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		<title>Latest College Basketball News &amp; Videos from FOX Sports</title>
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		<description>Breaking NCAA College Basketball news, videos, articles, and stories from FOX Sports.</description>
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			<title>Latest College Basketball News &amp; Videos from FOX Sports</title>
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			<link>https://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball</link>
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		<pubDate>Sat, 10 Oct 2026 19:42:29 -0400</pubDate>
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					<![CDATA[5 Candidates Oregon Basketball Could Turn To After Dana Altman's Retirement]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/5-candidates-oregon-basketball-could-turn-after-dana-altmans-retirement</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/5-candidates-oregon-basketball-could-turn-after-dana-altmans-retirement</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Here are five candidates that Oregon basketball could turn to after Dana Altman announced his retirment.]]>
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				<pubDate>Wed, 07 Oct 2026 17:46:24 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Dana Altman announced his retirement as the Oregon basketball coach on Wednesday. At 68-years-old, with 16 seasons in Eugene under his belt, his decision to retire had been speculated. Still, the timing of his decision is abrupt, with the college basketball season less than a month away and the Ducks' featuring a roster with nine transfers and two highly-touted freshmen, all of whom Altman recruited. Oregon will now have to rebound from its first season since Altman was hired in 2010 in which the program did not win at least 20 games, without the legendary basketball coach. Assistant coach Tony Stubblefield was promoted to interim head coach, and will be tasked with maintaining a group of players that will be eligible to enter the transfer portal in 31 days. But athletics director Rob Mullens confirmed Oregon will embark on a national search for its next head coach. Here are five potential candidates for the job. Schertz has proven he can win at multiple mid-major college basketball programs. He went 66-40 over three seasons at Indiana State and 48-21 over the last two seasons while at Saint Louis. In his first NCAA Tournament appearance, last season, he and the Billikens dominated Georgia 102-77. Schertz runs a fast-paced scheme with a five-out offense that prioritizes quick possessions and a high volume of 3-point shots. He's one of the best Xs and Os coaches in the nation, which has allowed him to maximize mid-major talent. At Oregon, he would have more money to afford better players, and mix more talent with an elite scheme. Schertz hasn't had a high-major head coaching job before, so he'd have to adapt to the business world that is vastly different in the Big Ten than in the Atlantic 10. Olen led New Mexico to a 26-11 record in his first season after spending 12 seasons at UC San Diego. So he's proven he can take over a team and find success immediately. Because of his success in the Big West and Mountain West, he's a notable name on the West Coast. It would be a quick turnaround for him to jump to Oregon shortly after getting hired at New Mexico, but high-major jobs at programs with money and a history of success, don't open often. Olen's certainly capable of leading the Ducks. Stubblefield returned to Oregon as an assistant coach in 2024 after three seasons at DePaul. He had spent 11 seasons as an assistant with Altman at Oregon before that. In his three years as DePaul's head coach, he went 30-66, and the Blue Demons have found success, hiring Chris Holtmann after his departure. While the results might not be there, Altman certainly trusts him, and Stubblefield will have an opportunity to earn that confidence from Oregon's program this season as he was named the interim head coach. Multiple Big Ten programs have gone this route recently, as Michigan promoted interim coach Mike Boynton Jr. to head coach and Ohio State promoted Jake Diebler from interim to head coach after the 2023-24 season. Bryce Drew has turned a hungry Grand Canyon basketball program into a mid-major power. He's gone 140-52 with four NCAA tournament appearances over six seasons. He helped the Lopes jump from the Western Athletic Conference to the Mountain West last year. Grand Canyon has one of the most expensive rosters of any mid-major school, so Drew knows how to recruit and maximize a budget. That is a skill many other mid-major coaches couldn't bring to Oregon. Drew is also the brother of Baylor men's basketball coach, Scott, and the son of Homer, the longtime Valparaiso coach he played for and later succeeded, so he comes from one of the most successful coaching families in college basketball. Sprinkle won 109 games over five seasons at Montana State and Utah State, including an NCAA Tournament appearance in his one season in Logan, Utah. However, he has struggled during two seasons in the Big Ten at Washington. He could rediscover that success if he switched to a program with a greater budget, but it would also be shocking to see a coach jump from one side of the Washington-Oregon rivalry to the other.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Oregon Men's Basketball Coach Dana Altman Announces Retirement After 16 Seasons]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/oregon-mens-basketball-coach-dana-altman-announces-his-retirement</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/oregon-mens-basketball-coach-dana-altman-announces-his-retirement</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Oregon Ducks men’s basketball coach Dana Altman is retiring effective immediately, the school announced on Wednesday.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 07 Oct 2026 14:34:06 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Longtime Oregon Ducks men's basketball coach Dana Altman is retiring effective immediately, the school announced on Wednesday. Altman, 68, took over ahead of the 2010-11 season and is the winningest coach in Oregon history with a 382-182 record. The Ducks made nine NCAA Tournament appearances over that span, including a Final Four berth in 2017. Oregon also won four Pac-12 regular season titles and four Pac-12 tournament titles during his tenure. Over the course of his 37-year career as a head coach, Altman's record is 792-425. Before he came to Eugene, Altman was the head coach at Creighton for 16 years. "I have had to make two really tough decisions in my coaching career," said Altman. "The first was leaving Creighton, a place my family and I dearly loved, to come to Oregon. This is the second," Altman said in a statement. "I’ve loved every minute of coaching here, and stepping away is difficult and truly painful. I love coaching, it’s what I know best and what I’ve been fortunate enough to do for almost five decades. I’m going to miss my coaches, my players and our incredible fans more than I can express. But I know this is the right thing to do at this time." Oregon will begin the national search for Altman's successor after the season. Assistant coach Tony Stubblefield will coach the Ducks for the 2026-27 season. The Ducks struggled last season, going 12-20, and the program lost nine players to the transfer portal and three to graduation in the offseason. Stubblefield has spent two stints as an assistant to Altman at Oregon. He left to become head coach at DePaul from 2021-24 before returning to the Ducks. "Winning 382 games over 16 years, including making nine NCAA Tournaments and a Final Four, is an incredible track record. But the record book tells only part of the story," Oregon athletic director Rob Mullins said. "Dana and Reva have given so much of themselves to this university and to the young men who played for him, and we thank him for all his contributions to Oregon student-athletes, the game of basketball, and the University of Oregon." Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Ole Miss Set To Drop Nike For New 7-Year Deal With Adidas]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ole-miss-nike-adidas-seven-year-deal</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ole-miss-nike-adidas-seven-year-deal</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Ole Miss is slated to drop Nike as its apparel provider for a new lucrative deal with Adidas beginning in 2027 and running through 2034, sources said.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2026 17:03:40 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Ole Miss is slated to unveil a new seven-year deal with Adidas that will begin on July 1, 2027, and run through 2034, sources familiar with the negotiations told me. The school, which had been a Nike school since 1999, is finalizing exact valuations on the agreement, though it is expected to rival or exceed the $20-plus million annual deal Miami received from Nike in recent weeks, sources said. Ole Miss' agreement with Adidas is also expected to include a slew of significant commitments around NIL for Rebels athletes, while sources told me the valuation of those commitments is expected to be "10 times larger" than what had previously been committed by Nike. As the deal reaches its final stages, sources familiar with the talks noted the school and Adidas have begun collaborative discussions around branding, colors and future uniform design. Adidas is also expected to contribute to the renovation of campus bookstores and invest in to-be-determined premium fan experiences on campus. Adidas has been as aggressive as any apparel provider in the college space in recent years, including taking major swings in the NIL space. While the company did lose Miami in recent weeks, Adidas added Tennessee and Penn State over the last 12 months, complementing a stable of Power Four schools that also includes Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Texas Tech and Texas A&amp;M, among others.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Australian Star Point Guard Luke Paul Commits To Duke For 2027-28 Season]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/australian-star-point-guard-luke-paul-commits-duke-2027-28-season</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/australian-star-point-guard-luke-paul-commits-duke-2027-28-season</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Australian guard Luke Paul has committed to Duke for its 2027 recruiting class.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2026 17:50:06 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Jon Scheyer is at it again. Known for locking down elite talent, the Duke Blue Devils head coach made a major splash on the international trail by securing a commitment from one of the world's premier young recruits. First reported by ESPN, point guard Luke Paul has committed to the Blue Devils for their 2027 recruiting class. The 6-foot-6 Australian guard is highly regarded as a potential lottery pick in the 2028 NBA Draft. Paul delivered a standout performance at the U17 FIBA World Cup in Turkey with Team Australia. He averaged 15.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game alongside his play with the Cairns Taipans. Not only is Paul a unique talent, but he marks the second commitment in the Blue Devils 2027 recruiting class. He will now join four-star forward Kager Knueppel in the program’s early commitments, with plenty of other top targets still in the mix. Knueppel is the younger brother of Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel, following directly in his brother's footsteps. Paul was named to the All-Tournament Team at the FIBA U17 World Cup over the summer, where future Duke teammate Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje took home MVP honors. By expanding his recruiting footprint internationally, Scheyer has secured two high-upside talents for Duke. While Scheyer has built Duke into a perennial power since taking over the program, a National Championship still eludes him. With consecutive elite recruiting classes and an influx of top international talent, pressure is mounting to see if they can finally get over the hump.]]>
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					<![CDATA[UConn Huskies, Silas Demary Jr. Top Big East Preseason Polls]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/uconn-huskies-big-east-st-johns-villanova</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/uconn-huskies-big-east-st-johns-villanova</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[UConn has been picked to win the Big East by the league’s coaches with defending champion St. John’s the second choice.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:24:46 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[UConn was picked to win the Big East by the league's coaches on Thursday with defending champion St. John's the second choice. The Huskies, who made their third national championship game appearance in the last four seasons, are led by preseason Big East Player of the Year selection Silas Demary Jr.  As a junior in the 2025-2026 season, Demary averaged 10.1 points, 5.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds for the Huskies last season following a transfer from Georgia and the SEC. The Red Storm received two first-place votes. St. John's is coming off two consecutive Big East regular-season and tournament titles — the first team ever to do that. Rick Pitino's squad made the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999. They are led by preseason first-team conference selections Tounde Yessoufou and Ian Jackson. Villanova, Marquette and Providence were the next three in the preseason poll. Xavier was picked sixth. Creighton, led by new head coach Alan Huss, was seventh. DePaul, which had its best finish in the Big East a season ago, was chosen eighth with Seton Hall and Georgetown behind them. Butler, under first-year coach Ronald Nored, was the 11th choice. Here are the full Big East rankings: The Big East held its annual media day at a local New York hotel instead of Madison Square Garden, which has hosted the event every year since 2014. The event was presided over by new conference commissioner Tim Brosnan, who took over for Val Ackerman. Ackerman, who was the head of the conference from 2013-26, retired at the end of August. The Associated Press contributed to this report.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Senate Overwhelmingly Passes College Sports Bill Aimed At Player Pay, Transfers]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/protect-college-sports-act-passes-senate-house</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/protect-college-sports-act-passes-senate-house</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Senate has passed a sweeping bipartisan bill that would regulate college sports, but it still has to pass the House.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2026 08:59:43 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Senate passed a sweeping bipartisan bill on Monday that would regulate college sports, an attempt to end "chaos" in an industry that has been upended by skyrocketing athlete payments and near-unrestricted transfers between schools. The overwhelming 77-22 vote to pass the legislation is the strongest effort yet by Congress to set national regulations governing payments to college athletes for their name, image and likeness and how often they can transfer. It would give the NCAA new authority over those rules and limited antitrust protections to enforce them. The bill is the product of years of Senate negotiations that intensified after a 2025 lawsuit settlement uprooted the college sports landscape by allowing colleges to pay their players. The legislation, which would still have to pass the House, would codify the settlement into law but also establish new guardrails around the system in an attempt to rein in the runaway costs for colleges. "It would be nice if college sports could somehow magically fix itself, but this is a matter of law, federal law, and only Congress can fix it," said Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who negotiated the bill with the top Democrat on the panel, Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell. President Donald Trump praised the bill in a social media post after the late night passage. "This is a really big deal," he said. "It will not only save college sports, it will save the colleges themselves." The bill's backers — more than 70 senators from both parties — say it aims to curtail constant litigation and uncertainty across college sports for athletes, schools and fans. It would also give hundreds of thousands of athletes new health and labor protections. But critics say the bill doesn't do enough to protect athletes or curtail the enormous sums of money flowing to coaches, colleges and conferences. "This is a bill that essentially ensconces a system of exploitation, and it doesn’t fix the broader problems," said Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat who has worked with labor and civil rights groups to rally opposition to the bill. The bill’s future is still unclear. It could face an uphill battle in the House, which failed repeatedly over the last year to get a different version to the floor and is in recess until after the November elections. Lawmakers will have to start over in the next Congress if the bill doesn't pass both chambers by the end of the year. Bill addresses skyrocketing spending, unlimited transfers College sports have been reeling in the wake of the 2025 court settlement allowing colleges to directly pay players for their name, image and likeness. The fallout has reshaped the industry and led to football roster payrolls that can exceed $40 million. The bill would codify the court settlement, including a revenue cap that allows schools to share up to $21.5 million in revenue with their players. The legislation would more than double that amount for some schools, allowing up to an additional $27.5 million in payments through a retention fund — a change that helped win the support of the two largest conferences, the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference. To help schools raise more revenue, the bill would give schools and conferences the option of pooling their TV media rights. The legislation also aims to stabilize the NCAA transfer portal that has led to players constantly switching teams. It would restrict player transfers to one "free" move over five years without sitting out a year, with some exceptions, and also would restrict players to five years of total eligibility. The proposed eligibility limit comes amid backlash to schools that have increasingly pushed boundaries, including LSU's now-canceled plans to place players on the roster who had participated in NFL training camps. "That was probably like a big lamp for some people who saw it and said, ‘Oh my God, this is so out of control,’" Cantwell said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. The bill also would restrict coaches from leaving their schools during the season, force schools that want to switch conferences to spend three years as an independent and prevent conferences from growing larger than 20 programs — an effort to prevent so-called "superleagues" from taking over sports. A last-minute amendment proposed by Florida Sen. Ashley Moody raised that cap from 19 in the original legislation. The vote was delayed several hours on Monday as senators negotiated Moody’s amendment and others that were eventually adopted, including a provision to make it easier for athletes to sue over sexual assault and a requirement to disclose foreign financing. The Senate rejected an amendment by Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., that would have put limits on ticket prices for fans and two by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., that would have capped coaches’ salaries at $5 million a year and increased compensation for athletes who have catastrophic injuries. Critics say it wouldn’t do enough to help athletes The legislation includes new protections for athletes, including caps on agent fees and guarantees for health insurance and scholarships. It would also require schools to maintain a minimum number of sports and roster spots — an effort to ensure that women's and Olympic sports are not cut in favor of football, basketball and other sports that generate more revenue. Still, some Democrats say it wouldn't do enough to limit the big money in college sports. The legislation "places a cap on the students’ cut of the revenues, but there are no caps on coaches’ salaries or on the size of donations to athletic programs," Murphy said last week. Groups like the NAACP, Congressional Black Caucus and AFL-CIO have also opposed the bill, in part, because it leaves unresolved whether athletes should be considered employees with the ability to collectively bargain. All four Black Democrats in the Senate — Booker, Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland — have opposed the bill. Booker, who played football at Stanford in the late 1980s on a scholarship, noted the "outsized role" that Black athletes play in college sports. He said it wasn't until college athletes were able to begin to win cases in court that the power started to shift, "and now the NCAA is coming here to the United States Senate, asking for sweeping powers" to exempt antitrust laws. "We know who this bill is protecting," Booker said. House passage is uncertain Despite strong bipartisan support in the Senate, the bill faces a murky path in the House. House lawmakers won't return to Washington until mid-November, after the elections. And it's unclear what will be on Republican leaders' agenda in the chaotic last few weeks of the session. Pressure from Trump could help push the bill to passage. But some House Republicans have insisted on language explicitly stating that athletes are not employees, which the Senate bill does not have — a key concession to Cantwell to win enough Democratic support. After the bill's passage, Cruz said it is his hope "that we see in the House the same thing we saw in the Senate: a big bipartisan vote." Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Protect College Sports Act: What It Is And What It Means]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/protect-college-sports-act-what-what-means</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/protect-college-sports-act-what-what-means</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[What is the Protect College Sports Act? Here’s what the bill could mean for the future of college sports and what to watch next.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 22 Sep 2026 18:01:14 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[College sports are in a state of chaos — at least that’s what certain corners of Capitol Hill will tell you. The industry has been thrust into a shift toward professionalism following decades of resistance to changing economics. That rub has created an environment lacking central governance and authority in a world where rules have merely become suggestions in a way that’s never been more apparent. Those fears from administrators, commissioners and other stakeholders led, at least in part, to the introduction of the Protect College Sports Act in June. The PCSA is currently weaving its way through Congress and presents the best chance the industry has had for federal legislation — albeit the journey remains arduous and complicated. Here’s a brief explainer on what it entails and what comes next: What Is The Protect College Sports Act? The PCSA is a bipartisan bill spearheaded by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) that aims to bring governance to college sports. It’s essentially a spiritual sequel to the House settlement — a sweeping antitrust suit resolved last summer that combined the House, Hubbard and Carter cases and opened the door for schools to pay athletes directly. The primary objectives of the PCSA include: The bill also stipulates varying regulations around transfer rules, conference realignment, coaching movement and other topics du jour percolating around college sports in the current climate. The NCAA — which has long supported federal legislation through millions of dollars spent in lobbying efforts — sent its membership a memo on Friday that outlined key points of the bill, such as requiring the NCAA to oversee school compliance, preserving existing broadcast contracts and defining the reach of national eligibility rules. The conference realignment clause has been a crucial piece of the puzzle in recent weeks as earlier drafts of the bill capped maximum conference membership at 19 schools, while those institutions attempting to depart would be required to spend five years as an independent. Recent reporting, however, indicates that language has been adjusted to force just three years of independence, while that specific provision would sunset after six years. Not coincidentally, that six-year window that would open the door for schools to again jump ship more freely coincides with the expiration of a number of television contracts across the college sports ecosystem that are slated to come due over the next five-plus years. Who Are The Major Names That Are Backing The Act? Cruz and Cantwell have been the key names in the Senate pushing legislation, but there are plenty of other key voices with vested interests in its passage. The Big Ten and SEC were among the last conferences to offer their support of the bill as they worked through varying language changes with lawmakers over the summer (Again, keep an eye on expansion language). The ACC, Big 12 and others across the FBS have also lent their support to the bill. The other key name that has been instrumental in the bill’s progression to this point is Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell. The former Red Raiders football player-turned-oil baron and his 501(c)4 Saving College Sports has been a staunch advocate for the bill, running commercials pushing for its approval for months. Those opposed to the bill include a handful of Senators on both sides of the aisle and a number of organizations designed to represent athletes’ interests in ongoing conversations about labor and college sports. Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), who himself played football at Stanford, have been among the notable vocal critics of the bill. When Could The Protect College Sports Act Pass? The PCSA is still very much in flux. The bill took an important step last week, receiving 74 of 100 possible votes in its favor to halt debate and invoke cloture in the Senate — technical terminology that effectively means move it to be voted on. The shift does not guarantee passage in the Senate, but it marked a crucial move amid a handful of procedural votes required to proceed the bill, eventually, into the House. Now comes two more votes in the Senate before it might be passed — efforts that could happen as soon as Tuesday. That said, the timeline remains tight and a fight in Congress' other wing looms. The Senate is slated to go on its pre-election recess on Oct. 3, giving lawmakers just two weeks to guide the bill onto the House, where it's expected to receive significant pushback. There is also the matter of the coming midterm elections, which figure to reshape the composition of the House and Senate. Given the widespread bipartisan support the PCSA has enjoyed thus far, that may not be a killer. However, those involved in the proceedings have cautioned that the House presents a stiffer challenge for passage than the Senate and there figures to be a notable shake-up in who is actually in office by the time this might come to a vote. College sports might just get its bill through the Senate this week. What happens beyond that? That's anyone's guess.]]>
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					<![CDATA[With SEC Expulsion Threats, Could LSU Really Operate As An Independent?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/lsu-sec-sankey-lane-kiffin-feud-nfl-recruiting</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/lsu-sec-sankey-lane-kiffin-feud-nfl-recruiting</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[As LSU and the SEC clash, FOX Sports' Ben Portnoy examines the money, power and business decisions reshaping college sports.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 13:10:58 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[In Follow The Money, Ben Portnoy will bring you into a weekly deep dive into the business of college sports. Before we jump in, I thought it would be helpful to briefly explain what we’re doing here. College sports have never experienced a more topsy-turvy era. Longtime traditions and the increased need for commercialization are clashing at every turn. Quarterbacks are signing multi-million dollar deals. Television contracts are popular fodder for fan bases. Even jersey patch deals are becoming mainstream. Each week we’ll capture some of the angst and inherent fluidity of the ecosystem as we look at the off-the-field storylines that are shaping what you’re seeing on Saturdays. With that, let’s get into it. There is no place quite like Baton Rouge. This is a city where football is king, where politics and the Tigers intertwine like PB&amp;J and where power struggles and backroom dealings are the currency of the day. So what better place to begin the 2026 football season than a Louisiana courtroom? For those who haven’t spent the last two weeks locked into PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) tracking court cases, let’s rehash what’s happening down on the bayou: Yeah, it’s a lot. That said, the LSU situation got me thinking: What if the SEC really did kick the Tigers from the league? And, if it did, what kind of brand value or sponsorship dollars might LSU command on the open market as an independent? "A conference like the SEC is just bigger than a single school," Rob Temple, CEO of Pivotal Sports &amp; Entertainment, told me. "A team moving out of it may have a change or an impact on its sponsors tied to the school or whatever, but the big money around advertising and distribution of content, all that kind of flows to another place. "But the idea of private equity coming into college sports — just like Americans have gone and become owners in the EPL — if that dynamic ever came into college sports, and you got into valuations of franchises, that’s different. That's a huge hypothetical." Independence isn’t anything new in college sports. Notre Dame is the poster child, but others have played this game — BYU in the 2010s and Miami in the 1980s immediately come to mind. Pulling it off these days, however, is increasingly complicated. For one, scheduling is its own challenge. Independent UConn and its administrators have long addressed the issues this poses in trying to piece together a coherent ledger. There’s also a matter of whether LSU would subsequently control its own media rights or whether it'd remain tied to the SEC’s ongoing deal with ESPN. The rights would likely revert to the school, but that’s no guarantee — see Clemson and Florida State’s lawsuits against the ACC in recent years for further proof. Media rights control aside, the most obvious parallel in all of this is Notre Dame, which brings home an annual payout that neighbors the SEC and Big Ten’s media rights distributions in the $75 million range through its NBC deal and arrangement with the ACC. Could LSU fetch that on the open market? That’s less clear. "It's no knock on LSU; it’s just Notre Dame has been Notre Dame, and they've operated independently for so long that to assume LSU would immediately have that same level of independent value is probably unlikely," one media rights consultant told me. "Do they have a good shot of it? Sure, perhaps in the Southwest, but I think the point is, I don't know if they have that same level of national recognition and standing to be considered independent." There’s also the matter of the school’s broader business value. The Athletic conducted a study in July that suggested LSU would be the 11th-most valuable program in the country at around $1.3 billion. That shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. LSU athletics has reported north of $120 million in revenue every year since 2015 and almost $200 million or more since 2022, per the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database. It also reported at least $60 million in donor contributions annually since 2022, while corporate sponsorship and licensing dollars have jumped from $3.3 million in 2022 to $5 million in 2025. Pro sports exist in Louisiana, but it’s fall Saturdays at Tiger Stadium that capture the consciousness of the state in a way the Saints and Pelicans can’t quite muster — and why a pending game of chicken between LSU and the SEC has everyone paying attention. "The SEC and Commissioner Sankey are prepared to contest the allegations in the plaintiffs’ petition at Thursday morning’s hearing," the league wrote in a statement released on Sunday night, "and defend the SEC’s rights as a voluntary association to fulfill its mission to its member institutions." "This whole thing is ridiculous. Don’t hate the player, hate the game." — Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry in a statement to Front Office Sports on the ongoing eligibility fight in the state. Duke announced a five-year agreement with Edward Jones, which, at face-value, isn’t going to force eyebrows to raise. That the Blue Devils brass is allowing the company to place its branding on the floor at Cameron Indoor Stadium, however, is noteworthy. "It’s balancing our needs with the history and tradition, evolving with the current landscape and figuring out what is right to do here," Duke athletics director Nina King told me by phone. "I'm just really excited by how this looks. It's not like, ‘Oh my goodness, we turned into NASCAR.’" Michigan added signage within the Big House for the first time in recent weeks. Now, Duke is following suit. Such is life in college sports these days.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Duke Debuting On-Court Ads In 2026 College Basketball Season]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/duke-blue-devils-ads-cameron-indoor</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/duke-blue-devils-ads-cameron-indoor</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Cameron Indoor is getting a makeover for Duke's 2026 college basketball season, to keep with the NIL-heavy times.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2026 13:00:08 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[One of college basketball’s cathedrals is getting a corporate makeover. Duke is slated to announce a four-year sponsorship deal with Edward Jones that will see the company’s logos added to the floor at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The agreement will also include Edward Jones being designated a "Champion Partner of Duke Athletics" and becoming the presenting sponsor of the Duke Champions Club. "What we have available and the changing economic realities of running a big-time [Division I] college sports program, we realized if we could find a great partner that fit us and who we are, then let's go ahead and create a partnership," Duke athletics director Nina King told me. Duke’s efforts to add branding to Cameron Indoor have largely played out over the last six months in conjunction with the school’s multimedia rights partner, Learfield, which sells corporate sponsorships on its behalf. King had been in constant communication with Learfield’s Duke-centric team, while conversations were also had with longtime Blue Devils basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, in order to receive his blessing on any corporate logos that would adorn the court that bears his name. Others involved in the process included Duke men’s basketball coach Jon Scheyer and women’s basketball coach Kara Lawson. "It’s balancing our needs with the history and tradition, evolving with the current landscape and figuring out what is right to do here," King said. "I'm just really excited by how this looks. It's not like, ‘Oh my goodness we turned into NASCAR.’" That Duke is leaning into modernization comes amid a push-pull for schools across the country as to how best to marry the past traditions of college athletics with the ongoing commercialization that’s required to remain competitive. Cameron marks new territory in this sense, and comes just two weeks after Michigan agreed to a similarly groundbreaking agreement with Coca-Cola, Meijer and a new agreement with Google Gemini to allow outside signage in The Big House for the first time. Corporate branding has also appeared at places like Notre Dame and Ohio State in the form of jersey patches — an asset that was made allowable by the NCAA in January. "It's really looking at the economics of how college has changed over the last couple years, and what the best way is to commercialize those venues," said Learfield President of Sports Properties Kim Damron. " Working with the athletics team in the most respectful manner that still really feels like we're representing their brand and maintaining the tradition — it’s a pretty comprehensive approach to it."]]>
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					<![CDATA[NFL Rules Players Returning To College Ineligible As Big 12 Follows Suit]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-says-players-who-return-to-college-will-be-ineligible-to-play-in-2026-as-acc-big-12-weigh-topic</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-says-players-who-return-to-college-will-be-ineligible-to-play-in-2026-as-acc-big-12-weigh-topic</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Players who leave the NFL to return to college won’t be allowed to come back to the league this season]]>
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				<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 18:36:00 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Players who leave the NFL to return to college won't be allowed to come back to the league this season. NFL executive Troy Vincent reiterated the longstanding policy at the league's meetings Wednesday, saying players who go back to college will be ineligible to play in 2026. Vincent said any player who does that would instead become a free agent for the 2027 season. The comments came one day after the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences banned players who were on NFL rosters from being able to play at their schools. Atlantic Coast and Big 12 conference leaders were also discussing the topic this week, with the Big 12 athletic directors reportedly agreeing to ban professional athletes from returning to schools within the conference in all sports. The NFL sent a memo to all NFL teams regarding eligibility for athletes who sign player contracts. "Recent litigation concerning NCAA eligibility rules had led certain players who signed NFL Player Contracts for the 2026 season to seek to return to college football this season. Although questions concerning college eligibility are matters for the NCAA and the courts, the following NFL rules may apply in these situations," the memo read. "A player who signed an NFL Player Contract that is subsequently terminated by the NFL Club may return to college football, subject to applicable NCAA eligibility rules. At least two players who signed with NFL teams as undrafted free agents this offseason were hoping to return to college and play at No. 11 LSU. Tight end Dae'Quan Wright originally signed with Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi following the draft. He was waived by the Eagles on Aug. 10 and claimed by Cleveland the following day. Wright spent about two weeks with the Browns without playing in an exhibition game before being waived on Monday. He cleared waivers Tuesday and now wants to go to LSU to play for his former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. Defensive lineman Zxavian Harris signed with New Orleans in May as an undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss and participated in the offseason program. He was placed on the non-football injury list at the start of training camp in July and was waived Aug. 8. He wasn't claimed by any team and also wants to go back to college to play for Kiffin. Both players entered the NFL draft because they had used up their four years of eligibility. The NCAA announced a rule change in June allowing players who began college in 2023 or later to have five years to play five years of sports in college. That rule didn't apply to Wright and Harris, who entered college in 2022 but they are among the players who have sued the NCAA, arguing they’re being deprived of education and potential NIL financial benefits by being excluded from the rule. Cal football general manager Ron Rivera said Wednesday he hopes the ACC joins the Big Ten and SEC in turning away former pros. "I think when somebody makes a decision, goes in a certain direction, I think they’ve made their decision," said Rivera, a former NFL player and coach. "I’m disappointed that people are looking for ways to cheat the system or beat the system." The Associated Press contributed to this report.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Big Ten Announces Long-Term Extension For Commissioner Tony Petitti]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/big-ten-commissioner-tony-petitti-extension-b1g</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/big-ten-commissioner-tony-petitti-extension-b1g</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Big Ten Conference extended Commissioner Tony Petitti on a deal that keeps him in place through June 2033.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 16:53:53 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Big Ten learned how to speak Petitti and liked how it sounded. The Big Ten Conference announced a five-year extension for conference Commissioner Tony Petitti on Wednesday afternoon, keeping him in the role through June 2033. This contract was unanimously approved by the Big Ten Conference Council of Presidents and Chancellors. "Tony has provided outstanding vision for the Conference through extremely turbulent times," COP/C Chair and President of Indiana University Pamela Whitten said in a statement. "We’re thankful for his leadership and appreciate his spirit of innovation and collaboration as we continue to navigate the changing landscape of college sports." Petitti became the seventh commissioner in the history of the Big Ten in May 2023 after Kevin Warren left his position to become president and CEO of the NFL's Chicago Bears. Prior to becoming conference commissioner, Petitti was a television executive, highlighted by being a senior vice president of business affairs and programming at CBS, an executive vice president at CBS Sports and helping launch MLB Network, among other roles. On the gridiron, the Big Ten has claimed each of the last three National Championships since Petitti became commissioner: the Michigan Wolverines in 2023, Ohio State Buckeyes in 2024 and Indiana Hoosiers in 2025. On that note, the Big Ten had two teams reach the College Football Playoff semifinals last season and sent four teams to the College Football Playoff in 2024. Moreover, the conference expanded from 14 teams to 18 teams in 2024, adding the USC Trojans, Oregon Ducks, UCLA Bruins and Washington Huskies from the Pac-12. As for other football-related matters, the Big Ten banned any player who has appeared on an NFL roster, declared for the NFL draft and didn't withdraw or played professionally from joining a program in the conference on Tuesday in the wake of temporary restraining orders being granted to 16 players in Louisiana, allowing those who appeared in NFL training camps this summer to play a fifth collegiate season. Meanwhile, on the hardwood, the Michigan Wolverines won the Big Ten its first men's college basketball championship since the Michigan State Spartans won the National Championship in 2000. Six teams from the conference reached the Sweet 16 last season.]]>
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					<![CDATA[SEC Bans Athletes From Returning To College After Signing Pro Contracts]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/sec-bans-nfl-players-college-football-rules</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/sec-bans-nfl-players-college-football-rules</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The SEC has joined the Big Ten in barring athletes with professional experience from returning to college sports, directly countering roster moves by LSU coach Lane Kiffin.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 12:30:50 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Southeastern Conference has joined the Big Ten in barring athletes with professional experience from returning to college sports, directly countering roster moves by LSU head coach Lane Kiffin. The SEC posted an official statement on social media on Tuesday night, stating member schools are prohibited from fielding athletes who declared for professional drafts without properly withdrawing, signed professional contracts or appeared on a professional league roster. The policy grants SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey explicit authority to discipline non-compliant programs, stating the commissioner is "authorized to enforce this expectation with penalties against member institutions." Should a team choose to sign a player who has appeared on a professional roster, its head coach will be suspended for half the season, half of the team's annual operating budget will be cut and the school's SEC voting privileges on business matters will be revoked, per On3. The directive follows state court injunctions, including a ruling in Louisiana that permitted players seeking a fifth year of eligibility to return to college after attending NFL training camps. Kiffin actively pursued several affected players, including former Ole Miss Rebels tight end Dae'Quan Wright following his release from the Cleveland Browns. Kiffin defended the additions, arguing that the players were granted a fifth year by a judge and that "ourselves, like many places around the country, are recruiting them." However, the SEC's decision leaves LSU isolated within the conference. By asserting authority on the matter, the SEC and Big Ten are establishing independent roster standards as college athletics navigates ongoing legal challenges and federal legislative proposals.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Former Celtics, Jazz Player RJ Luis Jr. Cleared By Judge To Play For LSU]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/former-celtics-jazz-player-rj-luis-jr-cleared-judge-play-lsu</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/former-celtics-jazz-player-rj-luis-jr-cleared-judge-play-lsu</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Former St. John's standout RJ Luis Jr. has been cleared by a court to start practicing with LSU and potentially play for the Tigers this season.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 23:10:24 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[RJ Luis Jr., a former St. John's standout who recently signed with LSU after spending time with two NBA clubs, was cleared by a court Monday evening to start practicing and potentially play for the Tigers this season. Luis, who briefly was under contract with the Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics but never played in an NBA game, hugged LSU coach Will Wade after the ruling by East Baton Rouge Parish District Court judge Ronald R. Johnson. After a five-hour hearing, Johnson granted the player's request for a preliminary injunction against the NCAA, which had argued Luis was unlikely to win reinstatement after leaving college to turn pro in 2025. "This is precedent. It's monumental," said Baton Rouge-based attorney Tony Clayton, who represented Luis along with Elliot Abrams of Raleigh, North Carolina. "This allows him to go practice, go play and we'll let the legal process work itself out." The timeline for that process was not immediately clear. "I don't know, but there's a lot of discovery that Elliot and I have to obtain," Clayton said. "We've got a lot of questions." Luis' attorneys noted that the NCAA had granted exceptions allowing numerous players from overseas professional leagues to join college basketball programs, and argued that American players must be afforded the same opportunity. They stressed that Luis not only had never played in an NBA game, but also had not played for the Celtics' G League affiliate because of an injury, and had far less of a professional basketball resume than numerous college players who'd been recruited from abroad. NCAA attorney Taylor Askew argued that Luis' situation was not comparable to those who played for the developmental squads of pro organizations overseas because Luis chose to leave college for the NBA. Askew noted that the only player in a similar situation to Luis was Alabama's Charles Bediako, who won a temporary retraining order allowing him to play five games for Alabama last season before an Alabama judge ultimately sided with NCAA assertions that he was ineligible. "I understand Mr. Luis is disappointed that he was not drafted and did not play in the NBA as much as he would have liked," Askew said. "Actions have consequences. Decisions have outcomes and they're not always the right ones or the ones that you want." As he made his ruling, Johnson said, "In the court's mind, (Luis) did not actually play professional basketball," and that whether Luis was properly advised of his options at the time he left college "lingers heavily before this court." Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[More College Sports Eligibility? Federal Appeals Court Says Not So Fast]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/federal-appeals-court-college-eligibility-basketball</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/federal-appeals-court-college-eligibility-basketball</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[A number of fifth-year players have already returned to college sports, with more planning to in the coming months, but all of that has been brought to a halt by a federal court.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 12:32:36 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[A federal appeals court on Friday temporarily halted a court order that would have granted thousands of athletes who left college after last season an extra year of eligibility. The lawsuit was filed by players who graduated high school in 2022, whose college eligibility ended last season and who were not included in the NCAA’s controversial new rule that grants most players five years of eligibilty, beginning next season. After winning a ruling in district court last month, many of those players were trying to figure out how to return to their former schools to play another year. Football season opens over the next two weeks. This 2-1 ruling from a panel of the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver puts that on hold until the appeal can be heard in total. It could tamp down the chaos from a series of rulings in courts around the country that had cleared the way for players to come back. A big portion of the case rests on the idea that some athletes were trying to regain spots on rosters that had already been locked in. The plaintiffs argued it was a matter of fairness: They shouldn’t be restricted from a fifth year — and the educational and NIL compensation opportunities that go along with it — that a player one year younger was entitled to. But, the NCAA countered in its legal filing, "fairness is in the eye of the beholder." "Countless student-athletes already on campuses, and schools who built their rosters in reliance on the rules the NCAA’s membership wrote and agreed to follow, do not believe it is fair for thousands of formerly-ineligible athletes to return to competition at the start of the 2026–27 season," it said. Among those planning returns were defensive linemen Kellan Wyatt and Stephan Daley, both members of the national champion Indiana roster from last season. The ruling is not a guarantee to end the confusion across college sports. The NCAA is on the losing end of a number of lawsuits filed in other state and federal courts over essentially the same issue, and it's hard to tell how this case will impact those. Making headlines this week was the return of former Ole Miss starters Dae’Quan Wright, Zxavian Harris and Wydett Williams, who won rulings from a state court in Louisiana giving them another season of eligibility even though they'd signed with NFL teams this summer. The NCAA could still directly appeal this ruling, making the participation of these players no sure thing, either. Basketball teams have longer to figure this out — no team wants a player on the roster who might later be declared ineligibile. Gonzaga, for one, recently added Dayton’s Javon Bennett and Florida State's Chauncey Wiggins, each of whom won eligibility lawsuits in different courts. Former St. John's player RJ Luis, who signed as an undrafted free agent with the NBA's Boston Celtics before being waived and then signing with the Utah Jazz, has also filed suit to return to college basketball. "Some of us coaches told the NCAA over and over again, if they waited longer to announce this, they probably wouldn’t have this issue," Zags coach Mark Few said in a recent interview. "So I don’t know why anybody would not be open to it. Maybe you don’t need it, but if you do ... these are good guys." SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has been vocally opposed to allowing pros to return to college sports, saying that it "fuels disruption," per ESPN. "These rules are grounded in the principle that athletics are an integral part of the academic experience. The rules align the time permitted for college athletics with the pursuit of an undergraduate education and further the important purpose of preserving opportunities for future student-athletes to participate in college sports." The Associated Press contributed to this report.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026-2027 College Basketball Offseason Buzz: Miami Hurricanes Extended Jai Lucas]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/college-basketball-2026-2027-buzz-news-injuries-transfers</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/college-basketball-2026-2027-buzz-news-injuries-transfers</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[We're tracking notable injuries, news and happenings across men's and women's college basketball during the 2026-2027 offeason.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:50:57 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Transfers, coaching changes, extensions, injuries, returns – college basketball isn't airing right now, but the sport keeps on moving. Here's the latest offseason news and updates in Men's and Women's College Basketball heading into the 2026-2027 season. Aug. 12 Miami extended the contract of coach Jai Lucas over the past few weeks, a person with knowledge of the agreement said Wednesday. The extension came with a raise, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no details were revealed publicly. Miami, as a private university, is not required to release contract information and did not comment on the extension. Lucas had four years left on his original five-year deal. Lucas engineered an impressive turnaround in his first season with the Hurricanes, leading them to a 26-9 overall record and going 13-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference without any returning players. Miami — which went 7-24 overall and 3-17 in ACC play in 2024-25, before Lucas arrived — wound up making the NCAA Tournament, beating Missouri before falling to Purdue in the second round. Lucas, who had not been a head coach before Miami hired him in March 2025, was mentioned as a potential target for many schools that were seeking coaches after last season. "We have good people at the university, and then we had great people in the building this year. … Half the battle is making sure you get the right people in there," Lucas said when last season ended. "And then once you get the right people, you’ve just got to figure it out." Aug. 10 The Big East named Tim Brosnan as the sixth commissioner in conference history on Monday. Brosnan succeeds Val Ackerman, who announced her retirement in April after serving as commissioner for 13 years. Brosnan brings years of experience in media, sports and business. His tenure begins on Sept. 1. St. John's president, the Rev. Brian J. Shanley, led the charge as the head of the search committee. He said in a statement that the conference prioritized finding someone with extensive experience in revenue generation. "Over the course of his career, Tim Brosnan has shown to be a smart, highly-respected leader with high personal and professional values rooted in his dedication to the service of others,' Rev. Shanley said in a statement. 'His track record of forging highly successful partnerships will be critical in this new era of college athletics." Brosnan has significant experience in the professional ranks, bringing a 24-year stint with Major League Baseball from 1991-2015. He served in various executive roles as well as CEO of Major League Baseball Enterprises before leaving to run a sports media consultancy. "The Big East is one of the most iconic brands in college sports, and I am grateful and deeply honored to have the opportunity to lead the conference into its next chapter," Brosnan said in a statement. Brosnan's ties to the Big East date back to his college years, where he was a four-year letter winner on Georgetown's baseball team. Aug. 4 Illinois forward David Mirkovic reportedly underwent successful foot surgery on Tuesday. The Illini announced Mirkovic sustained the injury during practice on July 31. Illinois offered no timetable for his return or specific details on the nature of the injury. Mirkovic was crucial to Illinois' run to the Final Four in 2025. He averaged 13 points and 10 rebounds per game during March Madness, and 13.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game during the regular season. July 23 Minnesota coach Niko Medved has received a one-year contract extension with a slight raise after a promising first season at his alma mater. The university board of regents approved the contract amendment this week at its regular monthly meeting, giving Medved a $100,000 pay bump on top of the $100,000 annual increase in his initial six-year deal. He is now signed through the 2031-32 season and will make $3.2 million in 2026-27. His updated deal now ranks 17th out of 18 head coaches in the Big Ten, according to university documents. The Gophers went 15-18 overall and 8-12 in Big Ten play in Medved’s first year, with a lineup depleted by injuries. The former student manager and assistant coach for the Gophers was hired last year after seven seasons at Colorado State. Medved is entering his 14th year as a head coach, including stops at Drake and Furman. July 2 St. John's forward Donnie Freeman will miss next season with an Achilles injury after getting hurt during a workout this week. It's a significant blow to the Red Storm, who landed Freeman in the transfer portal from Syracuse this offseason and were expecting him to be a top player on the 2026-27 team. The rising junior was injured Monday and had surgery on his right Achilles tendon, the school announced Wednesday night. "Donnie had a non-contact injury in a workout and will miss the season," Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino posted on social media. "Donnie is an awesome young man, we will get him back better than ever!" The 6-foot-9 Freeman averaged 15.3 points and 7.5 rebounds in 37 games over two seasons at Syracuse. He was rated one of the nation's top recruits in the high school class of 2024. St. John's is coming off consecutive Big East regular-season and tournament championships and its first trip to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament since 1999. But the Red Storm must replace all three starters in the frontcourt after Zuby Ejiofor, Dillon Mitchell and Bryce Hopkins were all selected within the first 49 picks of the NBA draft last week. June 30 Southern California's JuJu Watkins is back on the court preparing for the upcoming college basketball season over 14 months after one of the biggest stars of the women's game suffered a torn ACL. "I’m just really blessed to be here, feeling back like myself and being able to practice with the team,' Watkins said Monday. "It’s been a long time coming. I’ve just been working out, grinding every day so that I could be in this position, so to see all of that hard work kind of pay off right now is really fulfilling." Watkins missed the entire 2025-26 season as she recovered from the injury she suffered in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. "She’s back on the court and it’s just a beautiful thing to see," coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. "She’s stronger, faster, in her best shape ever. The work that she put in is something that is going to speak volumes." That's welcome news for the Trojans. After back-to-back trips to the Elite Eight, USC went 18-14 overall last season and lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament behind Big Ten freshman of the year Jazzy Davidson. She carried the load in Watkins’ absence, averaging 17.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Gottlieb could relate to Watkin's injury and long recovery as more than her coach. She tore her ACL before her senior year of high school. Like Watkins, it led her to view the game from a different perspective. "I said there’s things that are going to come from this that you cannot possibly know right now that someday you’re going to be grateful for," Gottlieb said she told Watkins. Watkins received support from Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers, who tore her ACL at UConn in 2022 and was cleared to resume playing a year later. Bueckers was "constantly checking up on me, sending me texts," Watkins said. "Every person in the WNBA world who had gone through that just had nothing but love and support for me, so I really appreciate that," she said. June 19 Green Bay coach Doug Gottlieb has agreed to a contract extension that takes his deal through the 2030-31 season. Athletic director Josh Moon announced the extension Friday. The school did not release financial details of the extension. Moon, who hired Gottlieb in 2024, received his own contract extension Wednesday and now has a deal that also runs through 2031. Gottlieb’s hire gained national attention because of his radio broadcasting background and his lack of college coaching experience. Green Bay went 4-28 under Gottlieb in 2024-25, but improved to 18-15 last season. The Phoenix’s season ended with a loss to Northern Kentucky in the second round of the Horizon League Tournament. May 27 Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou has reportedly withdrawn from the NBA Draft and committed to St. John's, per ESPN. After averaging 17.8 points per game during his freshman year with the Bears, Yessoufou declared for the NBA Draft and entered the NCAA transfer portal. After testing professional waters, he chose to return to the NCAA ahead of Wednesday's withdrawal deadline, and transfer to the Red Storm. Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. will return for his fourth season with the Spartans, per 247 sports. Fears averaged 15.9 points and a nation's best 9.4 assists per game during the 2025-26 season. He entered his name into the NBA Draft pool, but withdrew ahead of the May 27 deadline. His return to East Lansing is crucial for the Spartans' contention hopes, as Fears sports a high-volume 24.3% offensive usage rate, which would have been tough to replace. Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic will return to the NCAA for his fourth season of eligibility, per ESPN. After averaging 16.9 points per game and leading the nation, shooting 48.7% from 3-point range, during his junior season with the Cyclones, Momcilovic entered the NBA Draft pool and the NCAA transfer portal. For the last month, he tested the professional waters, but will ultimately return to play college basketball. He remains uncommitted, and is viewed as one of the top transfer targets. Arizona forward Koa Peat will remain in the NBA Draft, per 247sports. Peat was one of the best freshman in the nation during the 2025-26 season, averaging 14.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while helping Arizona make a Final Four run. Peat will join fellow Wildcat Brayden Burries in hoping to hear his name called during the NBA Draft. Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner will return for his third season with the Commodores, per On3. Tanner averaged 19.5 points and 5.1 assists per game during the 2025-26 season, both significant improvements from his freshman year, as he led Vanderbilt to its first NCAA Tournament win since 2012. After this decision to return, Tanner and the Commodores will look to build off that success. Illinois guard Andrej Stojakovic will stay in the NCAA for another season with the Illini, he announced. He averaged 13.5 points per game during his junior season, while starting 21 games. He helped Illinois make a Final Four run. Arkansas wing Billy Richmond III will reportedly return to the NCAA for his third season at Arkansas. Richmond averaged 11.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, coming off the bench in 19 of the Razorbacks' 37 games during the 2025-26 season. Alabama guard Amari Allen has withdrawn from the NBA Draft and will return to the Crimson Tide, per On3. Allen averaged 11.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game during his freshman season in Tuscaloosa. He tested the NBA waters, ultimately deciding to stay in the NCAA ahead of Wednesday's withdrawal deadline. May 26 Texas Tech guard Christian Andreson will remain in the NBA Draft pool, per Jeff Borzello. Anderson played two seasons with the Red Raiders, averaging 18.5 points and 7.4 assists in 2025-26. He will take the momentum from that strong sophomore year and turn it into draft capital. Santa Clara forward Allen Graves will remain in the NBA Draft pool, per Jonathan Givony. Graves played one season of college basketball, with the Broncos. He averaged 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 22.6 minutes per game. In fact, he started just four games all season for Santa Clara. Regardless, he'll take his talents to the professional level. North Carolina commit Matt Able has withdrawn from the NBA Draft, per On3. Able averaged 8.8 points per game in 21.8 minutes during his freshman season at North Carolina State. Following the season, he entered the transfer portal and committed to the Tar Heels. He also opted to participate in pre-NBA draft activities, attending the combine in Chicago and performing at a Pro Day in Los Angeles. After consideration, he decided to return to college, and confirm his transfer to UNC for his second season. Kentucky center Malachi Moreno has withdrawn from the NBA Draft and will return to college to play for the Wildcats. Moreno averaged 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 22.6 minutes per game during his freshman season. He will look to build on that, returning to Kentucky for his sophomore season. May 22 Former Wisconsin guard John Blackwell is withdrawing from the NBA draft and will play at Duke next season. Blackwell announced his decision Friday on Instagram. Blackwell averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last season, teaming with Nick Boyd to give Wisconsin one of the nation’s top backcourt tandems. The 6-foot-4 guard shot 39% from 3-point range, helping the Badgers go 24-11 and reach the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season. Blackwell had some of his most productive performances against Wisconsin’s toughest opponents. He scored 26 points in a road win over eventual national champion Michigan and averaged 27.5 points in the Badgers’ two victories over Final Four participant Illinois. He had 25 points in a late-season road win over Purdue, an NCAA regional finalist. Blackwell had 22 points and 10 rebounds in Wisconsin’s NCAA Tournament first-round loss to High Point. He averaged 15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in 2024-25. May 21 Florida center Rueben Chinyelu has withdrawn from the NBA Draft, Jon Rothstein reported. Chinyelu has been widely projected as a first-round pick, which would mean he'd receive a guaranteed contract from the NBA team that selects him. Instead, he opted to return to Florida for his fourth year of college, and take the guaranteed NIL money. Despite a season cut short after a loss to No. 9 seed Iowa in the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, Chinyelu becomes the second projected first-round pick to return to the Gators as Thomas Haugh made that same decision on April 21. Florida has now retained five key players from its 2024-25 national title run, including Chinyelu, Haugh, Alex Condon, Urban Klavzar and Isaiah Brown. Florida was ranked No. 1 overall in FOX Sports' Casey Jacobsen's latest "Post-Portal Top 25." Chinyelu's decision only solidifes that. Emily Ryan, one of the most productive point guards in women's college basketball history when she played for Iowa State, has been hired as a full-time assistant at her alma mater, coach Bill Fennelly announced Thursday. Ryan played for the Cyclones from 2020-25 and was a graduate assistant last season. She finished her career with 993 assists, a school record and seventh all-time in Division I. She was just the third NCAA women's player to record at least 1,500 points, 900 assists and 600 rebounds in a career. She also ranks in the top five in program history in steals and blocks. "Emily made a tremendous impact on our program as a player and that will continue as a coach,' Fennelly said in a statement. 'Emily’s loyalty and commitment to Iowa State women’s basketball has been truly special. Our players will be learning the ‘Iowa State’ Way from one of the best Cyclones ever!" Ryan was voted to the All-Big 12 first team in 2022 and second team in 2023 and was on the league's all-defensive team in 2021. May 20 Kentucky and Gonzaga have mutually agreed to discontinue a men's college basketball series that had been scheduled to run for two more seasons. The two schools made a joint announcement Wednesday that said the move was made "to allow each program freedom to re-evaluate future scheduling priorities, including conference obligations and nonconference opportunities." Kentucky had been scheduled to host Gonzaga during the 2026-27 season. Gonzaga would have been the home team for the 2027-28 matchup. Gonzaga had gone 3-1 against Kentucky over the last four seasons, including a 94-59 triumph on Dec. 5 in Nashville, Tennessee. May 19 Flory Bidunga officially signed with Louisville, Matt Zenitz reported. The Kansas transfer had committed to the Cardinals program on April 12, but was testing the NBA Draft waters. With eight days remaining before the deadline to withdraw from the draft, Bidunga has made his decision to stay in college for his junior year. New LSU basketball coach Will Wade is finding creative ways to fill out his roster. A month ago today, when the deadline for players to enter the transfer portal closed, the Tigers had only one player solidly committed to their roster — Kentucky transfer Mouhamed Dioubate. So with time running out, Wade went in a number of directions to add to his roster. LSU received the commitment of three typical college transfers including, UTSA transfer Austin Nunez, Kansas State's Abdi Bashir Jr. and Michigan State's Divine Ugochukwu. Wade is also attempting to add former St. John's guard RJ Luis, who committed to the 2025 NBA Draft, but wasn't selected. They received the commitment of multiple other professional level basketball players — Israeli guard Yam Madar, and EuroLeague players Saliou Niang, Brice Dessert and Marcio Santos. Wade has pushed the boundaries of college basketball numerous times over the last 10 years, and is doing so again to fill out his roster. With the age and professional experience of Luis, Madar, Niang, Dessert and Santos, each must file an injunction with the NCAA to gain eligibility. There's no guarantee they'll be able to play for LSU this upcoming season, despite Wade's wishes. Therefore, Wade and LSU are from finished looking for pieces to fill out their 2026-27 roster. Former Michigan star Morez Johnson Jr. has left his name in the NBA Draft and forgo his remaining college eligibility, Johnson announced on X. Johnson started all 40 games for the Wolverines leading up to their national title win. With the news of Johnson officially heading to the Draft, the Wolverines now lose Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg and Johnson from last year's starting lineup. Johnson transferred to Michigan from Illinois and instantly became a star, where he averaged 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds. "From day one, Coach May told us he was going to help develop us on and off the court, and the goal was to win a national championship," Johnson said. "We accomplished that mission." The Wolverines finished the year 37-3 with Big Ten and national title wins in coach Dusty May's inaugural season. May 15 Illinois and coach Brad Underwood have agreed to new financial terms on his current six-year contract that runs through 2031-32, and the deal could extend through 2035-36 based on the team's performance over the next four seasons. Athletic director Josh Whitman made the announcement Thursday, about six weeks after the Illini's season ended with the program's first NCAA Final Four appearance in 21 years. Contract terms were not announced. The agreement requires approval of university trustees. "Thanks to Brad Underwood‘s tireless leadership and relentless pursuit of championships, our men’s basketball program has established itself as one of the nation’s premier programs while rewriting much of our record book," Whitman said. "He has revitalized a proud fan base and elevated our program to new heights while competing in the most dynamic, high-stakes environment in college sports history.' The Illini won the fourth-most games in program history with an overall record of 29-8 and they finished in a three-way tie for second in the Big Ten at 15-5. They won each of their first four NCAA Tournament games by double digits before losing 71-62 to UConn in the national semifinals. "Illinois is a special place, and we’re coming off a special year with a trip to the Final Four,' Underwood said. "But we know there is still more to achieve. Our focus remains competing at the highest level in pursuit of a national championship. I am more motivated than ever to help bring that title home to the University of Illinois." Underwood is 193-110 in nine seasons at Illinois with six straight NCAA appearances. Ali Jaques has been hired as the women's basketball coach at Campbell, after a season in which she helped Rhode Island win a program-record 28 games. The hiring was announced Friday. Jaques was the associate head coach at Rhode Island under Tammi Reiss, who is now the coach at Florida. Jaques has also worked at George Washington and Seton Hall in recent years, both of those stops following a nine-season run as Siena's head coach. "Campbell is a great place and that was evident from the moment I stepped on campus," Jaques said. "I knew right away this is where I wanted to be and this is the program that I want to lead." Campbell went 20-12 this past season and 13-5 in the CAA. "Ali is ready to lead her own program and I have no doubt she will turn Campbell into a championship program," Reiss said. Jaques was an elite student-athlete in college, playing both soccer and basketball at New York University. She helped lead NYU to the 1997 Division III basketball title, along with a Final Four appearance the season before. She has also coached at Northwestern, Dayton, Furman, Sacred Heart and Rider during a nearly three-decade career. May 8 The Hawkeyes have extended their head coach on a six-year deal, according to ESPN. McCollum's new deal comes in the wake of Iowa reaching the Elite Eight for the time since 1987 as a No. 9 seed, a run that saw them beat the No. 1-seeded and defending national champion Florida Gators in the second round of the tournament. Iowa finished the 2025-26 season, its first with McCollum as head coach, at 24-13 overall and 10-10 in Big Ten play, good for ninth in the conference. McCollum was previously the head coach of Drake for one season, with the Bulldogs going 31-4, reaching the NCAA Tournament and him winning 2024-25 Missouri Valley Coach of the Year honors. McCollum was previously the head coach of the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats for 15 years. The Associated Press contributed to this report.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Class Of 2022 Athletes Granted Injunction For A 5th Season Of Eligibility, NCAA To Appeal]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/all-class-2022-athletes-granted-5th-season-eligibility-donovan-dent-cade-tyson</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/all-class-2022-athletes-granted-5th-season-eligibility-donovan-dent-cade-tyson</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
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				    <![CDATA[All high school class of 2022 athletes who exhausted their fourth season of college eligibility are now eligible following a class-wide injunction granted in Colorado.]]>
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				<pubDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2026 17:19:29 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney granted a class-wide injunction, ruling that all high school class of 2022 athletes who exhausted their fourth season of college eligibility this spring are eligible for a fifth season this school year. The ruling from Sweeney, a Colorado-based judge, will be appealed by the NCAA, as it undercuts the Age-Based Eligibility Model, the so-called "five for five" rule, which was instated in June 2026 with the intention of starting with athletes who enroll in college in fall 2027. While the NCAA builds its appeal, the transfer portal will be opened in college basketball from August 3-10 for newly eligible athletes. Sweeney's ruling also has the potential to wreak havoc on rosters across the country — for instance, opening the possibility that an undrafted player in an NFL training camp or NBA summer league team could decide to try to head back to college for a fifth year this upcoming season. In granting the preliminary injunction, Sweeney said the players "will suffer irreparable harm without" it. She did not sign onto the governing body’s argument that applying the new rule retroactively would create "roster chaos." But NCAA President Charlie Baker said it would in responding to the rulings while referencing a bill in Congress designed to provide the NCAA antitrust protection on the eligibility issues. "Today's rulings and the chaos they bring to college sports are exactly why it's time to pass this bill," Baker said. The Colorado ruling came hours after a Tennessee court granted Jalen Washington, who most recently played at Vanderbilt, and 18 other basketball players a fifth season of eligibility. In addition to Washington, athletes such as Donovan Dent, Cade Tyson, Xaivian Lee, and more, have entered the transfer portal with the hope this ruling sticks. In June, the NCAA approved its new eligibility model for Division I athletes that will allow five seasons of competition over a five-year period that begins with their full-time enrollment or the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever occurs first. While the ruling in Tennessee applied to those 19 basketball players, the one in Colorado cast a wider net, granting the class certification the plaintiffs sought. It means the ruling applies to all Division I players who started their college careers in the 2022-23 season, not just a select list. The Associated Press contributed to this report.]]>
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					<![CDATA[What Michigan AD Warde Manuel's Departure Means For The Wolverines]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/michigan-warde-manuel-sherrone-moore-harbaugh</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/michigan-warde-manuel-sherrone-moore-harbaugh</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
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				    <![CDATA[Warde Manuel is stepping down as Michigan's athletics director, so here's a look at how that could impact the Wolverines, especially football and basketball.]]>
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				<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2026 13:16:18 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[With each passing week and each additional layer of scrutiny surrounding Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, how differently could this saga have unfolded if not for the tragic news involving Kent Syverud, who was slated to become the university’s next president? A few weeks after Manuel hired Kyle Whittingham as the Wolverines’ next football coach in late December, the Board of Regents announced that Syverud would become the 16th president at Michigan. Syverud, who was previously the chancellor and president at Syracuse University, was scheduled to take over for interim president Domenico Grasso on July 1 of this year. But in mid-April, just a few days after Michigan’s men’s basketball team won the national championship, Syverud announced that he had been diagnosed with brain cancer. He stepped down from his presidency before it even began. Grasso was eventually elevated to the full-time position, though not quite in a permanent capacity: The Board of Regents said that the search for a 17th president would begin anew. Correctly or not, it was widely assumed that one of Syverud’s main objectives after assuming his new position would be to change leadership within Michigan’s athletics department. For years, Manuel’s tenure with the Wolverines had been peppered with hiring missteps, NCAA violations and embarrassing conduct from his employees. None more so than former football coach Sherrone Moore, whom Manuel fired last December after the department found "credible evidence" of an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate. That Manuel interspersed each blemish with four national championships — including one each for football (2023) and men’s basketball (2026), the most lucrative and highest-visibility sports — was enough for him to keep his job longer than most people expected. But all of that ended on July 20, when Michigan announced that Manuel will be stepping down from his position at the end of the calendar year. So what does this mean? Here’s a look at what’s next for Michigan. What Does Warde Manuel's Departure Mean For Michigan Athletics? In the same way that Michigan’s decision to hire Whittingham represented a noteworthy departure from those who were connected to the pockmarked tenure of alum Jim Harbaugh, this most recent divorce between the Wolverines and Manuel affords the institution an opportunity to do the same atop its athletics department. A native of New Orleans, where he was an All-American high school football player, Manuel matriculated at Michigan and played under legendary head coach Bo Schembechler in the late 1980s, including a spell as Harbaugh’s teammate. And though his gridiron contributions were prematurely halted by a neck injury, Manuel still won multiple varsity letters in multiple sports for the Wolverines, shifting over to the track and field team before the end of his undergraduate career. He went on to earn three degrees from Michigan between 1990 and 2005: a bachelor of general studies, a master’s in social work and an MBA. In other words, Manuel falls neatly within the framework of the proverbial "Michigan Man" persona that was popularized by Schembechler, who manned the sidelines for two decades and eventually became the school’s athletics director. That pedigree alone helps explain why Manuel, now 58, was hired by the Wolverines in 2016. Now, it’s also one of the reasons why so many fans wanted him removed. A steady stream of shameful institutional missteps and public relations nightmares during Manuel’s tenure have dulled the sheen so often associated with the proud "Michigan Man" archetype. Most notably, the stomach-turning sexual abuse scandal involving Dr. Robert Anderson, now deceased, and the university officials who overlooked — or flat-out ignored — years of accusations surrounding the physician’s suspected misconduct during a 50-year career. In 2022, Michigan eventually agreed to a $450 million settlement with more than 1,000 of Anderson’s victims. The jaw-dropping revelation that Schembechler, who coached at Michigan from 1969-89, was among those authority figures shielding in real time began to erode the outsized legacy he and his disciples left behind. Though Moore never played for Michigan prior to joining the Wolverines’ coaching staff in 2018, the decision to fire him amid another off-field controversy in December was seen as a necessary step if the program wanted to finally distance itself from anyone linked to Harbaugh, who himself is inextricably linked to Schembechler. Each victory Harbaugh amassed during an unprecedented run over his final three seasons — a period capped, of course, by winning the national championship in 2023 — seemed to be met with another round of eyebrow-raising headlines: There were plenty of other incidents, too. In effect, dismissing Moore meant that Michigan could finally move on from whatever remnants Harbaugh’s highly successful, highly controversial tenure had left behind — the good, the bad, the unethical and everything in between. It meant the Wolverines could distance themselves from a seminal figure in program history, a true Maize and Blue legend, but someone who also muddied the waters with his ongoing flouting of NCAA rules and longstanding ties to the increasingly stained Schembechler era. Parting ways with Manuel, whose time at Michigan can be connected to all of those things, offers Michigan another chance to start anew, to finally hit the reset button atop the athletics department hierarchy. His replacement should come from outside the Wolverines’ family. How Could Manuel Leaving Affect Michigan Football? As the day-to-day leader of Michigan athletics, Manuel preferred to operate beyond the spotlight whenever possible. He was far less outspoken than some of his colleagues across the country — fellow athletics directors like Pete Bevacqua at Notre Dame or Ross Bjork at Ohio State, for example — and reserved many of his regularly scheduled comments for a friendly local radio show in Ann Arbor. The only real exceptions came when Manuel puffed his chest for reporters in the immediate aftermath of championship moments for the football and men’s basketball programs, which were opportunities he seemed to relish. A connection can be drawn between Manuel’s relative disinterest in occupying the kind of mainstream, protagonist role ascribed to modern ADs and the most common critique surrounding how he approached the job. Both publicly and privately, detractors have questioned Manuel’s creativity and aggression when it comes to things like general fundraising efforts, NIL implementation strategies and negotiating contracts with Michigan’s coaches across various sports. It wasn’t until the Wolverines overhauled their pursuit of five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood prior to his senior season of high school that Michigan employed a fully modernized approach to player acquisition, and that was roughly three years after NIL was introduced on July 1, 2021. Even then, sources familiar with the inner workings of Underwood’s recruitment never included Manuel when asked about the most influential figures in that pursuit. All of which is to say that the Wolverines could benefit quite significantly from selecting a leader focused more on enhancing Michigan’s future than simply honoring, or preserving, its illustrious past. This is particularly important when considering that Whittingham, the new football coach, will turn 67 later this year and has never coached in the power conferences. He built a decorated, Hall-of-Fame caliber career while doing more with less across two decades as the head coach at Utah. And now, as college football continues to evolve on what feels like a daily basis, he’ll need strong leadership and guidance from atop the department to properly wield Michigan’s considerable institutional advantages. What About Michigan Men's Basketball? For a moment, it appeared that Manuel’s uneven tenure might not last beyond the university’s Board of Regents meeting held in Traverse City, Michigan last Thursday. The days leading up to that regularly scheduled gathering hummed with speculation and scuttlebutt surrounding an independent investigation by law firm Jenner &amp; Block, whose bill with the school has now soared to nearly $12 million and counting since the project was commissioned. The Wall Street Journal said the investigation had already found evidence that Michigan received "repeated reports about [Sherrone] Moore’s behavior," as it pertained to the inappropriate relationship with Paige Shiver, his former executive assistant. The Board of Regents meeting Thursday came and went without any discussion on Manuel's future. Neither Manuel nor the investigation by Jenner &amp; Block were discussed. Business, it seemed, would continue as usual for at least a while longer. And that’s exactly how Manuel had been operating. Six days before the Board of Regents meeting, Manuel announced that he was dropping the "interim" tag attached to men’s basketball coach Mike Boynton Jr. after the sides agreed on a two-year contract. Boynton, 44, served as the lead assistant and defensive coordinator for the Wolverines under head coach Dusty May the last two seasons, guiding the program to just the second national championship in school history. He’d worked tirelessly to retain the core of Michigan’s roster ever since May decided to leave for an NBA job last month. "Mike is a veteran assistant with strong head-coaching experience and a clear understanding of the standard we expect at Michigan," Manuel said in a press release. "Over the past two seasons, he has been an invaluable member of our staff, bringing stability, leadership and perspective during an important period of success." Within a week, though, members of the anti-Manuel contingent were given yet another reason to roll their eyes at the way he conducts business. Boynton’s new two-year contract, which will pay him $3.6 million for the 2026-27 season, includes a series of uncommon performance benchmarks he must meet simply to reach the second year of the deal, according to a records request by MLive and an article published Thursday. "The program can’t have any Level I or II NCAA violations," writes beat reporter Andrew Kahn, "Boynton can’t violate any policies or rules, and all players must remain academically eligible. The Wolverines must also reach the Final Four or hit at least two of the following: win at least 24 regular season games (out of 31), finish in the top four in the Big Ten, win the Big Ten Tournament, or reach the Sweet 16." All of those accomplishments feel reasonable for a program that returns several key players from a national championship-winning squad and has also welcomed another star-studded transfer portal class to Ann Arbor, not to mention five-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr., the jewel of Michigan’s high school recruiting class. But with such specific criteria comes plenty of additional pressure for a head coach who already has immense shoes to fill.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Michigan Removes Interim Tag Off Mike Boynton 2 Weeks After Dusty May's Departure]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/michigan-removes-interim-tag-off-mike-boynton-2-weeks-after-dusty-mays-departure</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/michigan-removes-interim-tag-off-mike-boynton-2-weeks-after-dusty-mays-departure</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Mike Boynton wasn't Michigan's interim coach for long.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 2026 15:42:24 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Michigan has agreed to a two-year contract with men's basketball coach Mike Boynton, removing the interim tag he was given after Dusty May left to lead the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. Athletic director Warde Manuel announced the move on Friday, going for some continuity on the coaching staff for the defending national champions. "Mike is a veteran assistant with strong head coaching experience and a clear understanding of the standard we expect at Michigan," Manuel said. "Over the past two seasons, he has been an invaluable member of our staff, bringing stability, leadership and perspective during an important period of success. "Our players and staff believe in his vision, are committed to his leadership and are excited for the opportunity to pursue great success together this season." Boynton has been able to help the Wolverines retain their roster, which includes nine newcomers. "I’m grateful to Warde for his confidence and thankful for the opportunity to lead this program," Boynton said. "We have built a championship culture and a standard that everyone associated with this program takes great pride in. We have an outstanding group of players, and I’m excited to get to work and continue the success we’ve established together." Boynton was 119-109 over seven seasons at Oklahoma State, which fired him two years ago. He recruited Cade Cunningham to play for the Cowboys in 2020 even though they were facing NCAA penalties from rule violations under a former assistant coach. "Coach Boynton has had a huge impact on my life," Cunningham said. "He believed in me, trusted me and pushed me to become the best version of myself. I’m incredibly happy for him and his family because I know how much this opportunity means to all of them. Michigan is getting an outstanding coach, but even more importantly, they’re getting an incredible person." May said during the NCAA Tournament that his top assistant should get another chance to lead a program and added to his endorsement on Friday. "You couldn’t ask for a better person to lead Michigan basketball," May said. "Mike has poured everything he has into this program from the day he got here. He’s an outstanding coach, an even better person, and our players believe in him because they see the work he puts in every single day." The 44-year-old Boynton, who is from New York, previously was an assistant with the Cowboys and Stephen F. Austin under current Illinois coach Brad Underwood. Former Michigan coach John Beilein endorsed Boynton’s hiring. "He absolutely is the right guy at the right time to become the next head men’s basketball coach at Michigan," Beilein said. Manuel hired May away from Florida Atlantic in 2024 and he quickly turned around a program that lost a school-record 24 games two years ago, leading to former Fab Five player Juwan Howard getting fired. Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Former College Basketball Guard Kerr Kriisa Indicted In $2.2M Wire Fraud Scheme]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/former-college-basketball-guard-kerr-kriisa-indicted-2-2m-wire-fraud-scheme</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/former-college-basketball-guard-kerr-kriisa-indicted-2-2m-wire-fraud-scheme</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Former college basketball player Kerr Kriisa lied and posed as other people as part of a scheme through which he fraudulently obtained nearly $2.2 million from two victims, according to a federal indictment.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2026 15:54:15 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Former college basketball player Kerr Kriisa lied and posed as other people as part of a scheme through which he fraudulently obtained nearly $2.2 million from two victims, according to a federal indictment. A federal grand jury in West Virginia indicted Kriisa last month, and the case was unsealed Monday following his arrest by federal agents on Saturday in Kentucky. A 6-foot-3 guard from Estonia, Kriisa began his college career in 2020 at Arizona, where he became a fan favorite for his feistiness and long-range shooting. Kriisa, 25, is expected to appear in federal court in West Virginia this week on five counts of wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Matthew Harvey said. "Financial fraud schemes erode trust and cause real harm to victims who believed they were helping someone in need," Harvey said in a news release. Kriisa led the Pac-12 in assists during his two full seasons at Arizona before transferring to West Virginia. Kriisa was suspended the first nine games of his lone season at West Virginia after admitting he received impermissible benefits while at Arizona. Kriisa transferred to Kentucky in 2024, but was limited to nine games due to a foot injury. He transferred to Cincinnati for his final year of eligibility and started 12 games before suffering a separated shoulder in February. From 2022 through June 2 of this year, he posed as other people, including his own mother, and falsely claimed that he and his family urgently needed money to deal with an emergency, the indictment says. The indictment alleges that, in August 2022, Kriisa falsely told one victim that he had gotten a loan to repay her and then a few months falsely told her he planned to sell his organs to get money to repay her. Between 2022 and 2024, he contacted the same victim, posing as his own mother, and asked for money to pay for cancer treatments for his mother and to save the family's farm, the indictment says. In April 2025, he signed a written agreement falsely promising to repay that victim $100,000 by February 2026. From November 2025 through early February of this year, Kriisa repeatedly asked a second victim for money, sometimes posing as a made-up person named "Irene." Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[What Dusty May's Stunning Exit Means For Michigan Basketball]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/dusty-may-stunning-exit-means-michigan-basketball</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/dusty-may-stunning-exit-means-michigan-basketball</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Even after Dusty May’s departure, Michigan has the roster and infrastructure to remain a national contender — a testament to the foundation he built in two seasons.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:08:34 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[When the following social media post hit people’s timelines at 5:29 p.m. on April 5, the night before Michigan would appear in the national championship game against UConn, anxious Wolverines fans exhaled: "Sources:" ESPN college sports insider Pete Thamel wrote, "Dusty May has informed Michigan officials that he’s not pursuing any college basketball jobs. … May had been an initial target at North Carolina, but that never materialized because of Michigan advancing in the NCAA Tournament." By then, rumors and speculation surrounding May’s potential candidacy at North Carolina, considered by many to be the most enticing job in college basketball, were running rampant following the Tar Heels’ dismissal of head coach Hubert Davis. In just two seasons at Michigan, where May inherited a mucky mess from predecessor Juwan Howard, he’d lifted the Wolverines to incredible heights: twenty-seven victories and a trip to the Sweet 16 in his debut campaign, followed by a Big Ten regular-season title and a national championship while setting a school record with 37 wins in Year 2. May accomplished all of this while embracing NIL, the transfer portal, analytics and NBA-style roster construction, a formula that only enhanced his standing across the sport. He was, at 49 years old, seen by many as the ideal modern coach, someone capable of sustaining Michigan’s success to a dynastical degree. A week later, during the Wolverines’ banner-raising ceremony at Crisler Center, athletic director Warde Manuel told The Athletic he believed May will "be the leader of this basketball team for many years to come." Manuel added the two sides had agreed on a contract extension designed to keep May at Michigan for the foreseeable future, though nothing had been officially signed. Still, the forcefulness of Manuel's comments — he said the contract would be on May’s desk by the following weekend — quelled some of the lingering concerns. But on Monday morning came the stunning news that May was finalizing a deal to become head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, leaving one of the most coveted jobs in college basketball at an unusual time in the calendar for a chance to compete at the sport’s highest level. Rather than pursuing a second consecutive national championship at Michigan, May will take over a rebuilding franchise that bid farewell to All-NBA guard Luka Dončić partway through the 2025 season and has since replaced him with former Duke star Cooper Flagg — the No. 1 overall pick last summer and the league’s reigning Rookie of the Year. The Mavericks also have two more first-round selections in this week’s NBA Draft, one of which falls in the top 10. May’s replacement, at least temporarily, will be current Michigan assistant Mike Boynton Jr., according to additional reporting from ESPN. Boynton was the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator the last two years and was previously the head coach at Oklahoma State from 2017-24, guiding the Cowboys to one NCAA Tournament appearance and two trips to the NIT. He’s expected to be named interim coach for the upcoming season in an effort to preserve a roster that includes the nation’s No. 4 high school recruiting class and the No. 12 transfer haul. Michigan’s players will be given a 15-day window to enter the transfer portal that begins five days after May’s replacement is hired or publicly announced. For such a jaw-dropping move to take place during the third week of June, by which time most programs have already begun their summer workouts, is merely the latest reminder that stability in collegiate athletics no longer exists — even after winning a national championship. Instead, May becomes the first college coach to leave for an equivalent role in the NBA since former Michigan head coach John Beilein was hired by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019. He’s also the first coach to walk away after cutting down the nets since Larry Brown departed Kansas in 1988 for a return to the pros. Perhaps the warning signs were there all along. Or at least since Thamel’s carefully worded message entered the discourse in early April, the one specifying that May wouldn’t pursue other college basketball jobs but made no mention of how he’d respond to interest from the NBA. Such a unique syntactical choice — coupled with the fact that May’s contract extension remains unsigned — feels like a set of clues that were largely overlooked amid the good vibes and wishful thinking sparked by Michigan’s first national championship in nearly 40 years. It’s easy to understand why fans would have trouble picturing someone like May walking away from a program that is so well-positioned for lasting success in the modern era. But with the modernization of collegiate athletics has come a tediousness in the coaching profession that never used to exist. There’s a constant turning of the hamster wheel in an industry where nothing about the system can sustain. Rosters are churning like never before. Player compensation soars on an annual basis. Whichever rules actually remain are difficult to understand and even harder to enforce. Imagine telling Dean Smith or Mike Krzyzewski that they’d be learning the names of local judges. Who can really blame May for bailing on the blur? And yet, somewhat paradoxically, the aggressiveness of Michigan’s transformation under May means the infrastructure is there for the Wolverines to remain among college basketball’s elite. He radicalized everything from practice habits and player acquisition to fundraising and on-court philosophy, all of which could be largely maintained with Boynton in charge. Not only are the Wolverines loaded with talent for the 2026-27 campaign — pending the success of Boynton’s retention efforts — but there are only a handful of teams around the country that can match Michigan’s financial commitment year over year. An assembly line of high-level transfers-turned-pros from the last two seasons is all the proof recruits should need. Which is why, even after Monday’s shocking news, Michigan’s reputation should continue to swell in the coming days when three of May’s former players are drafted: Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr., all of whom are projected first-round picks. Together, they entrusted May with their development and won a national championship because of it, dominating the sport on both ends of the floor. There's little question that they'd vouch for the quality of program he's leaving behind. With or without May, the Wolverines have pieces in place that suggest they'll be fine. And that's a credit to everything he built across two seasons Michigan fans will never forget.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Michigan Coach Dusty May Heading To NBA, Reportedly Agrees To Deal With Mavericks]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/michigan-coach-dusty-may-going-pro-reportedly-agrees-deal-mavericks</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/michigan-coach-dusty-may-going-pro-reportedly-agrees-deal-mavericks</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Two months after leading Michigan to a national championship, Wolverines head coach Dusty May is going pro.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 10:44:49 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Two months after leading Michigan to a national championship, Wolverines head coach Dusty May is going pro. May has accepted an offer to become the next head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, ESPN reported Monday morning. The terms of the deal aren't known yet. May, 49, quickly turned around Michigan in his two years in Ann Arbor. He went 64-13 since becoming the Wolverines' head coach in 2024, going 27-10 in his first year at the helm. That season ended with a Sweet 16 appearance, setting the stage for Michigan to make the jump as contenders in 2025-26. The Wolverines did that, going 37-3 en route to winning the Big Ten regular season title and national championship. While May was only at Michigan for a couple of seasons, he helped develop a few players into NBA prospects. Big man Danny Wolf was a first-round pick after his one season with May in Ann Arbor, getting drafted by the Brooklyn Nets last season. A few prospects from Michigan's national championship-winning team could be taken in the lottery in Tuesday's draft, with mock drafts having center Aday Mara, forward/center Morez Johnson Jr. and forward Yaxel Lendeborg all being first-round picks. Even though Michigan will lose a few first-round prospects, it was still expected to be one of the top teams in the nation in 2026-27 prior to May's departure. It landed former Cincinnati center Moustapha Thiam, former Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella and former LSU forward Jalen Reed in the transfer portal, giving it the 12th-best portal class in the nation, per 247 Sports. On top of that, Michigan was able to keep guard Elliot Cadeau after he declared for the NBA Draft. After winning the award for the Final Four's most outstanding player, May and his staff successfully persuaded Cadeau to remain in Ann Arbor for another season. With May and Cadeau set to return and after landing some major reinforcements in the transfer portal, Michigan was ranked third in FOX Sports college basketball analyst Casey Jacobsen's most recent top 25 poll. "It’s unfair to expect the Wolverines to match last year’s defensive dominance, but don’t underestimate May’s ability to build another elite unit," Jacobsen wrote. Now, Michigan will have to find a new head coach who'll be tasked with doing that relatively late in the offseason. The Wolverines also lost assistant coach Justin Joyner this offseason, as he became the head coach of Oregon State, potentially taking out one name from the mix to replace May. Prior to becoming Michigan's head coach, May went 126-69 in five seasons at Florida Atlantic, leading the Owls to a surprise Final Four run in 2022-23.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Legislation Overhauling College Sports Faces Major Test In The Senate]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ncaa-legislation-player-pay-coach-movement</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ncaa-legislation-player-pay-coach-movement</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[A bipartisan bill top lawmakers and athletic leaders have described as the best chance to stabilize college sports is facing a key test in the Senate.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2026 12:28:26 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[A bill that top lawmakers and athletic leaders have described as the best chance to stabilize college sports faces a key test in the Senate on Thursday as sponsors roll out a revised version after weeks of input from schools, conferences and athletes. The bipartisan Protect College Sports Act aims to regulate payments to players, limit them to one free transfer over their careers and create a rule to restrict coaches from changing jobs during a season. The Senate Commerce Committee will debate the latest version of the bill on Thursday before potentially voting on whether to send it to the full Senate for consideration. The legislation is the product of months of negotiations between Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, the top lawmakers on the Senate Commerce Committee, and comes when lawmakers in both chambers of Congrlaneess are grappling with whether it's time for them to intervene in college sports. The Senate bill has won backing from several athletic conferences as well as the NFL and its players' union and the United States Olympic &amp; Paralympic Committee. But the two most powerful conferences in college sports — the Southeastern Conference, based in Birmingham, Alabama, and the Big Ten Conference, based in Rosemont, Illinois — have not endorsed it. The Olympic committee’s support comes as the revised bill is expected to add further protections for women’s and Olympic sports. Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the Olympic and Paralympic committee, told Cruz and Cantwell in a letter this week that she looks forward to Thursday's action by the Senate panel and encouraged it to advance the bill without delay. Support for the bill does not fall neatly along party lines, reflecting the national reach of SEC and Big Ten schools and broader divisions in Congress. While President Donald Trump has backed the bill, some fellow Republicans oppose it. Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican and former Auburn football coach, has opposed the measure, saying, "If we get involved in it, if you look at everything else we do, it doesn’t work." He has introduced his own bill. Senate Democrats have been especially quiet on the issue. On the eve of the committee action, some Democrats on the Senate Commerce Committee were still on the fence about the bill. Further changes are still possible, with lawmakers expected to consider amendments during the hearing. "I have not made up my mind," Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth said. Democratic Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan said he is also "still up in the air" on the bill. Michigan is home to two prominent Big Ten schools — the University of Michigan and Michigan State University — and Peters said he has been in contact with the conference. "We still are trying to get some changes that the Big Ten would like to see," Peters told The Associated Press. Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[New Faces, Same Standard: Despite Turnover, UConn's Identity Remains Intact]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/new-faces-same-standard-despite-turnover-uconns-identity-remains-intact</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/new-faces-same-standard-despite-turnover-uconns-identity-remains-intact</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Caught between heartbreak and history, Dan Hurley embraces change as UConn reloads for another title run. FOX Sports' Michael Cohen has the story.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 16:24:07 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[STORRS, Conn. — It's toward the end of his grueling incline-run workouts when UConn head coach Dan Hurley feels the familiar yearning for some self-inflicted pain. As he runs, sweat spewing, Hurley cues up "One Shining Moment" on his phone, the annual highlight video that accompanies each NCAA Tournament. The Huskies make their first appearance after exactly 90 seconds, with forward Alex Karaban embracing a teammate following the Round of 32 victory over UCLA. Hurley’s face flashes across the screen moments later, twisted into a comedic sideline expression. Next comes center Tarris Reed Jr. flicking home a hook shot. And then there’s freshman Braylon Mullins burying perhaps the greatest shot in program history: a 3-point buzzer beater against Duke that propelled the Huskies to another Final Four, their third in the last four seasons. For Hurley, the palatable portion of the video ends shortly thereafter. He relives UConn’s win against Illinois in the national semifinals and then quickly taps his screen to exit. Treadmill session over. He still can’t stomach the way this particular montage ends: scenes of Michigan prevailing in the championship game. Even for a coach who built his career on suffering, who thought he was the failure of the famed Hurley basketball family, the self-inflicted anguish can only go so far. "You’re disappointed because you were pretty close to winning three out of four championships," Hurley told me last week. "Sending Tarris out with a ring and a parade, [sending] Alex out as the most decorated college basketball player of his generation. So that part of it is crushing. And then you look at the historical context of being in that game three out of four years [and realize] we are doing things as a program that haven’t been done since the ’90s. And we’re doing it during a really volatile time. "So I think two things can be true, you know? The run that we’ve been on has been historic, but man, it sucked that we didn’t win it." This is the headspace Hurley occupies on a scorching afternoon in mid-June, partway through the Huskies’ first week of their first summer session, the de facto beginning of another championship pursuit. As a perpetually tortured soul, Hurley’s journey toward fulfillment always seems to land at the crossroads between overly critical introspection and the healthy acceptance that even seasons ending in defeat can be enjoyed. It's a lesson imparted on him by colleague Geno Auriemma, head coach of the UConn’s women's team. So here Hurley stands, halfway between the loss to Michigan and the blank slate of a fresh campaign, reconciling those conflicting parts amid widespread changes to the program. Though nothing about his hunger for a third national title has waned, so much of what’s around Hurley is different. Gone are Karaban and Reed, the two leading scorers and two most important players from last year’s team. Gone, too, is assistant coach Luke Murray, an offensive mastermind and ace recruiter now in charge at Boston College. Shooting guard Solo Ball, who would have been the Huskies’ most experienced returner, is taking a medical redshirt as he recovers from wrist surgery. Seven newcomers arrived via the transfer portal, two more from the high school ranks, and there are fresh names within both Hurley’s staff and the strength and conditioning department alike. "Parts of it do feel different: new faces, new guys," point guard Silas Demary Jr. told me last week. "But it’s still the same standard. It’s still the same [level of] holding everybody accountable, running through every line. It’s still some of the same rules we’ve had even before the changes that are now in place." Much of that approach can be attributed to the way Hurley is wired — his unflinching competitiveness quickly flipping from one season to the next within a few hours of the final buzzer against Michigan, at which point the transfer portal had already opened. Once the Huskies boarded their return trip from Indianapolis the following day, still wounded from a six-point loss that separated them from a seventh national title, Hurley began asking general manager Tom Moore for an overview of how to retool the roster. It was the same thing Hurley had done the year prior on the way home from Raleigh, North Carolina, after losing to eventual national champion Florida in the Round of 32. By then, Moore and a group of support staffers had spent months working the phones to better understand how the transfer market was likely to unfold dollar-wise and which players were keen on entering the fray. His small council included graduate assistant Andrew Hurley — one of Dan’s sons — along with student managers Khaliq Young and Jack Richason. Additional insight came from assistant coaches Murray, Kimani Young and Mike Nardi, though Murray’s involvement curtailed once he accepted the job at Boston College. Still, Hurley and Murray traded names of potential transfer targets on the flight back from the Final Four, a reflection of their extremely tight bond. While the pros of reaching the national championship game will always outweigh the cons, making three such appearances in quick succession has complicated the Huskies’ involvement in the transfer portal. Moore estimates that UConn and other teams participating in the Final Four are often entering the race for high-profile transfers two or three weeks later than their competitors, which is reflected by lofty price tags that suggest bidding began a good while earlier. He jokes that the program would be flush with cash if the Huskies received a fundraising dollar for every time an agent told Moore, "You’re late — but we’ll let you in because you’re UConn," which is a tradeoff the staff is happy to make. "Our athletic director, Dave Benedict, is extremely supportive of us and our efforts and finding a way," Moore told me last week. "It’s not easy anywhere. Everyone is trying to figure the thing out as best they can. But we’ve had about five offseasons in this new model. We always go into it with an idea of what [the roster cost] might be in December. And then we sort of have to up it a little as we sort of start to talk to people in February. Then it seems like we go back to Dave again in March with another [request]. And then we have to go to him again in April and May when we’re in the heart of it and say, ‘It may be even more." "And he’s never, ever once pushed back. He’s sympathetic of what we’re facing, and he’s in our corner. He understands that to have championship goals, you really have to have championship aspirations in terms of fundraising and revenue generation." There also needs to be conviction — particularly when the Huskies have faced such pronounced time crunches for identifying, scouting and hosting players in the wake of sustained postseason success. This, according to Moore, is another area where Hurley excels. He watches film, pores over statistics and dives into the analytics of each potential transfer target before making a "strong, firm decision" that prevents the program from getting "paralyzed by guys wanting to take a visit and the whole thing," Moore told me, which can begin to feel performative. Hurley’s unprecedented success in the modern era, when NIL and the transfer portal conspire to make roster construction more difficult than ever, has only strengthened his belief in the general framework fueling UConn’s ascent. He described his approach to building next year’s team as "almost slotting people in to fit the type of pieces that we’ve had success with here."The product on display during practice last week certainly reflects such an endeavor. The power forward spot that was manned for ages by Karaban now belongs to Duke transfer Nik Khamenia, whom Hurley described as having "a lot of attributes that Alex had in terms of the feel, the size, the versatility, the competitiveness, the love of the game, the shooting." The center position will be anchored by another hulking bruiser in Seton Hall transfer Na'jai Hines, whose 6-foot-10, 260-pound frame is in keeping with the imposing presence Reed provided over the last two seasons. His primary backup, Stanford center Oskar Giltay, complements that strength with similar athleticism and shot-blocking that former UConn big man Samson Johnson offered both of Hurley’s national championship teams. The ultra-confident, self-assured perimeter shooter is now Wofford transfer Nils Machowski, who steps into an archetype once filled by players like Cam Spencer and Joey Calcaterra in recent years, both portal gems. The instant-impact freshman is expected to be forward Colben Landrew, a rugged wing with enough talent for Hurley to place him in the same category as recent first-year standouts Stephon Castle, Liam McNeeley and Mullins, all of whom were five-star recruits. So while there have been plenty of changes at UConn ahead of the 2026-27 season, with new faces in new places at seemingly every turn, the Huskies' profile still looks and feels largely the same. And if recent history is any indication, that might be enough for Hurley to reach another Final Four. Perhaps he'll even win it all and watch the entire "One Shining Moment" video next spring. "You never want to lose championship people," Hurley told me last week. "But I think that the change is refreshing, it’s invigorating, it gets you excited to do it with new people that haven’t experienced the way we do it, you know? You’re exposing new people to the UConn way of doing it. It’s kind of fun."]]>
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					<![CDATA[NC State Investigating Potential Legal Claims Against LSU Over Will Wade Exit]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/nc-state-investigating-potential-legal-claims-against-lsu-over-will-wade-exit</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/nc-state-investigating-potential-legal-claims-against-lsu-over-will-wade-exit</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[N.C. State is investigating potential legal claims against LSU tied to men’s basketball coach Will Wade leaving for a second stint coaching the Tigers.]]>
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				<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:17:47 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[N.C. State is investigating potential legal claims against LSU tied to men’s basketball coach Will Wade leaving for a second stint coaching the Tigers. That includes whether LSU violated a North Carolina state law. N.C. State vice chancellor and general counsel Allison B. Newhart wrote to LSU counterpart Carlton Jones last week about the matter, a development first reported by WRAL in Raleigh. The letter was later obtained by The Associated Press in a records request. According to N.C. State, it has received three email messages from LSU asking the school to "sign a release of claims" against LSU in the Wade matter. Letter Cites a State Law With Potential Financial Damages Newhart's letter from last Thursday states the school "has not agreed — and does not agree now — to release LSU from any liability" tied to Wade’s departure after one season with the Wolfpack in March. "Instead, N.C. State is investigating whether LSU improperly induced Coach Wade to breach his Employment Agreement, induced Coach Wade to terminate his Employment Agreement, and interfered with the timing of termination of the Employment Agreement to result in lower liquidated damages – all to N.C. State’s detriment," Newhart wrote. That includes whether LSU violated the state’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act; violations can result in financial damages and attorney fees. Reached by the AP on Wednesday, N.C. State spokeswoman Lauren Barker said the school had no additional comment beyond the letter's contents. LSU spokesman Michael Bonnette declined comment to the AP. The Timing of Wade's Buyout Payment is a Key Factor LSU hired Wade on March 26, two weeks after Wade publicly stated he was determined to win big at N.C. State in Year 2. The buyout in Wade’s contract was for $5 million, but was scheduled to drop to $3 million after April 1. At the time, athletic director Boo Corrigan said the school agreed to lower that to $4 million to close the matter and not delay the search for a successor that landed former Wolfpack player and Tennessee assistant Justin Gainey in less than a week. Newhart’s letter states the N.C. State received a $4 million wire from LSU on May 8 for Wade's buyout. But she also writes that N.C. State considers the issue resolved "only as to Coach Wade’s personal obligations" and that the payment "does not absolve LSU from potential legal exposure." Specifically, the letter states N.C. State "has reason to suspect "LSU may have influenced efforts to avoid or delay" notifying the school of the pursuit to trigger the lower buyout payment from after April 1. Reporting for the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[College Basketball Rankings: St. John's Storms Into Top 10, Kentucky Enters Top 25]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/college-basketball-rankings-st-johns-storms-top-10-kentucky-enters-top-25</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/college-basketball-rankings-st-johns-storms-top-10-kentucky-enters-top-25</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[With the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline in the rearview mirror, FOX Sports' Casey Jacobsen shares his updated men's college basketball rankings.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 01:06:55 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The wait is finally over. After months of transfer portal movement, recruiting battles and NBA Draft decisions, last week's withdrawal deadline brought some clarity. Fans learned which standout players would be returning to campus, who would be moving on to the pros and what rosters will actually look like entering the 2026-27 season. There are still a few dominoes left to fall, but the picture is much more clear than it was last month. With that in mind, here's a look at my updated men's college basketball Top 25 for the 2026-27 season. Previous Ranking: NR Big Blue Nation was starting to worry that Kentucky wouldn't have a top-25 roster. The late addition of Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic changes that. He was the top-ranked transfer available in May, and Kentucky landed him. The retention of Malachi Moreno, who averaged 8 points and 6 rebounds per game last season, is also huge. He's due for a breakout year. A projected starting five of Zoom Diallo, Alex Wilkins, Momcilovic, Ousmane N'Diaye, and Moreno looks very solid and should have Kentucky firmly in the top-25 conversation. Previous Ranking: 24 Losing the program's all-time leading scorer, Bruce Thornton, to graduation certainly hurts, but the talent is there for Jake Diebler's team to make some noise in the Big Ten next season. Diebler is set to welcome a strong transfer class, highlighted by former Cal guard Justin Pippen, who will join returnee John Mobley Jr. in the starting backcourt. He'll also welcome five-star freshman Anthony Thompson, the highest-rated recruit to arrive in Columbus since Jared Sullinger in 2010. Previous Ranking: 23 After taking a second look at rosters, it’s become clear that the Cornhuskers are worthy of a spot in the Top 25. Utah Valley transfer Trevan Leonhardt is a passing wizard and a strong offensive fit in a backcourt that also features Braden Frager and Pryce Sandfort. Belmont transfer Sam Orme adds valuable shooting at the four spot. This team will score, but the question remains: can they defend? Previous Ranking: 22 Robert Wright III's decision to return for his junior season dramatically changes the Cougars' 2026-27 outlook, giving them one of the best floor generals in the sport. He will be joined by five-star freshman standout Bruce Branch III, who is widely regarded as one of the top 2026 prospects in the nation. The Cougars will also welcome in Collin Chandler, who is set to return home after two years playing for Mark Pope and Kentucky. Previous Ranking: 21 Miami head coach Jai Lucas should have one of the best rosters in the ACC heading into next season, but how quickly it all comes together remains to be seen. Shelton Henderson is a rising star, with the look of a future pro. He’ll be joined by a loaded transfer class, highlighted by a pair of standout additions in Villanova transfer Acaden Lewis and former Georgia big man Somto Cyril. Previous Ranking: 20 Vanderbilt's offseason revolved around the decision of star point guard Tyler Tanner. The good news for Mark Byington's team is that Tanner withdrew from the NBA Draft and will return next season as a likely preseason first-team All-American. The not so good news is that starting forward AK Okereke, who was seeking an additional year of eligibility, will not return next year. Still, Byington had an exceptional year in the transfer portal, bringing in an impressive five-man class that includes T.O. Barrett (Missouri), Berke Buyuktuncel (Nebraska), Bangot Dak (Colorado), Ace Glass (Washington State) and Sebastian Williams-Adams (Auburn). Previous Ranking: 19 Indiana head coach Darian DeVries completely retooled his roster this offseason, assembling a six-man transfer class that ranks sixth in the nation, per 247Sports. The group is headlined by a dominant frontcourt duo in Aiden Sherrell (Indiana) and Samet Yigitoglu (SMU). They'll be joined by former Notre Dame standout Markus Burton, who could be one of the top newcomers in the Big Ten next season if he can stay healthy. Previous Ranking: 18 Houston coach Kelvin Sampson faces the challenge of replacing four starters from last year's team. The Cougars will need Chase McCarty and Mercy Miller to step into bigger roles next season, and will look to returning forward Joseph Tugler to take a jump into an alpha role. Sampson is set to bring in a trio of impact transfers: Dedan Thomas Jr. (LSU), Delrecco Gillespie (Kent State) and Corey Hadnot II (Purdue Fort Wayne), along with a top-25 recruiting class highlighted by five-star big man Arafan Diane. Previous Ranking: 17Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes is known for being one of the top defensive coaches in the nation, but the 71-year-old Barnes is set to bring in the No. 3-ranked portal class in the nation this year, and it's loaded with plenty of offensive firepower. Barnes' haul includes three players – Juke Harris (Wake Forest), Terrence Hill Jr. (VCU) and Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame) – ranked among the top 25 transfers in this country. Previous Ranking: 16 Alabama forward Amari Allen withdrew from the NBA Draft and will provide the Crimson Tide with a steadying force on the perimeter. Beyond that, there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding Alabama's roster. Big man Aiden Sherrell transferred to Indiana, while standout guard Aden Holloway, who was arrested on felony drug charges on March 16, has announced plans to return to the university and hopes to rejoin the team. Jaxon Richardson and Qayden Samuels are both highly touted recruits who will arrive next season, but their impact remains to be seen. Previous Ranking: 15 Continuity has been a central theme for the Cavaliers this offseason. Virginia returns four of its top six scorers from last year, including Thijs De Ridder, a 6-foot-9 forward from Belgium who led the team in scoring as a freshman. His combination of versatility and experience gives the Cavaliers a reliable offensive foundation, while returning guard Chance Mallory will be asked to take on a larger role as the team's lead initiator and playmaker. Previous Ranking: 14 Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in Ames through 2036, but Iowa State will enter 2026-27 with a different roster. The departures of Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic leave significant holes to fill, though the return of guards Killyan Toure and Jamarion Batemon, coupled with a five-player transfer haul, should help. Previous Ranking: 12 Guard Rodney Rice is returning from injury, while Alijah Arenas enters his sophomore season with the benefit of a full offseason in the weight room. Jacob Cofie is back to anchor the frontcourt, and the additions of KJ Lewis from Georgetown, Eric Reibe from UConn, and three top-30 freshmen give the Trojans one of the nation's most fascinating rosters. How quickly coach Eric Musselman can mold that talent into a contender will be one of the sport's biggest storylines. Previous Ranking: 10 The exit of Meleek Thomas to the NBA hurt, but the return of Billy Richmond III was significant. This team should still be a lot of fun. Arkansas has Elite Eight potential thanks to its mix of veteran talent and the nation's top recruiting class, which includes four top-25 prospects, led by guard Jordan Smith Jr. Previous Ranking: 11 Texas' ceiling depends on returning center Matas Vokietaitis becoming a star, but the pieces around him are in place. The Longhorns were aggressive in the transfer portal, landing David Punch from TCU and Isaiah Johnson from Colorado. Punch should pair with Vokietaitis to give Texas a strong frontcourt, while Johnson provides a steady hand at point guard. Previous Ranking: 10 Gonzaga will get a huge boost from Braden Huff, one of the most talented players in the country, returning from an injury that kept him out of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Around Huff, coach Mark Few and the Bulldogs added Massamba Diop from Arizona State and Isiah Harwell from Houston. Both endured disappointing freshman seasons and will look to bounce back in Spokane. Previous Ranking: 9 After making the Final Four for the first time since 2001, Arizona lost four key pieces, including freshman standout Koa Peat, who opted to remain in the NBA Draft. Head coach Tommy Lloyd will rely on returning starters Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov, who give the Wildcats a high floor, especially on defense. The backcourt of North Carolina transfer Derek Dixon and five-star freshman Caleb Holt will give the offense a new look. Previous Ranking: 11 The Red Storm come bursting their way into the top 10. I already loved their roster last month, but the surprising addition of Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou is exactly what they needed. He’s a big-bodied guard who can impact the game on both ends of the floor, averaging 18 points and 6 rebounds per game last season. Previous Ranking: 7 Michigan State’s star point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. will return after withdrawing from the NBA Draft. Fears, an extension of coach Tom Izzo on the court, could be a candidate for the Bob Cousy Award. He is the Spartans’ floor general, but for them to go the distance, forwards Coen Carr and Cam Ward, along with shooting guard Kur Teng, will need to step up. Anton Bonke, a transfer from Charlotte, could help offset the departures of Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler. Previous Ranking: 7 Head coach Dan Hurley convinced freshman standout Braylon Mullins to return to UConn after a magical run to the 2026 national title game. Point guard Silas Demary Jr. and forward Jayden Ross are also back. Transfers Nikolas Khamenia and Najai Hines should help fill the void left by the departures of Tarris Reed Jr. and Alex Karaban. Previous Ranking: 5 The Cardinals went out and spent a lot of money to put together a team that I think is title worthy. Let’s start with the best defensive center in the country: Flory Bidunga. He’s flanked by Iowa transfer Alvaro Folgueiras, fresh off his clutch NCAA Tournament performances. In the backcourt, Oregon transfer Jackson Shelstad runs the point and Arkansas wing transfer Karter Knox rounds out a roster that has a little bit of everything. Previous Ranking: 4 Duke's roster blends star power and depth. The headliner is Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell, who withdrew from the NBA Draft and will help replace the loss of Isaiah Evans. Head coach Jon Scheyer also brought in a new class of five-star freshmen, as well as heralded international prospect Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje from Spain. The foundation is Duke's returning group: Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer, Dame Sarr and Patrick Ngongba II. Previous Ranking: 3 One year after relying on an elite frontcourt, the core of this Michigan team will reside in its returning backcourt of Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney. Head coach Dusty May had to replace a trio of forwards projected to be first-round NBA Draft picks, and he did so with JP Estrella from Tennessee and Moustapha Thiam from Cincinnati. It’s unfair to expect the Wolverines to match last year’s defensive dominance, but don’t underestimate May’s ability to build another elite unit. Previous Ranking: 2 Illinois head coach Brad Underwood should feel good about this group after Andrej Stojakovic withdrew from the NBA Draft and returned to the Illini. Alongside David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic, Stojakovic gives Illinois one of the nation's top frontcourts. The addition of Stefan Vaaks from Providence should help offset the loss of Keaton Wagler. Previous Ranking: 1 The Gators vaulted to No. 1 after their entire frontcourt elected to return. Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu, all key contributors on Florida's 2025 national championship team, are back after last season ended in a Round of 32 loss to Iowa. Guards Boogie Fland and Urban Klavzar will also return to Gainesville.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Top 10 Returning Players In College Basketball Ahead Of The 2026-27 Season]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/top-10-returning-players-college-basketball-ahead-2026-27-season</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/top-10-returning-players-college-basketball-ahead-2026-27-season</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[From Jeremy Fears Jr. to Elliot Cadeau, FOX Sports' Michael Cohen lists the top returning players in men's college basketball ahead of the 2026-27 season.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:07:33 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[For certain coaches and fans around the country, many of whom had been waiting with bated breath, last week's NBA Draft withdrawal deadline finally afforded them the chance to exhale. The collective sigh you might have heard originated in places like East Lansing, Michigan, where point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. allowed the Spartans to breathe easier, and extended to Nashville, Tennessee, where point guard Tyler Tanner's choice to return to school should propel Vanderbilt into the Top 25. Elsewhere, the reactions were far more tempered — crushed, even. Arizona bid farewell to star forward Koa Peat, a five-star freshman who made the surprising decision to remain in this year's NBA Draft. And at Arkansas, whose coach, John Calipari, is accustomed to rebuilding efforts, the Razorbacks will need to replace standout guard Meleek Thomas. The draft giveth and the draft taketh away. With that in mind — and now that rosters are finally, sort of, almost complete — here's a look at the top returning players in the sport ahead of the 2026-27 season, in no particular order: Height: 6-foot-2Weight: 190 poundsClass: Redshirt juniorPrevious schools: None Last season: 15.2 points, 9.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 32.4 minutes per game It’s anything but hyperbolic to say the trajectory of Michigan State’s upcoming season hinged on whether Fears, a second-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten performer, would decide to remain in the NBA Draft. He kept the Spartan faithful waiting until the absolute last minute, stretching his contemplative period — and the accompanying speculation on social media — all the way to the withdrawal deadline day. In the end, though, with most prognosticators viewing Fears as an early second-round pick, he decided to return for another year alongside head coach Tom Izzo. Though his on-court demeanor remains divisive, Fears should enter the 2026-27 campaign as arguably the best point guard in college basketball after leading the nation in assists last season. Fears will be counted on to demonstrate legitimate growth in maturity and leadership following the departures of veteran big men Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper, both of whom exhausted their eligibility. This team belongs to Fears. Height: 6 feetWeight: 175 poundsClass: JuniorPrevious schools: None Last season: 19.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals in 33.5 minutes per game An incredible ascent from zero-star recruit to one of the more prolific scoring guards in the country vaulted Tanner into a legitimate draft prospect this spring, with most experts viewing him as a fringe first-round pick. Undeterred by an undersized frame, Tanner flashed strength on both ends of the court by earning first-team All-SEC honors while simultaneously being named to the conference’s All-Defensive Team last season. He was also inches away from connecting on a half-court heave against Nebraska that would have lifted Vanderbilt into the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2007. As with Michigan State, the Commodores’ outlook changes quite significantly with Tanner returning for another season. His presence alone should be enough to earn Vanderbilt a spot in most preseason rankings and keep the program in the upper half of what projects as an incredibly competitive SEC landscape. Head coach Mark Byington has a chance to lead the Commodores to a third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance for just the second time in school history. Height: 6-foot-9Weight: 215 poundsClass: SeniorPrevious schools: None Last season: 17.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 33.3 minutes per game For Haugh and his teammates, the dream of winning back-to-back national championships was shattered with a stunning second-round loss to No. 8 Iowa last March. In many ways, it was a defeat that could have signaled the end of an era for Florida, whose exceptional frontcourt trio of Haugh, Alex Condon and Reuben Chinyelu all faced individual decisions about the NBA Draft. With one expert after another projecting Haugh — a consensus second-team All-American last season — as a surefire first-round pick and likely lottery choice, his time in college seemed finished. But on April 21, more than a month before the NBA’s withdrawal deadline, Haugh announced his intention to return for another year, matching Condon’s decision from the week prior. And when Chinyelu decided to join them by removing his name from the draft last month, head coach Todd Golden’s band was officially back together. Now, the Gators will almost certainly enter the 2026-27 campaign as prohibitive national title favorites and the presumptive No. 1 team in the country. Height: 6-foot-8Weight: 225 poundsClass: SeniorPrevious schools: Iowa State Last season: 16.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1 assist in 30.5 minutes per game Momcilovic faced two monumental choices in quick succession as the calendar inched from spring toward summer. First, the sharpshooting forward needed to decide whether to remain in the NBA Draft, where he projected as an early second-round pick. Once Momcilovic removed his name from consideration in late May, he was tasked with selecting a new collegiate destination after moving on from Iowa State. The dust finally settled late Monday evening when Momcilovic, a second-team All-Big 12 selection, committed to Kentucky over Louisville and Arizona. It’s easy to understand why 247Sports rated Momcilovic as the No. 2 overall player in this year’s transfer portal, trailing only former Kansas center Flory Bidunga, now at Louisville. He led the nation in both 3-point field goal percentage (48.7%) and 3-pointers made (136) for an Iowa State team that finished tied for third in a brutally difficult Big 12 and then reached the Sweet 16. Momcilovic chipped in at least three made 3s in 23 of 37 appearances for the Cyclones and reached a season-high eight 3-pointers on four separate occasions. Height: 6-foot-4Weight: 195 poundsClass: SeniorPrevious schools: Georgia Last season: 10.1 points, 5.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 28.4 minutes per game After head coach Dan Hurley and his squad pushed No. 1 Michigan to the brink in this year’s national championship despite significant injuries to Demary (ankle) and guard Solo Ball (wrist), it left many UConn fans wondering what might have been. The Huskies never complete their stunning comeback against top-seeded Duke in the Elite Eight without Demary’s two 3-pointers in the waning moments. Nor do they reach the title game without his seven points, seven assists and nine rebounds against Illinois in the Final Four. Still, those performances paled in comparison to what Demary offered at his best during the regular season. Time and again, Hurley credited Demary for instilling the team with levels of toughness and defensive intensity that raised UConn’s ceiling. Coaches around the conference seemed to agree: Hurley’s peers voted Demary first-team All-Big East and also placed him on the league’s All-Defensive Team. Demary and guard Braylon Mullins should form one of the sport’s best backcourts. Height: 6-foot-4Weight: 203 poundsClass: SeniorPrevious schools: Wisconsin Last season: 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals in 33.8 minutes per game One year removed from a near-silent transfer portal cycle in which head coach Jon Scheyer only added reserve center Ifeanyi Ufochukwu, the Blue Devils made much more of a splash this spring. In addition to signing former Belmont star Drew Scharnowski, the No. 31 overall transfer and No. 8 power forward in the portal, Scheyer also secured one of the sport’s best pure scorers in Blackwell. Any concerns about whether Blackwell would ever make it to Duke were erased on May 22 when he withdrew from the NBA Draft. A former three-star recruit, Blackwell developed into a highly effective three-level scorer during an impressive career with the Badgers. He increased his scoring average from 8 points per game as a freshman, to 15.8 per game as a sophomore, to a career-best 19.1 per game last season, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors. Potency from beyond the arc (38.9%) and at the free-throw line (85.9%) made Blackwell a coveted option in this year’s portal cycle. Height: 6-foot-11Weight: 236 poundsClass: SeniorPrevious schools: None Last season: 15.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 blocks in 30.5 minutes per game The statistic that most people referenced when discussing the impact of Florida’s mammoth frontcourt — which included Condon at power forward, Thomas Haugh at small forward (6-9, 215 pounds) and Reuben Chinyelu at center (6-10, 265 pounds) — was offensive rebounding rate. Those three players spearheaded a relentless assault on the glass that led to the Gators recouping more than 43% of their field goal attempts, second nationally behind only Tennessee. As a result, no team finished with a better rebounding margin than Florida’s mark of plus-14 per game. Having that kind of size proved equally beneficial on the defensive end, where the Gators ranked sixth nationally in adjusted efficiency and eighth in opponent 2-point field goal percentage. Condon's two-way versatility was a major reason why. He finished as the team’s top player in Bayesian Performance Rating, according to EvanMiya.com, which is a metric that tracks an individual’s overall value whenever he’s on the floor. Height: 6-foot-9Weight: 250 poundsClass: SophomorePrevious schools: None Last season: 13.3 points, 8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 29.5 minutes per game Though Illinois fans could be forgiven for not knowing much about Mirkovic when he committed to head coach Brad Underwood, the coaches and scouts who closely follow international basketball were already overly familiar with his game. By then, Mirkovic had averaged 22.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game at the 2022 FIBA U16 European Championships while playing for his native Montenegro. The following year, he averaged 8.9 points and 4.1 rebounds across seven games in the 2023 U20 European Championship, where he was the youngest player. And in 2024 — not long before signing with Illinois — Mirkovic made his debut for Montenegro’s senior national team in a FIBA EuroBasket qualifier. Mirkovic’s versatility and overall feel for the game translated seamlessly to college, where he entrenched himself as a day-one starter for Underwood. He finished the season ranked 12th nationally among freshman in the PRPG! metric on Torvik, which calculates how many points per game an individual contributes beyond what a replacement-level player would offer. He should be among the Big Ten’s elite this season. Height: 7-foot-2Weight: 260 poundsClass: SeniorPrevious schools: None Last season: 10.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 25.3 minutes per game There were times during Arizona’s remarkable 2025-26 campaign, which included the program’s first trip to the Final Four in a quarter-century, when it seemed all but impossible for opposing teams to score around the rim. Player after player — regardless of size, independent of position — would simply be turned away by Krivas, a mountainous presence adept at applying the sport’s famed principle of verticality to avoid being called for fouls. He finished the season with an incredible ratio of 73 blocked shots and only 103 fouls, driving the Wildcats toward a second-place finish in adjusted defensive efficiency behind Michigan. The only players with better individual defensive ratings than Krivas, according to EvanMiya.com, were Yaxel Lendeborg of Michigan, Reuben Chinyelu of Florida, Aday Mara of Michigan, Flory Bidunga of Kansas and Joseph Tugler of Houston. Krivas is now the unquestioned anchor for a team that needs to replace its three leading scorers in Brayden Burries (16.1 points), Koa Peat (14.1 points) and Jaden Bradley (13.3). How much, or how little, Krivas’ own offensive repertoire expands in the coming months might serve as a good barometer for Arizona’s ceiling next season. He’ll need to make more than 3.5 field goals per game for the Wildcats to remain among the sport’s elite. Height: 6-foot-1Weight: 180 poundsClass: SeniorPrevious schools: North Carolina Last season: 10.5 points, 5.9 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 27.3 minutes per game What a luxury for head coach Dusty May to retain the Most Outstanding Player from this year’s Final Four. Though Cadeau entered his name in the NBA Draft earlier this spring, the expectation among Michigan’s coaching staff was always that he would return for his senior season. In fact, Cadeau’s presumptive presence as the central figure on next year’s roster became a key selling point for the Wolverines when pursuing new faces in the transfer portal. May and his assistants soon realized that quite a few players, especially rim-running centers, were eager to play with Cadeau. Given the departures of Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara, all of whom are expected to become first-round picks later this month, there’s an opportunity for Cadeau to assume more of a scoring role next season. He and shooting guard Trey McKenney, who was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after averaging 9.9 points per game, should give Michigan one of the strongest, most experienced backcourts in the league.]]>
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					<![CDATA[FOX Sports, TBT Announce Extension For New-Look, $2M Tournament]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/fox-sports-tbt-announce-extension-new-look-2m-tournament</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/fox-sports-tbt-announce-extension-new-look-2m-tournament</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is returning to FOX Sports, announcing a two-year extension to air the new-look tournament, which will include a $2 million championship prize.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 21:00:54 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Mark your calendars, college basketball fans. The Basketball Tournament is returning to FOX Sports, announcing a two-year extension to air the new-look tournament, which will include a $2 million championship prize. An annual tournament featuring college basketball alumni competing for a cash prize, is entering its 13th year of competition. FOX Sports will air 20 games across FOX, FS1, and FS2, including the championship game on Aug. 2. "We are excited to return to Fox Sports for two more years," TBT CEO Jon Mugar said. "Last year’s championship game was our most watched and highest attended ever. With double the prize, and only sixteen teams, our 2026 event will be our most competitive ever." The 2026 iteration of the TBT will feature a 16-team bracket, including eight alumni teams and eight non-alumni teams competing on separate sides of the bracket. The first round will be a best-of-three before returning to single-elimination games. The $2 million winner-take-all prize money is the largest purse since 2019. Here is the alumni bracket: La Familia (Kentucky alumni) vs. The Ville (Louisville alumni): July 18-22 JHX Hoops (Kansas alumni) vs. Purple Reign (Kansas State alumni): July 21-24 Boeheim’s Army (Syracuse alumni) vs. Hall In (Seton Hall alumni): July 21-24 AfterShocks (Wichita State alumni) vs. The Enchantment (New Mexico alumni): July 20-24 Notable players set to participate in this year’s tournament include Michael Beasley (Kansas State), Willie Cauley-Stein (Kentucky), Frank Mason III (Kansas), Russ Smith (Louisville), Donovan Dent (New Mexico, UCLA), Isaiah Whitehead (Seton Hall), and Buddy Boeheim (Syracuse). TBT’s eight non-alumni teams will compete in the Vegas Bracket at the M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas from July 22-30. The Vegas Bracket will be headlined by a team entry from two-time NBA All-Star Baron Davis. The winner of the Vegas Bracket will play the winner of the Alumni Bracket on Aug. 2 at the Alumni Bracket championship’s home gym.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Who Stayed? Who Left? And How It Shapes The 2026-27 College Basketball Season]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/who-stayed-who-left-2026-27-college-basketball</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/who-stayed-who-left-2026-27-college-basketball</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Who is set to head back to college, who will move on to the pros, and how will their decisions alter the landscape of college basketball next year?]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 14:52:47 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Stay or go. That was the question facing a handful of key players in college basketball who entered their names into the 2026 NBA Draft pool. Players such as Flory Bidunga, Rueben Chinyelu, and John Blackwell entered the NBA Draft process this spring while preserving their college eligibility. All three standouts ultimately decided to return to college, while others waited until just before the Wednesday, May 27, deadline to announce their final decisions. Who is set to head back to college, who will move on to the pros, and how will their decisions alter the landscape of college basketball heading into the 2026-27 season? Decision: Fears will return to Michigan State. (source) Impact: Fears announced he will return to the Spartans for his fourth season. The All-American point guard averaged 15.9 points and a nation-leading 9.4 assists per game in 2025-26. His decision to stay in East Lansing significantly boosts Michigan State’s outlook, as the Spartans will enter the year as a top-10 team and a legitimate national championship contender. Decision: Yessoufou will return to college and transfer to St. John's. (source) Impact: After waiting until the final minutes to enter the transfer portal, Yessoufou followed suit and didn't announce his decision to stay in college or enter the NBA Draft until after the deadline. Then, in a surprising move, it was reported that not only would Yessoufou return to college, but he would transfer to St. John's to play for legendary head coach Rick Pitino. With a core of returning guard Ian Jackson, Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman and Yessoufou, St. John's possesses the firepower to once again be one of the top teams in the Big East next season. Decision: Peat will remain in the NBA Draft. (source) Impact: Peat will take his talents to the NBA, officially becoming a one-and-done standout. The former five-star prospect enjoyed a successful freshman season at Arizona, averaging 14.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while helping the Wildcats reach their first Final Four since 2001. Peat joins fellow freshman Brayden Burries as a 2026 NBA Draft hopeful. Meanwhile, Arizona must replace several key departures, including Jaden Bradley, Tobe Awaka and Anthony Dell'Orso. The Wildcats will lean on returners Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov, along with North Carolina transfer Derrick Dixon, Washington transfer JJ Mandaquit and incoming freshman Caleb Holt. Decision: Momcilovic will return to college and transfer from Iowa State. (source) Impact: The nation’s best 3-point shooter will return for his fourth season of college basketball. Momcilovic spent three years at Iowa State, averaging 16.9 points per game while leading the nation in 3-point shooting at 48.7% during his junior season with the Cyclones. Following the season, he entered both the NBA Draft pool and the NCAA transfer portal. With his decision to remain in college, Momcilovic becomes one of the top uncommitted transfers on the market. He will provide his next team with elite shooting and veteran leadership capable of altering the outlook of the top contenders for the 2026-27 season. Decision: Tanner will return to Vanderbilt. (source) Impact: Tanner will remain in college for his third season with the Commodores. He made one of the biggest leaps of any sophomore last season, improving from 5.7 points per game to 19.5 and from 1.9 assists per game to 5.1. He led Vanderbilt to its first NCAA Tournament win since 2012, though the run ended after his half-court buzzer-beater rattled out in a loss to Nebraska. Tanner could also enter the season as a candidate for the Bob Cousy Award, given annually to the nation’s top point guard. After four of Vanderbilt’s top five players in minutes played graduated, the Commodores added Washington State transfer Ace Glass, Missouri transfer T.O. Barrett and Nebraska transfer Berke Buyuktuncel. Still, Tanner’s return is the most significant development, as it substantially raises Vanderbilt’s ceiling for the 2026-27 season. Decision: Allen will return to Alabama. (source) Impact: Allen gained feedback from NBA scouts but ultimately decided to return to Alabama for his sophomore season. He could follow a similar path to Labaron Philon Jr., who tested the professional waters after his freshman year with the Crimson Tide, returned to school, and now projects as a likely lottery pick. A versatile guard with good size, Allen averaged 11.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game as a freshman. With Philon departing, he is expected to take on a featured role in Alabama’s backcourt. Decision: Richmond will return to Arkansas. (source) Impact: Arkansas wing Billy Richmond III will reportedly return to college for his third season. Richmond averaged 11.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game while coming off the bench in 19 of the Razorbacks’ 37 games during the 2025-26 season. A versatile player, Richmond showcased intensity and effort on the defensive end while displaying a high basketball IQ offensively. He will also provide a veteran presence for a roster featuring highly touted freshmen Jordan Smith Jr., JJ Andrews and Abdou Toure. Decision: Thomas will remain in the NBA Draft (source) Impact: Thomas waited until after the official NBA Draft withdrawal deadline to announce his decision, but the freshman standout ultimately chose to remain in the draft and begin his professional career. A former five-star prospect, Thomas averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists on 43.5% shooting from the field in his lone season at Arkansas. Head coach John Calipari will look to a talented freshmen class to once again lead the way for his team next season. Decision: Able will stay in college and transfer from NC State to North Carolina. (source) Impact: After one season with the Wolfpack, Able will head roughly 25 miles west to Chapel Hill to play for the Tar Heels. He averaged 8.8 points in 21.8 minutes per game while coming off the bench in every game for NC State last season. However, it was a tumultuous year in Raleigh that ended with first-year head coach Will Wade — who recruited Able — departing for LSU immediately after the season. Amid the instability, Able never fully showcased his potential, though he still earned praise from NBA scouts. A second college season and a change of scenery could help turn that promise into greater production, and ultimately, higher draft capital. Decision: Stojakovic will return to Illinois. (source) Impact: Stojakovic will stay in college for another season with the Illini. After stops at Stanford and Cal, he transferred to Illinois, where he averaged 13.5 points per game during his junior season. After starting 21 of the team’s first 23 games in 2025-26, Stojakovic embraced and flourished in a sixth-man role as the Illini made a Final Four run. With his decision to return, Illinois retains the majority of its core outside of guards Keaton Wagler and Kylan Boswell and will look to build on its deep postseason push.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Michigan State Guard Jeremy Fears Jr. Returns For 2026-27 Season]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/michigan-state-jeremy-fears-return-spartans-impact-tom-izzo</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/michigan-state-jeremy-fears-return-spartans-impact-tom-izzo</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Jeremy Fears Jr. will be back with Michigan State for the 2026-27 season.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 23:27:14 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. will return for his fourth season with the Spartans, CBS reported. After averaging 15.2 points per game and leading the nation with 9.4 assists per game during the 2025-26 season, Fears entered his name into the NBA Draft pool. He tested the professional waters up until just before the deadline — Wednesday, May 27 at 11:59 p.m. ET — to withdraw, ultimately sticking in East Lansing for another year. Fears epitomizes the culture head coach Tom Izzo has built at Michigan State. In an era where many players transfer, Fears experienced a gradual development under Izzo. As he returns, he'll join players who have followed a similar path, such as Coen Carr and Kur Teng. Rising sophomores Jordan Scott and Cam Ward will also be key members of the 2026-27 roster, as will Kaleb Glenn, who redshirted after transferring from FAU. With the Spartans having such a strong history of retention, they don't often utilize the transfer portal. However, Michigan State saw guard Divine Ugochukwu transfer to LSU, while forwards Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler graduated after the season. So they dipped into the portal, landing Charlotte transfer Anton Bonke, who similarly to Fears, entered the NBA Draft pool, and ultimately returned to Michigan State. Fears, who was voted to the 2025-26 All-Big Ten First Team, will likely be a candidate to win the Bob Cousy Award for the nation's best point guard in the 2026-27 season. Had he remained in the NBA Draft, it would have greatly diminished Michigan State's chances to contend for a national title.]]>
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					<![CDATA[The Blueprint: How Elliot Cadeau Became The Centerpiece Of Michigan's Offseason]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/how-elliot-cadeau-became-centerpiece-michigans-offseason-reload</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/how-elliot-cadeau-became-centerpiece-michigans-offseason-reload</guid>
				<category>college-basketball</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports' Michael Cohen details how Michigan point guard Elliot Cadeau emerged as the centerpiece of the Wolverines’ portal-driven offseason.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 17:13:11 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[For Michigan head coach Dusty May and his coaching staff — which had already lost one key figure during the early stages of this year’s carousel — the irony of presiding over the finest campaign in school history was preparing for an offseason that might be among the program’s worst. Figuratively speaking, of course. There’s nothing desultory about the afterglow of winning a national championship. May knew he was losing assistant Justin Joyner to the head-coaching job at Oregon State, a move that was finalized nearly a month before Michigan cut down the nets in Indianapolis. He knew it was becoming increasingly likely that Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara would all turn pro following revelatory seasons out of the transfer portal. It’s now widely expected that the Wolverines will produce three first-round picks in a single year for just the second time in school history. "We tried to anticipate the worst-case scenario," Michigan assistant coach Drew Williamson told me earlier this month, "which would be all those guys leaving. And so we kind of put a game plan together for trying to find the best fits that were similar to how we wanted to play. And the guys that we knew were returning, using their strengths to put guys around them [from the portal]." That approach quickly rendered point guard Elliot Cadeau the central figure to Michigan’s rebuilding efforts — even as Cadeau joined some of his teammates in declaring for the NBA Draft, launching into the pre-draft process while maintaining his collegiate eligibility. The understanding among the Wolverines’ coaches was that Cadeau, who had just completed his junior season, was more interested in gathering feedback from scouts and executives than actually turning pro. Sure enough, Cadeau withdrew his name from the draft’s list of early entrants over the weekend, reaffirming his commitment to Michigan. That was precisely the outcome May and his staff envisioned when they observed just how integral Cadeau was to landing the program's latest batch of frontcourt reinforcements: former Cincinnati center Moustapha Thiam, former Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella and former LSU forward Jalen Reed. As eager as Cadeau was to work with Michigan’s coaches in identifying portal targets — constantly peppering them with names he’d seen and heard — the Wolverines soon discovered that just as many high-level transfers were eager to be his teammate. "A pass-first point guard," May told me earlier this month, "that’s the biggest sell in today’s climate. To not have a high-volume scoring point guard helps the chemistry. When we took this job, we said, ‘We’re gonna get a good big [man] and a pass-first point guard.’ And we were going to try to make sure we have that every year. Everything else, in between, we felt like we could figure out a way to be successful." That Michigan’s coaching staff coaxed such refinement from Cadeau emphatically squashed any external concerns surrounding both his ceiling as an elite guard and his long-range consistency following two uneven seasons at North Carolina. He completed his first season with the Wolverines averaging a career-high 10.5 points per game while also ranking 11th nationally in assists (5.9 per game) among players from the power conferences. When the stakes were highest — as the Wolverines steamrolled one opponent after another during the NCAA Tournament — Cadeau’s assist rate of 35.3% ranked fourth among guards who reached the second weekend or beyond, culminating in his selection as the Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four. Isolating and extracting the things Cadeau and his NBA-bound teammates had excelled at soon became the coaching staff’s primary goal once the transfer portal officially opened in early April. May understood that the chances of signing three more future first-round picks were exceedingly slim, especially once the prices for post players began to soar on the open market, but the Wolverines had two seasons’ worth of data that emphasized the benefits of high-level, fear-inducing positional size. Replicating that formula seemed like an obvious choice, with Cadeau and fellow returning guard Trey McKenney offering plenty of backcourt continuity from the title-winning group. [THE BLUEPRINT: Michigan Built A Formula Teams Are Racing To Copy] "Our phones are ringing more than they were before," assistant coach Mike Boynton told me earlier this month, "with guys reaching out saying, ‘Hey, we’re watching what you guys have been able to do with this particular type of player and we have a guy who we think has a similar game, similar skill set, and we’d like to talk to see if there’s mutual interest.’" So which of those skills did the coaches believe would mesh most seamlessly with Cadeau moving forward? May told me his early studies of the Big Ten underscored the importance of having quality screeners, a category into which he grouped ex-Wolverine center Tarris Reed Jr. and Purdue standout Trey Kaufman-Renn. That realization led Michigan toward Estrella, who averaged 10 points and 5.4 rebounds per game at Tennessee, another program known for its physicality and toughness under head coach Rick Barnes. When the Wolverines studied Estrella’s high school tape, they saw shooting mechanics solid enough to believe he could eventually expand his repertoire to include pick-and-pop opportunities with Cadeau next season. Then there were the alley-oops, a trademark of Michigan’s offense whenever Mara was on the floor. Williamson told me the staff identified a handful of transfer centers with the requisite size and mobility to "fit that mold a little bit," even if nobody could quite match Mara’s monstrous 7-foot-3, 255-pound frame — though the Wolverines certainly came close to finding a plug-and-play replacement in Thiam. A former top-60 recruit in the 2024 cycle, Thiam now stands 7-foot-2 and weighs 255 pounds after adding a considerable amount of muscle during stints at UCF and Cincinnati. He averaged 12.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game for the Bearcats last season before head coach Wes Miller got fired. He preempted those numbers with an eye-catching 15-point effort against Michigan in an exhibition game at Crisler Center on Oct. 17. The chance for Thiam to be on the receiving end of passes from Cadeau was exactly what he’d hoped to find after back-to-back seasons in which his team’s point guards averaged 4.3 assists or fewer per game. "He saw enough, and I think we were able to give him enough evidence that Elliot could be maybe the best facilitator in the country," Boynton told me. "And we [explained to him how] that will make the game easier on you. You will have more baskets where you literally just have to catch it close enough to the basket to lay it in, instead of having to fight against a post defender, making a move and trying to create things yourself through double teams. You’re going to get, probably, two to three lobs per game. You’re going to be able to play in space a little bit more. You’re going to be able to get some throw-aheads because that’s the way that Elliot sees the game. "I think that was probably the thing that put us over the top versus some of the other schools that he was considering, is that he watched how we all believe Elliot helped Morez [Johnson] and Aday [Mara] make the game easier and put themselves in the position that they’re in now." For all of those portal additions to unfold while Cadeau was still technically entered in the NBA Draft speaks to the trust that runs from May to his point guard and back again, an understanding that neither side would burn the other. Michigan’s coaches even went as far as consulting with Cadeau on potential targets, drawing on film the guard himself had studied or opponents he had faced earlier in his career. Eventually, Cadeau began sending names directly to assistant coach Akeem Miskdeen, according to Williamson, because he "wanted to have a little skin in the game." That dynamic made Cadeau the most important figure in Michigan’s offseason and its bid for a second consecutive national championship. Some of his teammates might be departing, but Cadeau was always intent on running it back. "His clips and his highlights were involved in a lot of our recruiting pitches this offseason," Williamson told me. "I think that was an easy sell."]]>
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