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When Kevin Durant found himself at the centre of yet another burner account controversy earlier this season, it felt like familiar off-court noise. Reports suggested anonymous criticism aimed at teammates Alperen Şengün and Jabari Smith Jr., raising questions about chemistry inside a promising Houston Rockets locker room. At the time, it was easy to dismiss as internet drama.
When Fernando Mendoza takes his first NFL snap for the Las Vegas Raiders, he won’t just be another rookie quarterback—he’ll be stepping into one of the league’s most closely watched rebuilds. The question isn’t whether Mendoza can play. It’s how quickly he can transform a franchise.
After a historic 2025 collapse that saw a dominant 45-24 start evaporate into a missed postseason, the Mets have undergone a radical “reset.” Aside from Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto, David Stearns has purged the old core—including franchise face Pete Alonso—in favor of a balanced, defense-first roster. With new stars like Bo Bichette and ace Freddy Peralta leading the charge, New York looks to trade 2025’s star-powered volatility for 2026’s depth and stability.
The race for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft has narrowed to a three-man battle between AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Cameron Boozer (Duke), and Darryn Peterson (Kansas). While Dybantsa is the nation’s most explosive scorer (25.3 PPG) and Boozer is the most polished “triple-threat” prospect, Peterson remains the high-ceiling wildcard—provided he can overcome mid-season durability issues.
With the Round of 64 tipping off today, the NCAA Tournament serves as the ultimate tie-breaker. Scouts are weighing Dybantsa’s pure upside against Boozer’s championship-ready floor, knowing that a deep March run could solidify who hears their name called first in June.
The “Cinderella story” is the soul of March Madness—those rare, bracket-busting runs where mid-majors like George Mason (2006) or Loyola Chicago (2018) topple blue-blood giants to reach the Final Four. Whether it’s the high-flying “Dunk City” style of FGCU or the legendary scoring of Stephen Curry, these teams prove that a low seed is often just an invitation to make history.
As the 2026 Tournament tips off today, all eyes are on #11 VCU as they prepare to face North Carolina tonight—aiming to recapture the same underdog magic that defined their historic 2011 run.
Added: Dejounte Murray, Justin Holiday, Aaron Holiday, Frank Kaminsky, Vit Krejci, Jarrett Culver (Two-Way), Trent Forrest (Two-Way), AJ Griffin, Tyrese Martin
My rankings were updated on July 3rd. The google sheet they’re in can be found here, and you can download them as a .csv to upload directly into UD (while using a desktop) if you’d like. Reach out on Twitter if you need help doing that.
If you’re a baseball lifer like me, you know that the genesis of Baseball Savant has really changed everything about the way we process the games we watch.
Dallas Mavericks F Cooper Flagg has enjoyed a stellar rookie season, averaging 20.4 points per game (PPG), 6.6 rebounds per game (RPG), and 4.1 assists per game (APG). He was on track to be the headline player of All-Star Weekend’s 2026 Rising Stars, which tips off on Friday, February 13 at 9:00 p.m. ET on Peacock.
Posted every Tuesday, The Fantasy Usage Model combines my expected fantasy points model with his film notes to recap the previous week’s game.
Tottenham Hotspur are in the process of appointing former Udinese and Juventus boss Igor Tudor as their interim head coach until the end of the season.