NBA mock draft 2026 features changes near top after scouting combine

CHICAGO — The impact of the2026 NBA Draft Scouting Combineon the actual draft is an annual debate.

After years of evaluating players during high school, grassroots and college basketball games,NBA teams gathered in Chicago this weekto conduct medical exams and put the best draft prospects in the world through measurements, agility testing, shooting drills and scrimmages. Hundreds of front office executives were at Wintrust Arena, and inevitably a few draft narratives emerged along with the wingspans, vertical jumps and medical reports.

The early speculation is the top-four players in this class are set but the order in which they'll be selected remains up for grabs during the pre-draft process. There's also a promising group of guards projected as the next best available prospects, so much so there could be promising wings and big men capable of jumping into the top-10 and late lottery picks. The late first round outlook could change in the coming weeks,with several players poised to return to collegedue lucrative NIL opportunities.

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USA TODAY Sportswas in the building in Chicago during the NBA Draft Scouting Combine sifting through the latest rumors and speculation after the NBA Draft lottery.Some picks have changedbased on the intel. Here's our updated 2026 NBA mock draft based on what we learned from Combine workouts and interviews:

2026 NBA DRAFT:Why AJ Dybantsa is on a mission to be the No. 1 pick

2026 NBA mock draft: Post-scouting combine edition

1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa

• TEAM: BYU

• POSITION: Wing

• BORN: Massachusetts

• HEIGHT: 6-9

• DRAFT AGE: 19

2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson

• TEAM: Kansas

• POSITION: Guard

• BORN: Ohio

• HEIGHT: 6-5

• DRAFT AGE: 19

3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer

• TEAM: Duke

• POSITION: Forward

• BORN: Florida

• HEIGHT: 6-9

• DRAFT AGE: 18

4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson

• TEAM: North Carolina

• POSITION: Big

• BORN: Georgia

• HEIGHT: 6-10

• DRAFT AGE: 19

5. Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler

• TEAM: Illinois

• POSITION: Wing

• BORN: Kansas

• HEIGHT: 6-6

• DRAFT AGE: 19

6. Brooklyn Nets: Darius Acuff Jr.

• TEAM: Arkansas

• POSITION: Guard

• BORN: Michigan

• HEIGHT: 6-3

• DRAFT AGE: 19

7. Sacramento Kings: Mikel Brown Jr.

• TEAM: Louisville

• POSITION: Guard

• BORN: Florida

• HEIGHT: 6-5

• DRAFT AGE: 20

8. Atlanta Hawks: Kingston Flemings

• TEAM: Houston

• POSITION: Guard

• BORN: Texas

• HEIGHT: 6-4

• DRAFT AGE: 19

9. Dallas Mavericks: Brayden Burries

• TEAM: Arizona

• POSITION: Guard

• BORN: California

• HEIGHT: 6-4

• DRAFT AGE: 20

10. Milwaukee Bucks: Nate Ament

• TEAM: Tennessee

• POSITION: Wing

• BORN: Virginia

• HEIGHT: 6-10

• DRAFT AGE: 19

11. Golden State Warriors: Aday Mara

• TEAM: Michigan

• POSITION: Big

• BORN: Spain

• HEIGHT: 7-3

• DRAFT AGE: 21

12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Yaxel Lendeborg

• TEAM: Michigan

• POSITION: Forward

• BORN: New Jersey

• HEIGHT: 6-9

• DRAFT AGE: 23

13. Miami Heat: Labaron Philon

• TEAM: Alabama

• POSITION: Guard

• BORN: Alabama

• HEIGHT: 6-4

• DRAFT AGE: 20

14. Charlotte Hornets: Hannes Steinbach

• TEAM: Washington

• POSITION: Big

• BORN: Germany

• HEIGHT: 6-11

• DRAFT AGE: 20

15. Chicago Bulls: Jayden Quaintance

• TEAM: Kentucky

• POSITION: Big

• BORN: Ohio

• HEIGHT: 6-9

• DRAFT AGE: 18

16. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Carr

• TEAM: Baylor

• POSITION: Wing

• BORN: Minnesota

• HEIGHT: 6-5

• DRAFT AGE: 21

17. Oklahoma City Thunder: Chric Cenac Jr.

• TEAM: Houston

• POSITION: Big

• BORN: Louisiana

• HEIGHT: 6-11

• DRAFT AGE: 19

18. Charlotte Hornets: Karim Lopez

• TEAM: International (Australia)

• POSITION: Forward

• BORN: Mexico

• HEIGHT: 6-8

• DRAFT AGE: 19

19. Toronto Raptors: Bennett Stirtz

• TEAM: Iowa

• POSITION: Guard

• BORN: Missouri

• HEIGHT: 6-4

• DRAFT AGE: 22

20. San Antonio Spurs: Morez Johnson Jr.

• TEAM: Michigan

• POSITION: Big

• BORN: Illinois

• HEIGHT: 6-9

• DRAFT AGE: 20

21. Detroit Pistons: Christian Anderson

• TEAM: Texas Tech

• POSITION: Guard

• BORN: Georgia

• HEIGHT: 6-3

• DRAFT AGE: 20

22. Philadelphia 76ers: Allen Graves

• TEAM: Santa Clara

• POSITION: Forward

• BORN: Louisiana

• HEIGHT: 6-9

• DRAFT AGE: 20

23. Atlanta Hawks: Isaiah Evans

• TEAM: Duke 

• POSITION: Wing 

• BORN: North Carolina 

• HEIGHT: 6-6 

• DRAFT AGE: 20

24. New York Knicks: Koa Peat

• TEAM: Arizona

• POSITION: Forward

• BORN: Arizona

• HEIGHT: 6-8

• DRAFT AGE: 19

25. Los Angeles Lakers: Henri Veesaar

• TEAM: North Carolina 

• POSITION: Forward 

• BORN: Estonia 

• HEIGHT: 7-0 

• DRAFT AGE: 22

26. Denver Nuggets: Amari Allen

• TEAM: Alabama

• POSITION: Wing

• BORN: Wisconsin

• HEIGHT: 6-7

• DRAFT AGE: 20

27. Boston Celtics: Luigi Suigo

• TEAM: International (Serbia)

• POSITION: Big

• BORN: Italy

• HEIGHT: 7-4

• DRAFT AGE: 19

28. Minnesota Timberwolves: Ebuka Okorie

• TEAM: Stanford

• POSITION: Guard

• BORN: New Hampshire

• HEIGHT: 6-2

• DRAFT AGE: 19

29. Cleveland Cavaliers: Malachi Moreno

• TEAM: Kentucky

• POSITION: Center

• BORN: Kentucky

• HEIGHT: 7-0

• DRAFT AGE: 19

30. Dallas Mavericks: Dailyn Swain

• TEAM: Texas

• POSITION: Wing

• BORN: Ohio

• HEIGHT: 6-8

• DRAFT AGE: 20

Contributing: Bryan Kalbrosky

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:2026 NBA mock draft: Did scouting combine shake up first round?

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 15, 2026

NBA mock draft 2026 features changes near top after scouting combine

CHICAGO — The impact of the2026 NBA Draft Scouting Combineon the actual draft is an annual debate. After years of evaluating playe...

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Trump approval sinks as costs rise, poll finds

With less than six months until the midterm elections, PresidentDonald Trumpis facing record disapproval on the economy and healthcare, according to anew CNN/SSRS poll, as concerns about rising costs continue to weigh on voters.

The survey, conducted April 30 to May 4, found 77% of Americans say Trump’s policies have increased the cost of living in their communities, while about two-thirds say those policies have worsened economic conditions nationwide. The results also show Trump’s approval on the economy at a low point and his healthcare disapproval at a record high.

The findings come asTrump has emphasized foreign policy prioritiesover domestic economic concerns. Asked about rising gas prices on May 12, the president said his focus was on preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing. We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all,” Trump said.

The poll surveyed 1,499 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of ±2.8 percentage points.

More:Vegan, '6 genders', a 'real hit on Jesus.' Why is Trump going after Talarico?

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Trump’s approval ratings

Trump’sdisapproval on healthcarehas reached 65%, the highest level for any president this century, with former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush hitting peaks of 63% in 2006 and 2014, respectively. according to a CNN analysis.

Overall, just35% of Americans approve of Trump’s performance, leaving him underwater in the latest survey. His approval rating has been net negative for roughly a year and has trended more negative in recent months.

According to polling averages as of May 15:

• New York Times: 38% approve, 59% disapprove

• Silver Bulletin: 38.5% approve, 58.3% disapprove

• RealClearPolitics Poll Average: 40.3% approve, 56.5% disapprove

USA TODAY’s Kinsey Crowley and Joey Garrison contributed to this report.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump disapproval rises on economy, healthcare: CNN poll

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 15, 2026

Trump approval sinks as costs rise, poll finds

With less than six months until the midterm elections, PresidentDonald Trumpis facing record disapproval on the economy and healthcare,...

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Dodgers LHP Blake Snell (elbow) scratched from start, placed on IL

Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell was scratched from his Friday start hours before the opener of the Freeway Series against the Angels in Anaheim and placed on the 15-day injured list.

The Dodgers said the 33-year-old Snell was scratched due to loose bodies in his left elbow.

The IL move is retroactive to Tuesday.

The Dodgers are now listing right-hander Will Klein (1-2, 2.76 ERA) to be the first pitcher in what will be a bullpen game.

The contest was slated to be Snell's second appearance of the season. His season got off to a late start due to shoulder issues and he made his season debut last Saturday against the Atlanta Braves.

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Snell struggled against the Braves as he allowed five runs (four earned) and six hits while throwing 77 pitches in just three innings. He struck out five and walked two while taking the loss.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner was limited to 11 starts last season due to a shoulder injury and went 5-4 with a 2.35 ERA in his first season with the Dodgers. In the postseason, he went 3-2 with a 3.18 ERA in six appearances (five starts) to help the Dodgers win the World Series.

Snell is 81-63 with a 3.17 ERA in 223 career starts over 11 major league seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays (2016-20), San Diego Padres (2021-23), San Francisco Giants (2024) and Dodgers.

Snell won the American League Cy Young with the Rays in 2018 and took National League honors in 2023 for the Padres.

Los Angeles recalled left-hander Charlie Barnes in a corresponding move. Barnes, 30, hasn't appeared in a game for the Dodgers since being claimed off waivers from the Chicago Cubs last Saturday. He gave up four runs (three earned) in three innings in his one outing for the Cubs.

--Field Level Media

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 15, 2026

Dodgers LHP Blake Snell (elbow) scratched from start, placed on IL

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Destin High flag football team falls one step short of state Final 4

They didn’t make it to state, but they came mighty close.

The Destin High School Sharks flag football team lost to the Bolles Bulldogs 40-13 in an Elite Eight matchup in Jacksonville on May 7 in the Class 1A FHSAA girls flag football regional finals.

“We started out well. It was just one of those games where the ball just didn’t bounce our way,” Destin Coach Kyle Bryant said.

“There were freak accidents ... like the ball bouncing off the girl's chest and landing in the other girl's hands,” Bryant said.

He said the Bulldogs made some “miraculous” catches for scores.

“It just wasn’t our night,” he said.

More:Destin flag football wins regional playoff opener, set for rematch

Nevertheless, the Sharks scored the first and last touchdowns of the game.

Senior Bailey Gaffney scored the last TD, and Kaylee Kaiser the first.

This was the Sharks' first year to be eligible tocompete in the FHSAA playoffs.

“I’ve talked about winning state and planned to win state. But to get to the Elite Eight and actually do what you said you would do, that you were trying to do, is miraculous in itself,” Bryant said.

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The Sharks wrapped up their season 12-6.

“I’m beyond proud of those girls,” Bryant said, noting they have dealt with a lot this year.“The stuff they overcame was nothing short of miraculous."

Bryant said they've had teammates leave, key players get hurt and still made it to the Elite Eight.

"It’s a testament to the seniors,” he said.

Senior Sharks were Evie Gherdovich, Mia Castaneda, Elena Martin and Bailey Gaffney.

The Sharks should have a good nucleus of players returning next season: Neilya Stewart, Kaylee Kaiser, Lilly McClen and Lindi Mansfield to name a few.

“I had some freshmen that I moved up ... I’m looking forward to them growing over the summer,” he said.

“I’m extremely proud and honored to be their coach,” Bryant said. “This was a special team from top to bottom. As a whole, even the girls that might not have filled up the stat sheet were just as important.

“It was just a great group of girls. The energy they had the whole year was so phenomenal. It was a breath of fresh air to be around them, and they worked hard and deserved everything they got,” Bryant said.

And the fact that the Sharks made it to the Elite Eight in their first year of eligibility just adds pressure.

“The pressure only grows now. This is what we expect from ourselves. But in order to be there, you’ve got to prepare to be there,” Bryant said. “And preparation starts now."

This article originally appeared on The Destin Log:Destin High School Sharks flag football season ends in Elite Eight

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 14, 2026

Destin High flag football team falls one step short of state Final 4

They didn’t make it to state, but they came mighty close. The Destin High School Sharks flag football team lost to the Bolles Bull...

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Parents sue OpenAI over teen's death after he used ChatGPT to get drug info

Family of teen who died from a drug overdose after consulting ChatGPT sues OpenAI 04:46

A Texas couple whose son died of an overdose in 2025 after using OpenAI's ChatGPT tool to get information about drugs sued the technology company on Tuesday, blaming the AI platform for his death.

Leila Turner-Scott and her husband, Angus Scott, are seekingto hold OpenAIandits creators accountableafter their son, Sam Nelson, who was 19 when he died, turned to ChatGPT to advise him on using drugs. The AI platform provided advice it was not qualified to dispense, they alleged in the lawsuit, claiming that Sam would still be alive if not for ChatGPT's flawed programming.

Specifically, the platform advised the couple's son that it was safe to take kratom, a supplement used in drinks, pills and other products, in combination with Xanax, a widely used anti-anxiety medication, according to the suit, filed in California state court.

"This is a heartbreaking situation, and our thoughts are with the family," OpenAI said in a statement to CBS News.

The company also said that Sam interacted with a version of ChatGPT that has since been updated and is no longer available to the public.

"ChatGPT is not a substitute for medical or mental health care, and we have continued to strengthen how it responds in sensitive and acute situations with input from mental health experts," OpenAiI said. "The safeguards in ChatGPT today are designed to identify distress, safely handle harmful requests and guide users to real-world help. This work is ongoing, and we continue to improve it in close consultation with clinicians."

Turner-Scott told CBS News in an exclusive interview that she knew her son was using ChatGPT as a productivity tool and for homework help. But she said she was unaware that he was using it for guidance on drugs, alleging that the AI tool eventually recommended a lethal combination of substances.

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She holds OpenAI and its creators responsible for Sam's death, alleging that the company "bypassed safety guards" and could have implemented restrictions to avoid such tragedies.

"The chatbot is capable of stopping a conversation when it's told to or when it's programmed to. ...And they took away the programming that did that, and they allowed it to continue advising self-harm," Turner-Scott told CBS News.

Did ChatGPT act as a doctor?

Angus Scott also said ChatGPT acted as a medical doctor in its exchanges with his stepson, even though it was not licensed to offer medical advice.

"It's providing information to the public about safety concerns, about drug interactions, about all of this information," he told CBS News.

Without proper safety protocols and more rigorous safety testing, ChatGPT "can dispense that knowledge in a way that is very dangerous to people," Angus Scott said.

"It can start feeding psychosis. It can start misrepresenting things to people. And while it is trying to validate users, it's also undermining any chance that that user has to get a grounded opinion, you know, and so it kind of takes them away from reality," he added.

Turner-Scott told CBS News that she is confident that her son, who would have been a rising college sophomore, would support the steps the family is taking to hold the makers of AI chatbots accountable for the potential adverse effects they can have on users' lives.

"He would not want anyone else to be harmed like he was," she said.

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 14, 2026

Parents sue OpenAI over teen's death after he used ChatGPT to get drug info

Family of teen who died from a drug overdose after consulting ChatGPT sues OpenAI 04:46 A Texas couple whose son died of an overd...

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Senators vote to withhold their own paychecks during government shutdowns

WASHINGTON – Duringfuture government shutdowns, senators willhave their paychecks pausedjust like thousands of other federal employees.

In a May 14 vote, the Senate resoundingly approved a measure to temporarily pause members' own salaries when funding for one or more agencies lapses because of congressional inaction. The resolution passed basically unanimously by voice vote, with no lawmakers objecting to it.

Even though many senators are already independently wealthy, the legislation's success represented a rare point of bipartisan progress amid ever-worsening Washington gridlock. Over the past year, shutdowns have repeatedly broken records, leavingAmericans unable to travel, criticalservices suspendedand government workers across the country unable to pay their bills.

"I've worked hard to get the votes to pass this," Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican who proposed the resolution, said on the Senate floor May 13. "This is about shared sacrifice."

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Rank-and-file senators make $174,000 per year. Senate leaders, including the majority and minority leaders, earn $193,400 annually. There are 100 senators in Congress.

The measure only needed to pass the Senate and does not require the president's signature. It also does not apply to the House of Representatives' more than 400 members, who also make a base rate of $174,000 per year.

Under Kennedy's legislation, senators would receive back pay after shutdowns end. The resolution will take effect after November's midterm elections.

Zachary Schermele is a congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Do senators get paid during government shutdowns? Not anymore

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 14, 2026

Senators vote to withhold their own paychecks during government shutdowns

WASHINGTON – Duringfuture government shutdowns, senators willhave their paychecks pausedjust like thousands of other federal employees....

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2026 NFL schedule: A phenomenal slate for Thanksgiving, Black Friday and even Thanksgiving eve

For decades, Thanksgiving has beena huge day for the NFL. And it keeps getting bigger, in terms of adding more days and games to extend the holiday.

The NFL held only two games on Thanksgiving for many years, then in 2006 added a third game in prime time, which has remained a part of the schedule. In 2023, a game on Black Friday was added, and that has stuck as well.

This season, the NFL is expanding the Thanksgiving schedule a bit more. There will be a game on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. That means five games between Wednesday and Friday. Hope you don’t have many family or travel plans, because the games the NFL scheduled are tremendous. On the whole, it’s arguably the best Thanksgiving lineup the NFL has set.

Every game is compelling, from Wednesday through Friday.

Thanksgiving eve: Green Bay Packers at Los Angeles Rams

The NFL pushing this game as a “Thanksgiving eve” game is odd because “Thanksgiving eve” isn’t really a thing. Anyway, it’s another way for the NFL to fill up the calendar, and their first foray into the day before Thanksgiving is a premier matchup. The Rams and Packers are both coming off playoff appearances. The Packers, with Micah Parsons, looked like a Super Bowl contender early last season, the Rams were a Super Bowl contender for most of last season. The NFL usually makes a splash if it introduces a new day on the calendar for games, and it did with this matchup. And it leads into a great tripleheader on Thursday.

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Thanksgiving: Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions

As the Lions improved the past few seasons, the calls for them to not host the Thanksgiving opener anymore have subsided. Detroit is now a fantastic draw for the NFL on Thanksgiving. That and atelevision coverage change— allowing networks to swap AFC and NFC games — gives the league some flexibility when it comes to scheduling. The NFL had scheduled divisional games for the Lions each of the last three seasons, and four of the last five. They stuck with that theme this season, giving them a fun matchup against the Bears. That was the matchup for the first game of Thanksgiving in 2024, and the Bears nearly upset the Lions, running out of time at the end in a 23-20 loss. Bears coach Matt Eberflus was fired after a clock management fiasco at the end of the game, leading to Chicago hiring Ben Johnson, who was the Lions’ offensive coordinator in that game.

Thanksgiving: Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys on Thanksgiving is a ratings monster for the NFL. Last season, 57.2 million viewers watched Dallas beat the Kansas City Chiefs. That was themost-watched regular season game in NFL history.

The NFL seems like it wants to break that record. The league could have picked just about any team for this game and got monster ratings, but it chose one of the league’s biggest draws. If the Cowboys improve and are in the NFC East race, this game could surpass last year’s record for viewership. And from a football aspect, it’s an easy sell as long as Dallas is improved.

Thanksgiving night: Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills

Hope you’re not tired for the night game, because the NFL gave us a great one to cap the day. The Chiefs and Bills have developed a rivalry, with Patrick Mahomes on one side and Josh Allen on the other. The two teams have had some classic games. This one, in the Bills’ new Highmark Stadium, should be another fantastic one. Considering there are four playoff teams from last season on Thanksgiving, and the other two are the Chiefs and Cowboys, on paper this three-game slate might be the best we’ve seen on the NFL’s big holiday.

Black Friday: Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers

The Black Friday game is no throwaway this season. The Broncos and Steelers both won their divisions last season. There are some questions about whether the Steelers can maintain that, with Mike McCarthy replacing Mike Tomlin at head coach and Aaron Rodgers’ situation in limbo, but it has been a long time since Pittsburgh was bad. And if this is the fifth-best matchup of the three days, we’re doing pretty good.

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 14, 2026

2026 NFL schedule: A phenomenal slate for Thanksgiving, Black Friday and even Thanksgiving eve

For decades, Thanksgiving has beena huge day for the NFL. And it keeps getting bigger, in terms of adding more days and games to extend...

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NBPA releases player ratings of officials and no, Scott Foster isn't in the bottom tier

When it comes to NBA officials and the referees/umpires of other sports, the general rule of thumb is that fans knowing your name isn’t a good thing. That made the results of the National Basketball Players Association survey interesting.

The union publicly released the findings of its 2025-26 Referee Player Survey on Wednesday, with 411 players across all 30 teams rating the league’s collection of officials. All 73 refs were graded on a scale of 1 to 5.

The ratings were reportedly shared with the NBA league office in March and are presented as the official player recommendations for referee assignments for the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

The NBPA broke down the officials into three tiers, requesting that only Tier 1 and Tier 2 officials work the playoffs and only Tier 1 officials work the NBA Finals. Here are the groups:

Tier 1: Elite & Top Performers

Ray Acosta, Brent Barnaky, Curtis Blair, Tony Brothers, Nick Buchert, John Butler, James Capers, Kevin Cutler, Eric Dalen, Marc Davis, JB DeRosa, Mitchell Ervin, Jacyn Goble, Nate Green, Bill Kennedy, Courtney Kirkland, Karl Lane, Mark Lindsay, Tre Maddox, Ed Malloy, Phenizee Ransom, Dedric Taylor, Josh Tiven, James Williams, Sean Wright, Zach Zarba

Tier 2: Solid Performers

Brandon Adair, Derrick Collins, Sean Corbin, Mousa Dagher, Brian Forte, Scott Foster, Pat Fraher, Jason Goldenberg, David Guthrie, Matt Kallio, Marat Kogut, Sha'Rae Mitchell, Ashley Moyer-Gleich, Matt Myers, Andy Nagy, Brett Nansel, JT Orr, Gediminas Petraitis, JD Ralls, Kevin Scott, Aaron Smith, Jonathan Sterling, Ben Taylor, Scott Twardoski, Justin Van Duyne, CJ Washington, Leon Wood

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Tier 3: Needs Improvement

Dannica Baroody, John Conley, Che Flores, Tyler Ford, John Goble, Robert Hussey, Intae Hwang, Simone Jelks, Biniam Maru, Suyash Mehta, Rodney Mott, Pat O'Connell, Jenna Reneau, Tyler Ricks, Natalie Sago, Jenna Schroeder, Brandon Schwab, Danielle Scott, Evan Scott, Michael Smith

The NBPA also shared that Zach Zarba was ranked as the No. 1 ref overall in the NBA, with players from every team ranking him at least among the Top 12. Kevin Cutler also ranked highly, getting a No. 1 ranking from six different teams.

From the NBPA:

“I think officiating comes down to the person. I don’t think you can reform the calls themselves — people are human and they’re going to make mistakes,” said NBPA First Vice President Grant Williams at the State of the Game roundtable. “But the best officials in the league, according to the players, are the great communicators; the ones who understand when they’ve made a mistake. As long as you’re calling a game consistently, guys are willing to adapt. It’s about having control of the game while also respecting the players and their different personalities.”

The highest standard deviation belongs to perhaps the most maligned official in the NBA, Scott Foster. He was reportedly ranked as the top official by one team and had enough support to land in Tier 2.

Those results are somewhat at odds given Foster’s reputation, with his namecomingupmorethana fewtimesover the years.His feud with the recently retired Chris Paul was part of NBA lore, and his “The Extender” nickname is well-known enough to receivea 4,000-word Reddit analysis last year.

But more than a few players think he’s somewhere between OK and good. There are also a pair of Tier 1 officials who have had their own recent incidents, withTony Brothers getting called “completely unprofessional” by Timberwolves head coach Chris FinchandDevin Booker going after James Williams enough to get fined $35,000.

One other notable trend in the ratings is the fact that no women are in Tier 1 and only two — Sha’Rae Mitchell and Ashley Moyer-Gleich — are in Tier 2, compared to six in Tier 3. Che Flores, who is non-binary, is also in Tier 3. The NBPA partially addressed that, noting Moyer-Gleich and Mitchell reached Tier 2 because they “both received positive feedback from the players regarding improvement in their overall performance.”

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 13, 2026

NBPA releases player ratings of officials and no, Scott Foster isn't in the bottom tier

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Aaron Rodgers STILL unsigned after Pittsburgh visit?! + NFL releases international schedule (ft. Kyle Long)

How strange is it that Aaron Rodgers went to Pittsburgh without meeting with the Steelers’ staff? Yahoo Sports’ Andrew Siciliano, Frank Schwab and Jori Epstein look at the QB’s looming decision timeline as OTAs begin next week. Later, the crew dives into the NFL schedule release, including a key AFC West matchup between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs. Following that, Andrew sits down with former NFL guard Kyle Long to talk all things Chicago Bears. The two also have an important conversation about the importance of mental health. Hear about that and more on today’s episode!

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(6:00) - Aaron Rodgers remains unsigned

(16:10) - NFL Schedule Release early takeaways

(32:10) - Kyle Long joins the show!

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(55:40) - Is NFL streaming debate misunderstood?

(1:08:40) - One More Thing

🖥️Watch thisfull episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or atYahoo Sports Podcasts

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 13, 2026

Aaron Rodgers STILL unsigned after Pittsburgh visit?! + NFL releases international schedule (ft. Kyle Long)

How strange is it that Aaron Rodgers went to Pittsburgh without meeting with the Steelers’ staff? Yahoo Sports’ Andrew Siciliano, Frank...

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Trump’s gold phone comes with stunning new terms and conditions - including no guarantee of its release

Despite already accepting deposits for PresidentDonald Trump’s gold-plated“T1” smartphone, originally expected to launch in August 2025 but now delayed multiple times, updated preorder terms make it clear there is no guarantee the device will ever be released.

“A preorder deposit provides only a conditional opportunity if Trump Mobile later elects, in its sole discretion, to offer the Device for sale,” Trump Mobile, co-founded byDonald Trump Jr.andEric Trump, says on itspreorder terms pageabout the $100 deposit.

“A deposit is not a purchase, does not constitute acceptance of an order, does not create a contract for sale, does not transfer ownership or title interest, does not allocate or reserve specific inventory, and does not guarantee that a Device will be produced or made available for purchase,” it continues.

The fine print adds that the $100 deposit is nonbinding and does not reserve a phone, secure the $499 promotional price, or guarantee any features, specs, release date or inventory, despite the website urging customers in the lefthand cormer to “lock in” the deal.

“The deposit does not lock in pricing, promotions, service plans, taxes, fees, shipping costs or other commercial terms. Final pricing and offers will be disclosed at the time of purchase, and you will have the opportunity to accept or reject the final terms before completing your purchase. Pricing and promotional terms may change any time prior to purchase,” the site states.

“Any applicable taxes will be calculated at the time of final sale and may vary based on shipping location and then-current tax laws. Any prior advertising, marketing materials, product renderings, feature descriptions, or estimated timelines are informational only and do not constitute binding representations, warranties or guarantees,” the website reads.

Instead, Trump Mobile says the final price will only be confirmed later, at the time of purchase. At that point, customers would be able to decide whether to proceed with the sale or walk away, and even then, pricing and promotional terms could still change before checkout.

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The Independenthas contacted Trump Mobile and The Trump Organization for comment.

The T1 Phone was first unveiled as the flagship device for Trump Mobile, with an initial expected launch date of August 2025. However, uncertainty remains about demand and production. One estimate cited by theInternational Business Timessuggested as many as 600,000 people may have placeddeposits.

Even if the phone does move forward, the company outlines multiple conditions that must be met before a sale is finalized.

“(1) Trump Mobile makes the Device available for sale; (2) you complete checkout; (3) you submit full payment; and (4) Trump Mobile accepts and successfully processes payment. Until those conditions are satisfied, no enforceable agreement for purchase exists, “ the website states.

The shifting terms come amid ongoing controversy and repeated delays surrounding the Trump-branded phone. Last month, Trump Mobile unveiled a redesigned “T1” with a more conventional vertical camera layout, replacing the original triangular design.

“Made in the USA” claims have since been walked back, with broader language now claiming the T1 is “designed with American values” and supported by “American teams.”

In January, a group of Democratic senators led by Elizabeth Warren urged the Federal Trade Commission toinvestigate Trump Mobileover concerns about potentially misleading marketing tied to prepaid deposits and questions about whether the phone is actually made in the U.S.

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 12, 2026

Trump’s gold phone comes with stunning new terms and conditions - including no guarantee of its release

Despite already accepting deposits for PresidentDonald Trump’s gold-plated“T1” smartphone, originally expected to launch in August 2025...

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Arsenal defender Ben White ruled out of the World Cup with medial ligament damage

LONDON (AP) — Arsenal defender Ben White is out of contention for theWorld Cupafter sustaining medial ligament damage.

Britain Premier League Soccer

The Premier League leader confirmed the injury on Tuesday and said the England international would be out for the rest of the season.

“Our medical team are now managing Ben’s recovery and rehabilitation programme,” Arsenal said in a statement. It said the aim was for White to be ready for the start of its preseason preparations.

White was injured in the first half of Sunday's 1-0 win against West Ham.

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He returned to the national team in March following a near four-year absence afterwalking outon the squad midway through the last World Cup. He played in friendly games against Uruguay and Japan and was in contention to be part of coach Thomas Tuchel's squad for the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

White is one of a number ofhigh-profile players to sustain injuriesahead of this year's tournament staged in June and July.

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 12, 2026

Arsenal defender Ben White ruled out of the World Cup with medial ligament damage

LONDON (AP) — Arsenal defender Ben White is out of contention for theWorld Cupafter sustaining medial ligament damage. Britain ...

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Is LeBron retiring? Everything Lakers star said about 'future' after sweep

TheLos Angeles Lakersgot swept on Monday night, with a Western semifinal loss to theOklahoma City Thunderthat immediately thrust the spotlight onLeBron James and his future.

Withall the talk about the "R" word-- retirement -- swirling for the 41-year-old who's done it all in a career full of accomplishments, will he truly call it quits now?

He spoke openly about that in a postgame chat with reporters.

"I don’t know what the future holds for me," he said. "As it stands right now tonight, I got a lot of time. ... I’ll go back and recalibrate with my family and talk with them, and spend some time with them, and when the time comes, obviously, you guys will know what I decide to do.”

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Why LeBron might retire after this season

First off, he's getting older. Father Time catches up with everyone. And there's really not much left that he hasn't done already that might be on his NBA bucket list. MVPs. Multiple rings, including one at every stop (including delivering one to Cleveland). Playing with his son, Bronny.

Plus, there's the fact that he's on a Lakers team where's not the top option anymore, something he spoke about on Monday.

Why LeBron might not retire after this season

This tweet sums it up. There's a lot we don't know heading into the offseason, with player movement being what it is these days. Maybe he settles in as the Lakers' second or third option after having experienced it this year, giving the team one last run to a title with a healthy Luka Doncic.

This article originally appeared on For The Win:LeBron retirement talk starts about future after Lakers sweep vs. Thunder

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 12, 2026

Is LeBron retiring? Everything Lakers star said about 'future' after sweep

TheLos Angeles Lakersgot swept on Monday night, with a Western semifinal loss to theOklahoma City Thunderthat immediately thrust the sp...

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Pacers president Kevin Pritchard apologizes for Ivica Zubac trade that cost them lottery pick after falling out of top 4: 'I own taking the risk'

With their eyes on returning to contention after a season off for Tyrese Haliburton, the Indiana Pacers had a shot at adding a top 4 pick in this year’s NBA Draft, one of the deepest in draft history.

Instead, they won’t have a first-round draft pick at all.

The Pacers fell out of the top of Sunday’s NBA Draft lottery, and their pick that wasn’t protected outside of the top four will now fall to the Los Angeles Clippers via the Ivica Zubac trade.

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This prompted an apology from Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard on social media.

“I’m really sorry to all our fans,” Pritchard wrote on social media. “I won taking this risk. Surprised it came up 5th after this year.

“I thought we were due some luck. But please remember — this team deserved a starting cner to compete with the best teams next year. We have always been resilient.”

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 12, 2026

Pacers president Kevin Pritchard apologizes for Ivica Zubac trade that cost them lottery pick after falling out of top 4: 'I own taking the risk'

With their eyes on returning to contention after a season off for Tyrese Haliburton, the Indiana Pacers had a shot at adding a top 4 pi...

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Ja Morant remembers Brandon Clarke

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Davide Fumagalli:Ja Morant remembers Brandon Clarke

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype:Ja Morant remembers Brandon Clarke

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 12, 2026

Ja Morant remembers Brandon Clarke

Advertisement Davide Fumagalli:Ja Morant remembers Brandon Clarke This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype:Ja Morant remem...

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Hantavirus live updates: Spanish authorities preparing for M/V Hondius arrival

Global health authorities are working to contain an outbreak of hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship.

The total number of confirmed cases associated with the outbreak is increasing, health officials said. To date, three people who were aboard the ship are known to have died of the virus.

More than 100 passengers remain on the ship, including 17 Americans, and the World Health Organization is monitoring their health. Officials said that the "overall public health risk remains low" but that there may be some person-to-person spread.

Health officials in multiple states say they're monitoring some passengers who have returned to the U.S. after being aboard the ship for potential hantavirus infections.

A CDC official said Saturday the federal government doesn't plan to have the repatriated American cruise ship passengers quarantine upon arrival in Nebraska."We are not quarantining anybody,” a CDC official told reporters on a call Saturday.

As of Saturday none of the 17 Americans aboard the cruise have tested positive for the hantavirus, according to CDC officials.When asked if passengers will be tested, a CDC official said, "it is not recommended to test people that do not have symptoms."Federal officials walked through their plan for the passengers.Each passenger is set to be evaluated upon arrival in the U.S., and they may opt to go home and watch for any potential symptoms for 42 days while staying in touch with their state or local health departments, the officials said.Officials may recommend that passengers doing home-based monitoring limit their activities outside the house to those that don't involve extensive interactions with other people.

Whilethe National Quarantine Unit in Nebraskawill be available to them, there are no plans to mandate quarantine, according to officials. The officials said they hope the passengers will be in Nebraska for a limited amount of time.-ABC News' Youri Benadjaoud

Spanish authorities are preparing the port area in Tenerife to receive passengers with repatriation flights scheduled for the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands, according to Reuters.

"To assist those European Union countries that do not have air transport resources available, the European Civil Protection Mechanism has made two aircraft available, and the necessary flights for the transfer will be scheduled throughout the course of today, Saturday," Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said at a press conference Saturday, according to Reuters."Disembarkation will be carried out in groups based on nationality, as the minister has stated. Only when the aircraft bound for a specific country is on the runway, ready to fly to that country, will nationals of that country be disembarked and taken there, using transport provided by the Spanish army," Grande-Marlaska said.

The vessel is expected to arrive in Tenerife and be anchored between 4:00 and 6:00 a.m. local time Sunday, according to the health ministry in Madrid.

Fourteen Spanish passengers will be the first to be transferred to the Port of Granadilla.-ABC News' Aicha Elhammar

An official from the Canarias Region government said that all passengers on the M/V Hondius will began to evacuate within the next 24 hours.

The officials said that the government's plan is to not allow any of the passengers to put members of the population into any type of risk.If passenger is not ready to be transferred directly to airplane of their destination, then they will not be able to leave the vessel, the officials said.Leaving by nationality, passengers will be transferred to the port wearing full protective equipment to avoid any contact with Canarias territory and they will be escorted by a few buses via TF1 route to the airport, which will take approximately 15 minutes to reach the airport.-ABC News' Aicha El Hammar Castano

The CDC is alerting doctors and health departments around the country to be aware of the potential for imported hantavirus cases from the cruise ship outbreak.The agency notes that the risk of broad spread to the United States is considered extremely unlikely at this time.

There have been no confirmed hantavirus cases associated with the cruise ship in the U.S. and at least nine residents are being monitored across six states, but none have shown any signs of illness at this time.The CDC’s advisory to doctors, via the Health Alert Network (HAN) system, reminds them that in the event of a potential hantavirus case, patients should be placed in an isolated room and health care providers should use a gown, gloves, eye protection and an N95 mask or higher level respirator.Doctors should also consider hantavirus infections as a potential diagnosis if a patient presents with hantavirus symptoms as well as known contact with an infected individual, officials said.-ABC News' Youri Benadjaoud

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The California Health Department says they are monitoring one former passenger of the cruise ship M/V Hondius for potential hantavirus infection."Local health officials are in contact with the one returned passenger," the department said in a news release. "At this time, public health protocol includes daily temperature checks and assessment for any symptoms consistent with hantavirus, and direction to modify activities."The department said it was notified by federal officials that a second California resident is still on board the cruise ship.There are at least nine U.S. residents under monitoring across six statesNo U.S. residents under monitoring have shown any signs of illness at this time.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it deployed a team earlier Friday to the Canary Islands, where the M/V Hondius is expected to dock in the coming days."The team will conduct an exposure risk assessment for each American passenger and provide recommendations for the level of monitoring required," the CDC said in a statement.The American passengers will be evacuated on a U.S. government medical repatriation flight to Nebraska and transported to aquarantine centerat the University of Nebraska in Omaha, the CDC said.Another CDC team will deploy to Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska, to "support public health assessment of returning passengers," the agency said.

Oceanwide Expeditions provided an update about the 87 guests and 60 crew member aboard the M/V Hondius Friday and said the situation on board "remains calm," as it heads to the Canary Islands.

The boat is scheduled to arrive early Sunday, but that timetable is subject to change, according to Oceanwide.

"Preparations regarding our point of arrival, quarantine and screening procedures for all guests, and the onward travel plans for all guests and affected crew are being led by organizations from a number of countries, including the WHO, RIVM, and Dutch authorities, in close cooperation with Spanish government authorities," Oceanwide said in a statement.

The cruise company provided a breakdown of the ship's passengers and crew and revealed there are 17 Americans aboard the ship.-ABC News' Claire Bower

Several American passengers from the cruise ship associated with a suspected hantavirus cluster are set to arrive at a quarantine unit in Nebraska over the next few days. Here's what to know about the facility.The National Quarantine Unit, managed by Nebraska Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), is the only federally funded quarantine unit in the U.S.Its 20 single-occupancy rooms with en-suite bathrooms contain individual negative air pressure systems to safely house individuals exposed to highly hazardous communicable diseases,according to Nebraska Medicine and UNMC.The rooms also contain exercise equipment and WiFi connectivity for patients requiring longer stays.Nebraska Medicine and UNMC also manage the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit (NBU), which provides medical care to patients with highly hazardous communicable diseases.“Unit personnel consists of a voluntary staff of select physicians, nursing, nursing assistants and respiratory therapists specially trained in high-level isolation and bio preparedness,” Nebraska Medicine and UNMC said on itswebsite.The NBU was activated in 2014 to care for U.S. citizens affected by the Ebola outbreak and medically evacuated from Africa and during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to care for U.S. citizens from Wuhan, China, and the Diamond Princess Cruise ship.

The University of Nebraska, which hosts the quarantine facility the American cruise ship passengers are set to travel to, said Nebraska Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) are coordinating with partners to receive the U.S. citizens.

The university said the National Quarantine Unit is the only federally funded quarantine unit in the U.S.

"We are prepared for situations exactly like this," Dr. Michael Ash, CEO of Nebraska Medicine, said in a statement. "Our teams have trained for decades alongside federal and state partners to make sure we can safely provide care while protecting our staff and the broader community. We are proud to support this national effort."

Nebraska Medical Center also houses the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, a highly specialized facility meant to care for patients with "high-consequence infectious diseases," the university said.

Nebraska Medicine and UNMC treated patients during the 2014 Ebola outbreak and cared for some of the first Americans diagnosed with COVID-19 in 2020.

"We understand situations like this can raise questions," Ash said. "People should know these facilities were specifically designed to prevent exposure to the public. There is no risk to the community from people being cared for in these units."

In a statement released earlier on Thursday, the University of Nebraska said both units "are staffed and ready, if needed, to safely provide care while protecting our staff and the community."

-ABC News' Youri Benadjaoud

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byDaniel Coleman

in

May 11, 2026

Hantavirus live updates: Spanish authorities preparing for M/V Hondius arrival

Global health authorities are working to contain an outbreak of hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. The total number of ...

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