The SEC-turned-NBA roll call is headlined by former Kentucky star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is the reigning NBA MVP and NBA Finals MVP after leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to their first NBA championship last June.

Gilgeous-Alexander, a 4-time NBA All-Star who’s trying to power the Thunder to a repeat this spring, was joined as a finalist for the clutch award by fellow former Kentucky standout Jamal Murray, who has an NBA title ring himself after helping the Denver Nuggets capture the championship in 2023.

And joining Gilgeous-Alexander and Murray as a finalist on Sunday is former Georgia standout Anthony Edwards, who like Gilgeous-Alexander and Murray has established himself as one of the top guards in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In a sign of the times, all 3 ex-SEC stars were only with their chosen SEC program for 1 season. Gilgeous-Alexander was a second-team All-SEC selection during the 2017-18 season, Murray was a first-team All-SEC pick during the 2015-16 campaign, and Edwards was a second-team All-SEC selection in the 2019-20 season.

All it took was 1 season in the SEC for the trio to launch themselves into the NBA, and the results have been spectacular in Oklahoma City, Denver and Minnesota. The trio are in each other’s way this spring as they fight to get their teams out of the Western Conference and into the NBA Finals. Turns out they’ll also be fighting each other for the NBA Clutch Player of the Year award.

The trio of former SEC stars is making the conference proud by owning the finalist list for NBA Clutch Player of the Year, but somebody has to win. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about who has the inside track on capturing the clutch award:

Prediction Markets

NBA Clutch Player of the Year?

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

96%

Jalen Brunson

8%

Anthony Edwards

7%

Predict

The post Trio of former SEC stars named finalists for NBA Clutch Player of the Year appeared first on Saturday Down South.

“I thank God and give him all the glory for blessing me with the last two years in Tuscaloosa,” Philon wrote in a note posted to social media. “Returning for my sophomore season and representing my home state was one of the biggest blessings in my life. Being a kid from Mobile, wearing the Script A on my chest means everything to me and it has been one of the greatest honors to represent the Crimson Tide.

“This school and fan base has given me endless support since I stepped foot on campus two years ago. Thank you to Coach Oats and the entire coaching staff for helping me develop into the player I am today. To my teammates, thank you for pushing me to be a better player and the friendships we have created will last a lifetime.

“To my family, I wouldn’t be the man 1 am today without the unconditional love and support you have given me throughout my life. Thank you for all the sacrifices you have made for me and allowing me to pursue my dreams. The University of Alabama has prepared me for the next step in my career and I am excited to officially declare for the 2026 NBA Draft. I cannot wait to start the next chapter of my life!”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by labaron philon ♱ (@b1rron)

Philon leaves Alabama after a standout 2 seasons with the Crimson Tide. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2025 and recognized as first-team All-SEC for this past season. He went from averaging 10.6 points per game in 2024-25 to 22 per outing this past season. His 3-point shooting notably improved. After making 39-of-124 as a freshman (31.5%), Philon made 79-of-199 3-pointers in his sophomore season.

Prediction Markets

Players Drafted Top 10 in 2026 NBA

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Darryn Peterson

99%

AJ Dybantsa

99%

Caleb Wilson

99%

Cameron Boozer

96%

Darius Acuff Jr.

95%

Keaton Wagler

93%

Mikel Brown Jr.

69%

Nate Ament

40%

Labaron Philon Jr.

25%

Jayden Quaintance

19%

Predict

The post Labaron Philon announces decision on 2026 NBA Draft appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Gilgeous-Alexander has been leading in the betting odds for months, but a late charge from San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama has tightened the race.

However, Gilgeous-Alexander has picked up some separation. On Friday morning, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps published his influential MVP straw poll, which asks 100 media members to log their top-5 picks for the award.

Gilgeous-Alexander earned 88 of the 100 first-place votes, with Wembanyama nabbing just 8. Wembanyama (63) also split second-place votes with Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic (20).

Like our coverage? Make SDS a preferred source in your searches!

Over on Kalshi, Gilgeous-Alexander is nearing a 90% chance to take home his second straight MVP. With about 10 days remaining in the regular season, here’s a look at the market:

Prediction Markets

Who will win NBA MVP?

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

96%

Nikola Jokic

2%

Luka Doncic

2%

Victor Wembanyama

2%

Predict

If Gilgeous-Alexander does capture the MVP, he’ll be just the 14th player ever to win the award in back-to-back seasons. He’s already the first ex-Kentucky player to ever win the NBA’s top individual prize.

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.6 points per game on 55% shooting from the floor this season.

The post Former Kentucky guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander favored to win 2nd straight MVP appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The former Georgia basketball star and one of the best basketball players on planet Earth did not start for the Minnesota Timberwolves the other night as they faced off against the Dallas Mavericks. It’s not because of an injury or anything like that, though. The Timberwolves star just desperately needed to use the bathroom.

“I was taking a sh–. Mike (Conley) held it down for me.”

Thanks, Anthony.

The Timberwolves didn’t really need their star against Dallas, either. Minnesota went on to win 124-94, their second straight win by 20+ points. Edwards, once he did enter the game, posted a solid 17 points in 23 minutes of action, dishing out 4 assists with a pair of rebounds.

The star of the night was Ayo Dosunmu, who posted a triple-double with 18 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists, also finishing with 3 steals and just 1 turnover. Criminally underrated, by the way.

Edwards’ 2026 season has been a treat to watch. He’s averaging 29.3 points per game, which ranks 3rd in the NBA, as well as 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, both within the top 90. He and the Timberwolves will be a tough out when the playoffs roll around in a few weeks.

Prediction Markets

2026 NBA Champion?

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Oklahoma City

42%

San Antonio

18%

Boston

15%

Denver

9%

Detroit

5%

New York

5%

Cleveland

4%

Minnesota

3%

Houston

2%

Los Angeles L

2%

Predict

The post Anthony Edwards offers blunt explanation for not starting vs. Mavs: ‘I was taking a sh-t’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That game between the 4th-seeded Hogs and 12th-seeded Panthers will tip off at about 9:45 p.m. ET from Portland, and it’ll be broadcast on truTV and TBS. Williams, who played for Arkansas from 2020-2022, was an All-SEC player during his final season and was also named to the SEC All-Defensive Team during that last year in Fayetteville.

The Arkansas native stayed in his home state, was named Mr. Basketball in Arkansas in 2020 after starring in high school in Fort Smith, Ark., then went on to a productive career for the home-state Razorbacks. Then he was drafted in the second round by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2022, where the forward has stuck since then, even winning an NBA championship last June. He’s become a part of the Thunder’s rotation, and on Saturday night he was representing the defending NBA champs once again.

Williams and the Thunder were taking on the lowly Washington Wizards during the middle of a road trip, with the best record in the NBA as they eye a repeat. What could possibly happen out of the ordinary? Well, a lot, and that’s why each game matters. Williams was involved in a massive brawl late in the second quarter of the matchup between the NBA’s best and one of its worst teams.

With 27 seconds left in the second quarter and OKC leading, 68-63, Williams started going at it with Washington’s Justin Champagnie. The pushing and shoving between the players descended into a massive brawl along the baseline, with both teams going at it.

Four players were ejected after everything was untangled, with Williams and Champagnie naturally being 2 of them. Oklahoma City’s Cason Wallace, who played at Kentucky, and Ajay Mitchell were also ejected, so Saturday night wasn’t one of Williams’ finest hours as a professional on the NBA’s rock star team.

Of course, the Thunder were still fine without the trio of players who were ejected, cruising to a 132-111 victory to improve to 56-15. But if Williams was indeed watching his Razorbacks on Saturday night, he was probably doing it with some bumps and bruises from an unfortunate incident in his young NBA career.

Williams doesn’t play for Arkansas anymore, but the program he starred at is playing a very important game on Saturday night as the Razorbacks take on underdog High Point for a spot in the Sweet 16. Here is what the Kalshi market currently sees regarding the second-round West Region matchup:

The post Jaylin Williams, Cason Wallace ejected following massive brawl between Wizards, Thunder appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Caruso and the Oklahoma City Thunder are in Orlando to face the Magic. The Thunder have been on a roll — no pun intended — as they entered the evening winners of their last eight. The play in question, though, came with 4:06 remaining until halftime and OKC leading 46-35. As the Magic drove down the court, Caruso slipped and lost his shoe. He then tried, in vain, tried to block Tristan da Silva’s layup attempt with his shoe.

It didn’t work. da Silva was awarded the basket and Caruso was hit with a technical.

Here’s video of the incident:

The Thunder would take a 51-50 lead into the locker room at halftime. They stretched their lead to 85-79 after three quarters.

Caruso has gone on to have a quiet night. Other than the shoe incident, of course. He went into the fourth quarter with zero points on just two field goal attempts. He does have four rebounds and an assist.

With the Thunder off on Thursday before visiting the Washington Wizards on Sunday, the former Texas A&M standout will almost certainly be at Paycom Center to watch the Aggies in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. They’ll take on Saint Mary’s.

The post Alex Caruso tries to block shot with shoe, gets technical foul appeared first on Saturday Down South.

With 7:04 left in the third quarter, SGA splashed a long two-pointer over Boston’s Baylor Scheierman to crack the 20-point mark. In the process, he vaulted above Wilt the Stilt for the most consecutive 20-point games in NBA history.

Chamberlain’s mark would have been much longer if not for an ejection just four minutes into game No. 127 on his potential streak. After getting tossed, he rattled off 92 straight games with 20-plus points. But now, he holds the second- and third-longest such streaks, thanks to SGA’s remarkable consistency. And even though SGA’s brand of basketball gets bashed at times, some of his detractors can still applaud the absurdity of this accomplishment.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are 3.5 games clear of the San Antonio Spurs for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. If they can hang on to that spot, they’re going to be very tough to topple in the playoffs. OKC and SGA return to the floor on Sunday versus the Minnesota Timberwolves (1 p.m. ET., ABC).

How long will SGA keep the streak going? Kalshi is taking action on predictions!

Prediction Markets

How many consecutive regular season games will Shai Gilgeous-Alexander score 20+ points?

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

165+ consecutive games

58%

145+ consecutive games

55%

155+ consecutive games

52%

200+ consecutive games

44%

195+ consecutive games

30%

175+ consecutive games

20%

185+ consecutive games

12%

Predict

The post Shai Gilgeous-Alexander breaks Wilt Chamberlain’s record in Oklahoma City’s win over Boston appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The former Kentucky star laced up his sneakers in front of the Miami Heat home crowd and did something only 1 man has ever done in NBA history.

What did he do? Well, he just surpassed Kobe Bryant’s second-place record for most points in a single game in NBA history, dropping 83 points against the hapless Washington Wizards.

Kobe, of course, scored 81 points back in 2006. Now, slightly more than 10 years later, Adebayo has moved past the legendary Bryant with an 83-point outing.

Of Adebayo’s 83 points, 36 came from the free-throw line. He went 36-of-43 from the charity stripe.

Adebayo helped the Heat earn a blowout 150-129 win over Washington. The Wizards are clearly tanking to get a better draft pick, while the Heat are fighting to get up to the No. 6 seed in the East so they can avoid the Play-In Tournament. Still, this was an incredible showing from Adebayo.

However, he was still 17 points behind Wilt Chamberlain’s all-time record, once again underscoring just how insane that game was for the NBA legend.

Will the Miami Heat make the Eastern Conference Playoffs? Here’s the latest Kalshi market:

Prediction Markets

Qualify for the NBA Playoffs?

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Atlanta

99%

Orlando

99%

Philadelphia

99%

Phoenix

99%

Portland

99%

Charlotte

1%

Golden State

1%

Los Angeles C

1%

Miami

1%

Predict

The post Bam Adebayo has massive night for Miami Heat, scoring 2nd-most points in a game ever appeared first on Saturday Down South.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has been one of the most vocal proponents of punishing teams for their tanking behaviors, whether that be sitting players or making questionable in-game decisions, and he appears to be ready to take drastic action.

As The Athletic’s Joe Vardon reported, Silver and his advisors are “seriously considering” getting rid of the traditional rookie draft and instead opening the new players up to a free agency market that levels the playing field for all teams. Silver notably explained that “every possible remedy” is on the table when it comes to preventing teams from tanking.

This conversations are coming to a head amidst plenty of discourse around the league regarding tanking. The Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings, Washington Wizards and New Jerseys Nets are just a few of the clubs that have been under public scrutiny from taking this season, with none of them having eclipsed the 18-win mark by the All-Star break.

Of course, others have pushed back against Silvers’ bold idea, claiming that the draft is how teams like Oklahoma City and San Antonio have been able to construct strong young cores that they can build around.

The post Adam Silver willing to abolish NBA Draft to solve tanking, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Thursday night, the rookie out of Duke scored 32 points to lead his team in a 135-123 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Flagg made 14 of his 27 shots from the field while also contributing 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals in 39 minutes.

The performance was his fourth consecutive 30-point game. Flagg scored 36 against Boston on Tuesday, 34 against Houston on the road last Saturday, and a career-high 49 against Charlotte last Thursday.

In doing so, he became the youngest player in NBA history to score 30 or more in 4 straight games. He also became the first rookie since Michael Jordan (1985) to have 4 straight 30-point/5-rebound games, and the first rookie since Allen Iverson (1997) to score more than 150 points over any 4-game stretch.

Dallas is 0-4 in those games, which actually makes it that much more remarkable. The Mavs lost to the Spurs by 12 and the Celtics by 10. Despite Flagg putting up All-NBA caliber numbers, his team hasn’t come close to a win.

The Mavs are 3-7 in their last 10, and they just traded Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards for spare parts earlier in the week. Dallas is still without lead guard Kyrie Irving, who tore his ACL last March, which has forced Flagg to handle more offensive responsibilities as a rookie.

On a team without much else — no one else averages more than 15 points per game — Flagg is excelling. He leads the Mavs in points, steals, and minutes. He ranks second on the team in assists and third on the team in rebounds.

RELATED: The Mavericks are back in action on Saturday with another game against San Antonio. Grab this Dabble promo code to make the most of Flagg’s run of form.

The post Cooper Flagg makes NBA history with 30-point streak appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Kings and Cardwell have agreed to a 4-year contract that includes 2 guaranteed seasons. Cardwell initially signed a 2-way contract with the Kings back in July.

In 25 appearances for the Kings this season, Cardwell has averaged 4.7 points with 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 20 minutes a night.

He made his first career start on Nov. 1, but did not appear in a game again for the Kings until Dec. 18. Since Jan. 6, Cardwell has made himself indispensable in the Kings’ frontcourt, appearing in every game. He has played at least 20 minutes in 10 of his last 12 appearances.

In 14 January games, Cardwell averaged 5.2 points and 8.5 rebounds with 1.3 assists and 1.6 blocks. In 2 February games thus far, he has scored 10 points with 13 rebounds and 4 blocks in 46 minutes.

Cardwell spent 5 seasons at Auburn, where he appeared in 166 games with 40 career starts. The 6-11 center started all 38 games during the 2024-25 season when the Tigers went 32-6 and advanced to the school’s second-ever Final Four.

The post Former Auburn big Dylan Cardwell signs multi-year NBA deal, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to a report on Thursday afternoon by ESPN’s Shams Charania, Jackson is heading from the Pacers to the Clippers along with Bennedict Mathurin, 2 first-round picks and 1 second-round pick. Los Angeles is reportedly sending back center Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown to the Pacers in the trade that went down in the final moments before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.

Jackson, who played at Kentucky during the 2020-21 season, has made 14 starts in 38 games played this season for Indiana, so he’s actually cracked the starting lineup at various times. He is averaging 6.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game this season for the Pacers, shooting an impressive 58.2% from the field.

But Jackson ultimately didn’t show enough consistency with Indiana, and he’s reportedly being shipped out to Los Angeles to continue his NBA career.

Ironically, Jackson was selected in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft by the other team from Los Angeles. But Jackson never played for the Lakers, who traded him to the Pacers, the franchise he stayed with all these years until Thursday when he reportedly changed NBA addresses again.

Jackson earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team and SEC All-Defensive Team in his one and only season at Kentucky.

The post Former Kentucky big Isaiah Jackson dealt in deadline day trade, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

It’s a busy NBA trade deadline, and Sexton is involved in the moves being made. According to ESPN insider Shams Charania is going to the Chicago Bulls along with Ousmane Dieng in exchange for Coby White and Mike Conley Jr. The Hornets are also giving the Bulls 3 second-round picks in the deal.

Just in: The Chicago Bulls are trading Coby White and Mike Conley Jr. to the Charlotte Hornets for Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng and three second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/NnHXT5b8lR

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 4, 2026

The 2018 SEC Freshman of the Year at Alabama, Chicago will be Sexton’s 4th NBA team. It’s his second time being traded in less than a year.

RELATED: Ready to get in on daily fantasy sports fun? Sign up for DFS today with our Dabble Fantasy promo code!

The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Sexton No. 8 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. Sexton spent his first 4 professional seasons with the Cavaliers. He saw the most playing time in his rookie season, appearing in all 82 regular-season game with 72 starts. In the 2020-21 season, Sexton averaged a career-high 24.3 points per game.

Utah acquired Sexton via a sign-and-trade deal in September 2022. In his first season with the Jazz, Sexton shot a career-best 50.6% from the field over 48 appearances (15 starts). This past season, Sexton posted his best 3-point shooting percentage, a 40.6% mark from beyond the arc in 63 games (61 starts).

Charlotte acquired Sexton in June. With the Hornets, Sexton appeared in 42 games. He averaged 14.2 points per game over 22.3 minutes, shooting 48.8% from the field and 39.3% from 3-point range.

The post Former Alabama star Collin Sexton reportedly traded by Charlotte Hornets appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Garland has played in just over half of Cleveland’s 51 games so far during the 2025-26 season while dealing with a right toe injury. He has been out of the lineup since January 14. In 26 games, he has averaged 18.0 points and 6.9 assists.

The Clippers are currently in a Play-In Tournament spot. L.A. is 23-26 and in ninth place in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Cavs are tied with the Toronto Raptors for fourth place in the East (30-21) and have won eight of their last 10 games.

The fifth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Garland’s time with Vandy was brief. In fact, he only played in five games for the Commodores during the 2018-19 season due to a meniscus injury. That didn’t stop him from being an eventual lottery pick for the Cavaliers.

Now, he’s headed to Los Angeles after spending his entire NBA career so far in Cleveland.

The post Former Vanderbilt basketball player traded in deal for James Harden appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Clayton, whose clutch shot making propelled the Gators to a national championship in 2025, has been included by the Utah Jazz in a blockbuster NBA trade that was reported by ESPN insider Shams Charania on Tuesday afternoon. In an apparent huge move just 2 days before the NBA trade deadline, Clayton is being dealt from the Jazz to the Memphis Grizzlies along with Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang and 3 future first-round picks.

Heading to Utah in the reported deal is the linchpin of the trade, Jaren Jackson Jr., along with John Konchar, Jock Landale and Vince Williams Jr.

If the reported trade does indeed become official, it would already be the second trade that Clayton is involved in. The first trade that featured Clayton came on the night he was drafted last June, when Clayton was taken with the 18th overall pick by the Washington Wizards and then shipped to the Jazz.

Now, the young Gainesville legend who was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player after that thrilling championship run last March and April is apparently on the move again, this time to Memphis.

Clayton spent 2 seasons at Florida after starting his collegiate career with 2 seasons at Iona.

He was averaging 6.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists this season with the Jazz but only shooting 39.8% from the field. It looks like Clayton is headed for a change of scenery during his rookie season.

The post Former Florida star Walter Clayton traded in blockbuster NBA deal, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The headliner is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was previously announced as an All-Star starter. Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA Championship last season and became the first ex-Kentucky player to win the NBA’s MVP Award in 2024-25.

Joining Gilgeous-Alexander for All-Star this weekend will be former Wildcats Karl-Anthony Towns, Tyrese Maxey, Devin Booker and Jamal Murray.

Calling all Kentucky residents! Looking to get in on the action this weekend? Here’s a complete breakdown of all the best Kentucky betting apps on the market in 2026!

This is a particularly-meaningful accomplishment for Murray, as this is his first All-Star nod in his career. Although Murray has long been one of the NBA’s best shot-makers and has won a title with the Nuggets, he’s never been named an All-Star. He’s having a career year in 2025-26, though, as he’s averaging almost 26 points per game.

This is the sixth All-Star nod for Towns, who is averaging 20 points per game for the Knicks this season. Booker has now reached five All-Star games and has the Suns in position to make a surprise playoff push in 2026. Maxey is averaging a career-high 29 points per game and will head to the All-Star game for the second time.

The All-Star Game will be played on Feb. 15.

The post 5 ex-Kentucky players land on NBA All-Star rosters for 2025-26 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to Lakers insider Anthony Irwin, the 24-year-old North Dakota native who’s in his 2nd season with the team has officially demanded a trade.

“I’m told Dalton Knecht approached the Lakers front office recently and has asked to be traded. It’s expected they’ll grant his wish,” reported Irwin on Wednesday afternoon.

Knecht, who made such a splash during his 1 season in the SEC that he was named SEC Player of the Year and SEC Newcomer of the Year in 2024, was seemingly headed for a long marriage with the illustrious Lakers despite falling to the 17th overall pick.

But the Consensus First-Team All-American during that special 2023-24 season in Knoxville hasn’t been the same since the Lakers had finalized a trade involving Knecht during last year’s trade deadline. The deal would’ve sent Knecht to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for center Mark Williams. But after a few days, the trade was rescinded, which put Knecht in a very awkward place.

Almost a year later, he’s now apparently in a very bad place, and now it’s gotten so bad that he reportedly wants out of Los Angeles.

The post Dalton Knecht reportedly demands trade from Los Angeles Lakers appeared first on Saturday Down South.

If you’re unfamiliar, ESPN licenses “Inside the NBA” from TNT Sports and uses it as its pregame, halftime, and postgame show during select NBA broadcasts. That’s a reversal from when the popular program was on TNT and shown weekly during the season before the network lost NBA rights.

While Barkley and the rest of the show’s cast were aware that their presence would be scaled back, Barkley stated on “The Dan LeBatard Show” that he wasn’t fond of not being on the air as much. Cowherd jumped on the comments, suggesting the show was “buried” at the request of NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

“I know there were people upstairs in the NBA office that didn’t like how they had lampooned the league and some of the players,” Cowherd stated on “The Herd” on Friday.

On Saturday, it was Barkley’s turn to respond. While he didn’t mention Cowherd by name, it’s obvious who he was referring to.

“There’s some fools at home or on the Internet (saying) we were talking bad about the players, so they made us work less. Shut the hell up,” the Hall of Famer said. “These guys are like, ‘They’re going to put them on the shelf because they don’t want them on TV.’ Man, y’all need to shut the hell up. This was already planned months and months ago. All I said was, ‘I would like to work more.'”

There’s nothing wrong with Barkley wanting the show to air more frequently. Perhaps TNT Sports and ESPN will make that happen someday. Whatever the case, we likely haven’t heard the last of this Barkley-Cowherd feud.

The post Charles Barkley responds to Colin Cowherd’s ESPN claims: ‘Shut the hell up’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

However, it was the performance of Reed Sheppard that had Durant talking after the game. The former Kentucky star led the Rockets in scoring with 21 points while coming off the bench.

After the game, Durant told reporters that he is expecting performances like that from Sheppard to become more of a normal.

“Reed, that’s what I feel like his role is starting to turn into for us,” Durant said. “A guy who can handle it, a guy who can shoot threes and get us going. It is about time, I am going to start expecting nights like this. I want to get to the point where we don’t get excited like nights for him because I feel like this can be consistent. I feel like his process was good.”

Sheppard was the No. 3 pick by the Rockets in the 2024 NBA Draft, and he didn’t have quite the season he would have liked in his rookie campaign. He played in only 52 games and averaged 4.4 points.

This season, he is averaging 13 points while shooting 40.9% from the 3-point line.

The Rockets have the potential to contend for an NBA title this season. Guys like Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun are two of the best young players in the sport. If Sheppard is able to meet Durant’s expectations, Houston will be a tough out for anyone in the postseason.

The post Kevin Durant ‘expecting’ more big performances from Reed Sheppard appeared first on Saturday Down South.

After being down 16 at one point, the Rockets entered the fourth quarter down 10 points, 92-82. They continued to chip away at the lead until a Sheppard 3-point shot with just under 5 minutes left in the game helped give the Rockets the lead, 99-98.

The Spurs would come back down on the other end and take the lead back with a Keldon Johnson 2-point shot, but Sheppard didn’t let that last long. He came right back down and knocked down a jumper that would give the Rockets back the lead, 101-100.

The Rockets would then close the game on a 10-6 run, which ultimately led to a 111-106. Sheppard had a team-high 21 points off the bench in what was just his second 20-point game since Christmas.

After struggling to find a role and consistent minutes in his rookie season, Sheppard has taken a huge step forward in his sophomore season. He’s averaging 13 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists on 44.4% shooting from the field and 40.9% shooting from behind the 3-point line.

Sheppard and the Rockets will now turn their attention to the Philadelphia 76ers. That game takes place Thursday night in Philly at 7 p.m. EST.

RELATED: Interested in fantasy sports? The NBA season is a great time to try out the DFS market. Check out our guide on the best DFS apps available to score a sign-up bonus and get started today.

The post Reed Sheppard goes off in fourth quarter to lead Rockets comeback victory appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Former Arkansas standout Anthony Black is one player in particular who has really come alive during his third professional season, becoming a reliable option for the Orlando Magic and showcasing his elite athleticism on a nightly basis.

The electric point guard has already put up several highlight reel-worthy plays this year, but he might have topped them all on Thursday afternoon when he posterized 4 Memphis Grizzlies at once in one of the most jaw-dropping dunks so far this year.

Insane athletic feats like this are nothing new for Black, as he has been putting up monster dunks since his time at Arkansas. The twitchy 6’7 guard took the SEC by storm during his single season with the Hogs in 2022-23, putting up 12.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists a game en route to picking up first-team All-SEC honors.

This stellar freshman showing led to Black being selected sixth overall in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Magic, where he has slowly blossomed into one of the more underrated guards in the entire league.

If Black keeps throwing down monster jams like this one, however, it’s very unlikely that he will remain underrated for too much longer.

The post Anthony Black puts 4 Memphis Grizzlies on an unbelievable poster appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Richard was selected No. 56 overall in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft after helping Florida win its third national championship in program history. Second-round picks often face an uphill battle to make the NBA roster and may find themselves released or sent to the G League. Richard not only made the Golden State roster, but he has also been a Day 1 contributor for the Warriors.

Richard was in the starting lineup for Golden State’s Wednesday night win over San Antonio. It wasn’t a particularly memorable game for Richard, aside from one moment. Richard played 22 minutes in the 125-120 Warrior victory, scoring 3 points. Richard’s 3-pointer got a Gator chomp from Golden State superstar Steph Curry. As an added bonus, the assist came from Florida great Al Horford, a member of UF’s 2006 and ’07 national title teams.

Watch Curry hit the Gator chomp after Will Richard knocks down a three pic.twitter.com/ARiJGxg7OV

— Florida Recruiting (@FLRecruits) November 13, 2025

The Warriors are 7-6 on the season. Richard has played in 11 games, making 2 starts. Richard is averaging 9.4 points per game on 18.1 minutes per outing.

Curry and the Warriors seem to be happy to have multiple Gators on their team.

The post Will Richard draws Gator chomp from Steph Curry after draining 3-pointer appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The 3-time NBA All-Star is in his first season with the Clippers after spending 2 injury-marred years with the Phoenix Suns. Beal’s agent Mark Bartelstein confirmed the news to Charania.

“We met with numerous doctors and specialists around the country in collaboration with the entire Clippers medical staff over the last few days, and came to the decision unanimously that the surgery will allow Brad to have a full and complete recovery,” Bartelstein said.

Beal spent the first 11 seasons of his NBA career with the Washington Wizards. The Wizards drafted Beal with the No. 3 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Injuries have plagued Beal since becoming a pro, as he’s only played at least 75 games during 3 seasons, a stretch from 2016-2019. Beal was selected to the All-NBA Third Team in 2021 when he averaged a career-high 31.3 points in 60 games.

During his lone season at Florida, Beal was a First-team All-SEC selection. Coming out of high school in Missouri, Beal was the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2011.

The post Bradley Beal out for remainder of 2025-26 season, per NBA insider appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Richard made his first NBA start on Wednesday night, and led Golden State with 30 points in the Warriors’ 121-116 loss to the Sacramento Kings. Richard shot 10-of-15 (66.7%) from the field and connected on 5 3-pointers in 34 minutes against the Kings. He added 7 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal.

Golden State was very much a skeleton crew on Wednesday night, as Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green all missed the game. Regardless, Richard got his opportunity and took advantage of it, like he has done all offseason since winning the national championship at Florida.

Richard has not hit fewer than 2 field goals or shot worse than 40% in any game this season. Earlier in the year, Curry applauded him for having no fear and making a critical play in an overtime triumph versus the Denver Nuggets. This showing should only enhance the confidence both Curry and Steve Kerr have in the former Gator moving forward. Golden State’s next game is against the Nuggets on Friday night (10:00 p.m. ET).

The post Will Richard scores 30 points in first NBA start appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Former Kentucky Wildcat and Oklahoma City Thunder superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been unstoppable through his first 2 games of the 2025-26 season. The Thunder have played 2 games so far, winning both in double overtime.

During Thursday night’s 141-135 win over the Indiana Pacers, Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-best 55 points on 15-of-31 shooting from the field. He connected on 23 of his 26 free throws in the win.

Through his first 2 games, SGA has played 92 total minutes and scored 90 points.

In NBA history, only Wilt Chamberlain (106, 105), Anthony Davis (95), and Michael Jordan (91) have scored more points through the first 2 games of a season. Chamberlain cracked 100 points to open back-to-back seasons in the 1960s.

Gilgeous Alexander also has 13 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 blocks, and 4 steals against just 5 turnovers in his team’s first 2 games. He is 33-for-40 (82.5%) from the free throw line and 27-of-57 (47.4%) from the field.

The Thunder play Atlanta on the road on Saturday.

RELAED: SGA is currently the betting favorite (+180 via DraftKings) to repeat as the league MVP. Kentucky residents can use our DraftKings Kentucky promo code.

The post Former Kentucky star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander off to historic start for Thunder appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Richard’s final stat line — 6 points (2-of-5 FG, 1-of-4 3P), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal — won’t draw intense fanfare. But when Steph Curry speaks on someone, you listen. And Curry, in his postgame press conference, talked Richard up after his strong showing.

“There’s something about winning players at whatever level. He’s a champion for a reason down there in Florida,” Curry said. “[He] just understands basketball, sees the game really well. He’s fearless. The lights aren’t too bright for him. He knows he’s got a lot of growth ahead of him, but for him to make his presence felt like that… it lifts the whole group. It’s pretty special to watch him.”

Curry specifically mentioned a key sequence late in regulation when discussing Richard’s impact. Trailing 109-100 with 6:50 remaining in the fourth quarter, Richard grabbed a jump ball and raced up the right wing. Demonstrating the fearlessness Curry mentioned, he pulled up from behind the arc and nailed a 3-pointer to cut the Nuggets’ lead to 6.

Richard didn’t always get the opportunity to take the most pivotal shots at Florida because Walter Clayton Jr. was there. As long as Curry is healthy, he won’t find the ball in his hands at the end of games with the Warriors, either.

But the more he proves himself, like he did on Thursday night, the better chance he’ll have to see the floor in true crunch time. Golden State is back in action Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers (10:00 p.m. ET).

RELATED: With the return of the NBA, there has never been a better time to try DFS. Unsure of what’s available in your area? Our guide on the DFS legal states will answer those questions. Florida residents can use this Chalkboard promo code to get started.

The post Steph Curry praises former Florida G Will Richard: ‘Pretty special’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Clayton didn’t start for the Jazz in their 129-108 win against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, but he wasted no time making an impact once he got on the court. He entered the game at the 4:02 mark of the first quarter. Over the next 56 seconds, he scored his first NBA points, snared his first NBA steal and snagged his first NBA assist. His hot start capped a 16-2 run for Utah and forced a Los Angeles timeout.

Clayton finished the game with 10 points (4/8 FG, 1/3 3P), 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals in 18 minutes of action. Both he and Ace Bailey — the No. 5 overall pick — should earn bigger roles for the Jazz as the season goes along. For the time being, they’ll continue plying their trade and developing their game as reserves. Utah’s next game comes at the Sacramento Kings on Friday night (10:00 p.m. E.T.).

The post Walter Clayton Jr. turns in impressive NBA debut for Utah Jazz appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Billups’ arrest in Oregon was reportedly due to his involvement in an illegal poker operation tied to the Mafia. The 49-year-old began his NBA playing career in 1997 after playing for Colorado from 1995-97. Playing until 2014, Billups was an NBA champion in 2004 with the Detriot Pistons and was named the NBA Finals MVP. The 5-time NBA All-Star began his coaching career in 2020 as an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers and became head coach of the Trail Blazers in 2021.

Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups has been arrested by the FBI for alleged illegal gambling, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2025

ESPN’s article on the arrests notes that sportsbooks in multiple states flagged betting interest on Rozier’s statistics. In 2023, there was a noted surge of bets on under for Rozier’s points, rebounds and assists. He played 10 minutes in the game before exiting due to a foot injury.

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested early Thursday morning as part of an FBI sports betting gambling probe, sources tell ESPN. The Eastern District of New York and FBI director Kash Patel will hold a press conference at 10 am ET to announce arrests from investigation.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2025

Rozier, 30, has been playing professionally since 2015. The former Louisville standout was a first-round pick in 2015 by the Boston Celtics. After multiple seasons with the Hornets, Rozier joined the Miami Heat in 2024.

The post Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier arrested by FBI in illegal gambling cases appeared first on Saturday Down South.

With Jimmy Butler out with an ankle injury, Kerr gave Richard the starting nod in the Warriors 118-111 preseason win against the Blazers. The rookie from Florida responded in a big way, scoring 13 points to go along with six rebounds and three 3-pointers made.

He played 29 minutes, and the Warriors were a +10 with him on the floor.

Even though it is only the preseason, Kerr would have no issue putting Richard in a regular season game.

“Will’s good,” Kerr told reporters. “Will really knows how to play. He’s in the right spots all the time. He is active defensively and sees the game well. He knocked down his 3-pointers tonight and we are very excited about him. If you’re on the roster, there is always going to be a path. I know I won’t hesitate to put him out there.”

Richard was a key piece on Florida’s national championship team. He averaged 13.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 steals and he started all 40 games.

The Warriors showed early in the preseason they were high on Richard when they signed him to a fully-guaranteed contract. For a guy drafted that late, generally those guys sign a two-way contract.

With guys like Steph Curry and Butler, there are going to be nights when those guys sit a game out. Richard could be someone who benefits from those minutes.

The post Golden State Warriors ‘won’t hesitate’ to give rookie Will Richard early minutes appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Thursday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced that Inside the NBA‘s new network debut will come during the Association’s opening week. Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal will grace ESPN’s airwaves on Oct. 22 and 23, before and after each night’s NBA doubleheader.

Inside the NBA, in its current form, has been around since Shaq joined the cast in 2011. The show has won 14 Sports Emmy Awards since Shaq’s arrival. It was inducted in the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 2026, joining SportsCenter and Monday Night Football as the only sports programs to receive the honor (at the time). Inside the NBA also received the Curt Gowdy Media Award in 2020.

ESPN spent years trying to acquire Inside the NBA, but was unable to make the acquisition until TNT Sports and the NBA declined to continue their partnership. While the show is airing on ESPN, it’s still being produced by TNT Sports from Atlanta. Because of this, there should be no alterations to the show’s typical banter and coverage of the league. However, we won’t know for sure until the show officially kicks off the 2025-26 campaign.

The post ESPN schedules network debut of popular Inside the NBA studio show appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Many players selected in the second round end up on a non-guaranteed 2-way contract, but Richard has reportedly secured a fully-guaranteed deal with Golden State.

Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Warriors made the decision to give him a 4-year deal that’s fully-guaranteed for the first 2 seasons.

Richard played a huge role on this past year’s Gators team that won the national championship. He averaged 13.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 1.7 SPG during this past season, providing a perfect complement to star guard Walter Clayton Jr.

He began his career at Belmont, where he played one season before transferring to Florida. He started 135 of his 141 career college games, and averaged 11.9 PPG throughout his four college seasons.

The Warriors are a team that has to deal with some financial issues as guys like Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler all have big contracts. Paying guys like that means they have to get quality play from young draft picks. Richard showed in summer league that his 3-point shot is improving, and he has a chance to be a part of the Warriors’ rotation in the near future.

The post Former Florida guard Will Richard lands fully-guaranteed NBA contract, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Horford, who won a championship with the Celtics in 2024, has signed a “multi-year contract” with the Golden State Warriors, Horford’s agent told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Sunday.

The former Florida standout, who won two national championships under Billy Donovan in 2006 and 2007, was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Hawks. An NBA All-Rookie Selection in 2008, he spent nine seasons in Atlanta.

In July 2016, Horford signed a four-year deal with the Celtics. He was in Boston for three seasons before signing with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019. He was then traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Dec. 2020 before being traded back to the Celtics in June 2021.

Horford is a 5-time NBA All-Star selection, including in back-to-back seasons in 2015 and 2016. He was an All-NBA Third Team selection in 2011 and a second-team All-NBA Defensive Team member in 2018.

The Celtics went 61-21 in the 2024-25 season, finishing in second place in the Eastern Conference. They then defeated the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs before falling to the New York Knicks in six games.

The post Al Horford lands with new NBA team for 2025-26 season appeared first on Saturday Down South.

While he may no longer be playing the sport, that doesn’t mean he will be done being involved with the sport. On Wednesday, it was announced that Wall will be an NBA studio analyst for Amazon Prime during the 2025-26 season.

He will reportedly be a part of the studio coverage, joining other former NBA stars such as Blake Griffin and Dirk Nowitzki.

Wall’s athleticism and personality instantly made him a fan favorite as soon as he stepped foot on campus at Kentucky in 2010. In his lone season in Lexington, he averaged 16.6 PPG, 6.5 APG and 4.3 RPG. He helped lead the Wildcats to an impressive 34-3 season, making it to the Elite Eight before losing to West Virginia.

That campaign led him to being the No. 1 player drafted in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards.

During his time in the NBA, he was a 5-time All Star, and he teamed up with Bradley Beal to form one of the most dynamic backcourts in the NBA for years. He finished his career with 18.7 PPG and 8.9 APG.

The post John Wall lands TV gig as NBA analyst for 2025-26 season appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The 27-year-old NBA journeyman now has a new lease on life in the NBA with the Heat organization, which is rewarding Smith after his many years spent with the franchise. Smith went undrafted in 2021 after 2 seasons at Missouri that followed 2 seasons at Evansville. He has bounced around the NBA since, mostly with the Heat organization between the NBA club itself and its G League affiliate in South Dakota.

RELATED: Get ready for online sports betting to go live in Missouri! SDS is your source for launch updates and how to get signed up with Underdog Sportsbook Missouri!

Smith has spent 2 different stints with the Heat franchise, first from 2021-23 and now from 2023 to the present sandwiched around a brief stopover with the Brooklyn Nets in the first half of 2023. This reported contract is a reward of sorts and a sign of trust in Smith, who has overcome season-ending ACL and Achilles tendon injuries during each of the past 2 seasons.

Smith made his mark at Missouri, earning 2nd-team All-SEC honors in 2021 and an SEC All-Defensive Team selection that same season. During his junior year at Mizzou, he averaged 12.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game. His 64 steals that season led the SEC and ranked 6th in program history.

As a senior, Smith turned up the scoring a notch, averaging 14.3 points, to go with 3.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals per contest.

Now, at long last, it looks like the ex-Mizzou star has a permanent NBA home for the foreseeable future.

The post Former Missouri star Dru Smith signing new deal with Miami Heat, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The former Wildcat agreed to a 4-year, $229 million max extension with the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. That’s per ESPN’s Shams Charania, who notes that this deal will now keep Fox in San Antonio through the 2029-30 season.

Attention Kentucky residents! Interested in joining a new sportsbook this summer? Here’s a complete guide to sports betting apps in Kentucky so you can make the right choice!

Fox was traded by the Sacramento Kings, the team who originally drafted him out of Kentucky back in 2017, to the Spurs before last year’s trade deadline. The Spurs hoped Fox could help them make a push for a playoff spot, but a medical scare for star center Victor Wembanyama put postseason hopes on hold for another season.

Fox is not the only former Wildcat to sign a max contract this offseason, as Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander inked a max deal following his MVP and Championship-winning campaign. Devin Booker also signed a 2-year max extension to stay with the Phoenix Suns this offseason.

Anthony Davis will be the highest-paid former Kentucky player in the NBA this upcoming season as he’s set to earn more than $54 million in 2025-26. Fox’s new deal won’t begin until the 2026-27 season.

The post De’Aaron Fox agrees to max contract extension with Spurs, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The news comes via ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania. Donovan, who previously coached the Oklahoma City Thunder, is entering his 6th season with the Bulls.

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has signed a multiyear contract extension with the franchise, sources tell ESPN. Donovan is viewed as a leader within the Bulls organization, and will enter his sixth season in Chicago in 2025-26 with 800 NBA games coached over his career. pic.twitter.com/LVYMiZt2Tv

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 27, 2025

Donovan, 60, has been coaching in the NBA since 2015. He led the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2015-20 before landing with the Bulls in 2020.

At the pro level, Donovan has coached 800 games, going 438-362. The Thunder reached the playoffs in all 5 seasons under Donovan, but lost in the first round the last 4 times after a trip to the conference finals in 2016. The Bulls have been to the playoffs only once in Donovan’s tenure, missing the playoffs the last 3 years.

Earlier this year, Donovan was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame for his legendary UF tenure from 1996-2015, winning the first 2 national championships in Florida basketball history (2006, ’07). Donovan notched 467 wins at Florida, including 6 SEC regular-season championships, 4 SEC Tournament titles and 4 trips to the Final Four.

In June, the Bulls denied the New York Knicks the opportunity to speak with Donovan about their coaching vacancy.

The post Billy Donovan reportedly lands multi-year extension with Chicago Bulls appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Martin had the broadcasters in awe on Friday night when he threw down a highlight slam in the Toronto Raptors’ game against the Chicago Bulls.

ALIJAH MARTIN ON YOUR HEADTOP https://t.co/thI5fgvhTL pic.twitter.com/EpUSWNMFHp

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) July 12, 2025

A transfer addition, Martin was a key piece of Florida’s national championship run. He averaged 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 30.4 minutes in 38 games (36 starts). Martin was a double-figure scorer in 31 games as he shot 45.2% from the field and 35% from 3-point territory.

Friday’s dunk is certainly impressive, but for Florida fans, it will be hard for Martin to ever top the dunk against Auburn in the Final Four.

OH MY GOODNESS ALIJAH MARTIN POSTER#MarchMadness @GatorsMBK pic.twitter.com/JFyVsSaOT1

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 6, 2025

The Raptors selected Martin in the 2nd round of the 2025 NBA Draft with the No. 39 overall pick. He’s signed to a 2-way deal with the team, meaning he’s competing for a spot on the NBA roster.

The post Alijah Martin throws down highlight slam in NBA Summer League game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Fresh off leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a championship, the former Kentucky Wildcat was announced as the new NBA 2K cover athlete for the standard edition of 2K26.

The generational run continues

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is your #NBA2K26 Standard Edition Cover Athlete!

Pre-order NBA 2K26 starting tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/1pQTtWOUh2

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) July 8, 2025

Gilgeous-Alexander had a 2025-26 season to remember, winning the NBA championship, scoring title and league MVP all in the same season. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1971), Michael Jordan (1991, ’92, ’96, ’98) and Shaquille O’Neal (2000) have pulled off the same trifecta.

RELATED: Sports betting is live in the Bluegrass State! Get in on the action today using the SDS guid to the best Kentucky betting apps!

On top of that, Gilgeous-Alexander was also named the Finals MVP. Leading OKC to a 4-3 series win over the Indiana Pacers, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 30.3 points, 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game in the Finals while shooting 44.3% from the field. It’s no surprise that the Thunder want to keep SGA, locking him up with a 4-year extension worth $285 million that runs through 2030-31.

A Wildcat in 2017-18, Gilgeous-Alexander was selected No. 11 overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2018 NBA Draft. He was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on draft night, where he played his rookie season in 2018-19. In July 2019, the Thunder acquired Gilgeous-Alexander in a trade.

The post Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lands NBA 2K cover after leading Thunder to championship appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Richard’s Golden State Warriors faced the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday in California Classic Summer League action. The Warriors fell 90-88. Richard actually took a last-second 3-point attempt for the win that almost went in.

Even in the loss, though, it’s safe to say that Warriors fans liked what they saw from Richard. He was part of the team’s starting lineup and logged 25 minutes. Richard finished with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assist in the game.

Richard was 3-of-10 from the field, but a perfect 8-of-8 at the line. As he did in his Gator days, Richard showed his knack for converting turnovers into points and shooting the 3-ball.

WILL RICHARD STEAL
WILL RICHARD LAYUP

The Warriors rookie gets his first bucket in his #NBASummer debut on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/pu2YXEjOXY

— NBA (@NBA) July 6, 2025

WILL RICHARD MAKES IT A 1-POINT GAME!

California Classic on NBA TV pic.twitter.com/MnaxVfKA5l

— NBA (@NBA) July 7, 2025

Richard played for UF for 3 seasons. A Belmont transfer, he was the first player to commit to play for Todd Golden. As part of Florida’s championship run, Richard was named to the Final Four All-Tournament Team. He was selected No. 56 overall by the Warriors in the Round 2 of the 2025 NBA Draft.

The post Will Richard impresses in NBA Summer League debut for Warriors appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The former LSU standout has a new NBA team. The Philadelphia 76ers have announced the signing of Watford. Per Sixers beat writer Keith Pompey, it’s a 2-year, $5.3 million deal for Watford, with the 2nd year being a team option.

welcome to Philly, @trendonw!@FultonBank pic.twitter.com/LUqTutXlw3

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) July 3, 2025

Watford heads to Philly for his 5th professional season. He began his career with the Portland Trail Blazers and then joined the Brooklyn Nets ahead of the 2023-24 season.

Last season, Watford played in 44 games for the Nets, making 10 starts. He averaged career-highs of 10.2 points and 2.6 assists over 20.7 minutes per game.

Trendon is a young, dynamic player with a unique skillset who fits nicely with what we’re trying to accomplish on both sides of the ball,” 76ers President of Basketball Operational Daryl Morey said in a released statement. “His size and versatility allow him to guard multiple positions, while his handle and passing showcase his play-making ability. He is a valued addition to our roster and I’m excited to welcome him to Philadelphia.

Watford played at LSU from 2019-21. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2020 and the AP’s All-SEC first team in 2021.

The post Former LSU standout Trendon Watford signs with new NBA team appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Celtics announced Phil Pressey as the head coach of the Maine Celtics for the 2025-26 season.

I’d like to thank Brad Stevens, Joe Mazzulla, and the entire Celtics organization for believing in me and giving me a chance to grow, lead, and develop,” Pressey said in a released statement. “I’m grateful for the opportunity and I will give my all to this team. The community of Portland is amazing, and I remember my time as a player was unforgettable at the Expo. My goal is to instill winning habits into every player who suits up for the Maine Celtics.

Pressey played guard at Mizzou from 2010-13, receiving accolades in 2 conferences. He was an All-Big 12 2011-12 selection after leading the conference in assists and steals. The following year, he made first-team All-SEC and led the conference in assists.

RELATED: Sports betting is coming to the state of Missouri! Follow SDS so you can get the best Caesars Missouri promo code at launch!

The Celtics note that Pressey is the first time Maine has had a head coach who played for the team. Pressey was part of the Celtics organization as a player from 2013-15. He had a memorable Maine game on Feb. 5, 2015, recording 34 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists.

We’re excited to welcome Phil to the Maine Celtics as our new head coach,” said Maine Celtics General Manager Jarell Christian. “Phil’s journey – from playing in the NBA and NBA G League to developing talent with the Boston Celtics – makes him the perfect fit to lead our team and connect with the Maine community. We can’t wait for our fans to get to know him and see the energy and passion he brings to the game.

Pressey returned to his alma mater to begin his coaching career, joining the Mizzou staff as an assistant coach in 2022. He then accepted a Player Development position with the Celtics in 2023.

The post Former Mizzou standout named Celtics’ G League head coach appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Robinson, who finished his college basketball career at Kentucky in 2024-25, was not selected in last month’s NBA Draft. The Cleveland Cavaliers are now signing him on Exhibit-10 contract, per Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.com.

Kentucky’s Jaxson Robinson has agreed to an Exhibit-10 contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, I’m told.

The 6’6” wing shot 37.6% on nearly 7 threes per game this season.

Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year and NBA Combine invitee in 2024.

Ranks 65th in the final DX Top 100. pic.twitter.com/Lct6mc05w5

— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) July 2, 2025

A native of Ada, Oklahoma, Robinson was well-traveled in his college career. He made use of the transfer portal, playing for Texas A&M (2020-21), Arkansas (2021-22), BYU (2022-24) and Kentucky (2024-25).

Over 5 seasons, Robinson played in 120 games, making 68 starts. He was the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year for 2023-24, in which he made 33 appearances for BYU, averaging a career-high 14.2 points per game.

Last season, at Kentucky, Robinson made 24 starts for the Wildcats before he was lost for the year due to injury. He averaged 13 points over 28.1 minutes per game, shooting 43.2% from the field.

The post Former Kentucky wing Jaxson Robinson lands contract with NBA team appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Hornets have decided to sign the former Florida standout to a new deal after he entered free agency. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reports that it is a 3-year deal for $24 million.

Free agent guard Tre Mann has agreed to a three-year, $24 million deal with the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell ESPN. Hornets officials and Mann's agent Aaron Turner of Verus Sports negotiated terms of the new contract in free agency. pic.twitter.com/mcputliCTQ

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2025

RELATED: Who makes Florida’s ultimate starting 5? We name Walter Clayton Jr. and the other 4 Gator Greats to make the lineup

Mann, a Gainesville native who prepped at The Villages (Florida) Charter Schools, played for the Gators from 2019-21. He was named first-team All-SEC by the conference coaches in 2021 after averaging 16 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in his sophomore season.

A pro since 2021, Mann began his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who selected him No. 18 overall in the NBA Draft. Mann was with the Thunder organization for 2-plus seasons, getting traded to Charlotte during the 2023-24 campaign.

Mann was off to the best start of his career in 2024-25, averaging 14.1 points per game in 13 appearances off the bench before missing the rest of the season due to injury. Last season, Mann shot 43.5% from the field and 40% from 3-point range.

The post Former Florida standout Tre Mann lands new deal with Charlotte Hornets appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Turner, who spent the first 10 seasons of his pro career with the Indiana Pacers, will now depart for division-rival Milwaukee less than 2 weeks after the Pacers came up short in the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

That’s according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, who reports Turner has agreed to a 4-year, $107 million deal with the Bucks. His deal will also include a player option and a 15% trade kicker.

It’s a stunning move that has ramifications elsewhere on the roster. In order to clear enough cap space to sign Turner, the Bucks are waiving and stretching Damian Lillard’s remaining $113 million in guaranteed money. That means Lillard, who suffered a torn Achilles during the postseason, will now become a free agent.

Turner joins a core in Milwaukee that’s headlined by 2-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks will be looking to make a deep postseason run next year with Turner and Antetokounmpo in their front court.

The Bucks won the NBA title back in 2021 but have not reached the Eastern Conference Finals in any of the last 3 postseasons.

Turner will be entering his 11th NBA season since departing Texas back in 2015.

The post Myles Turner agrees to contract with new NBA team appeared first on Saturday Down South.

ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported that news on Tuesday morning, noting the former Kentucky guard will sign a 4-year deal worth a projected $285 million. Gilgeous-Alexander is already under contract for the next 2 seasons, so this deal begins in 2027-28.

With this deal, Gilgeous-Alexander will now have the richest annual salary in NBA history:

The $285 million figure is subject to change. As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes, SGA’s contract is based on a projected salary cap number for the 2027-28 season. The salary cap is expected increase by up to 10% annually for the foreseeable future, but exact figures are not yet known.

For now, here is the projected annual salary for Gilgeous-Alexander for this 4-year extension:

Gilgeous-Alexander could have waited a year and signed a 5-year extension worth upwards of $380 million in the summer of 2026. Instead, he’s committed to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the next 6 seasons.

OKC co-stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are expected to sign lucrative extensions this summer as well. The Thunder won their first NBA title since moving to Oklahoma City last month.

The post Shai Gilgeous-Alexander agrees to record-breaking extension with OKC Thunder, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Denver Nuggets are sending the former Missouri Tiger to the Brooklyn Nets. Per ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, the Nuggets will also trade an unprotected 2032 first-round pick and receive Cam Johnson in return.

BREAKING: The Denver Nuggets are trading Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/o6rdWhu3Rl

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2025

A former McDonald’s All-American, Porter spent the 2017-18 season at Mizzou. He was 1-and-done and declared for the NBA Draft after a freshman season limited by injury. He was selected by Denver with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

RELATED: Sports betting is coming to the state of Missouri! Keep an eye on SDS for the best FanDuel Missouri promo code to use at launch!

Porter has spent the entirety of his career with the Nuggets. He missed the 2018 season after having back surgery.

In 2019-20, Porter’s debut season, he was primarily a bench contributor. Since then, however, he has been a starter.

Porter averages 16.2 points per game over his career, posting his best mark of 19 ppg in the 2020-21 season. He played the most in 2023-24, making 81 starts.

During Denver’s championship season, Porter started 62 games in the regular season and 20 in the playoffs. He averaged 17.4 points per game in regular-season and 13.4 ppg during the playoff run.

This past season, Porter made 77 regular-season appearances and 14 in the postseason, all starts. He averaged 18.2 points per game during the season, but posted his first single-digit postseason with 9.1 ppg.

The post Michael Porter Jr. being traded to new NBA team, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The former Auburn standout has reportedly agreed to a 9-figure extension with the Houston Rockets. In a fully guaranteed deal, Smith will make $122 million over the next 5 seasons with the team, per ESPN insider Shams Charania.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. intends to sign a five-year, $122 million rookie contract extension, sources tell ESPN. Rockets officials and Smith's agent, Wallace Prather of LIFT Sports Management, negotiated the fully guaranteed deal through 2030-31 season. pic.twitter.com/S1hb9n0PRh

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2025

A second-team All-American and SEC Freshman of the Year at Auburn, Smith was selected No. 3 overall by Houston in the 2022 NBA Draft. The Rockets wanted to make sure Smith’s bright future did not play out with another club.

Smith played the most in his first season, starting 79 games. He made second-team All-Rookie Team after averaging 12.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists over 31 minutes per game.

In 2023-24, Smith’s playing time and production saw slight increases. His scoring went up to a career-high 13.7 points per game while he also averaged 31.9 minutes per game, the most in 3 seasons.

Smith missed some time this past season with a fractured hand. He played in 57 games (39 starts), averaging 12.2 points, 7 rebounds and 1.1 assists.

The post Jabari Smith Jr. agrees to 9-figure extension with Houston Rockets, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to ESPN insider Shams Charania, the Utah Jazz are trading Sexton and a 2031 second-round draft pick to the Charlotte Hornets for Jusuf Nurkic.

Just in: The Utah Jazz are trading Collin Sexton and a 2030 second-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets for Jusuf Nurkic, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/k5hFMBSlYn

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2025

The 26-year-old Sexton played for Alabama basketball in the 2017-18 season, earning recognition as the SEC Freshman of the Year. He was then a first-round NBA Draft pick in 2018, selected No. 8 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Sexton spent his first 4 professional seasons with the Cavaliers. He saw the most playing time in his rookie season, appearing in all 82 regular-season game with 72 starts. In the 2020-21 season, Sexton averaged a career-high 24.3 points per game.

Utah acquired Sexton via a sign-and-trade deal in September 2022. In his first season with the Jazz, Sexton shot a career-best 50.6% from the field over 48 appearances (15 starts). This past season, Sexton posted his best 3-point shooting percentage, a 40.6% mark from beyond the arc in 63 games (61 starts).

For his career, Sexton has played in 407 regular-season games, making 335 starts. He averaged 18.8 points on 47% field-goal shooting over 29.9 minutes per game.

The post Former Alabama standout Collin Sexton traded to new NBA team, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That’s per ESPN’s Shams Charania, who says the former Arkansas Razorback will sign a 3-year, $24 million deal to remain with the reigning champs. As part of the deal, Oklahoma City declined its $2.1 million team option for the 2025-26 campaign.

Charania reports that OKC will have a team option in the final year of its 3-year agreement with Williams.

RELATED: Looking to learn more about Underdog Fantasy Sports? Here’s an Underdog promo code to help you earn up to $1,000 in bonus cash when you join!

Williams played a key reserve role for Oklahoma City in its march to the NBA Finals. His biggest impact in the playoffs came in the Denver series when he helped guard Nikola Jokic for stretches of play. He averaged 10.6 minutes per game against the Nuggets and scored 24 points on 18 shots in totality.

Williams also received praise from head coach Mark Daigneault for his presence in timeouts throughout the postseason. Perhaps most notably, Williams had a memorable moment during Oklahoma City’s Championship parade last week.

While there’s little path toward Williams being a starter longterm in Oklahoma City, he’ll now make approximately $8 million annually over the next 3 years while playing for a title contender.

The post Jaylin Williams agrees to multi-year contract extension with OKC Thunder, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Late Thursday night, Mizzou confirmed on social media that Grill was landing a 2-way contract with the Chicago Bulls. Grill spent 2 seasons with the Tigers, earning the SEC basketball 6th Man of the Year Award this past season.

Tamar Bates followed a similar trajectory, spending 2 seasons at Indiana before spending 2 seasons as the 2nd-leading scorer for Mizzou and head coach Dennis Gates. Bates signed a 2-way deal with the Denver Nuggets to begin his NBA journey.

RELATED: Don’t miss all the top introductory offers for the live sports betting launch in Missouri! Bookmark the BetMGM Missouri bonus code for one of the best offers around.

As for Bates, he is a 6-foot-5 guard who averaged 13.4 points per game across 66 appearances (59 starts) for Mizzou. He was the SEC’s free-throw percentage leader the past 2 seasons, and Bates led all of D-I basketball with a 94.6% percentage from the charity stripe during the 2024-25 season. Another good sign for Bates is that he improved his 3-point shooting every season in college, finishing with a 39.7% percentage from deep as a senior.

When it comes to Grill, the 6-foot-3 sharpshooter saved his best for last with the Tigers, averaging a career-high 13.7 points and setting a new career-best mark with a 39.6% shooting mark from 3-point range. He also spent time at Iowa State and UNLV to go with his 2 seasons at Mizzou.

Best of luck to the former Tigers as they look to start their NBA journey!

The post Former Mizzou stars Caleb Grill, Tamar Bates land 2-way deals after NBA Draft appeared first on Saturday Down South.