Sports
Prez Charlie Baker still wants to ad at-large bids to NCAA Tournament
NCAA president Charlie Baker still envisions an expanded NCAA Tournament field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images NCAA president Charlie Baker rolled out the red carpet ahead of the Selection Committee exercise to set the top 16 seeds in the men’s tournament field this weekend and couldn’t help but dream of a bigger dance.
Baker and members of the Selection Committee are running their annual bracket stacking drill to be released Saturday with the public finding out where the NCAA sees the top 16 seeds in the tournament at this stage of the season.
The field will not increase in size in March. The men’s and women’s tournament field remains at 68 for 2026. But 2027 could bring a boost in field size to 72 or more, Baker has said.
“I think there’s some very good reasons to expand the tournament, so I would like to see it expand,” Baker said on Thursday in a session with select media, as detailed by tournament TV partner CBS, a network making headlines about coverage — and non-coverage — of news events and interviews. “You have to remember that some of the folks we’re talking to are going through some pretty interesting corporate conversations of their own. And I think for us, we accept and acknowledge that, but we’re still talking.”
Debate remains around how to structure a bracket growing by as many as eight spots. Baker said the number of at-large bids awarded — currently 36 — is not enough. But he doesn’t want to fiddle with the 32 at-large bids going to conference and conference tournament champions to satisfy the “bubble” teams that might be labeled the “last four out” on Selection Sunday.
“It puts some other really good teams that probably might belong there,” Baker said of the push to increase at-large bids. “But it also protects the AQs, right? Because I don’t want to end up in a situation where people say we need to do something about the AQs because we’re keeping too many good teams out of the tournament.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ex-skipper Bob Melvin rejoins A's as special assistant
Oct 3, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin (6) looks on from the dugout before the start of the game against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Longtime Oakland manager Bob Melvin has rejoined the Athletics as a special assistant in baseball operations.
Melvin, 64, “will serve as an adviser to the front office on baseball matters,” the team announced on Thursday.
Melvin managed the Oakland A’s from 2011-21, reaching the playoffs six times and winning two American League Manager of the Year awards (2012, 2018).
He compiled a record of 1,678-1,588 in 22 seasons as a skipper with the Seattle Mariners (2003-04), Arizona Diamondbacks (2005-09), Athletics, San Diego Padres (2022-23) and San Francisco Giants (2024-25).
The Giants fired Melvin following an 81-81 finish last season.
Melvin also earned National League Manager of the Year honors with the Diamondbacks in 2007. None of his teams reached the World Series.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Hawks convert F Caleb Houstan to standard contract
Oct 11, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Caleb Houstan (33) handles the ball as Memphis Grizzlies forward Tyler Burton (4) defends during the fourth quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images The Atlanta Hawks converted forward Caleb Houstan’s contract from a two-way deal to a standard NBA contract Thursday. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Houstan, 23, has played in 10 games for Atlanta this season and averaged 2.3 points and 4.9 minutes as a reserve.
The Orlando Magic selected Houstan in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2022 NBA Draft out of Michigan. He played his first three seasons with the Magic and averaged 4.1 points, 1.5 rebounds and 14.4 minutes in 168 games (23 starts) from 2022-25.
Houstan signed a two-way contract with the Hawks on Oct. 18, 2025. He averaged 15.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 32.9 minutes in 30 games (all starts) this season with the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League.
He became the first Hawks player to appear in NBA and G League games on the same day on Dec. 3, playing a daytime game with the Skyhawks and a night game with Atlanta.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Bulls' Josh Giddey, Tre Jones probable to return vs. Raptors
Dec 21, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Tre Jones (30) guard Josh Giddey (3) and center Nikola Vucevic (9) react after defeating the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Chicago Bulls guards Josh Giddey and Tre Jones are listed as probable to return to the court for Thursday’s game against the visiting Toronto Raptors.
Both players have been sidelined with left hamstring injuries.
Giddey has missed the past eight games after aggravating the injury against the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 28. He sustained the initial injury on Dec. 29 against the Minnesota Timberwolves and missed the next 11 games.
Giddey, 23, boasts career-best averages in points (18.6), assists (8.8) and rebounds (8.6) while playing in 34 games (31 starts) this season.
He has averaged 14.6 points, 7.6 assists and 6.4 rebounds in 314 career games (310 starts) with the Thunder (2021-24) and Bulls since being selected by Oklahoma City with the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Jones, 26, has not played since Jan. 22. He is averaging 12.4 points, 5.8 assists and a team-leading 1.3 steals in 38 games (20 starts) this season.
–Field Level Media
Ex-skipper Bob Melvin rejoins A's as special assistant
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 20, 2026
