#rookies

#rookies

In June, he became their first lottery pick in 15 years. And now he's the first Net named to the Rising Stars Competition at All-Star Weekend since 2019. The tanking Nets headed into Tuesday's tilt in Phoenix with the fifth-worst record in the NBA, but they're the youngest team in the league. They have a record five first-round rookies on the roster, led by Dëmin, and the teenage point guard will be Brooklyn's first representative at All-Star weekend since Kevin Durant in 2022.

Flagg is one of 10 rookies -- all of whom were taken in the lottery in June's draft -- asked to participate in the event. The others are San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (taken second overall), Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe (third), Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (fourth), Washington Wizards guard Tre Johnson (sixth), New Orleans Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears (seventh) and forward Derik Queen (13th), Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (eighth) and Toronto Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles (ninth).

Gonzalez had the highlight of the game - hitting a clutch corner 3 as time expired to send the game to a second overtime period. He finished his night with 10 points and seven rebounds. Mazzulla had benched Gonzalez for a large chunk of the middle of the game after being frustrated with the young guard. But he trusted Gonzalez enough to put him back in the game in a big spot late.

The NFC South hasn't had a Super Bowl contender since the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers made back-to-back appearances in the 2015-16 seasons. The division hasn't produced a double-digit regular-season winner in three of the past four seasons, with the Panthers limping to a wild-card berth after the Falcons beat the New Orleans Saints in the 2025 regular-season finale, eliminating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from the playoffs.

It was a good first try,

Superstar Kevin Durant will make his Houston Rockets debut, and Damian Lillard, who will miss the season because of a torn Achilles, has returned to the Portland Trail Blazers. Injuries have also shaken up both conferences. Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton are out for the season after tearing their Achilles tendons, leaving the East wide open. And Kyrie Irving, after tearing his ACL last season, has no firm timeline for when he'll be back for the Dallas Mavericks.

We're a month into the NFL season, and insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano have been making calls to sources around the league for the latest news and buzz on key situations heading into October play. One of the biggest storylines of the week is what's going on with the Ravens and their 1-3 start. Jeremy and Dan have intel on the sentiments in Baltimore and how much panic the Ravens are feeling.

The Atlanta Braves are playing their best baseball of the season - and although it wasn't enough to save them from snapping their seven-year playoff streak - it has provided optimism for 2026 and, frankly, has been a heckuva a lot more fun that most of the season had been. By sweeping both the Washington Nationals and Detroit Tigers, there was no shortage of players who were outstanding over the past seven games.

Receiver Konata Mumpfield and running back Jarquez Hunter demonstrated significant skills during training camp, with evaluations pending until live-tackling situations in games occur.

Yaroslav Askarov is projected to be the Sharks' starting goaltender, having played only 16 NHL games, thus maintaining his rookie status. He must play at a high level to compete for the Calder Trophy.

Kyle Williams adds a speed element to the Patriots' offense, showing promise in the offseason and the potential to become a go-to weapon for Drake Maye.

Fan excitement is highest for the drafted rookies, overshadowing returning second-year players, with RB Bill Croskey-Merritt generating notable buzz despite limited prior performance. When asked about which player fans wanted to return in 2026, Deebo Samuel dominated the votes, indicating strong interest in his potential impact compared to veterans like Bobby Wagner and Austin Ekeler.

I feel like just the vibes in the clubhouse have been really good. We've got a lot of good guys in there. I feel like it starts in there and we bring it out on the field together.

I'm going to embrace it and have fun, but it's not going to be easy," Hunter said. "I expect to learn and grow as much as possible this season."