as well as off the ball. He does need to add more weight to his 175-pound frame, but the high-end athleticism and pro-ready skills are evident. Carr is a natural scorer, with a smooth mid-range jumper. The 24th selection in the 2026 NBA draft flashed the type of 3-point shooting that could earn him a spot in JJ Redick’s regular rotation. His perimeter shooting and athleticism are exactly what the Lakers need to help create space for Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Carr averaged 18 points per game in Vegas, helping the Lakers win four of their first five games and earn a spot in the semifinals. The Lakers have whiffed on their last couple of first-round picks (Dalton Knecht in 2024 and Jalen Hood-Schifino in 2023), but Carr appears to be a home run. He’ll be a useful 3-and-D chess piece that Redick can use at his disposal.

Koa Peat—Peat has a frame NFL scouts love. He’s a 6-7, 235 physical specimen with solid footwork. Koa possesses a combination of size and strength that allows him to move defenders. His father, Todd Peat, played nine seasons in the NFL while his older brother, offensive lineman Andrus Peat, played for the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers. Koa was bigger than the average high school player, so he often overpowered opponents. His bully ball approach worked in high school and college, but some scouts didn’t think he’d be able to do it at the pro level. So far, Koa is proving some of the naysayers wrong, showing exceptional mobility for a 235-pound forward, and he moves a lot quicker than he looks. He’ll need to improve his face-up jumper and develop a perimeter shot beyond 15 feet, so he won’t feel the need to put his head down all the time.

Labaron Philon Jr. — Six years ago, the Philadelphia 76ers hit the jackpot when they selected Tyrese Maxey with the 21st overall selection. It turned out to be one of the best late-round picks. Maxey has turned into an All-NBA performer, and the Sixers have rewarded him with a $204 million max contract. Fast forward to this year, the Sixers may have found another late first-round gem in Philon Jr. The 6-4 guard from Alabama played with a chip on his shoulder and took every matchup personally. He showed up and showed out to let all the teams that passed on him know what they were missing.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. He hosts a sports podcast on YouTube @onemanfastbreak1.

Jalen Brunson entered a sports pantheon reserved for legendary figures. Names such as Ruth, Mantle, Jeter, Taylor, Namath, Reed, and Frazier are revered in New York.

Brunson added his name to this exclusive club after leading the New York Knicks to their first NBA title since 1973. Brunson will be worshiped like a conquering hero for the rest of his life. His story will be told thousands of times. There will be a generation of young players who will emulate him. His legend will only grow as time passes.

Because he brought home an NBA championship to New York, Brunson earned a special badge of honor. When you win a basketball chip for New York, you get extra special treatment and recognition. He is arguably the greatest Knickerbocker. Basketball is deeply embedded in the fabric of New York. There are dozens of basketball courts spread across the five boroughs. And outside of a few pockets of Nets fans across Brooklyn, the vast majority of New Yorkers are Knicks fans.

“People don’t understand the weight of that jersey,” Knicks forward Josh Hart, Brunson’s teammate at Villanova, said about being a New York Knick.

Brunson understood the weight of wearing a New York Knicks jersey. He understood the assignment when he signed a team-friendly four-year, $104 million free agent contract in 2022. In four years, Brunson did something other Knicks greats like Patrick Ewing, Bernard King, and Carmelo Anthony couldn’t do. The fan base loved all of them. But none of them completed the job. Brunson was the one who carried the Knicks across the finish line. He won a chip. He ended decades of heartache and misery for a proud franchise.

Brunson has only been a New York Knick for four years, but winning a championship puts him on a whole different level.

“He’s a top-three MVP candidate,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown said of his point guard, who received the Bill Russell award for winning MVP of the 2026 NBA Finals.

“People say he’s too small,” Brown said. “People say he’s a 1-B or 2-B or whatever. He is a freaking 1-A. He is an MVP candidate, and I hope — and I’m talking to the media more than the fans — I hope you guys recognize what this man is about because he is an A1 MVP. He is him. He is him.

“Jalen Brunson is him when it comes to New York basketball. He is freaking him, man.”

Brunson, who is listed at 6-2, became the fourth second-round pick to win Finals MVP. The last second-round pick to win Finals MVP was Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in 2023.

Despite winning two NCAA titles at Villanova, Brunson kept hearing the same negative scouting reports. Too short. Too slow. But all he does is win. He keeps proving the doubters wrong. He certainly made a believer out of the San Antonio Spurs.

The Knicks captain averaged 32.6 points per game in the five-game series against the Spurs. He didn’t shoot particularly well (42.1% from the field), but he was magical when it mattered most. He scored 15 of his 45 points in the fourth quarter of Game 5. It was the most points scored in a road close-out game of the NBA Finals since Michael Jordan did it in 1998.

Game 5 played out the same as the previous four Finals games. The Spurs jumped out to a big lead in the first quarter. The Knicks slowly chipped away. The Spurs struggled to close out the game. Once the game got tight, it was Brunson — dubbed Captain Clutch for making big shots in the weighty moments — who seized the moment and put the Knicks on his back.

Brunson made a driving layup with 4:38 left in the fourth to tie the game at 83, capping off a 10-0 Knicks run. Then with 3:40 remaining, he drew a foul on Devin Vassell while shooting a 3-point shot. He knocked down all three free throws to give the Knicks the lead at 86-85.

Karl-Anthony Towns picked up his fifth foul with 1:53 left while defending 7-foot-5 Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs pushed the lead to 88-86 after Wemby made one of two free throws.

After Spurs rookie Dylan Harper tied the game at 88 with a short turnaround jumper in the paint, Brunson delivered a quick and decisive response on the next possession as he dribbled past Stephon Castle, who made him work for every shot in the series, with a floater from inside the dotted lines to give the Knicks the lead at 90-88 with 1:06 remaining in the game.

The Knicks never relinquished the lead. Brunson finished Game 5 making 14 of 27 shots from the field and four of seven 3-pointers. It was his fourth game with 30-plus points. No other Knick scored more than 14 points in Game 5, and only four tallied double figures.

“He is generationally great offensively,” Knicks guard Landry Shamet said of Brunson, the NBA’s clutch player of the year in 2025.

“There’s not a whole lot to say,” Shamet added. “We all saw it. He carried us in many different ways. What he does is not really a surprise to us anymore.”

When a reporter asked Brunson if he felt any added pressure to deliver a title to New York, he said there was “no pressure whatsoever.”

“I’ve described pressure in the past, my dad being on eight or nine unguaranteed contracts for his career,” Brunson said. “Not knowing whether he’ll get cut, when a team needs to move on from you while your family is on the East Coast or wherever you are in the country, that’s pressure.”

Jalen Brunson witnessed his dad, Rick, work out three times a day in the summertime and watched him push himself just to get a training camp call-up. He said that was real pressure.

“I’m very fortunate to be in the position I am, and I’d like to think I’ve worked pretty hard,” the 29-year-old Brunson said. “So when an opportunity presents itself like it did [in Game 5], I just trust my work. I’m never afraid to fail.”

Brunson has skyrocketed into the national consciousness this postseason after barely being a blip on the radar. The NBA is seeing historic viewership thanks to Brunson’s Knicks and Wemby’s Spurs. The Knicks-Spurs series averaged nearly 20 million viewers, the highest viewership in 28 years. The basketball world is now seeing what New York has known.

Euphoric New Yorkers flooded the streets to celebrate the Knicks’ historic moment, many of them chanting Brunson’s name. One New York superfan captured what many Knicks fans feel about their newest idol.

“Jalen Brunson is my doctor. He’s my engineer. He’s my mechanic. He’s my subway driver. He’s my pilot. He’s my dad,” the fan said.

“Everything I did was for Jalen Brunson.”

The Knicks had four winning seasons in a 21-year span before Brunson arrived. They’ve had four winning seasons since Brunson’s arrival. They’ve now won eight playoff series with Brunson in the lineup; they won seven series, total, from 1998 through 2022. With Brunson leading the way, the Knicks have been to two conference semifinals, two conference finals, and one NBA Finals.

After completing a season in which he led the Knicks to an NBA Cup title and the franchise’s first NBA title in five decades, it’s safe to say that Jalen Brunson has earned the title of KNY — King of New York.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. He hosts a sports podcast on YouTube @onemanfastbreak1.

Karl-Anthony Towns had a great view of the greatest offensive rebound in NBA Finals history. Towns was fighting for position under the basket when the “right hand from God” suddenly appeared and handed the New York Knicks a miracle win.

With the San Antonio Spurs clinging to a one-point lead with 5.7 seconds left in the game, Jalen Brunson took an inbounds pass from OG Anunoby and launched a long 3-point shot over two players, one of them being 7-foot-5 Victor Wembanyama. The contested shot clanked off the front of the rim and went straight up.

After seeing his defender De’Aaron Fox double team Brunson, Anunoby crashed the boards and timed his jump perfectly, soaring over Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell. Anunoby’s tip-in with 1.2 seconds left lifted the Knicks to a 107-106 victory and a 3-1 lead in the series.

“I inbounded the ball to Jalen [Brunson]. He got a pretty good look. I just went in and crashed,” Anunoby said of one of the most iconic plays in New York sports history.

“That has to be the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “I’m not you guys. You guys know better than me. But it was just unbelievable.”

A euphoric crowd inside Madison Square Garden — many of whom bought tickets averaging around a staggering $7,200 — sang along to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” a few minutes after watching something that seemed almost impossible.

The Knicks were down by 29 points in the third quarter, and they were down 20 with under 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. They could have folded their tent and shifted their focus on the next game. Instead, they kept battling. After the dust settled, it was the largest comeback in NBA Finals history.

“Shout-out to our fans. They stuck with us,” Towns said. “We found a way to get it done.”

Towns gave OG a big bear hug as he ran down the court. After the Knicks made one final stop on the Spurs’ last possession, Towns let all his emotions out after the buzzer sounded.

“We gave ourselves a chance,” Towns said. “Sometimes you get lucky. We made our luck today.”

The Knicks may have been lucky to win the game, but luck had little to do with Anunoby’s hustle. Prior to his game-winning putback, Anunoby made the game-saving play with 12 seconds left.

After Brunson missed a floater while being defended by Wembanyama, the ball ricocheted off Harper and Josh Hart. Towns went after the loose ball, but he slapped the ball into the Knicks backcourt. Fox and Anunoby both chased down the loose ball. Fox won the foot race and could have ran out the clock or get fouled. Either one of those two choices would have been the smart basketball play. But Fox inexplicably went for a layup and his attempt got rejected by Anunoby.

Jose Alvarado grabbed the loose ball and the Knicks called time-out, setting up one of the craziest sequences you’ll ever see.

“I fell on the floor. I couldn’t really see. I don’t know. I just saw the block,” Wembanyama said on Fox’s decision to go for the layup instead of running out the clock.

Wembanyama admitted the loss was a painful one to absorb, knowing how close the Spurs were in tying the series.

“We stopped moving the ball,” Wemby said. “We stopped executing.”

When asked why the Spurs managed just 30 points in the second half after a scorching 76-point first half, Wembanyama said there were a multitude of factors that contributed to the collapse. He mentioned greed being one of them. The Spurs kept jacking up 3-pointers early in the shot clock throughout the fourth quarter, allowing the Knicks to chip away at the lead.

“I think it began before [the fourth quarter],” Wembanyama said of the Spurs’ collapse. “I can’t really explain it right now. I don’t know. … We clearly weren’t the most hungry in the second half.”

The last 39 seconds of Game 2 in the 2026 NBA Finals wasn’t Victor Wembanyama’s finest moment.

The San Antonio Spurs’ 7-foot-5 all-world center came up small in the most crucial time. He missed two shots that could have given the Spurs the lead. He committed a crucial turnover that led to a Jalen Brunson free throw, giving the New York Knicks a 105-104 victory to take a 2-0 lead in the series.

“I threw that one away. I messed up,” Wembanyama told reporters after the game. “We didn’t play great as a team. We needed to win that game. That game was ours. But at this point, it’s done.”

The late-game gaffe was so unexpected given how Wembanyama had been playing throughout his first playoff run.

With the game tied at 104, the Spurs called on Wemby’s number to break the tie. He took a tough, contested 18-foot pullup jumper from the left wing against Mitchell Robinson and missed. OG Anunoby grabbed the rebound and the Knicks called timeout.

Jalen Brunson, who was spectacular in closing the show in Game 1, missed a 16-footer with 13.5 seconds left. The Spurs regained possession after Wembanyama grabbed the rebound. For a brief moment, the Spurs had a great opportunity to take the lead and tie the series at 1-1. It was three seconds Wembanyama would love to have back. All the work the Spurs put forth in erasing a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter came crashing down in three forgettable seconds.

The play started with a Wemby rebound after he forced Brunson into a tough shot. As Wemby turned up the court, he took one dribble and inexplicably tossed the ball off Stephon Castle’s back, who clearly wasn’t expecting a pass as he ran up the court. Castle said once he saw Wembanyama secure the rebound he wanted to give Wemby “some space” to dribble up the court, so he was anticipating Wemby would bring the ball up himself, especially with time winding down.

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson could have called timeout to set up a play, but it’s difficult to blame the coach for not calling timeout because his best player already had the ball in his hands with a full head of steam. It was Wembanyama’s game to win or lose.

“I need to have more poise, more control over the game,” Wembanyama said. “That’s the most frustrating thing, to throw it away after putting in all this work.”

Brunson grabbed the loose ball and a frustrated Wembanyama compounded the mistake by fouling Brunson near the sideline. Brunson made one of two free throws to give the Knicks a one-point lead with 9.5 seconds left.

Wembanyama had one last opportunity to redeem himself. On the final possession, a two-man action between Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox freed up Wembanyama for a clean look from about 20 feet on the right wing with 2.0 seconds left. The shot clanked off the rim and the Knicks were able to hang on for the win.

Wembanyama was asked after the game if he liked the look he got on the final shot.

“I like the shot. But I feel like at this moment you need to shoot to score,” said Wembanyama, who finished with a game-high 29 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had four blocked shots. None of those statistics matter to him because he didn’t get the job done when his team needed it most.

“In moments like this, results matter more than process,” he said. “We just need to score. I need to score.”

As the leader of the youngest team to reach the NBA Finals in 49 years, the 22-year-old Wembanyama is doing the right thing by owning his mistakes and not pointing fingers. And the Spurs wouldn’t be in this position without Wembanyama. He is the biggest reason why the Spurs are ahead of schedule. He will learn from this “blurry” moment as he called it. The game got blurry down the stretch because the action was moving too fast for the young Frenchman.

“Am I going to regret it? Yes, of course. Am I going to use that to fuel me? Yes, absolutely,” said a humbled Wembanyama.

There is no manual for winning championships. You have to experience it for yourself to gain championship knowledge. And sometimes you have to be humbled in order to be great.

Michael Jordan got humbled by the Detroit Pistons before he won six championships. Before he became the Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant shot three air balls in a humbling playoff loss to the Utah Jazz. LeBron James got swept by Tim Duncan’s Spurs the first time he reached the NBA Finals.

Every great player goes through growing pains. Wembanyama is going through it as well.

The Knicks are now just the third team to win the first two games of a finals on the road, joining Jordan and the 1993 Chicago Bulls, and Hakeem Olajuwon and the 1995 Houston Rockets. Both of those teams won championships. The Bulls needed six games to oust the Phoenix Suns, the Rockets going home after winning those first two games in Orlando and sweeping Shaquille O’Neal and the Magic.

Tanking is a dirty word around the NBA. But can you really blame NBA executives for punting on a season if the result would net them a generational talent? Sometimes you need to take a step back to move forward.

We haven’t seen a draft this rich in talent since 2003, a draft that produced LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. Darko Milicic was the No. 2 overall pick. Sorry, Detroit Pistons fans. Darko pick still stings.

Three of the top five players selected in the 2003 class became Hall of Famers (Anthony, Bosh, Wade), and LeBron should be the fourth once he decides to hang up his sneakers.

There is no shortage of game changers in the 2026 NBA draft, especially at the top of the draft lottery. Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, Caleb Wilson, Darius Acuff Jr., and Darryn Peterson are the five names consistently popping up in several mock drafts. Each player brings something special to the table, and you can make a case that any of them could be the No. 1 overall pick.

Need a point guard? Acuff Jr. has all the tools to be an outstanding playmaker. Need a shooting guard? Darryn Peterson is a professional scorer. Need an athletic small forward? Dybantsa is the perfect choice. Need a versatile power forward? Caleb Wilson fits the profile. Need a big man who can be an offensive hub? Boozer is your man.

OneManFastBreak.net put together a comprehensive scouting report on the top 12 prospects with their NBA comparisons.

1-AJ Dybantsa, forward, Brigham Young
NBA comparison: Tracy McGrady
Scouting report: Dybantsa is a gifted athlete who plays with a sharp edge. Dybantsa grew up in Brockton, Mass., the hometown of boxing legends Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Rocky Marciano. He is Brockton tough. Dybantsa is as tough as they come. He is a fierce competitor who embraces challenges. He was the MVP of the 2025 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup after leading Team USA to a gold medal. He could have gone to any of the blue bloods, but decided to play college ball at Brigham Young. Dybantsa is an athletic, two-way wing with a relentless motor. His physical features are similar to Andrew Wiggins but his offensive game resembles Tracy McGrady’s, especially the one-two pull-up jumper. He has ideal positional size and length (6-9 with a 7-foot wingspan). His 42-inch vertical allows him to elevate over defenders and attack the rim with bad intentions. Dybantsa put together a spectacular freshman season at BYU, including a 43-point performance against Utah that broke Danny Ainge’s school record for most points in a game by a BYU freshman. The Big 12 freshman of the year shouldered much of the BYU scoring burden after teammate Richie Saunders went down with a season-ending ACL injury. Dybantsa led the nation in scoring, averaging 25.5 points per game while shooting 51% from the field. He also averaged 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He’s the first player to have a season with all those averages and be named a consensus All-American since Larry Bird did it in 1978-79.

2-Cameron Boozer, forward-center, Duke
NBA comparison: Chris Webber
Scouting report: The best part of Cameron Boozer’s game is his consistency. The son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer has been consistently dominant at every level, from high school to AAU to college. “He’s all about winning,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said about the 2026 AP and Naismith college basketball player of the year. Cameron shares similarities with his father’s game, as both are extremely strong in the block and have Vise-grips for hands. His strong hands allow him to rebound the ball in traffic, and he catches almost everything thrown at him. He isn’t blessed with great explosiveness or a long wingspan. He measured at 6-8 1/2 without shoes at the NBA combine in Chicago, but he has a 7-1 wingspan, which more than makes up for the lack of ideal height. He knows how to use his body well. He relies a lot on physicality to carve out space. “Whatever you need, he can provide,” college basketball analyst Bill Raftery said about the Duke freshman, who averaged a double-double (22 points and 10 rebounds) and shot 56% from the field. His shooting technique from beyond the 3-point arc isn’t textbook, but it goes in 40% of the time. His ability to put the ball on the deck at his size to create offense for himself or his teammates is what separates him from other big men. He has unbelievable instincts, and he can surgically dissect a double team. He always seems to make the right read. He also possesses one of the best two-handed outlet passes you’ll ever see, similar to Wes Unseld and Kevin Love.

3-Caleb Wilson, forward, North Carolina
NBA comparison: Shawn Kemp
Scouting report: Caleb Wilson has the highest ceiling among the Tier 1 prospects. He’s barely scratching the surface of his true potential. He is a springy, athletic 6-9 forward. He is a throwback power forward with a modern twist. If you squint, you might see shades of Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O’Neal, Antonio McDyess, or Shawn Kemp. He competes on both ends of the court and wears No. 8 in honor of the late great Kobe Bryant. Like Kobe, Caleb plays through exhaustion and doesn’t lack confidence. He attacks the rim like the Reign Man and plays defense like the Big Ticket. Wilson put the basketball world on notice in his second college game, dropping 24 points, grabbing seven rebounds, and adding four steals to lead the Tar Heels over Darryn Peterson’s Kansas Jayhawks. Wilson showed off the entire repertoire, dunking over defenders, swishing fadeaway jumpers in the post, tossing lobs on big-to-big action, and picking up full court on defense. His ability to handle the ball in the perimeter makes him an ideal fit in today’s NBA. He is comfortable bringing the ball up as the initiator on offense, and he can also play some small-ball 5. A broken thumb forced Wilson to miss March Madness, and North Carolina struggled mightily without him. The Tar Heels lost to VCU in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

4-Darius Acuff Jr., guard, Arkansas
NBA comparison: Allen Iverson
Scouting report: Hall of Fame coach John Calipari calls Darius Acuff Jr. a “beast.” Calipari knows a beast when he sees one. Coach Cal coached Derrick Rose, John Wall, Jamal Murray, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, De’Aaron Fox, and Tyrese Maxey. Acuff (6-2, 185) may not possess the size of SGA or the speed of Fox, but his drive and determination, combined with incredible instincts as a point guard, more than make up for his shortcomings. Armed with brick-like shoulders and natural Detroit toughness, Acuff doesn’t shy away from contact. He has a strong core and outstanding balance, allowing him to absorb hits. He has superb footwork. He plants his last step and uses a change-of-pace approach to create angles. Acuff’s body type closely mirrors Stephon Marbury, but his game resembles Allen Iverson. Acuff’s signature game came against Alabama on the road, where he dropped 49 points on 16-of-27 shooting from the field. It was the most points scored by a college freshman since 1990. But the most impressive part about his historic game was that he committed only one turnover in 50 minutes. Texas coach Sean Miller, a former point guard, summed it best while discussing Acuff’s overall impact. “In my time [it goes 34 years], I’ve never seen a point guard better,” Miller said of Acuff, who was the first freshman since Pete Maravich to lead the SEC in points and assists. “Guys like him don’t just come into college basketball very often. He’s a generational player.”

5-Darryn Peterson, guard, Kansas
NBA comparison: Devin Booker
Scouting report: Peterson might be the most polished scorer in the draft. The Naismith prep player of the year in 2025 and consensus five-star recruit possesses a combination of size (listed at 6-4 with a 6-9 wingspan), length, explosiveness, and shot creation. He is a dynamic, three-level scorer who can play either guard spot, but he’s a natural 2 in the NBA. He has a lot of Devin Booker in his game. Peterson has a deep connection with CJ McCollum. Both are from Canton, Ohio, and Peterson has been working out with CJ and his brother, Errick, since he was 12. “After the first workout, my brother called me and said, ‘I’ve never seen anything like this, CJ. He’s just like you but bigger, stronger, and more athletic,” CJ McCollum told ESPN’s Marc J. Spears. The knock on Peterson is his inability to stay on the court. A series of hamstring and cramping issues knocked him out of several Kansas games, including the big showdown against then top-ranked Arizona. The Jayhawks pulled off the major upset against the Wildcats without Peterson. He earned the dubious “DNP” moniker for checking himself out of several games, including a high-profile game at Allen Fieldhouse against AJ Dybantsa’s BYU squad. Peterson scored 18 points in the first half but missed the entire second half. These red flags shouldn’t be brushed aside, and could give some teams enough of a reason to pass on him.

6-Aday Mara, center, Michigan
NBA comparison: Zach Edey
Scouting report: Aday Mara posted ridiculous measurements at the NBA combine. He was listed at 7-3 without shoes with a 7-6 wingspan and 9-9 standing reach. His standing reach was the second-best in combine history behind only Tacko Fall. Mara was a huge reason why the Michigan Wolverines captured their first NCAA men’s tournament title since 1989. The 21-year-old from Zaragoza, Spain, significantly raised his draft stock after impressive performances in March Madness, including a 26-point output on 11-of-16 shooting from the field in the Final Four. Mara made his presence felt on the defensive end as opponents attempted 20.9% of their field goals at the rim when the Big Ten defensive player of the year was on the court, per CBB Analytics. He has excellent hands with a soft touch around the basket. The NBA comparison for Mara is Zach Edey based on size and mobility. It’s very difficult to discover skilled 7-3 centers, and when you do find them, you stash them and you develop them.

Mara is far more advanced than other center prospects, having played in Europe and at two major college programs (UCLA and Michigan). It might take him a few years to reach his full potential, but teams willing to wait could reap the benefits. “He probably won’t go in the first 10 [NBA draft picks], but in five years [NBA teams] will be like, ‘I probably wish I had taken Mara,'” former Michigan coach John Beilein told the New York Times. The NBA is constantly evolving. Because of the presence of young unicorns such as Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, there is a bigger need for skilled big men than ever before.

7-Keaton Wagler, guard, Illinois
NBA comparison: Tyrese Haliburton
Scouting report: Wagler has been overlooked throughout his basketball career. He keeps proving people wrong at each stop. He was a four-star recruit coming out of high school. When he arrived in Illinois, he played a role and mostly played off the ball. Illini coach Brad Underwood saw something in his wispy 6-5 guard and made him the primary ball handler. Wagler took full advantage of the opportunity and became the catalyst on an Illinois squad that reached the Final Four. His breakout performance came against Purdue when he dropped 46 points — the most points by a Big Ten freshman in 30 years. He finished the season averaging nearly 18 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. He is an elite shooter (40% from 3-point range) who operates at his own pace. Despite not possessing elite quickness, he finds ways to score by utilizing sharp footwork and changing direction to freeze defenders. He shot 246 jumpers in total, 40% of which were catch-and-shoot and 60% were off-the-dribble. Those advanced statistics show he can be both an effective on-ball guard or off-ball guard. He’s crafty when he drives to the basket, making it tough on defenders to cut him off. His herky-jerky style enables him to draw fouls. Wagler gives off Tyrese Haliburton vibes.

8-Mikel Brown Jr., guard, Louisville
NBA comparison: Damian Lillard
Scouting report: Brown might be the best pure shooter in the draft, which says a lot because there are plenty of snipers in the 2026 draft. After a slow start to his freshman season at Louisville, the dynamic combo guard exploded for an ACC record 45 points against North Carolina State, including 10 3-pointers. Brown’s hot streak continued the following game as he dropped 29 points against Baylor in a highly competitive matchup against Tounde Yessoufou. He tormented Yessoufou and wasn’t affected by his physicality. Brown is a bigger version of Damian Lillard. Brown isn’t bashful about launching 3-pointers from the logo. He has unlimited range as a shooter (34.4% from 3-point range). He also has outstanding positional size (listed at 6-4). His lethal jumper keeps defenders off balance, and he is shifty enough to get past his man off the dribble if he’s blitzed. At times, he falls in love with his jumper too much, which leads to prolonged cold spells. He can get bullied on defense because of his slight build. But the biggest concern most NBA teams have about Brown is his availability. A back injury sidelined Brown during the ACC tournament and NCAA tournament, and he played in only 21 games in his one season at Louisville. Back injuries are tricky, so Brown must prove it won’t hinder him moving forward.

9-Kingston Flemings, guard, Houston
NBA comparison: Kevin Johnson
Scouting report: Flemings didn’t have the best measurements at the NBA combine (6-2, 183, 6-3 wingspan), but he made up for it with strong performances in the athletic drills. Flemings improved his draft stock by testing well, posting outstanding numbers in the vertical (41 inches), shuttle run (2.69 seconds, second), and three-fourths court sprint (3.07 seconds, second). The combine stats solidified his position as a top-10 prospect. Flemings took over the starting point guard spot after the departure of Jamal Shead, and the Houston Cougars didn’t miss a beat. Flemings possesses elite quickness, and he effectively uses it to beat traps and blitzes. The Cougars were one of the best defensive teams in college basketball because of Flemings’ on-ball defense. He shot a surprisingly high percentage from 3-point range despite poor mechanics. It’s a fixable problem, and it shouldn’t devalue his draft stock. Because of his lack of size, Flemings doesn’t finish well at the rim. He tends to lean on his mid-range shot too much. Flemings’ NBA comp is former Phoenix Suns point guard Kevin Johnson. KJ was a blur and made a living shooting mid-range jumpers.

10-Yaxel Lendeborg, forward, Michigan
NBA comparison: Terry Cummings
Scouting report: Lendeborg was the driving force behind Michigan’s run to the Final Four in March Madness. The “Dominican LeBron” came back for another year in college after dipping his toes in the NBA draft process following two seasons at Alabama Birmingham (UAB). Returning to college turned out to be the best decision as Lendeborg put together an outstanding season at Michigan, leading the Wolverines to a Big Ten conference title and NCAA tournament title. At 23, Yaxel is one of the older players in the draft, but that shouldn’t be seen as a negative. Lendeborg has a blend of power and finesse, much like former Milwaukee Bucks standout Terry Cummings. Lendeborg proved his toughness by playing through an ankle injury in the NCAA national championship game against UConn. He is a versatile power forward who moves well at his size (6-9, 240). He possesses an above-average handle for a big man, and he is comfortable initiating offense. He’s a terrific rebounder and outstanding defensive player who can switch 1 through 5. Even though Lendeborg may have already hit his ceiling, it shouldn’t stop lottery teams from picking him. The first-team All-American is a plug-and-play talent with strong character traits.

11-Nate Ament, forward, Tennessee
NBA comparison: Jabari Smith Jr.
Scouting report: Ament came to Knoxville with a lot of fanfare as a five-star recruit. He’s arguably Rick Barnes’ best high school recruit since Kevin Durant (KD played for Barnes at Texas). Ament showed flashes of what he could be at the next level. He’s more like Jabari Smith Jr. than KD. Ament is a fluid scorer with outstanding positional size (6-10 with a 7-1 wingspan). He shot close to 80% from the free-throw line, which suggests he has the proper shooting mechanics to be a solid two-level scorer. In terms of weaknesses, he struggled against physicality and quicker defenders and seemed overwhelmed at times. He’ll need to bulk up and get stronger to avoid getting pushed around. He averaged 15 points per game in his first 18 games and shot just 28% from 3-point range. He boosted his averages as the season progressed, but his overall 39.9% field goal percentage is a bit alarming given his physical tools. Adding muscle to his 6-10 frame might correct his subpar shooting. He came on strong in the latter stages of SEC competition, stringing together 20-point games, including a 29-point outing against Kentucky.

12-Karim Lopez, forward, New Zealand Breakers (NBL)
NBA comparison: Deni Avdija
Scouting report: Lopez is one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft. The Mexican-born forward began playing professionally in Spain for Joventut Badalona at the age of 14. In 2024, he left Spain and joined the New Zealand Breakers of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). The NBL has become a solid pipeline for NBA prospects, producing standouts like LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey, Dyson Daniels, and Alex Sarr. Lopez, who turns 19 this year, could be the next big thing to come out of the NBL. Lopez uses his 6-8, 220-pound frame to get to his spots, and he can go downhill with either hand. He plays with a ton of energy and isn’t bothered by physicality. His big breakout game in the NBL came in January when he dropped 32 points against Melbourne United. He capped off his season with 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals in helping the Breakers capture the NBL Ignite Cup. Many scouts view Lopez as a high-risk prospect because he doesn’t have a unique skill that he can hang his hat on. But on the other hand, Lopez checks a lot of major boxes scouts love: good positional size, a lengthy wingspan, and physical toughness.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. He hosts a sports podcast on YouTube @onemanfastbreak1.

The first round of the 2026 NBA postseason wasn’t very kind to two recent champions and a future Hall of Famer.

The Denver Nuggets entered the Western Conference playoffs as the No. 3 seed and armed with arguably the best player in the world in Nikola Jokic. Denver lasted just six games and were eliminated by undermanned Minnesota for the second time in three years.

Since winning the NBA title in 2023, Jokic and the Nuggets are just 15-15 over the last three postseasons.

The Boston Celtics, boosted by the return of All-Star Jayson Tatum, entered the Eastern Conference playoffs with the fourth-best odds to win a championship. Boston took a 3-1 series lead against division rival Philadelphia, only to watch it evaporate and ended up being on the wrong side of history. The 76ers completed the dramatic playoff comeback, winning Game 7 in Boston.

When asked during his post-game press conference what was the turning point in the series, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla pointed to the return of Joel Embiid.

“What changed in the series was Joel Embiid came back, and they’re a completely different team,” Mazzulla said of the Sixers center, who came back in Game 4 after missing almost a month after undergoing emergency appendectomy.

Philly was the 14th team to overcome a 3-1 series deficit in the playoffs. Less than 24 hours after the Sixers’ win, the Detroit Pistons became the 15th team to overcome a 3-1 deficit. Thanks to the heroics of Cade Cunningham, top-seeded Detroit avoided losing to eighth-seeded Orlando with a convincing win at home in Game 7.

Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets weren’t considered championship contenders heading into the postseason, but they had a favorable matchup in the first round against the Los Angeles Lakers, who was missing Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (rib).

But the Rockets found a way to turn an advantage into a disadvantage as the 2014 NBA MVP missed Game 1 with a knee injury he suffered in practice. Durant returned in Game 2 but suffered a sprained right ankle in the second half that ultimately forced him to miss the remainder of the series.

The Lakers jumped out to a 3-0 series lead. After a couple of hiccups in Game 4 and Game 5, L.A. closed out the series with a blowout win in Game 6.

Detroit rides MotorCade to reach conference semifinals

After Orlando took a 3-1 series lead, Cade Cunningham put his hard on and went to work.

The Pistons’ All-Star guard dropped 45 points (5-for-8 on 3-pointers) in Game 5 and followed it up with 32 points and 10 rebounds in the next game, forcing a Game 7.

In Game 7 in front of a fired up Detroit crowd that included Pistons legends like Rip Hamilton and Ben Wallace, Cunningham calmly led the Pistons to a 116-94 win. His 32 points and 12 assists helped secure Detroit’s first playoff series victory in 18 years.

Cunningham became the second Piston to score 20-plus points and dish out 10-plus assists in a Game 7. The other Piston to pull it off was Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, who was in the building to witness Cade’s brilliant performance under pressure.

“It’s an honor to be in the same sentence as a legend like IT,” Cunningham said. “I’m glad he was here. I’m glad he was able to watch … just being able to talk to him, pick his brain, and have his support. It’s amazing. I feel extremely lucky to have that.”

No joke: Jokic gets ‘punked’ in playoff loss to Timberwolves

When you’re a three-time NBA MVP, expectations are high and losing in the first round is not an acceptable result.

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, were eliminated in six games by the Minnesota Timberwolves, a team missing their best player (Anthony Edwards), starting guard (Donte DiVincenzo), and one of its top reserves (Ayo Dosunmu).

The Timberwolves had just eight players available for Game 6, but still managed to pull out a victory.

Denver’s early exit prompted some pundits like ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins, to call out Jokic for his poor postseason performance following another triple-double regular season in which he became the first player to lead the league in rebounds (12.9) and assists (10.7).

Perkins on ESPN’s “First Take” said the Joker got “punked” in the Minnesota series as Rudy Gobert made him look human. Jokic shot 44.6% from the field and 19.4% from 3-point range, both well below his season averages. Perkins added that Jokic’s recent play suggests he may be stuck with just one championship for his career.

“We were so ready to put this man above all-time greats because of certain numbers he was putting up in the regular season. He has one NBA championship. Matter of fact, I don’t think Jokic is going to win another NBA championship. He got exposed,” Perkins added. “So when we talk about top-five this and top-five that. We need to sit back and keep cool.”

Denver heads into the offseason with a lot of question marks, including the future of their all-world center. But according to NBA insider Shams Charania, the Nuggets plan to secure a long-term contract extension for Jokic, who is eligible for a $290 million max deal.

“The expectation on both sides is Nikola Jokic will be signing that when he’s eligible in July, and they’re gonna move forward,” Charania said on “Inside the NBA.”

He added: “But beyond that, there’s going to be real roster changes coming to Denver to identify how they can surround Nikola Jokic with the right pieces to get this team over the top.”

Houston, we have a KD problem

A fluke knee injury kept Kevin Durant out of Game 1 against the Lakers. He reportedly bumped knees with one of the team’s two-way players in practice as they both went for a loose ball. Durant returned in Game 2 but suffered a sprained right ankle in the second half that ultimately forced him to miss the remainder of the series.

The Rockets’ implosion started back in February. The infamous “KD files” — Durant’s alleged social media burner account slamming Rockets teammates — created a major, unresolved distraction.

During a stretch in which the Rockets lost seven of nine games entering the All-Star break, allegations surfaced that Durant criticized teammates — including sharp jabs at Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. — while using a burner account on X.

Durant is one of the best to ever pick up a basketball. Once he’s done with his career, he’ll be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. But his off-the-court drama isn’t helping clean up his image.

Durant never discussed the matter in any detail publicly, calling it “Twitter nonsense.” But it’s hard to imagine his most recent social media tiff didn’t impact the Rockets. Houston appeared disjointed, and the team actually played better when KD was in street clothes sitting on the bench.

Since his split with the Golden State Warriors, Durant has had some conspicuous stops in Brooklyn and Phoenix. Houston gave up a ton of assets to bring him in, but now they may be regretting the move.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. He hosts a sports podcast on YouTube @onemanfastbreak1.

The race for NBA Rookie of the Year was practically settled in late January and early February. Cooper Flagg, the Dallas Mavericks’ all-world teenager, put together four consecutive eye-opening games from Jan. 29 to Feb. 5.

He scored a then season-high 49 points against the Charlotte Hornets, followed by 34 points against the Houston Rockets, 36 against the Boston Celtics, and 32 against the San Antonio Spurs. Four impressive performances against four playoff teams. Flagg showed up and showed out and proved to the basketball world that he’s more than capable of carrying a franchise. After all, he is the Maine Event.

Flagg’s 49-point outing on Jan. 29 came against his chief rival in the rookie race, Kon Knueppel. Knueppel spoiled his former Duke Blue Devils teammate’s night with 34 points, including the clinching free throws with 4.1 seconds left to give the Hornets a 123-121 victory.

Even though Knueppel got the win, the game felt more like a coming-out-party for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Flagg did more than enough to win the Rookie of the Year award. Years from now, we’ll look back and have a good laugh at how this was even a discussion.

Flagg is a generational talent. Guys like him don’t come along every year. Knueppel is a specialist. It’s easier to find a player with his skill set.

Flagg was the front runner to start the season, made a big move since the All-Star break, and he put an exclamation point to his rookie campaign with a 51-point burst against the Orlando Magic on April 3. The 19-year-old became the youngest player in NBA history to score 50 points.

The Dallas Mavericks forward followed up his historic game with a 45-point effort against LeBron James and the L.A. Lakers on April 5. Flagg is the first rookie to score at least 40 points in back-to-back games since Allen Iverson in the 1996-97 season.

Flagg ranks in the top five in all the meaningful statistical categories. He is first in points (21.2), fourth in rebounds (6.7), second in assists (4.6), third in steals (1.2), and fifth in blocks (0.9).

About the only stat that Flagg doesn’t dominate is wins and losses. His Mavericks are in the bottom tier of the Western Conference and bound for the lottery again. The Mavs have been decimated with injuries and haven’t been whole all season.

All-Star guard Kyrie Irving missed the entire season while recovering from an ACL injury and center Dereck Lively was also sidelined for the season due to a foot injury that required surgery. All-Star center Anthony Davis, the main piece the Mavs received in the Luka Doncic trade, was traded to the Washington Wizards just ahead of the February trade deadline. The move was largely seen as a reset for the the Mavs to build around Flagg.

Despite all of Flagg’s spectacular performances and impressive statistics, many basketball pundits — including highly respected experts such as Bill Simmons and Steve Aschburner — are not convinced that Flagg is the top rookie in the 2025-26 season.

Simmons and Aschburner are on the Knueppel side of the rookie debate. They both believe Knueppel deserves to win ROY because he’s had the better season based on his impact for the playoff-bound Hornets.

Charlotte had more than doubled its victory total from last year and put together a top-five offensive rating thanks to the threat of Knueppel’s outside shooting.

Aschburner wrote on NBA.com:

Aschburner’s argument about winning being a major factor in postseason awards isn’t wrong but it is flawed. If we’re putting all our eggs on team standings then VJ Edgecombe deserves to be in the ROY conversation because the Philadelphia 76ers wouldn’t be in the playoffs without Edgecombe’s contributions. As a matter of fact, an strong case could be made that Edgecombe has had a larger impact on his team because he’s had to fill in as the No. 2 option behind Tyrese Maxey due to all the injuries the Sixers have dealt with all season.

It is true that the addition of Knueppel has made the Hornets better. He has quickly established himself as one of the elite shooters in the NBA, breaking Keegan Murray’s mark for most 3-pointers made by a rookie. He leads the league in total 3-pointers made, averaging 3.4 per game, and he ranks in the top 10 in 3-point percentage (42.7%).

There’s no question Knueppel has had a significant impact on the improved Hornets. But Kon is a role player. He’s the third or fourth option on the Hornets. He has far less responsibilities on offense and defense. By contrast, there is a ton of responsibilities on Flagg’s plate.

Flagg is not only the primary playmaker but he’s also asked to make plays on defense. Flagg is asked to do more with less talent around him. Knueppel is mainly a 3-point specialist who has to rely on his teammates like LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges to get him shots.

Over 80% of Knueppel’s 3-pointers made have been assisted, primarily by Ball. Flagg, on the other hand, creates 51% of his shots on his own through post-ups and dribble drives. He is the focal point of the Mavericks offense while Knueppel is the floor spacer on the Hornets.

Here’s a question for all basketball media types: Would you pay money to see Kon Knueppel? Or would you rather pay money to see Cooper Flagg? Would you pay money to watch Knueppel shoot 3s or would you pay money to watch Flagg pull off a highlight-reel play?

We know what most of them would say.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. He hosts a sports podcast on YouTube @onemanfastbreak1.

If there were two players who raised their NBA draft stock, it had to be Michigan’s Aday Mara and Connecticut’s Tarris Reed Jr.

Mara, a 7-foot-3 center from Saragoza, Spain, was a huge reason why the Wolverines captured their first men’s NCAA tournament title since 1989. His presence in the paint, particularly on defense, allowed Michigan defenders to stay home on shooters and his guard-like skills afforded Michigan head coach Dusty May another playmaker on the court to go with point guard Elliott Cadeau and Yaxel Lendeborg.

The 21-year-old Mara was projected to be a late first- or early second-round pick, but after his impressive performances in the NCAA tournament, some mock drafts elevated him in the top 20 of the first round.

The other center who elevated his draft stock was UConn’s Reed Jr. The 6-11, 265-pound burly big man — who spent his first two college seasons at Ann Arbor, Mich. — was the driving force behind the Huskies’ run to the national championship game where they lost to Mara’s Wolverines.

Projected to be late second-round pick in the draft, Reed, who turns 23 in August, has completely flipped his draft status and could hear his name called in the first round.

A closer look at Reed and Mara.

Tarris Reed Jr., 22, senior, center, UConn
Reed averaged a double-double during March Madness, posting averages of 19.5 points and 13.1 rebounds while shooting 54.4% from the field. During the regular season, Reed posted 14.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

His tournament run was highlighted by a historic 31-poing, 27-rebound effort in the first round against Furman. Reed became the first men’s college player in 58 years to achieve a 30-25 stat line in the NCAA tournament. Elvin Hayes was the last player to pull off the 30-25 feat, doing in twice in 1968. Reed was also the first player since Bill Walton in 1972 to record a 30-point, 20-rebound game while shooting over 80% from the field.

In a highly anticipated matchup against AP and Naismith player of the year Cameron Boozer of Duke in the Elite Eight, Reed more than held his own, scoring 26 points and grabbing nine rebounds with four blocks and two steals.

PFSN’s Alex Kennedy wrote: “Tarris Reed Jr.’s NCAA Tournament run has been nothing short of spectacular. The UConn Huskies star has turned March Madness into his coming-out party.”

Kennedy added: “After transferring from the Michigan Wolverines, Reed has maximized his potential under UConn head coach Dan Hurley while taking on more responsibility.

And yet, Reed’s NBA draft projection is a bit complicated. He’ll be 23 years old in August, and his game does not stretch beyond the arc in a league where that’s now extremely important. He’s currently the No. 55-ranked prospect in PFSN’s NBA Mock Draft Simulator, and ESPN ranks him as the 63rd-best prospect on their 2026 NBA Draft big board, meaning there’s a chance he doesn’t even get drafted.”

Reed struggled a bit against Mara and Michigan in the national championship game, but still put up a decent stat line. He finished with 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the field and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds.

Aday Mara, 21, junior, center, Michigan
In the national championship game against UConn, Mara contributed eight points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block in 30 minutes. More importantly, he provided an inside presence that made life difficult for UConn’s Reed.

“He probably won’t go in the first 10 [NBA draft picks], but in five years [NBA teams] will be like, ‘I probably wish I had taken Mara,’” former Michigan coach John Beilein told the New York Times.

Through five games in the 2026 NCAA tournament, Michigan center Aday Mara is averaging 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.6 blocks per game.

The 7-3 junior center has been a focal point of Michigan’s run to the national championship game in Indianapolis. He saved his best in the Final Four as he pumped in a career-high 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting from the field in a 91-73 blowout win over Arizona. Mara was on the receiving end of several nifty lob dunks, which he triggered with some old fashioned screen-and-rolls.

Mara’s outstanding performance on both ends overcame the partial absence of All-American forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who injured his knee and ankle in the first half and was never himself the rest of the game. With Lendeborg hobbled, Mara stepped up and became the focal point of Michigan’s inside attack. His length bothered Arizona’s frontcourt players, including freshman star Koa Peat, who had to earn all 16 of his points on 6-of-18 shooting from the field.

Mara left UCLA for Michigan in April 2025 primarily due to a desire for more playing time and frustration over not achieving his personal, high expectations during his two seasons in Westwood under UCLA head coach Mick Cronin. Despite enjoying his time at UCLA, Mara felt his development was stalled and sought a better fit for his skill set under Coach Dusty May.

“I had expectations when I came here that I didn’t achieve… so I took the decision to go to Michigan to try to meet all the expectations,” Mara said.

He felt Michigan offered a better system for his, specifically looking at how Coach Dusty May uses big men. May had success with Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf (both seven footers), and Mara joked that he saw both up close and personal as a sophomore — from the UCLA bench.

USA Today’s Bryan Kalbrosky thinks Mara jumped into the middle of the first round with his March Madness performance.

Kalbosky said: “After leading his team to the collegiate national championship game, Michigan center Aday Mara became one of the prospects who helped himself the most during March Madness. The 7-foot-3 big man, who transferred from UCLA, is a fantastic rim protector. Opponents only attempted 20.9 percent of their field goals at the rim when the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year was on the court, per CBB Analytics, which ranks near lowest among all NCAA players. He can also pass well, finding some awesome outlet looks in transition and at the rim. Especially in short spurts, Mara would make an excellent backup to Victor Wembanyama.”

Kevin Durant’s Instagram handle is @EasyMoneySniper. It’s an appropriate nickname for one of the greatest scorers in basketball.

Durant is one of the smoothest operators when it comes to putting the ball in the basket. He’s got every shot in the book. He makes things look easy money. His career 27.2 points-per-game average puts him in the top 10. He makes 39% of his 3-point shots and 50% of his shots from the field; mostly from his favorite spot on the court — the midrange. And he is a career 88% shooter from the free throw line.

Durant — who was traded to the Houston Rockets as part of a historic seven-team deal — moved into fifth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, jumping ahead of Michael Jordan. Only Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and LeBron James are ahead of Durant.

OMFB pulled together a list of the most efficient scorers in modern NBA history, with the following stipulations: 1) a player must have a career points-per-game average of at least 20 (PPG); 2) minimum 400 games played; 3) above the line in field goal percentage (47%), 3-point shooting (35%), and free throws (80%). Note: Because the 3-point line wasn’t introduced in the league until 1979, players such as Jerry West and Oscar Robertson were not included on the list.

Kevin Durant
PPG: 27.2 FG pct: 50.3 3PT pct: 39.1 FT pct: 88.2
KD is listed at 6-10 but with a 7-5 wingspan. Because of his remarkable length and above-average ball-handling skills, he is able to shoot over any defender.

Stephen Curry
PPG: 24.8 FG pct: 47.1 3PT pct: 42.2 FT pct: 91.2
The four-time NBA champion and 3-point king is regarded by many as the greatest shooter in basketball. Steph is the all-time leader in 3-point makes, with an accuracy of 42%.

Larry Bird
PPG: 24.3 FG pct: 49.6 3PT pct: 37.6 FT pct: 88.6
Larry Legend won three consecutive MVPs from 1984-86 and arguably one of the 10 most influential players. The three-time NBA champ would be the ideal stretch-4 in the modern NBA.

Dirk Nowitzki
PPG: 20.7 FG pct: 47.1 3PT pct: 38.0 FT pct: 87.9
Dirk helped revolutionize the game by moving the traditional low-post game to the high post. The elbow was his operating room, and he carved up defenders with his signature one-legged fadeaway.

Kyrie Irving
PPG: 23.7 FG pct: 47.4 3PT pct: 39.4 FT pct: 88.8
Kyrie is one of most gifted scorers the game has ever seen. Armed with an insanely tight handle and creative mind, Kyrie is a spectacular bucket-getter who plays his best in the clutch.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
PPG: 25.0 FG pct: 50.8 3PT pct: 36.0 FT pct: 86.5
SGA won an MVP, NBA championship and NBA scoring title before the age of 27. As a 6-6 point guard, he is a physical mismatch against the vast majority of guards. He plays with remarkable consistency.

Karl-Anthony Towns
PPG: 23.0 FG pct: 52.1 3PT pct: 39.7 FT pct: 83.9
Big KAT proclaimed himself “the greatest big man shooter of all time.” Based on statistical evidence, Towns might be right. His career combination of volume and efficiency is unmatched.

Nikola Jokic
PPG: 22.2 FG pct: 56.1 3PT pct: 36.3 FT pct: 82.4
Former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone said the secret to Joker’s efficient is that he doesn’t fight it. The big man from Serbian makes the game look easy because he doesn’t force things.

Zach LaVine
PPG: 20.8 FG pct: 47.0 3PT pct: 39.1 FT pct: 83.5
LaVine entered the league mainly known as a spectacular dunker, winning the NBA Slam Dunk contest twice. He became a prolific scorer after he was traded from Minnesota to Chicago.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. He hosts a sports podcast on YouTube @onemanfastbreak1.