Sports
Overhauled Knicks open camp with changes still swirling
New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) celebrates with guard Jalen Brunson (11) in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers in game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Unable to comment on the latest roster addition, New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau played his hand with his facial expression on Monday.
A pending trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves that would bring Karl-Anthony Towns to New York has yet to be finalized with the NBA’s stamp of approval, which restricts Thibodeau from commenting on the former All-Star he coached in Minneapolis.
“Nice try,” Thibodeau said with an ear-to-ear grin when asked about his experience as KAT’s head coach at his previous stop.
Point guard Jalen Brunson and wing Josh Hart were hit in a different way by the trade for KAT. As proposed, it would include their former Villanova teammate Donte DiVincenzo and All-Star forward Julius Randle. Hart said the business side of the deal is the best and worst part of the NBA, while Brunson reminded media DiVincenzo was a groomsman in his wedding.
“Hate to see a guy like that go, especially with the caliber of player they are, the caliber of people they are,” Hart said. “KAT is an amazing player. Someone who is really good in terms of spacing, knocking down shots, blocking shots. You love it and hate it.”
Even so, Brunson said he trusts the front office to improve the roster with bigger goals in mind than the second round of the postseason.
“Obviously we want to take the next step, we want to be better than we were last year,” Brunson said. “We have to start all over again. That’s the beauty about all of this — you never know where you’re going to end up. … But we have a long way to go.”
Brunson is fully cleared medically and recovered from surgery to repair his broken left hand. Brunson was injured in the Game 7 loss to the Indiana Pacers in May. Brunson went on a scoring bender in the playoffs and turned in an MVP-caliber season. But with Bridges and Towns in the mix, he’s not likely to be asked to carry as much of the offensive burden this season.
Brunson signed a team-friendly extension in July — his 2024-25 salary is nearly $25 million less than Towns is owed — after the best season of his six-year NBA career, featuring career highs in scoring (28.7 points per game), assists (6.7 per game) and 3-pointers made (211). He shot 40.1 percent from beyond the arc. Brunson was named an All-Star for the first time, made the All-NBA second team and finished fifth in NBA Most Valuable Player balloting.
Thibodeau wouldn’t touch KAT questions even as he arrived at the practice facility during the press conference. But he would comment on the evolution of his offense — hinting at playing the “5 out” system with nobody in the paint to accentuate Towns — and revealed plans for a defense with vastly improved versatility upon completion of a trade that would put an exclamation point on the Knicks’ offseason.
Thibodeau signed a contract extension, the Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets and re-signed OG Anunoby to a massive contract right when it appeared he was bolting in free agency. He signed a five-year, $212.5 million deal in July.
Anunoby, acquired from the Raptors in the trade that sent Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett to Toronto, reported to camp fully healthy, Thibodeau shared with great delight. A hamstring injury during the playoffs slowed New York, but if all goes according to plan, the Knicks will use him at almost every position in 2024-25.
Thibodeau even said it could be Anunoby who most helps the Knicks recover from the free-agent exit of center Isaiah Hartenstein. Mitchell Robinson is not likely to be on the floor until January.
But the 6-foot-7 Anunoby’s 7-foot-2 wingspan makes him a candidate to guard “4s and 5s,” Thibodeau said.
With all the pieces to fit together, Hart knows there are new roles and evolving lineups to be encountered. One big change expected for the versatile defender is the end of his playing time at the center position.
“Thank God,” Hart said.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tyler Reddick starts bid for 3rd straight NASCAR Cup win with pole run
Feb 22, 2026; Hampton, Georgia, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Tyler Reddick rounds the track at EchoPark Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mady Mertens-Imagn Images AUSTIN, Texas — One of the few things that wasn’t startling about Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session at Circuit of the Americas was Tyler Reddick’s run for the pole position.
Negotiating the 2.4-mile road course in 97.760 seconds (88.380 mph) in the second qualifying group, Reddick claimed his third Busch Light Pole Award in six attempts at the track. He will lead the field to green in Sunday’s DuraMAX Grand Prix Powered by Reladyne (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Of course, there’s more at stake for Reddick than simply a victory at COTA. In winning at EchoPark Speedway near Atlanta last Sunday, the driver of the No. 45 Toyota became the sixth Cup competitor to start a season with two consecutive wins. No driver has ever won three straight to open a season.
The 23XI Racing driver acknowledged that the pole position, the 12th of his career, is a positive first step toward that goal.
“It helps the chances, certainly,” said Reddick, whose series-best average finish of 4.6 at COTA includes a victory in 2023. “I think starting up front is huge.”
Michael McDowell led the first qualifying group of 19 drivers with a lap at 88.031 mph but fell to sixth soon after the second group took to the track. Ultimately, Ross Chastain posted the second-fastest lap at 88.256 mph (97.897 seconds) and will start on the front row beside Reddick.
The shocker was not that Chastain, the 2022 COTA winner, fashioned an excellent lap. What was surprising was that his two Trackhouse Racing teammates, Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch — both vaunted road course racers — failed to crack the top 10 in qualifying.
Van Gisbergen was 13th fastest on his third lap. Zilisch could do no better than 25th. Van Gisbergen is seeking his sixth straight road course victory in the Cup Series, a mark that would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon for most consecutive road course wins.
Chase Briscoe (88.242 mph) will start third, followed by Ryan Blaney (88.179 mph) and Chase Elliott (88.161 mph). Elliott leads active drivers with seven road course victories.
Behind McDowell in sixth, AJ Allmendinger qualified seventh, followed by defending race winner Christopher Bell, Ty Gibbs and William Byron.
“We’ll see how it gets going,” Reddick said. “Certainly, Ross, Shane, Ryan Blaney-there’s a number of good drivers who were really strong in practice today. We’ll try to understand what that all looks like and make our best decisions on the car and everything.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Warriors F Gui Santos signs multi-year extension
Feb 25, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos (15) passes the ball as Memphis Grizzlies guard Javon Small (10) defends during the third quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos signed a multi-year contract extension on Saturday.
Specific terms were not disclosed by the Warriors. However, ESPN reported it was a three-year, $15 million contract extension with a player option in 2028-29. Santos was in line to become a restricted free agent prior to this extension.
Santos, 23, is posting career-best averages in points (6.6), rebounds (3.2) and assists (1.7) in 48 games (13 starts) this season.
He is contributing 4.9 points, 3.0 boards and 1.4 assists in 127 career games (15 starts) since being selected by the Warriors in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Isaiah Evans, No. 1 Duke overwhelm No. 11 Virginia
Feb 28, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Isaiah Evans (3) grabs a pass as he moves around a pick center Patrick Ngongba II (21) as Virginia Cavaliers guard Sam Lewis (5) defends during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images Isaiah Evans used a hot start on the way to 19 points and top-ranked Duke’s defense contained No. 11 Virginia for much of Saturday afternoon’s showdown in a 77-51 victory at Durham, N.C.
The Blue Devils, with two games remaining, secured at least a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season championship and locked up the top seed for the upcoming ACC tournament.
Cameron Boozer racked up most of his 18 points on free throws for Duke (27-2, 15-1 ACC), which built its lead to 28 points in the second half. Boozer also had a team-high nine rebounds, while Patrick Ngongba II added 11 points.
Thijs De Ridder had 16 points for Virginia (25-4, 13-3), which was bidding to pull even atop the ACC standings. Instead, the Cavaliers’ nine-game winning streak was halted as they were held to a season-low point total.
Virginia went 29.1% from the field, including 7-for-35 on 3s, so the Cavaliers’ 12-for-13 shooting at the foul line couldn’t save them. Virginia collected nine offensive rebounds despite its volume of missed shots.
Evans shot 5-for-9 on 3-pointers and was 7-for-11 overall from the floor, accounting for nearly half of Duke’s 12 baskets from 3-point range.
Boozer had 11 first-half points on 11-for-12 free-throw shooting, but didn’t make a field goal until a 3-pointer early in the second half. He ended up 3-for-9 from the field in 33 minutes in Duke’s second-to-last home game of the season.
Aside from De Ridder, Virginia’s starters shot a combined 4-for-22 from the field.
An 11-0 run in the second half stretched Duke’s advantage to 70-43.
Duke built an 18-9 lead across the first 11 minutes, with Evans providing 14 of those points. The Blue Devils carried a 41-26 lead into halftime.
Virginia shot 4-for-17 on first-half 3s, while going 4-for-8 on 2-point range attempts.
By game’s end, Boozer attempted 12 of Duke’s 14 free throws.
–Field Level Media
Tyler Reddick starts bid for 3rd straight NASCAR Cup win with pole run
Warriors F Gui Santos signs multi-year extension
