The Knicks aren’t letting one blowout victory over the Philadelphia 76ers give them a big head — no pun intended.
They are fully expecting the Sixers to bounce back from a 39-point loss in Game 1 in an attempt to right their wrongs at Madison Square Garden in Game 2 on Wednesday.
“It’s pretty easy because yesterday is irrelevant. The only thing that matters right now is the present,” Josh Hart said after practice in Tarrytown on Tuesday. “We got to make sure we’re focused, have good attention to detail, make sure we’re prepared for tomorrow. “
The Sixers had just one day of rest following an emotional Game 7 to close-out the Boston Celtics in the first round, while the Knicks enjoyed three days off in-between games after handling the Atlanta Hawks in six.
Hart doesn’t believe the Sixers have thrown remotely close to their best punch.
“You know, that’s a good team. Obviously, they had an emotional Game 7, and I don’t know what their travel schedule was like and all that, but I’m sure they probably didn’t even go home. They probably went straight here,” he said. “They had physical and exhausting series in travel. So, you know, they’re gonna try to get their legs under them and come out with energy tomorrow. So we gotta make sure we don’t just match that, but exceed it.”
Miles McBride agrees the Knicks have to flush their landslide results from Game 1.
“Man, give God the glory. Can’t take it for granted being here. We’ve been here. We’ve lost. We’ve been up. We’ve been down,” he said after practice on Tuesday. “This is an experienced group, so we just can’t take it for granted. We’re locked in.”
Regardless, NBA fans and pundits alike are picking the Knicks to run through the East, even if they’re to get past the Sixers with ease and meet the Detroit Pistons in the conference finals. Hart’s not buying into narrative, even if his confidence is sky-high after cruising to four straight playoff victories.
“That stuff doesn’t matter. [For] Philly, Boston was a favorite in their last series, and [Philly] came back from down 3-1, you know what I mean? So, like, being the favorite means literally nothing. Every game you have to come in with a focus and attention to detail. And if you don’t do that, you can lose anybody in this league if you do that,” he said. “We feel like we can beat anybody, but it’s that mentality that you have to go out there and be present every single day. Not worried about the past, because that’s irrelevant. Not worried about what the future holds, because you have no idea. It’s about us being in the present.
“So we don’t really care too much about being favorites or All-Stars, All-NBA, and all, because at the end of the day, none of that really matters. And none of that matters if you win. No one remembers the leading scorer or how many All-Stars you had or how many All-NBA [honors]. They remember you being a champion, and that’s obviously the goal.”
MAX ATTACK
If the Knicks are going to replicate their success from Game 1, it’ll start and end with Sixers’ All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey. The Knicks held Maxey to just three-of-nine shooting for 13 points and two assists with four turnovers in 27 minutes of play in Game 1.
“I feel like the whole team was just locked in, honestly,” McBride said of defending the All-star guard. “Mikal [Bridges] started off on him really well, and then I came in, but there were times where other guys were matched up with him, and all of our antennas are up just guarding him as a team.”
The 25-year-old Sixers star averaged 28 points over his last 10 regular season games against the Knicks and averaged 29.8 points in the six games played through the 2024 Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Hart harped on Bridges being key in stopping Maxey’s scoring going forward.
“That was huge. Both of those guys [Mikal and Deuce] obviously are blessed enough athletically to be able to keep up with him, use their physicality, use their length to their advantage,” he said. “Maxey obviously is an offense unto himself, being able to break out and transition. You know, he’s tough [to guard], so they did an amazing job on him and have to continue it.”
CONDOLENCES
Mike Brown extended his condolences to Sixers’ head coach Nick Nurse, who was excused from team practice on Tuesday to attend the funeral of his older brother, Steve, who passed away unexpectedly ahead of Game 6 of the Sixers-Celtics series.
“I heard about his brother, and I’d like to pass my condolences along to Nick Nurse and his family, his brother’s family and all their friends. Life is precious,” said Brown. “You don’t wish that upon anybody. So I’d like to pass along my condolences to him and his family while they’re going through these times.”
May 5—CHAMPAIGN — Tom Michael is returning to the University of Illinois.
Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman announced Tuesday that Michael — a former Illini men's basketball standout who is wrapping up his 12th year as athletic director at Eastern Illinois — will join the UI as deputy director of athletics. As the second-highest ranking administrative officer in the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, Michael will have a role in campus, Big Ten and NCAA governance.
He starts May 14, filling a void created by Roger Denny's hiring as the Oklahoma athletic director back in January.
The UI announced that Michael "will contribute to developing and implementing competitive strategy for the athletics program and will work closely with sport programs and student-athlete support services, including daily oversight of football and men's and women's track and field/cross country. Michael also will oversee facilities management and capital projects along with the business office."
The 55-year-old Michael was the longest-serving athletic director in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Panthers claimed 24 conference titles in his watch, including 12 during the last four years. After winning five OVC championships during the 2022-23 season, EIU won four league titles in 2023-24 to capture the OVC Commissioners Cup.
"Tom has established himself as an experienced, respected leader in Division I, having served on various conference and national committees while leading Eastern Illinois for more than a decade," Whitman said in a statement. "As a former men's basketball standout, Tom's passion for the Orange and Blue is unquestioned, and I know he will bring great pride to such an important position. Tom and I have known each other for more than 20 years, and I look forward to working closely with him to continue our program's upward trajectory."
Michael served on the President's Council to EIU President Jay Gatrell. He also served on the FCS Football Oversight Committee and was part of the FCS Playoff Selection Committee from 2021-24.
"There is so much positive momentum right now at Illinois," Michael said in a statement. "As an alum, there is a tremendous amount of pride in the success that is being achieved across the board. And as a professional, I am honored to be able to return to Champaign and work alongside the best teams, coaches and staff you will find in college athletics."
Prior to his work at EIU, Michael spent 18 years in various roles at Illinois, rising to associate athletic director in 2008 and senior associate athletic director in 2012.
Michael was a four-year letterwinner, three-time team captain and two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection in basketball under coach Lou Henson. The Carlye native played for the Illini from 1990-94 after helping lead Carlyle to a 1989 Class A state championship in Champaign. He remains the Illini school record holder for career three-point field goal percentage (.449) and single-season three-point percentage (.493).
He and his wife Shana have three children, Nicholas, Nate and Kylie. All three of his children played high school sports at St. Joseph-Ogden High School, with Nate helping the SJ-O boys' basketball team place fourth in Class 2A in 2013 and Kylie helping the SJ-O volleyball team place second in 2A in 2016. Nate is currently an assistant men's basketball coach at EIU, and Kylie, a two-time News-Gazette All-Area volleyball Player of the Year, played college volleyball at EIU.
In late March, Tina Charles traveled to China to play in a best-of-five series with Henan Phoenix, a Chinese women’s basketball club looking to move into its league’s top tier. Through four games, Charles, 37, averaged 22 points and eight boards while playing 29 minutes a game. Henan won, and Charles celebrated with teammates before boarding a flight back to New York.
Through the festivities, merriment and jet lag, Charles also felt something different — a true sense of clarity.
She had gone into that decisive Game 4 knowing it could be her last basketball game she played. She put on and took off her uniform that day understanding it could be the final time she ever did that. Ultimately, it was.
After a storied career that included 14 seasons in the WNBA, two national championships at UConn, three Olympic gold medals and hundreds of games overseas, Charles’ final points came in a small gymnasium in central China.
Charles told The Athletic she has retired from professional basketball and is at peace with moving away from the hardwood.
“I’m very thankful for the career that I’ve been able to have, the experiences I was able to have,” Charles said. “I gave everything to this game, and the game gave me everything that I needed to become who I am. So now, it’s just time to apply that same standard of what I held myself to on the court to what’s next.”
Charles is considered one of the WNBA’s silent megastars, the most talented player who never won a WNBA title. She leaves as one of the preeminent — and one of the last — back-to-the-basket posts who also revolutionized her own game, expanding her range to the 3-point line after attempting just 17 3s through the first six seasons of her career.
She retires atop the WNBA leaderboard in career rebounds (4,262) and field goals made (3,364), and second in points scored (8,396). Charles, an eight-time All-Star who’s undoubtedly headed to the Hall of Fame someday, led the league in scoring twice during her career and was named the 2012 MVP. She was most recently a first-team all-league player in 2017. She was still considered a free-agent option during this offseason cycle, though the likelihood of being an immediate impact player has diminished.
Charles was the No. 1 pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft, after leading UConn to NCAA Tournament titles in 2009 and 2010 to cap undefeated seasons. In 2010, as a rookie with the Connecticut Sun, she led them in points and rebounds. She spent four seasons there before moving to the New York Liberty, her hometown team, in 2014. In 2020, New York traded Charles to the Washington Mystics, and she then journeyed to four teams during five seasons, culminating with a return to the Sun last season.
It was a new role for her, and ultimately, a clarifying season. As she did as a rookie with the Sun, she led Connecticut in scoring last season. But in 2025, her position and the space she occupied had changed.
“Playing around the younger players gave me perspective,” said Charles, who averaged 17.8 points and nine rebounds per game during her WNBA career. “They pushed me in a different way. It wasn’t just about competing, it was about adapting and learning and understanding where I fit in a new version of the game. It’s like they brought the energy, I brought the experience, and somewhere in that I was able to gain clarity. It’s just a full circle moment — you remember when you were in their shoes, when you were them, and you recognize when it’s their time to grow into the space you once held.”
The thoughts of retirement began to linger last season for Charles. She still opted to play in Athletes Unlimited this past offseason and travel to China for the series with Henan. Even in July, on an episode of Sue Bird’s podcast, Charles said, though with a laugh, that she thought about retirement “every day.”
“When you do the things that nobody sees, you’re going in to go work out, to strengthen your body and do all those little things — that started to escape me. I always showed up, but just the intention and why I’m doing it, it started to feel like work versus like what it used to,” Charles told The Athletic. “Once that started creeping in, that’s when I knew, like, all right, I’ll see if I want to give this a go this summer.”
But after that trip to China, Charles knew it was the right time to retire. Charles — who was born and raised in Queens and attended Christ the King Regional High School — will continue to live in New York while bouncing between home bases in Connecticut and Jamaica, where she feels a deep connection to her mother’s birthplace.
Charles is currently earning her master’s degree in sports management at UConn, and sees herself possibly working in a front office of the WNBA or NBA, or for a college team. This past semester, she worked as a graduate assistant for UConn athletics’ chief operating officer, learning about revenue share, name, image and likeness, scheduling and operations.
Charles has also founded and owns 78 Brewing Co., named for the Huskies’ 78-game win streak during her junior and senior seasons, joining the less than one percent of Black-owned American breweries. She will also continue her involvement with Hopey’s Heart Foundation, a non-profit she founded in 2013 that has placed more than 500 free automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in schools and communities.
“I’ve always had an entrepreneurship spirit. I’ve always had the mindset, and this chapter allows me to grow more into it,” Charles said. “I’ve never wanted to stay in one version of myself.”
Charles said she’s looking forward to this next stage of her career and life. After 20 years — between the WNBA, overseas play and UConn — of year-round basketball, she’s excited to reflect on her career and spend time with her family and friends.
The WNBA Charles leaves is far different from the one she joined in 2010. She earned a rookie salary of $45,827. The No. 1 pick this season, fellow UConn alum Azzi Fudd, will earn $500,000. The WNBA’s growth, represented by its groundbreaking collective bargaining agreement, has been significant as salaries, benefits, franchise valuations and television deals have skyrocketed. Though Charles ultimately won’t be a part of this next iteration of the league, she’s proud of the part she played in getting women’s basketball to this point.
“If I’ve done anything, I hope it’s that I made the path a little clearer and a little wider for the next generation,” Charles said. “Just having a tiny thing to do with that since entering the league in 2010 — making the league more exciting, expanding players’ minds to what they should be doing actively while playing off the court, and how to use the platform of the WNBA to elevate their beliefs and their dreams and their business aspirations; how to impact someone with just your kindness and just with your work. So, I think for me, that’s what legacy is.”
MIAMI — The problem with being reduced to playoff bystander is the danger of getting caught up in possibilities lost, at a time when rational thought about realistic possibilities is paramount.
As he wrapped up his team’s season last week, Miami Heat President Pat Riley spoke of having pushed for the playoffs, instead of a midseason asset reset, because of what the team viewed as a potential wide-open East race.
Hope trafficking? Sure.
But hasn’t that been the case with the Heat since the Big Three of LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade fractured 12 years ago?
Since Riley spoke last week of an open East, the Heat, from the postseason sidelines, watched the No. 8 Orlando Magic push the No. 1 Detroit Pistons to a Game 7, the No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers eliminate the No. 2 Boston Celtics and the No. 5 Toronto Raptors going to a Game 7 against the No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers.
Factor in a few shaky moments for the No. 3 New York Knicks early in their six-game elimination of the No. 6 Atlanta Hawks, and it would be difficult to argue there is anything as close to imposing in the East as the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs in the West.
Perhaps sensing what was to be teased in the first round in the East as he spoke last week, Riley offered a why-not-us take that either was prescient or puzzling.
“The only two teams,” Riley said, “that I would consider that I would be uncomfortable playing against would be OKC and San Antonio, and they’re out there (in the Western Conference).
“But if I can get into the (NBA) Finals, just like we did in ’23, then I would be happy.”
That, of course, is another element of what could be viewed as misguided optimism/hope trafficking, that outlier push to the 2023 NBA Finals with Jimmy Butler against the Denver Nuggets out of the play-in as the East No. 8 seed.
Since that 2023 postseason run before falling short, the Heat have won one playoff game, without even that the past two years. Butler by then had reached his Heat expiration date. But instead of regrouping, there was the hasty reach for Terry Rozier, of which Riley acknowledged, “We all know that turned out to be a nightmare.”
And even after that, incremental pushes forward instead of a reset, including landing Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell in the 2025 trade of Butler, and the Norman Powell addition last summer.
A year ago, it added up to 10th place in the East. This past season, again 10th place in the East, in a season that ended 17 games behind the first-place Pistons, who now play on.
And, still, another drag of hopium.
“I’m not dismissing any at the top of the conference, here in the East, because they’re all very good teams,” Riley said. “But take a look at what’s going on, it’s like very competitive. Anybody can almost win.”
When a franchise has won three championships and advanced to the NBA Finals four other times, “almost” has no place as the target for a reset.
The Heat are not the Pistons, who on Sunday won their first playoff series since 2008. The Heat are not the Magic, who with Sunday’s loss in Detroit remain without a series win since 2010.
The Heat have done enough in recent years to merit the right to step back, reset, not desperately chase fool’s gold in the belief of seizing on the perception of a down conference.
And yet, as one of the parties in the Heat hierarchy privately expressed recently, the view is that this could be the Summer of 2019 all over again, when the Heat exited from the lottery with Tyler Herro as the draft pick and exited free agency with Butler. By season’s end that time, the Heat were in the 2020 NBA Finals.
So, yes, possible.
But it has to be the right pick, the right player.
Basically, lightning striking in the same place seven years later.
Otherwise, no easy way out, no matter what the thinking about the state of the East after all the first-round mayhem that ultimately held to seed form, beyond the No. 2 Boston Celtics losing in the absence of Jayson Tatum.
Next season, Tatum likely will be back on the floor for the Celtics for a Game 7, unlike Saturday against the 76ers. Next season, Tyrese Haliburton will be back for the Pacers. Next season, the Pistons, Cavaliers, 76ers or Knicks could be more emboldened by the ongoing strides of this season.
Riley has spent the majority of the past two decades attempting to distance himself from his book-selling mantra of championship or misery.
From the depths of the bottom of the standings, with Alonzo Mourning again sent to scowl from the set of the draft lottery this coming Sunday in Chicago, the time has come for the Heat to reset with a championship mentality — no matter how long such a reset might require, no matter where the rest of the conference does or does not stand.
Even if the East was down this season, it was better, far better, than the Heat this season, as the first round of the playoffs ultimately showed.
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL)– ETSU men’s basketball head coach Brooks Savage has added Graham Sandefur to his coaching staff as the Director of Basketball Operations, the program announced on Monday.
Savage expressed his enthusiasm for the new hire, noting that Sandefur gained meaningful experience during his time at Louisville and comes highly recommended by Louisville head coach Pat Kelsey.
Savage added that Sandefur understands the standards and expectations associated with a championship-caliber program.
Hailing from Owensboro, Kentucky, Sandefur joins ETSU after serving as a graduate manager for Pat Kelsey at the University of Louisville for the 2025-26 season.
Before that role, he was a student manager for three seasons as an undergraduate at the University of Louisville. His time with the Cardinals included hands-on experience in film breakdown, scouting preparation, equipment logistics, and in-game statistics.
Sandefur earned dual bachelor’s degrees in business administration and sport administration at Louisville in 2025 and is currently pursuing a Master’s of Business Administration at UofL.
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The NCAA transfer portal officially opened at midnight on April 7 with thousands of college basketball players prepared to evaluate their futures. In the new offseason format, all players must submit an entry by April 21 to change programs.
As top prospects continue to commit to their new program, the updated list of available players and list of best committed players will continue to update. However, the list of top prospects will likely hold steady rather with only a handful of potential entries left to shake things up.
As college basketball’s top programs quickly move to evaluate the best players available and build a new-look roster, here is a look at the Top 25 players overall in the transfer portal. These rankings reflect the On3 Industry Rankings.
Flory Bidunga is coming off a strong sophomore season at Kansas. He announced his commitment to Louisville alongside Jackson Shelstad, but also entered the NBA Draft process, with the college route looking increasingly appealing this offseason.
The 6-foot-9 center plays a position of value and scarcity, only adding to his value. He averaged 13.3 points and 9.0 rebounds with 2.6 blocks this season for the Jayhawks, winning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and All-Big 12 honors.
2. John Blackwell, SG – Committed to Duke
John Blackwell has emerged as one of the best guard options in college basketball, choosing to enter the transfer portal while testing NBA Draft waters this offseason. The former Wisconsin star has grown each season, going from an All-Freshman selection in 2023-24 to All-Big Ten in 2025-26.
The 6-foot-4 guard is coming off a season where he averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists, providing well-rounded value from the guard spot. He enters the 2026-27 season with a chance to lead the Duke offense.
3. Milan Momcilovic, PF
Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Milan Momcilovic decided to enter the transfer portal while going through the NBA Draft process, evaluating all options for his future off an impressive season with Iowa State. He brings a top-end skill which every team at the college and professional level will value, emerging as one of the best 3-point shooters in the game.
The 6-foot-8 forward has shown the ability to play both the small forward and power forward position as well. He averaged 16.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in an All-Big 12 season where he shot 48.7-percent from beyond the arc.
4. Massamba Diop, C – Committed to Gonzaga
Mar 3, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) celebrates a shot against the Kansas Jayhawks in the second half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Massamba Diop entered the transfer portal after a successful freshman campaign for Arizona State. His big production has made him a name to watch for plenty of big programs looking to add frontcourt help, attaching a do-not-contact tag to his entry.
The 7-foot-1 center averaged 13.6 points and 5.8 rebounds, adding 2.1 blocks across 33 starts. He also upped his game throughout the season, posting better averages in Big 12 play while showing flashes of perimeter shooting.
5. Juke Harris, SG – Committed to Tennessee
Juke Harris enters the transfer portal as one of the top wing options in college basketball. The former Wake Forest star took a major leap forward in production this season, leading him to test the NBA Draft waters during this process as well.
The 6-foot-7 guard brings great positional size to the table, averaging 21.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists on the way to All-ACC honors and the ACC’s Most Improved Player award. He has two years of eligibility remaining if he remains in college basketball.
6. Tounde Yessoufou, SF
Feb 24, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears guard Tounde Yessoufou (24) drives to the basket against Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka (30) during the first half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images
Tounde Yessoufou put together a strong freshman season at Baylor, asserting himself as one of the best scoring threats in the Big 12 immediately. After entering the transfer portal, he will go through the NBA Draft process while evaluating his best options in college basketball.
The 6-foot-5 wing averaged 17.8 points and 5.9 rebounds over 34 games this season, adding 2.0 blocks per game to his total. The next step for him comes in the efficiency he plays with and consistency to his game.
7. Allen Graves, PF
Mar 20, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Santa Clara Broncos forward Allen Graves (22) reacts after making a basket against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half of a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Allen Graves comes off a freshman season which turned heads at Santa Clara, putting up historic analytic value throughout the season. His profile will appeal in a big way to program which value the underlying metrics, provided he withdraws from the NBA Draft process.
The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals this season while shooting 41.3-percent from the 3-point line. He did all this with a PER of 29.6 and Box Plus/Minus of 13.4 which has the analytics community raving about his potential.
8. PJ Haggerty, SG – Committed to Texas A&M
PJ Haggerty/USA Today
PJ Haggerty was a consensus All-American during the 2024-25 season, then headed to Kansas State in the transfer portal. He will now make the move to Texas A&M where he can take on SEC competition in a fast-paced offense.
The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 23.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists in the Big 12 this season. He promises to carry great value as top teams look for a scoring punch at the guard spot.
9. Paulius Murauskas, PF – Committed to Arizona State
Two-time All-WCC selection Paulius Murauskas has entered the transfer portal after seeing his head coach, Randy Bennett, leave for Arizona State. After spending his first college season at Arizona, he broke out as a St. Mary’s star.
The 6-foot-8 forward brings size and versatility to the frontcourt, averaging 18.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 33.3-percent from the 3-point line. He has one year of eligibility left.
10. Miles Byrd, SG – Committed to Providence
Dec 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Diego State Aztecs guard Miles Byrd (21) against the Arizona Wildcats during the Hall of Fame Series at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Miles Byrd committed to Providence after starring for San Diego State. The defensive wing has tested the NBA Draft waters before and is highly-touted for his positional size and value on his way to two All-Mountain West honors and two All-Defense honors, which culminated with a Defensive Player of the Year award.
The 6-foot-7 wing averaged 10.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists this season. He added 1.9 steals and 1.2 blocks on the defensive end, showing his all-around value and potential impact in any system.
11. David Punch, PF – Committed to Texas
TCU forward and leading scorer David Punch (William Purnell-Imagn Images)
David Punch took a major leap forward this season, becoming a two-way star at TCU before hitting the transfer portal to test his market. He brings value to both ends of the floor to Texas as he moves into the SEC.
The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 14.1 points and 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists across 34 games this season. He also added 1.3 steals and 1.9 blocks per game to his total, ranking among the top disruptors in the Big 12.
12. Stefan Vaaks, SG – Committed to Illinois
Natalie Reid-Imagn Images
Stefan Vaaks enters the transfer portal after a strong freshman season at Providence which saw him emerge as a high-level scorer. The Big East All-Freshman selection brings great positional size and versatility to Illinois as they look to follow up a Final Four.
The 6-foot-7 guard averaged 15.8 points, 3.2 assists and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 35-percent from the 3-point line. The Estonian product started 22 of 31 games and upped his averages during Big East play.
13. Isaiah Johnson, PG – Committed to Texas
Feb 25, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard Isaiah Johnson (2) during the second half against the Kansas State Wildcats at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Isaiah Johnson had a breakout freshman season at Colorado, going from three-star prospect in the Rivals Industry Rankings to a coveted transfer portal target. He now makes a move to Texas, where he will play alongside David Punch.
The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 16.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists on the season. He started 15 of the 32 games, including 14 in Big 12 play after emerging as one of the team’s go-to options.
14. Moustapha Thiam, C – Committed to Michigan
Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Moustapha Thiam enters the NCAA transfer portal for a second straight season, starting his college career at UCF before spending the last season at Cincinnati. He brings versatility as a center, protecting the rim on defense with flashes of a perimeter game on offense.
The 7-foot-1 big man averaged 12.8 points and 7.1 rebounds this season across 31 starts while shooting 52.5-percent from the field. He now makes the move to Michigan where Dusty May has had great success utilizing multiple centers in the lineup.
15. Aidan Sherrell, C – Committed to Indiana
Aiden Sherrell (Courtesy of Alabama Athletics)
Aidan Sherrell had a breakout season with Alabama as a sophomore, choosing to enter the transfer portal and test a robust market for players with his skillset. He now lands at Indiana, which has invested big in its starting lineup entering Year Two under Darian DeVries.
The 6-foot-11 big man averaged 11.1 points and 6.2 rebounds across 34 games this season,. He also shot 33.8-percent from beyond the 3-point line while doubling his attempts from a freshman campaign where he shot 33.3-percent beyond the arc.
16. Somto Cyril, C – Committed to Miami
Jan 10, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Georgia Bulldogs center Somto Cyril (2) shoots a free throw after a flagrant foul against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
Somto Cyril entered the transfer portal after a big season for Georgia where he showed off his physical style of play. The athletic center drew widespread interest before committing to Miami for the 2026-27 season.
At 6-foot-11, he averaged 9.3 points and 5.4 rebounds, adding 2.2 blocks per game. He also finished as an All-SEC Defensive Team selection after taking on an increased role as a sophomore.
17. Neoklis Avdalas, CG – Committed to UNC
Feb 28, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies guard Neoklis Avdalas (17) with the ball in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Neoklis Avdalas opted to join college basketball after withdrawing from the NBA Draft process last season, landing at Virginia Tech late in the cycle. He now makes a move to North Carolina under first-year head coach Michael Malone.
The 6-foot-7 guard averaged 12.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists in his first season. The key to his long-term success is improving on the 38.6-percent mark from the field, which could be aided by playing with more high-level scorers where he lands.
18. Jackson Shelstad, PG – Committed to Louisville
Jackson Shelstad entered the transfer portal after an injury set back his junior season at Oregon. He now joins forces with Flory Bidunga at Louisville, hoping to assemble and instant contender.
The 6-foot point guard averaged a career-high 15.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists across 12 games. He has averaged double-figures in all three college seasons, with an All-Big Ten nod in 2024-25.
19. Dedan Thomas, PG – Committed to Houston
Jan 20, 2026; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Louisiana State Tigers guard Dedan Thomas Jr. (11) dribbles the ball against the Florida Gators during the first half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
Dedan Thomas opted to enter the transfer portal for a second-straight season after LSU’s coaching change. He lands at Houston where he will take over the point guard role for a Big 12 contender.
The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 15.3 points and 6.5 assists during 16 games at LSU. In the two seasons prior, he was an All-Mountain West selection and averaged double figures in each college year.
Donnie Freeman entered college basketball as a top recruit, spending two seasons at Syracuse before entering the transfer portal. After suffering an injury as a freshman, he bounced back with big production as a sophomore.
The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 16.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists this season. He added significant value on the defensive end to what he showed early in his career, adding more value to him on the market this offseason.
21. Markus Burton, PG – Committed to Indiana
Notre Dame guard Markus Burton. (MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Markus Burton hit the transfer portal after injury set back his 2025-26 season at Notre Dame. He lands with in-state rival Indiana for next season as he looks to rebound to his previous scoring production while in the Big Ten.
The 5-foot-10 guard averaged 18.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 10 games. The two-time All-ACC selection averaged 21.3 points as a sophomore the season before, ranking among the top scorers in college basketball.
22. Najai Hines, PF – Committed to UConn
David Butler II-Imagn Images
Najai Hines came off the bench for Seton Hall as a freshman big man. His ability to impact the defensive end of the floor will make him a valuable piece for any team looking for frontcourt help.
The 6-foot-10 forward averaged just 6.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in his first college season. He added 2.2 blocks to his box score while posting efficient numbers off the bench all year.
23. KJ Lewis, SG – Committed to USC
Feb 24, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Georgetown Hoyas guard KJ Lewis (5) dribbles as Marquette Golden Eagles guard Chase Ross (2) defends during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images
KJ Lewis enters the transfer portal for a second-straight season, breaking out at Georgetown. He will now move to USC in the Big Ten, looking to capitalize on his increased role which earned him All-Big East honors.
The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 14.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists this season. He started his career at Arizona, where he spent two seasons as a role player off the bench as a two-way producer.
24. Terrence Hill, SG – Committed to Tennessee
Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; VCU Rams guard Terrence Hill Jr. (6) reacts after a play against the North Carolina Tar Heels in overtime of a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Terrence Hill entered the NCAA transfer portal after an All-Atlantic 10 season for VCU which also saw him earn the league’s Most Improved Player and Sixth Man of the Year awards. Despite coming off the bench, he was among the most impactful players on the roster.
The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 15 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists as a sophomore, taking a big leap from his freshman numbers. Despite playing 25 minutes, he came off the bench in 34 of 36 games.
25. Mouhamed Sylla, C – Committed to West Virginia
Dec 3, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets center Mouhamed Sylla (6) in action against the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the second half at McCamish Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Mouhamed Sylla started his freshman season strong, asserting himself as a high-level rebounder and interior presence for Georgia Tech. After entering the transfer portal, he chose to join a new-look West Virginia team with plenty promise for his future.
The 6-foot-10 big man averaged 9.6 points and 7.2 rebounds over 16 games this season, adding 1.2 blocks to his total. However, his season was cut short by injury, allowing him to play just three ACC games.
Bryson Graham, who began his career as an intern in the New Orleans Pelicans basketball operations department, now will be in charge of bringing the Chicago Bulls back to respectability.
The Bulls on Monday named Graham their new executive vice president of basketball operations, replacing Artūras Karnišovas, whom they fired April 6 along with general manager Marc Eversley.
Graham will be responsible for hiring a new coach to replace Billy Donovan and guiding a rebuilding team into the next decade.
“I am incredibly honored to join the Chicago Bulls organization,” Graham said in a statement. “This is one of the most storied franchises in the history of professional basketball, and I feel a tremendous sense of responsibility to deliver results for this city and these fans.
“My entire career has been built on the belief that sustained success starts with finding the right players and developing an all-around impactful culture. I want to thank Jerry and Michael Reinsdorf and the entire Bulls organization for presenting me with this opportunity. I am ready to get to work.”
Graham, 39, joined the Atlanta Hawks last year as senior vice president of basketball operations and shook up the organization by trading longtime star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, re-energizing on the fly a team that finished with 46 wins, the franchise’s most since 2015-16. His offseason signings include Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who was voted the NBA’s Most Improved Player.
The Hawks made a second-half run that got them into the playoffs before losing in six games to the New York Knicks in the first round. Their 51-point loss in the decisive Game 6 was the most lopsided defeat in franchise history.
Bulls President and CEO Michael Reinsdorf, who led the search along with senior adviser of basketball operations John Paxson, called Graham an “elite talent evaluator who has earned tremendous respect across the league” and someone who has worked on every level from the ground up.
“And that experience has given him a deep understanding of how to build and sustain a successful organization,” Reinsdorf said in a statement. “He is an effective communicator, a disciplined and thoughtful decision-maker and someone who truly connects with players and people. He understands today’s league, today’s players and what it takes to develop talent and build a winning culture.
“Just as important, Bryson is committed to building a high-level group around him. He knows what he does well, and he is focused on surrounding that with strong leadership across strategy, scouting and player development. This is an important step for our organization. We know there is work ahead, but we are confident in Bryson’s ability to lead, build and move us forward.”
Graham, a San Antonio native, began his NBA career with the Pelicans in 2011 as basketball operations intern and ascended through the ranks to become general manager in 2024. He played three seasons at Texas A&M from 2006-09 before becoming a graduate assistant on the Aggies coaching staff.
Graham was one of three finalists for the Bulls position, according to ESPN, beating out Minnesota Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd — a former Bulls employee who was seen as the front-runner — and Detroit Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lindsey.
Reinsdorf said in a video conference with reporters last month that he believes the Bulls can have success quickly with two first-round draft choices — their own and the Portland Trail Blazers’ — and about $65 million in salary-cap space.
Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis form the nucleus of the next Bulls team, and it will be up to Graham to fill in around them after four straight seasons without making the playoffs under Karnišovas.
The Bulls will hold an introductory news conference with Graham later in the week.
Graham’s most important task for now will be choosing a coach to replace Donovan, who left after the season to allow the new executive to have the freedom to pick his own guy. Reinsdorf was adamant that any new executive should want to have Donovan as coach, but Donovan is currently a free agent amid speculation he’ll be a leading candidate for the Orlando Magic opening.
It’s the start of a new era for the Bulls, who have been led by only three executives — John Paxson, Gar Forman and Karnišovas — since former GM Jerry Krause resigned in 2003 after 18 years in charge.
Karnišovas’ moves in the summer of 2021 seemed to have the franchise on the right path, and DeMar DeRozan helped lead them to the 2022 playoffs. But they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in five games in the first round, and three straight years of losing in the play-in tournament led to this year’s dumping of veterans Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Nikola Vučević at the trade deadline.
“I hear you and understand your frustration,” Reinsdorf said in a statement after Karnišovas was fired last month. “I feel it as well. I know this will take time and I am fully committed to getting this right.”
The Bulls believe the hiring of Graham is a big step in getting it right.
Strong, the consensus national player of the year in 2025-26, had one of her worst performances in a UConn jersey at the Final Four, logging 12 points and 12 rebounds on 25% shooting in the 62-48 defeat that ended the Huskies’ undefeated season. Strong grew so agitated during the game that she ripped her own jersey after a missed layup at the end of the third quarter, an uncharacteristic show of emotion from the famously-stoic superstar on the biggest stage.
It was the first truly meaningful loss Strong has experienced at UConn after helping power the program to its 12th national championship as a freshman in 2025, and it’s one that Auriemma believes will fuel her next season.
“The pressure that she puts on herself to make sure that she performs at a real high level, I think that bothered her, that she wasn’t able to play at the level that she expects from herself and that we needed from her,” Auriemma said Monday, speaking with media for the first time since the Final Four. “So that, of all the time that she’s been here — and there’s only been four losses I think in her college career — I think that one probably hit her the hardest … I think she she takes all that and personalizes it and internalizes it, and I think that she’s going to turn that into a real positive going forward.”
Strong’s underwhelming performance in the Final Four wasn’t a shock to Auriemma, partly because the sophomore was never fully healthy over the last two months of the season. Strong grappled with chronic calf inflammation that sidelined her for a game in early February, and Auriemma said she was only practicing about three days a week for the entire month of March.
This offseason, the priority for the superstar forward is rest. For the first time since 2021, she won’t compete with USA Basketball this summer in either 3-on-3 or 5-on-5 competition. Auriemma said Strong was worried about disappointing the national team when she turned down opportunities this year, but she ultimately understood that her body desperately needs the recovery time if she intends to lead the Huskies back to the NCAA championship next year.
“It’s such a long season, and she’s spent every summer playing USA Basketball … so the plan for her this summer is to do as little as possible,” Auriemma said. “It was typical Sarah: ‘I really want to do this, I feel like I have an obligation to do this, what are they going to think of me if I say no? … I said, if I put you on the spot, do you want to do this or do you not want to do this? Forget what anybody’s going to think. She goes, ‘I’d rather rest.'”
Auriemma has been through his fair share of brutal Final Four losses over 41 seasons at UConn, and the longtime head coach has learned to recognize the kind of response after a heartbreaking ending that elevates a team the following season. After the Huskies were upset by Stanford in the 2008 Final Four, Auriemma remembers telling the media as soon as the game ended that he knew the team would be back the next year. UConn went undefeated for two straight seasons after that loss, bringing home back-to-back championships in 2009 and ’10.
The 2000-01 team that fell to Notre Dame in the Final Four followed a similar trajectory. Auriemma said he could tell from the looks on players’ faces in the postgame locker room that they were never going to let a season end that way again. A year later, they completed an undefeated season to win the 2002 national championship, and Auriemma still believes that team was his greatest of all time.
Auriemma has also seen it things go the other way, where players didn’t take the losses personally enough and suffered the exact same fate the following year. How the 2026-27 team will respond remains to be seen, but he expects get some clarity over the next couple of months.
“A lot of it is your exit interviews with them, and you listen to what their interpretation of that game was. When we get back, usually they take a couple weeks off, so some of it is how quickly they’re back in the weight room, how quickly they’re back on the court on their own,” Auriemma said. “It’s getting harder, because kids today have short memories, so they move on to the next thing pretty quickly. But when we start some workouts in June during summer school, you’ll get a pretty good sense.”
The Huskies enter next season with almost the exact same the core they had in 2025-26, and the team didn’t sign anyone out of the transfer portal for the first time since 2023-24. UConn lost two players to the portal, redshirt junior Ice Brady to Florida State and redshirt sophomore Ayanna Patterson to Kentucky, but neither had a significant role in the rotation during their four seasons in Storrs. The Huskies have never had a starter transfer out of the program since the portal was established in 2019.
UConn’s foundation is always built through high school recruiting, and Auriemma is notoriously picky about the transfers he brings in. Since 2019, the Huskies have signed just five players out of the portal, and all have been immediate contributors. With 10 returners entering 2026-27, Auriemma said there weren’t any available transfers who he felt would make an impact in UConn’s system.
“When you have like 90% of your team back from a year ago, I don’t think there’s a lot of people in the portal jumping up and down to want to come and put themselves in that position here,” Auriemma said. “There wasn’t anybody out there that we thought was a real game changer for us. Some years there are, and we didn’t see anybody in there that we thought could do it.”
Without any experienced newcomers, UConn’s biggest challenge is replacing the production of All-American guard Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. Auriemma expects freshman standout Blanca Quinonez will emerge as a centerpiece for the Huskies, in part because her playing time will see a significant increase from the 20 minutes she averaged off the bench this season. The 6-foot-2 forward was UConn’s third-leading scorer in 2025-26, and she was spectacular during the 2026 tournament run up until the Final Four loss, where she found herself in foul trouble and never managed to get into a rhythm.
“For somebody that’s never played in the tournament … I thought she stepped in and played like a veteran,” Auriemma said. “There were moments where she was the best player on the floor, so for a young player to be able to do that and then going forward now, it’s something I’m excited about. I’m looking forward to giving her more and more opportunities, because she does need more opportunities. She does need to be out there for longer stretches, playing more minutes. That’s only going to make her even better, because when you’re young, you need to outplay your your mistakes. There’s obviously going to be a bunch of those, but there’s going to be a ton of unbelievable plays that she’s going to make next year.”
Auriemma is also optimistic about UConn’s pair of incoming freshmen. Olivia Vukosa, the No. 3 prospect in the 2026 class, will be one of the biggest players on the roster at 6-foot-5, but the McDonald’s All-American center also brings a versatile skillset as a passer and 3-point shooter that can give the Huskies different options in the frontcourt. Serbian guard Jovana Popovic also has the potential to help fill some of the void left by Fudd. The 5-foot-8 point guard has played professionally for several years in the First League of Serbia and was named the league’s MVP and Best Shooter at 17 years old in 2024-25.
“How many times have we been preseason No. 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5? Almost every single year, and I don’t think that’s going to change,” Auriemma said. “Putting ourselves in that situation to be part of however it goes, that’s basically the goal every year. You can see teams that were constantly (top 5) that are not even top 25 teams anymore, so it’s really a fragile thing that we’ve been able to keep together for a long, long time. That’s not going away.”
The Chicago Sky have signed three-time All-Star Natasha Cloud to a one-year, $550,000 deal, sources briefed on the contract told The Athletic. The Sky also waived Hailey Van Lith, the team announced.
Cloud won a WNBA Championship with the Washington Mystics in 2019 and is a three-time All-Defensive team member, but spent much of the offseason unsigned after starting 41 games for the New York Liberty in 2025.
Van Lith, the Sky’s No. 11 pick in 2025, struggled in her rookie season, playing just 12.4 minutes and averaging 3.5 points.
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In late March, Tina Charles traveled to China to play in a best-of-five series with Henan Phoenix, a Chinese women’s basketball club looking to move into its league’s top tier. Through four games, Charles, 37, averaged 22 points and eight boards while playing 29 minutes a game. Henan won, and Charles celebrated with teammates before boarding a flight back to New York.