LAS VEGAS — Four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson has agreed to a supermax contract to return to the Las Vegas Aces, the team announced Wednesday.

After leading the Aces to their third championship in four years with a historic 2025 campaign, Wilson became an unrestricted free agent along with a majority of the league. The deal she and the team ...Read more

MIAMI — The previous Miami Heat season ended with the ignominy of Miami being swept from the first round of the playoffs by a combined 122-point margin, an NBA record blowout. The Heat season that ended Tuesday night in Charlotte, N.C., was worse. Didn’t even get that far. Perished in play-in purgatory.

But give Miami this much. The Heat ...Read more

DALLAS — If you are a Dallas Mavericks fan who likes Cooper Flagg, you do not want him to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award.

To win that award as a Maverick means Flagg will be traded either entering, and or in, the prime of his career. Historically, the Mavs just do not have much use for their ROY winners.

Jason Kidd shared the award...Read more

NEW YORK — Tempting as it was, this could not be a decision made on sentiment, or the allure of a charming storyline. When the Dallas Wings were on the clock, they had to be cold and calculating.

Was it, or was it not the best basketball and business decision to reunite Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd? The No.1 overall pick in a draft is too ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With “Protect the Hive” shirts scattered across Spectrum Center on Tuesday, the Hornets furthered their quest to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season.

In a battle that came down to the final 9 seconds of overtime — in front of a record 19,698 fans — Charlotte bested the Miami Heat, 127-126, ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The play-in magic is gone. And so are the Miami Heat.

After navigating the treacherous play-in round the past three years to make it to the playoffs, and even the NBA Finals in 2023, the Heat’s run of six consecutive seasons in the playoffs is over.

Next stop? The May 10 NBA draft lottery, where the Heat will face even ...Read more

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Even with his team’s season on the line, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr is not willing to risk his players’ health for a better chance at winning.

After Sunday’s regular-season finale, Kerr said that Steph Curry, Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis would not be asked to play 40 minutes in the play-in game at ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Rebounding was not a strength of the Lakers over the course of the regular season. Rebounding was a strength of the Houston Rockets during the 2025-26 campaign.

So, on their first day of practice Tuesday for Game 1 of the first round Saturday at Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers worked diligently on rebounding drills, knowing full ...Read more

CHICAGO — The Chicago Sky were always waiting on Gabriela Jaquez.

Weeks before they selected the guard with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 WNBA draft on Monday, general manager Jeff Pagliocca and head coach Tyler Marsh had already landed on Jaquez as their preferred pick.

There are plenty of obvious reasons why the guard appealed to the Sky. ...Read more

The Golden State Warriors lost to the Los Angeles Clippers in Sunday’s regular-season finale.

Big deal. This team lost all the time this season.

The Dubs were locked into the 10-seed, whether they bothered to show up in Inglewood or not.

So go ahead and ignore the fact that they tried — really tried — until Los Angeles took their lunch ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Maybe it’s better this way.

Nobody has to pretend.

For the first time in more than a decade, the Sixers will enter a postseason expected to lose. Maybe not right away. But shortly thereafter.

Whenever it happens — likely within the next couple of weeks, when the Celtics or Pistons make quick work of them — there will be...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Chris Finch had just been hired as Minnesota Timberwolves coach in February 2021 and was getting ready for his introductory news conference. A team employee gave him a Wolves shirt to hold for the traditional photo opportunity.

“Somebody snatched it out of my hands at the last moment,” Finch recalled.

Apparently, the shirt ...Read more

Just one week after leading UCLA to its first NCAA championship, two-time All-American center Lauren Betts was selected by the Washington Mystics as the fourth overall pick of the 2026 WNBA draft Monday evening.

“I’ve grown so much,” Betts said during ESPN’s live broadcast. “My confidence – I feel like I’ve just finally owned who ...Read more

South Carolina center Madina Okot was selected by the Atlanta Dream with the No. 13 pick in the first round of the WNBA draft on Monday night.

Okot was the second Gamecock selected in the 2026 draft. She is also the program’s first post player to be selected in the first round of the WNBA draft since Kamilla Cardoso in 2024.

Okot played just...Read more

LOS ANGELES — After years of battling cancer, legendary college basketball announcer Dick Vitale said in a statement that he has melanoma in his lung and liver cavity and will be starting immunotherapy soon.

“I plan on winning this battle,” the 86-year-old broadcaster said. “I’ve beaten melanoma. I’ve beaten lymphoma. I’ve beaten ...Read more

NEW YORK — Azzi Fudd made history on Monday night when she was selected by the Dallas Wings with the No. 1 overall pick in 2026 WNBA draft.

Decked out in a custom gold sequined gown designed by Coach at The Shed in Manhattan, Fudd became the second straight UConn women’s basketball player drafted first into the WNBA after Paige Bueckers ...Read more

TCU star guard Olivia Miles was selected by the Minnesota Lynx with the No. 2 pick in the first round of the 2026 WNBA draft Monday in New York City.

It’s the second season that TCU coach Mark Campbell has produced a first-round pick after Hailey Van Lith was selected No. 10 last year by the Chicago Sky.

Miles would’ve been a top-five pick...Read more

The Seattle Storm used the first of their two first-round picks — No. 3 overall — in the WNBA draft Monday to select Awa Fam Thiam, the 19-year-old center from Spain.

Seattle has three additional picks at Nos. 14, 16 and 39.

The Dallas Wings used the No. 1 overall pick on UConn sharpshooter Azzi Fudd and the Minnesota Lynx selected TCU ...Read more