#emeka-okafor

#emeka-okafor

"That's just how I was raised. I feel like Northwood, the basketball gym felt like my home since I'm there so much, before, during and after school... I just wanted to help out. That was really it."

Carter was the target of racist abuse as England won Euro 2025, and the 28-year-old has been described by Football Black List organisers as 'a powerful advocate for cultural change and accountability'.

"Coach understands I'm a competitor at heart. I've told her this before and I'll keep on telling her this until forever. I love to be coached hard and that's what she does with me every single day."

We knew Atalanta would play man-to-man and aggressive, but we also knew if we managed to maintain our structure, we'd get good chances. We'd get the space and just had to use it. When I'm in a certain position, the coach wants me to beat my opponent one-v-one, to shoot and play freely. When you're at a club like Bayern, you want to win it all.

Ratcliffe's language certainly doesn't help, and players have been calling this out for a long time. One thing is clear: they've been showing the type of leadership that those who have more power in the game and society should follow. Calling out discrimination is a courageous move, and should never be taken for granted.

What I loved about it at first was the oranges. The parents were responsible for half-time, and a lot of times I couldn't wait for half-time because they cut up oranges, but I fell in love with the game because it was just being outside playing with my friends. I played centre forward and I wanted to score. I found out very fast what scoring was all about and also what it was like playing with team-mates.

The jumper gives Brooklyn spacing, and it gives Démin a base to build on. But the next step is the one that changes how defenses treat him. It's not another layer of shot-making. It's learning how to consistently get into the paint and get to where he wants to go on the floor, on his terms, against NBA bodies and NBA game plans.

Hoops, Hopes & Dreams tells the story of how Dr. King used basketball to connect with young people and organize communities during moments of protest.

"Do you know what today is? It's premiere day," Dillihay told ESPN.

Sandfort, a 6-foot-7 forward who played his college ball at Iowa, has played in 21 games this season with the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder's G-League affiliate. He has averaged 11.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists as a rookie.

Virginia Tech had built a 31-24 halftime lead at home against Stanford two weeks ago when coach Mike Young offered a reminder to his players about Cardinal freshman Ebuka Okorie. "Don't underestimate this kid," he said. "He's that good." Actually, Okorie has been better than almost anyone envisioned. Okorie had just five first-half points at Virginia Tech, but over the final 20 minutes, the 6-foot-2 guard scored 26 more on 9-for-12 shooting.

You could feel the love tonight. I'm so glad we came here. I just can't explain it more than I was just so filled up with joy. It was amazing.

A University of Florida basketball crowd started a brutal chant for an opposing player who returned to college after an unsuccessful stint in the NBA. During Sunday's game between the Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide, Alabama center Charles Bediako was at the free throw line when the chant rang out across the gym. As he prepared to shoot, the crowd's criticism of the 23-year-old was loud and clear, as G League dropout! could be heard on the TV broadcast.

We're all just collectively thrilled that he's back playing basketball, "Daigneault said.

The latest move putting the Wizards in the headlines comes from the team's gamble to swing a blockbuster trade for four-time All-Star Trae Young. Young, who listed the Wizards as his preferred landing spot following his split with the Atlanta Hawks, arrives in Washington providing the team with an answer at the one position the team's front office has struggled to find a long-term solution at since the departure of John Wall.

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

The increase is being largely driven by the Gen Z population, as basketball is now the 6th most popular sport among the 18-24 year old demographic. Despite there being major continental competitions across Europe like the EuroLeague and EuroCup, basketball is a sleeping giant that is awakening in the UK. This movement is likely to cause a massive shift in the sport's associated betting markets as well, but the big question of whether basketball can break into the mainstream remains.