Suns’ Jordan Ott has impressed in his first season, but the playoffs are another test Ott has had a great first season in Phoenix. The playoffs are his next test. And this series will be incredibly difficult.

Jordan Ott has impressed in his first season, but the playoffs are a stiffer test for the first year Phoenix head coach. ⤵️

Jalen Green has his signature Suns moment, but the road to get there wasn’t easy Green was the best player on the court, which is fascinating, because for so much of this season he has struggled to find his place.

Jalen Green has his signature Suns moment, but the road to get there wasn’t easy ⤵️

www.nytimes.com/athletic/720...

Full 2026 NFL mock draft: Dane Brugler predicts all 7 rounds and 257 picks How will this year's NFL Draft play out? Our expert takes his best shot at predicting every pick.

From No. 1 to Mr. Irrelevant, Dane Brugler predicted all seven rounds and 257 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft.

◽Cowboys move up
◽A whole bunch of Buckeyes
◽QB Ty Simpson a second-round pick

Enjoy.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/719...

Why those close to Randy Bennett say the 63-year-old will thrive at Arizona State Bennett took over a program coming off a two-win season. Over the next two decades, he turned the school into a mid-major power.

Concerned about Randy Bennett’s age and the heavy lifting required at Arizona State?

I talked with Todd Golden, Jock Landale and others about how Bennett will operate in Tempe.

(Spoiler alert: They’re not.) 👇

Power ranking college football’s top 25 coaches in 2026: Cristobal rises, Sarkisian stumbles Many coaches debut, or re-emerge, on Feldman's rankings this year.

Sunday Read: Who are the top 25 coaches in college football? Should Curt Cignetti have overtaken Kirby Smart for the top spot? Does Dabo belong in the top 10? Where do Lincoln Riley, Sark, Mario Cristobal & Lane Kiffin rank?

www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...

How Arizona became the most consistent team in college basketball — and a Big 12 champion (Gift Article) After last season, Arizona built a roster designed to have depth and endurance. The final product never seems to have an off night.

Tommy Lloyd credits last year’s Houston for inspiring this year’s build of Arizona’s juggernaut. “They kicked our ass in the last five minutes of both games.”

Story on the endurance of a champion & how Arizona turned the page from Friday’s epic semis (free to read): www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...

What’s it like covering Bobby Hurley, the coach? Probably much different than you’d think A question I've gotten often over the years: Is Bobby Hurley as big an a-hole in person as he seems during games? The answer: not at all.

What’s it like covering Bobby Hurley? Probably not what you would expect. ⤵️

Bobby Hurley won’t return as Arizona State men’s basketball coach: Source Arizona State suffered a huge loss in the second round of the Big 12 tournament on the heels of a disappointing season.

Bobby Hurley is out at Arizona State. His time in the desert had highs and lows. And it was always eventful.
⤵️

www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...

Jalen Green’s first season with Suns hasn’t gone well, but that could be changing As the playoffs inch closer, the Suns still work to find chemistry with Green and Green still works to find a rhythm. It’s not ideal.

After missing in the final seconds of a bad loss to the Bulls, Jalen Green stayed up until 2 am watching film, wondering what went wrong.

Since then the struggling Suns guard has started to show encouraging signs. ⤵️

Cardinals' LaFleur has 'a lot of respect' for Kyler Murray, but QB's future is uncertain

Full story, with Mike LaFleur's impressions of Kyler Murray as an opposing coach in the NFC West

www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort said "all options are on the table," regarding the QB situation for 2026.

"We've got (Murray), (Brissett) and (Slovis) all under contract. ... We're going to look at every avenue to improve, and we're going to continue to go through our process."

Suns’ Jordan Ott grew up in small-town Pennsylvania. But his dreams were always big No other NBA head coach comes from a place so small, a fact not lost on the locals who have followed every step of Ott’s journey.

No other NBA head coach comes from a smaller place than the Phoenix Suns’ Jordan Ott.

Locals like to say there are more cows living among them than people.

I recently visited McConnellsburg, Pa., to learn about Ott’s roots, as well as the pride the community has in him. ⤵️

‘I’m in my prime’: Bobby Hurley confronts uncertainty, reflects on 11 years at Arizona State "Of course, I’m going to wonder, ‘When is that going to happen? What is this going to look like? What is my future going to look like?’’’

With March approaching, I talked with Arizona State's Bobby Hurley about his future, how he has changed as a coach and his 11 years at one of the country's tougher jobs. (gift link open) ⤵️

Suns have work to do to go from ‘nice story’ to ‘serious threat’ in the West Phoenix could be a team that needs to rest at the All-Star break, or it could be one that has started to reach its ceiling.

Nice story or serious contender?

That remains to be seen with the Phoenix Suns. ⤵️

NBA Hall of Famers. A Splash Father. Inside the single 3-pointer club Two-time NBA champion Mychal Thompson only attempted 12 3-pointers his entire career. He made one. His son Klay has made 2,836 and counting.

Representing one of the greatest ironies in league history, Mychal Thompson, father of one of the greatest 3-point shooters ever, is one of a handful of players to have played at least one full NBA season and made only one 3 www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...

LeBron James addresses retirement after Cleveland return: ‘When is it over?’ After getting teary-eyed during a pregame tribute, LeBron sounded at times like he was close to hanging it up. But he hasn't decided yet.

LeBron James spoke about retirement as candidly as he ever has Wednesday night. Good luck trying to figure out which way he’s leaning www.nytimes.com/athletic/700...

Bob Knight’s epic Purdue rant is 35 years old. How it leaked remains a mystery Knight's leaked 1991 locker-room rant has become part of college basketball lore. To this day, though, no one's quite sure who did it.

Who taped Bob Knight?

Really enjoyed this @doughaller.bsky.social story on the secret behind the famous Knight rant recording

www.nytimes.com/athletic/696...

Bob Knight’s epic Purdue rant is 35 years old. How it leaked remains a mystery Knight's leaked 1991 locker-room rant has become part of college basketball lore. To this day, though, no one's quite sure who did it.

love a story where a treasure hunter pours everything into finding an answer to the most obscure item.

here's a great one, courtesy of @doughaller.bsky.social:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/696...

Bob Knight’s epic Purdue rant is 35 years old. How it leaked remains a mystery Knight's leaked 1991 locker-room rant has become part of college basketball lore. To this day, though, no one's quite sure who did it.

To this day, those within the IU community insist they don’t know how the 1991 rant got recorded and out into the public.

@doughaller.bsky.social reached out to 40+ players, coaches, managers, staffers and others about the leaked audio.

Here’s what they said:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/696...

Bob Knight’s epic Purdue rant is 35 years old. How it leaked remains a mystery Knight's leaked 1991 locker-room rant has become part of college basketball lore. To this day, though, no one's quite sure who did it.

35 years ago, Bob Knight’s epic “I’m tired of losing to Purdue” rant was secretly recorded in the IU locker room.

For years an NBA exec has been rumored as the leaker. He says that’s a lie. So who did it?

Even those in the room say they aren’t sure. ⤵️

Updated head coaching carousel:

Giants — John Harbaugh
Falcons — Kevin Stefanski
Dolphins — Jeff Hafley
Titans — Robert Saleh
Cardinals
Ravens
Bills
Browns
Raiders
Steelers

NEWS: Warriors forward Jimmy Butler tore his right ACL against the Heat on Monday night and is expected to miss the rest of the season, The Athletic confirms.

More from @samamick.bsky.social ⤵️
www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...

Indiana’s rise is causing an identity crisis: Are we a football or basketball school? For decades, Indiana has been known for basketball. But over the last two years, that has started to change.

Had fun with this ⤵️

We asked over 100 people in sports which leaders they most admire.

For this list, leaders had to be an active coach, player or executive in 2025.

The Cardinals have requested to interview Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke, per source.

Burke, the play caller for the league’s stingiest defense, previously coached Arizona’s defensive line in 2022.

New issue of is out!

It has more than 125 job and internships listings in there for reporters, editors, social media gurus, and others.

Also, 11 wonderful stories I loved — on Santa, the Taylor Ham dynasty, Franzia wines, and many more.

Read: dub.sh/DfQyUsT

Subscribe: t.co/tKOtcPQaI2

Kenny Dillingham’s new contract shows Arizona State is tired of ‘sleeping giant’ narrative Dillingham said he never doubted the agreement would get done, which suggests his interest in Michigan may not have been that strong.

“I’m tired of the sleeping giant narrative. I’m tired of the concept of, ‘Man, they have so much potential.’ I want us to be the group — athletic department, coaching staff, fan base, community — that wakes it up once and for all.”
⤵️

Kenny Dillingham’s Michigan situation puts Arizona State back in familiar place In three years, Dillingham has gone from unproven head coach to one of the nation’s more respected program builders. Others have noticed.

Kenny Dillingham’s Michigan situation puts Arizona State back in familiar place ⤵️

What Lane Kiffin left behind in Oxford: The sound and fury of an Ole Miss fan base scorned Kiffin's latest job change echoes his previous exits across the country, complete with a gaslighting of fans who once helped build him up.

“The way you handle things is who you are. It’s not about what you say when things aren’t serious. It’s about whenever the (expletive) hits the (expletive), who are you?”
Good story from Oxford on Lane Kiffin by Joe Rexrode & Chris Kamrani: www.nytimes.com/athletic/687...

Arizona State, Kenny Dillingham discussing pay raise amid interest from other schools Dillingham has been linked to coaching jobs at Michigan, LSU and more, but he said he doesn't want to leave the Sun Devils.

Arizona State, Kenny Dillingham discussing pay raise amid interest from other schools ⤵️