Setelah memecat pelatih kepala Hubert Davis setelah finis 24-9 pada musim 2025-26, UNC mendapatkan nama yang mengejutkan untuk menggantikannya.

Menurut ESPN Pete ThamelTar Heels berencana mempekerjakan Michael Malone sebagai pelatih kepala mereka berikutnya. Veteran NBA ini melatih Sacramento Kings dan Denver Nuggets, memenangkan kejuaraan NBA bersama Denver Nuggets pada tahun 2023.

Penggemar di media sosial terkejut bahwa UNC menunjuk Malone untuk menggantikan Davis sebagai pelatih kepala tim dan mengungkit tahun pertama tim sepak bola yang mengecewakan di bawah pelatih kepala Bill Belichick:

Artikel ini akan segera diperbarui untuk memberikan informasi dan analisis lebih lanjut.

Jadikan Laporan Bleacher sebagai salah satu sumber pilihan Anda di Google dengan memilih Laporan Bleacher di laman “preferensi sumber”. Di Sini.

Untuk informasi lebih lanjut dari Bleacher Report, lihat kami aplikasi B/R, beranda dan umpan sosial—termasuk Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok Dan YouTube.

North Carolina dilaporkan telah menemukan pelatih kepala barunya.

Menurut Pete Thamel dari ESPN, Tar Heels bermaksud mempekerjakan mantan Denver Nuggets untuk mengambil alih setelah memecat Hubert Davis pada bulan Maret.

Malone sebelumnya menghabiskan 12 musim di NBA sebagai pelatih kepala, dua musim bersama Sacramento Kings dan 10 musim bersama Nuggets. Dia mencatatkan rekor 471-327 selama berada di Mile High City, memimpin tim ke babak playoff dalam enam musim berturut-turut sambil memenangkan gelar NBA 2023.

Malone yang berusia 54 tahun dipecat oleh Nuggets pada April 2025 dan sejak itu menjadi analis ESPN.

Perekrutan Malone terjadi setelah Tommy Lloyd menyetujui a perpanjangan kontrak dengan Arizona dan Dusty May dari Michigan menarik namanya dari pertimbangan.

Tanda Brendan dari The Athletic melaporkan pada hari Senin bahwa pelatih kepala Chicago Bulls Billy Donovan adalah target utama North Carolina. Namun, Donovan dikabarkan ingin tetap bersama timnya hingga akhir musim reguler NBA, yang berlangsung hingga 12 April.

Pada akhirnya, Tar Heels dikabarkan memilih Malone.

Davis mengambil alih posisi Roy Williams yang legendaris pada tahun 2021 dan menjalani musim pertama yang luar biasa sebagai pelatih, finis 29-10 untuk mencapai perebutan gelar turnamen NCAA. Sayangnya bagi Davis, tahun pertama yang kuat itu bukanlah pertanda apa yang akan terjadi di masa depan.

Tar Heels melewatkan turnamen NCAA pada 2022-23 setelah mencatatkan rekor 20-13. Segalanya membaik pada tahun 2023-24, tetapi UNC masih harus tersingkir dari babak Sweet 16, diikuti dengan tersingkirnya putaran pertama berturut-turut pada tahun 2025 dan 2026.

Sekolah memecat Davis pada 24 Maret setelah kekalahan mengecewakan Tar Heels dari VCU.

Davis mempunyai tugas besar yang harus diisi setelah mengambil alih posisi Williams, namun ekspektasinya sangat tinggi karena dia telah menjadi staf di Williams selama hampir satu dekade. Pada akhirnya, Davis bukanlah orang yang mempertahankan UNC sebagai pesaing nasional, dan sekolah memutuskan untuk meninggalkannya.

Meskipun Tar Heels mengalami masa sulit selama beberapa tahun, standar di Chapel Hill akan selalu menang. Malone akan ditugaskan untuk mengembalikan North Carolina ke level kejuaraan.

Setelah menghabiskan waktu bersama New York Giants dan Tennessee Titans, Notre Dame yang berlari kembali, Jeremiyah Love dilaporkan telah menjadwalkan kunjungan lagi dengan tim yang memilih 10 besar draft NFL 2026.

Ian Rapoport dari NFL Network melaporkan bahwa Love akan mengunjungi Cincinnati Bengals pada hari Senin. Bengals memiliki pilihan No. 10 di babak pertama.

Artikel ini akan segera diperbarui untuk memberikan informasi dan analisis lebih lanjut.

Jadikan Laporan Bleacher sebagai salah satu sumber pilihan Anda di Google dengan memilih Laporan Bleacher di laman “preferensi sumber”. Di Sini.

Untuk informasi lebih lanjut dari Bleacher Report, lihat kami aplikasi B/R, beranda dan umpan sosial—termasuk Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok Dan YouTube.

Album of the Week: “Tha Carter III,” Lil Wayne (2008)

Call ’em April babies, ’cause they fools. We are nearing the end of this season of Power Rankings, and I know many enjoy a freezing cold take, so allow me a more lukewarm one.

Predictions are fun. I consider myself a basketball meteorologist. I’m going to try and give you a forecast. But I’m really going to be able to tell you after the fact why the forecast was precise or not, and then go back to trying to tell you the weather.

I know many of you get excited when the more ambitious of us prognosticators are wrong. And if you want to make a seasonal omelet, you have to break some eggs. So these Power Rankings will be the one where we look at what I thought these teams would be and assess what went wrong and what went right.

Fine print: These Power Rankings won’t just rank every team. We’ll retain the tiers that teams will be promoted into and relegated out of. There will be five tiers each week:

• Top Contenders – Locked at five, these are the class of the league
• In a Good Place – Could be one team, could be seven teams
• The Bubble – Not to be confused with Walt Disney World. The middle of the pack
• Not the Tier to Fear – Not playing the worst ball in the league, but with a lot of work to do
• Basement Floor – Bringing up the rear

What to expect from Power Rankings:

• These are my subjective rankings. I will consider a variety of objective measures, but it’s my final call.
• These rankings are not just a review of the past week — we are projecting forward as well, so it is a balance of the two.
• These are subjective, but not biased. There are no agendas in the Power Rankings, and we strive for an inclusive meritocracy
• The one quality that these rankings possess: “Ruthless aggression.”
• Enjoy the games, and enjoy the rankings, please!

For Week 25 of The Athletic NBA Power Rankings, we will revisit Week 1 for each team. Win-loss records and other statistical data are through Sunday’s action.

Tier 1: Top Contenders

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (62-16)

Last ranking: 2
In the last week: W vs DET, W vs LAL, W vs UTA
Offensive rating: 117.6 (seventh place)
Defensive rating: 106.0 (first place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: First in West, win NBA Finals in six

The Thunder edged the Pistons on zero days’ rest, then they made it very clear to the Los Angeles Lakers that there are levels to this. Oklahoma City finished another week without a loss, became the first team to 60 wins and can lock up home-court advantage throughout the playoffs by getting two wins even if the Spurs sweep their final week. They will fall short of last year’s win total, and they’re probably not going to outscore opponents by more than 1,000 points as they did a year ago. But they are right where they are supposed to be.

2. San Antonio Spurs (59-19)

Last ranking: 1
In the last week: W vs CHI, W at GS, W at LAC, L at DEN
Offensive rating: 118.6 (fifth place)
Defensive rating: 110.2 (third place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: 10th in West (earn eighth in Play-In Tournament), lose West quarterfinals vs. Thunder

I thought the Spurs would sneak into the playoffs; they’re close to being the top seed in the entire conference. And while alien overlord Victor Wembanyama has been a devastating force on both ends, the Spurs needed more players to emerge to be a great team this season. Mitch Johnson did a wonderful job of getting all of his guards (All-Star De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and reserve rookie Dylan Harper) to work in concert with one another as well. This season, San Antonio went 11-5 with Wembanyama out of the lineup and has only lost the lineups with Wembanyama off the floor by 17 points all season. Last year, the Spurs were 13-23 with Wembanyama out while getting outscored by 328 points with Wembanyama off the floor.

3. Detroit Pistons (57-21)

Last ranking: 3
In the last week: L at OKC, W vs TOR, W vs MIN, W at PHI
Offensive rating: 116.9 (10th place)
Defensive rating: 108.6 (second place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Seventh in East (keep seventh in Play-In Tournament), lose East quarterfinals vs Hawks

I thought the Pistons would level off this season because of the players they lost, and having to figure out what to do with Jaden Ivey back and healthy. Instead, Ivey was traded midseason, and the Pistons became the latest team in the East to assume a temporary domination of the conference for a year. And as good as Cade Cunningham was before his collapsed lung, Detroit has been great this year because it built an identity around physical and disruptive defense that was maintained throughout the season. The roster is deep, the chemistry is strong, and young players have improved.

4. Boston Celtics (53-25)

Last ranking: 4
In the last week: L at ATL, W at MIA, W at MIL, W vs TOR
Offensive rating: 119.9 (second place)
Defensive rating: 111.7 (fourth place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: 12th in East, will not make playoffs

By far my biggest miss of the season. It’s really simple — I didn’t trust Jaylen Brown to hold up physically, I thought any rotation injury besides Brown would put the Celtics in a perilous spot, and I thought Boston would be a trade deadline seller. Then I felt like Jayson Tatum would never return with his team out of contention. Instead, Brown absorbed a heavy workload and averaged nearly 30 points per game, Neemias Queta showed that he could help Derrick White anchor the defense for more than 70 starts, Payton Pritchard thrived as a starter until Anfernee Simons was traded, and Tatum is back to scoring 30 points, grabbing double-digit rebounds and posting triple-doubles. Only the Spurs matched the Celtics with eight players reaching 65 games played. Respect to Joe Mazzulla.

5. Denver Nuggets (50-28)

Last ranking: 8
In the last week: W at UTA, W vs SA
Offensive rating: 120.8 (first place)
Defensive rating: 116.0 (21st place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Fourth in West, lose West quarterfinals vs. Lakers

The Nuggets went to Memphis and lost 19 days ago, their only loss to a team out of the playoff picture since Nikola Jokić came back. They haven’t lost since, and now Denver is on its longest win streak of the season, just in time to mark the first anniversary of Michael Malone’s dismissal. Denver has matched last season’s win total, and while its defense is still bad, this is the best offense in the league. Denver is fourth in the West right now, but the injuries to the Los Angeles Lakers put it in a spot that seemed unlikely three weeks ago, and that’s getting into the 2-3 side of the West bracket.

Tier 2: In a Good Place

6. Houston Rockets (49-29)

Last ranking: 10
In the last week: W vs NY, W vs MIL, W vs UTA, W at GS
Offensive rating: 117.2 (eighth place)
Defensive rating: 112.2 (sixth place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Sixth in West, lose West semifinals vs. Clippers

Of course, the Rockets blew a 15-point lead in Golden State with franchise tormentor Stephen Curry threatening to add another moment of ownership. But the Rockets drew up a great play with Kevin Durant and Alperen Şengün to win in San Francisco and cap the week with a season-best six-game win streak. I had the Rockets closer to the middle of the West playoff picture than leading it, and that’s where they are. They certainly plateaued more than ascended. But glass half full: They’re playing well enough for this time of the year.

7. Cleveland Cavaliers (49-29)

Last ranking: 5
In the last week: W at UTA, L at LAL, W at GS, W vs IND
Offensive rating: 118.1 (sixth place)
Defensive rating: 114.0 (14th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Fourth in East, lose East semifinals vs. Knicks

Well, the Cavaliers are fourth in the East! And they have a chance to go higher, depending on what happens with the New York Knicks. Cleveland will bring a different kind of team into the playoffs, as it swapped out Darius Garland for James Harden, a move that really puts it on Donovan Mitchell to break through in a postseason setting. Harden isn’t here to carry anyone. He’s here to raise the floor and support. Mitchell is the one player out of himself, Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen who is going to be able to consistently take over offensively. Cleveland didn’t get off to the same kind of start this season as last season, but the Cavs are in a good spot to change their playoff narrative.

Donte DiVincenzo’s Timberwolves and Kon Knueppel’s Hornets have flipped spots in this week’s rankings. Matt Blewett / Imagn Images

8. Charlotte Hornets (43-36)

Last ranking: 16
In the last week: W at BRK, W vs PHO, W vs IND, W at MIN
Offensive rating: 118.7 (fourth place)
Defensive rating: 113.4 (12th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: 13th in East, will not make playoffs

The Hornets looked on track to become the first East team to miss the playoffs for 10 straight seasons. But since Jan. 22, only the San Antonio Spurs have a better win percentage. That’s right, LaMelo Ball’s Charlotte Hornets have won 77 percent of their games over the last 75 days. They’re in a tight battle that sees six teams separated by four games in the loss column between the fifth-place Hawks and 10th-place Heat. But the Hornets have so much youthful firepower, highlighted by Rookie of the Year candidate Kon Knueppel, that it is hard to imagine them not being in a seven-game series at this point.

9. New York Knicks (50-28)

Last ranking: 7
In the last week: L at HOU, W at MEM, W vs CHI
Offensive rating: 118.8 (third place)
Defensive rating: 112.3 (eighth place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: first in East, lose NBA Finals vs. Thunder

I said that the Knicks are the most trustworthy team in a thoroughly untrustworthy conference. Well, six different teams have been the top seed in the East over the last six seasons. And going forward, you can trust that the Knicks won’t be one of those top seeds. They got passed over again. That’s the kind of consistency we should all appreciate. The Knicks are reasonably healthy going into the final week of the season, and Mike Brown did get this group to be a top-10 defense and a top-five offense. But New York has work to do to hold off the Cavaliers and stay in third.

10. Atlanta Hawks (45-33)

Last ranking: 12
In the last week: W vs BOS, W at ORL, W at BRK
Offensive rating: 115.1 (13th place)
Defensive rating: 112.7 (ninth place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Second in East, lose East semifinals vs. Magic

I was high on a Hawks team built around Trae Young and Kristaps Porziņģis. That was a failure, mostly because those two played a total of 51 minutes together. But the pivot Atlanta has undergone has been spectacular. Only the Thunder and Spurs have better post-All-Star break records, and the Hawks blow teams out even worse than the Thunder have been. And it’s because of the defense. Dribbling and passing around Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Onyeka Okongwu and All-Star Jalen Johnson is perilous. They have an interesting final week, as they face potential first-round opponents New York and Cleveland for three games.

Tier 3: The Bubble

11. Los Angeles Lakers (50-28)

Last ranking: 6
In the last week: W vs WAS, W vs CLE, L at OKC, L at DAL
Offensive rating: 117.0 (ninth place)
Defensive rating: 115.7 (20th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Fifth in West, lose West semifinals vs. Thunder

The Lakers had an amazing March, and they’re going to wish the count stopped there. Instead, they went to Oklahoma and saw their work go down the drain because of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves suffering multi-week soft tissue injuries. It’s an unfortunate result for those two, though not wholly surprising. Dončić has been plagued by soft tissue injuries for years, while Reaves’ season was interrupted by a calf injury that cost him all of January. Those two had to play and do as much as they did due to the makeup of this roster. The attention shifts back to LeBron James, and the Lakers should still be able to score. But this is a team in which Marcus Smart is more important than he ever should be. Los Angeles can’t drop any lower than fifth, but it will be difficult for the Lakers to play long enough for Dončić or Reaves to get back in uniform again this season.

12. Philadelphia 76ers (43-35)

Last ranking: 13
In the last week: L at MIA, W at WAS, W vs MIN, L vs DET
Offensive rating: 114.7 (15th place)
Defensive rating: 114.9 (17th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Sixth in East, lose East quarterfinals vs. Magic

Tobias Harris taunting the 76ers about the Play-In in Philadelphia was a nice touch, I can’t lie. However, the 76ers are sixth in the East headed into the final week of the season. Paul George returned from his suspension looking like an All-Star. Joel Embiid needs some vitamins, but at least he’s mostly playing. All-Star Tyrese Maxey is back as well. Philadelphia hasn’t looked like a special team overall, but the next best thing is having the top available talent when it matters, and the 76ers are close to having that for the playoffs.

13. Minnesota Timberwolves (46-32)

Last ranking: 9
In the last week: W at DAL, L at DET, L at PHI, L vs CHA
Offensive rating: 115.1 (14th place)
Defensive rating: 112.1 (fifth place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Seventh in West (keep seventh in Play-In Tournament), lose West quarterfinals vs. Clippers

Minnesota still hasn’t clinched a top-six seed. It likely will, but I was right to keep the Timberwolves out of the top of the West when predicting their season. I said I wasn’t sure Anthony Edwards was going to have enough help offensively, and here the Timberwolves are in the middle of the rankings offensively. All I can say is, nothing will surprise me with what happens to Minnesota in the playoffs. The Timberwolves could make a run, and it wouldn’t shock me. But neither would their first early exit in three years, especially considering the difficult timing of Jaden McDaniels’ knee woes.

14. Toronto Raptors (43-35)

Last ranking: 11
In the last week: L at DET, L vs SAC, W at MEM, L at BOS
Offensive rating: 114.5 (16th place)
Defensive rating: 112.3 (seventh place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Eighth in East, eliminated in Play-In Tournament by Pistons, Bucks

The Raptors will finish no lower than the Play-In, which would have been an accomplishment for last year’s team. But for now, Toronto is staring at the possibility of being in the Play-In after being in the top six in the East for most of the season. Toronto has two All-Stars, Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes, and the Raptors have been solid in clutch time after being awful in those games a year ago. It will be fascinating to see where the Raptors wind up.

15. Orlando Magic (42-36)

Last ranking: 18
In the last week: W vs PHO, L vs ATL, W at DAL, W at NO
Offensive rating: 114.0 (18th place)
Defensive rating: 114.0 (15th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Third in East, lose Eastern Conference finals vs. Knicks

The Magic looked like a team that was going to need a new head coach. And perhaps Jamahl Mosley is still on the hot seat despite a 3-1 week that saw Franz Wagner play his first games since the All-Star break. That’s the root of the problem with the Magic. They thought the core of Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Paolo Banchero was the main group, and that trading all of those first-round picks for Desmond Bane was the right kind of final puzzle piece move. In the regular season, these guys don’t play together enough to maintain an identity. Now, the Magic are in the middle of a tough Play-In race. Making a statement in the playoffs is simple, but it’s hard to think that this team is strong enough to be able to do it.

16. Miami Heat (41-37)

Last ranking: 17
In the last week: W vs PHI, L vs BOS, W vs WAS
Offensive rating: 115.4 (12th place)
Defensive rating: 113.4 (11th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Ninth in East, eliminated in Play-In Tournament by Bucks

The good news for the Heat is that there won’t be a losing season. Miami hasn’t had consecutive losing seasons since 2003. But Miami’s problem is that there are nine teams in the East with more wins than it has. This team books the Play-In on an annual basis. It was nice when Jimmy Butler was on the team during those spring break runs. But Miami needs a lot of help to secure a seven-game series.

17. Phoenix Suns (43-35)

Last ranking: 14
In the last week: W at MEM, L at ORL, L at CHA, W at CHI
Offensive rating: 114.3 (17th place)
Defensive rating: 112.9 (10th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: 14th in West, will not make playoffs

The Suns are certainly wheezing a bit, losing eight of their last 12 games. But I expected the Suns to be dreadful. Jordan Ott has been magnificent on so many levels, but the primary one is that he got this team to play hard and defend at a top-10 level. There aren’t and weren’t that many resources for the Suns to be better this season, but having an identity around disruptive defense and heavy doses of 3-point attempts has been enough to secure a winning season. We’ll see if it is good enough to survive the Play-In, but this season was an unexpected success for Phoenix anyway you look at it.

18. Portland Trail Blazers (40-38)

Last ranking: 19
In the last week: W at LAC, W vs NO
Offensive rating: 112.9 (21st place)
Defensive rating: 113.5 (13th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: 12th in West, will not make playoffs

Keep Portland Weird. The basketball certainly qualifies. Of the 19 teams with winning records, only the Trail Blazers still have a negative point differential. No team averages more turnovers per game. And yet, Portland controls its own destiny for the eighth seed after an impressive and helpful win at LA. The Blazers have a big game at home against those same Clippers on Friday night as well. Tiago Splitter deserves a ton of credit for basically being Pacific Northwest Joe Mazzulla, taking this team to 40 wins after Chauncey Billups coached the season opener.

19. LA Clippers (40-38)

Last ranking: 15
In the last week: L vs POR, L vs SA, W at SAC
Offensive rating: 116.6 (11th place)
Defensive rating: 115.2 (19th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Second in West, lose Western Conference finals vs. Thunder

We all know how this one went. The Clippers are still paying for the rancid stretch that saw them lose 19 of 22 games between the beginning of November and the middle of December. They had to reset the core around Kawhi Leonard because of that. They’ve done well to put themselves in a position to have a winning record and a shot at the playoffs, but they also made things very stressful by having a five-game win streak snapped at home against the Trail Blazers. Now, the Clippers need to get that win back in Oregon, or their visit to the Play-In could come down to needing two wins just for the right to have their season ended early by the Thunder.

Tier 4: Not the Tier to Fear

20. Golden State Warriors (36-42)

Last ranking: 20
In the last week: L vs SA, L vs CLE, L vs HOU
Offensive rating: 113.8 (19th place)
Defensive rating: 114.1 (16th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Third in West, lose West quarterfinals vs. Rockets

I knew the Warriors were going to have consequences for being old. The Clippers got all the criticism for the roster they put together, but the Warriors were worse, and I was more wrong on them. Most of this came down to Golden State being unable to recover from Jimmy Butler III’s ACL tear and Stephen Curry missing all of February and March with his own knee problem. Draymond Green has had a rough time without either of those players. Al Horford played only 43 games, which is still more than Jonathan Kuminga and Kristaps Porziņģis combined for (33). Curry is back, though, so he’s still going to need to be dealt with in the Play-In.

21. Milwaukee Bucks (31-47)

Last ranking: 24
In the last week: W vs DAL, L at HOU, L vs BOS, W vs MEM
Offensive rating: 112.2 (25th place)
Defensive rating: 118.1 (26th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: 10th in East (earn eighth in Play-In Tournament), lose East quarterfinals vs. Knicks

I was low on the Bucks. I should have stood on business and been even lower. I had too much respect for Giannis Antetokounmpo dragging this group to the playoffs. Perhaps Antetokounmpo wanted to see that as well. But the Bucks weren’t good enough even with Antetokounmpo. And without him, they played empty, soulless basketball, as if no one wanted to be there. Even the Anthony Davis “That’s All Folks!” Pelicans had more threatening moments.

On Cooper Flagg’s birthday (Dec. 21, 2006), LeBron James had 26 points and 10 boards in a loss to Detroit. On April 5, 2026, LeBron had 30-9-15 while Flagg poured in 45 points. Kevin Jairaj /Imagn Images

22. Dallas Mavericks (25-53)

Last ranking: 23
In the last week: L vs MIN, L at MIL, L vs ORL, W vs LAL
Offensive rating: 109.7 (29th place)
Defensive rating: 115.1 (18th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: 11th in West, will not make playoffs

Speaking of Anthony Davis, I had some brutal misses this season. This was not one of them. Some of you really had the Mavericks as a serious team. The broadcast partners having the Mavericks on as much as they were only gets a pass because Cooper Flagg is box office. But this team was always set up to be a hot mess. Davis ended his Mavericks tenure with 587 points in 29 games. Luka Dončić scored more points than that in March 2026 alone! D’Angelo Russell was supposed to be the bridge to Kyrie Irving’s return, and all Russell did was earn a spot in the same trade that sent out Davis. Irving didn’t make it back, which should not have been a surprise. Flagg was good but in a way that made you feel sorry for him all season long. Dereck Lively II was done by Thanksgiving. Jason Kidd himself could have started at point guard for this team, I don’t care that he’s 53. It was a mess of a season, but I saw it coming.

23. Chicago Bulls (29-49)

Last ranking: 22
In the last week: L at SA, L vs IND, L at NY, L vs PHO
Offensive rating: 112.2 (24th place)
Defensive rating: 117.8 (23rd place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: 11th in East, will not make playoffs

I felt like this was the year the Bulls finally dropped out of Play-In consideration. It took some ill-fated trades, but Chicago got it done. The Bulls may even finish 11th on that dot since they have serious tank competition this week in Washington and Dallas.

24. Memphis Grizzlies (25-53)

Last ranking: 21
In the last week: L vs PHO, L vs NY, L vs TOR, L at MIL
Offensive rating: 112.8 (22nd place)
Defensive rating: 117.8 (24th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Eight in West, eliminated in Play-In Tournament by Timberwolves, Spurs

I was too high on the idea that Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. would keep the Grizzlies afloat for one more season. The Grizzlies only went 7-13 in games that Morant and Jackson played together, and now they’re no longer teammates. Jackson is in Utah, while Morant played three games after Jan. 1. To make matters worse, LeBron James said the team needs to move. These are the blues, after all.

25. New Orleans Pelicans (25-54)

Last ranking: 25
In the last week: L at POR, L at SAC, L vs ORL
Offensive rating: 113.0 (20th place)
Defensive rating: 117.4 (22nd place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: 13th in West, will not make playoffs

Here’s another one where the team is right where I said they would be with one week to go. And that’s with Zion Williamson missing “only” 18 games this season. Even recently, that little spark Dejounte Murray started is pretty much gone, with the Pelicans losing eight in a row. It’s New Orleans’ fourth losing streak of at least seven games this season. And the Pelicans are not even tanking.

Tier 5: Basement Floor

26. Sacramento Kings (21-58)

Last ranking: 29
In the last week: W at TOR, W vs NO, L vs LAC
Offensive rating: 110.4 (26th place)
Defensive rating: 120.4 (28th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Ninth in West, eliminated in Play-In Tournament by Spurs

Much like the Grizzlies, I was too high on the thought of Sacramento maintaining the level of competence they showed in recent years, though I at least couched my optimism by having the Kings also fail to earn a playoff berth in the Play-In Tournament. I knew the Kings would be bad on defense, so no surprise there. But I felt like there would be so many options offensively that the floor would be higher. It just didn’t work. A large part of the failure was Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis not being able to play a single game together. But this Kings season comes down to an utter lack of direction for all involved.

27. Indiana Pacers (18-60)

Last ranking: 26
In the last week: W at CHI, L at CHA, L at CLE
Offensive rating: 110.3 (27th place)
Defensive rating: 118.3 (27th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: Fifth in East, lose East quarterfinals vs. Cavaliers

An all-out rotten prediction here. The Pacers were already going to take a step back without Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner. When that fragile infrastructure was dented further by Week 1 injuries affecting Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin and Obi Toppin, epitaphs were written. The Pacers fell behind the count early and despite a valiant season from Pascal Siakam, Indiana started 2-16 and was cooked by Thanksgiving. They had the gap year that I thought the Celtics would have. They turned Mathurin into Ivica Zubac, so they are going to have a worthy starting lineup next season. But they better win the lottery for what it cost Indiana to secure Zubac in a gap year.

28. Brooklyn Nets (19-59)

Last ranking: 27
In the last week: L vs CHA, L vs ATL, W vs WAS
Offensive rating: 108.5 (30th place)
Defensive rating: 118.1 (25th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: 14th in East, will not make playoffs

If you have reached this point in the Power Rankings review, the surprises are gone. The Nets are bad, as expected. I actually said I’d be shocked if anyone besides Cam Thomas (since waived by the Nets and the Bucks) and Michael Porter Jr. averaged a dozen points for this team. So shout out to Noah Clowney, who is at 12.3 points per game!

29. Utah Jazz (21-58)

Last ranking: 30
In the last week: L vs CLE, L vs DEN, L at HOU, L at OKC
Offensive rating: 112.7 (23rd place)
Defensive rating: 121.2 (29th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: 15th in West, will not make playoffs

Utah is in a tie with the Kings for not only the worst record in the West but also the fourth-worst record in the league. Utah has the tougher tank mission ahead, but for a team that declared itself not to be tanking, they showed that actions speak much louder than words. There has been real development in Utah, specifically Keyonte George. A front line of Lauri Markkannen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Walker Kessler could be intriguing next season. But this was a tank all along.

30. Washington Wizards (17-61)

Last ranking: 28
In the last week: L at LAL, L vs PHI, L at MIA, L at BRK
Offensive rating: 109.9 (28th place)
Defensive rating: 121.3 (30th place)

2026 playoff prediction from Week 1: 15th in East, will not make playoffs

I said that the entire Wizards roster could be made up of players 25 and under in March. The only players who suited up for Washington aged 25 or older last month: 34-year-old Anthony Gill, 26-year-old two-way contract Leaky Black, and 27-year-old Trae Young (for five games). The Wizards gave up 83 points to Bam Adebayo, and then in a rematch Saturday, held Adebayo to six field goal attempts and still gave up 152 points to the Heat. A master class of tank, but under the watchful eye of Anthony Davis now, so at least Washington is getting the top pick in the draft.

Enam dari 10 pelatih kepala yang dipekerjakan di NFL pada offseason ini adalah pelatih pemula, dan sepertinya tren itu akan terus berkembang selama beberapa tahun ke depan.

Atletik Jourdan Rodrigue berbicara dengan para pelatih, eksekutif, dan personel liga lainnya sepanjang pertemuan tahunan di Phoenix minggu lalu dan menanyakan siapa yang mereka perkirakan akan menjadi calon pelatih kepala berikutnya. Rodrigue menerima banyak nama, dengan mantan gelandang NFL dan anggota staf Minnesota Vikings Josh McCown memimpin.

Nama menarik lainnya dalam daftar Rodrigue adalah Declan Doyle, yang mengambil alih sebagai koordinator ofensif Baltimore Ravens di bawah pelatih kepala pertama Jesse Minter. Menurut Rodrigue, “Beberapa orang NFL menyebutkan bahwa mereka sangat penasaran untuk melihat apa yang dilakukan Doyle dengan bintang quarterback Ravens, Lamar Jackson.”

McCown menghabiskan dua musim terakhir sebagai pelatih quarterback Minnesota di bawah pelatih kepala Kevin O'Connell. Dia adalah juga diberikan gelar koordinator permainan passing ofensif menjelang kampanye 2026.

“Seorang pelatih NFC terkemuka mengatakan sudah jelas selama dua musim terakhir bahwa mantan quarterback McCown mengambil tanggung jawab lebih besar dalam serangan Viking,” kata Rodrigue.

McCown memiliki andil dalam membentuk musim Pro Bowl pertama karir quarterback Sam Darnold bersama Viking pada tahun 2024. Dia juga akan membantu memimpin pengembangan pemanggil sinyal tahun ketiga JJ McCarthy, yang memiliki beberapa kompetisi ekstra di ruang quarterback setelah penambahan veteran ancaman ganda Kyler Murray di luar musim.

Chicago Cubs memperkenalkan item baru pada menu konsesi mereka yang pasti akan memuaskan para penggemar di Wrigley Field.

The Cubs merilis foto Double Diamond Waffle Fries mereka, menampilkan iga sapi rebus dalam saus anggur merah, saus keju Fontina yang kental, bacon, jamur, bawang goreng, dan daun bawang di keranjang yang berisi:

The Cubs memulai dengan skor 4-5 musim ini. Mereka akan membuka seri tiga pertandingan melawan Tampa Bay Rays (4-5) pada hari Senin.

Dexter Lawrence mengincar perubahan pemandangan.

Tekel bertahan veteran ini dilaporkan telah meminta pertukaran di tengah perselisihan kontrak dengan New York Giants dan tidak akan melapor ke program offseason tim.

Artikel ini akan segera diperbarui untuk memberikan informasi dan analisis lebih lanjut.

Jadikan Laporan Bleacher sebagai salah satu sumber pilihan Anda di Google dengan memilih Laporan Bleacher di laman “preferensi sumber”. Di Sini.

Untuk informasi lebih lanjut dari Bleacher Report, lihat kami aplikasi B/R, beranda dan umpan sosial—termasuk Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok Dan YouTube.

Portal transfer bola basket perguruan tinggi dibuka pada hari Selasa, dan meskipun Hubert Davis dipecat hampir dua minggu lalu, North Carolina masih belum memiliki pelatih kepala berikutnya.

Sebaliknya, mereka memiliki semakin banyak kandidat yang telah menolak minat Tar Heels, sebuah tanda bahwa silsilah bersejarah UNC tidak begitu berpengaruh di era modern yang didominasi oleh pembuatan roster melalui portal transfer, nama, gambar dan kemiripan, serta bagi hasil.

Tommy Lloyd dari Arizona dan Dusty May dari Michigan – dua kandidat awal UNC – telah mengundurkan diri dari pertimbangan saat melatih di Final Four akhir pekan ini.

Jadi bagaimana dengan UNC?

Kandidat utama Tar Heels yang tersisa adalah pelatih Chicago Bulls Billy Donovan, menurut beberapa orang yang diberi pengarahan tentang strategi UNC, tidak disebutkan namanya karena mereka tidak berwenang untuk berbicara secara terbuka tentang penggeledahan tersebut. North Carolina secara agresif mengejar Donovan, 60, meskipun dia tidak menjadi pelatih di perguruan tinggi selama lebih dari satu dekade.

Donovan, yang memenangkan gelar nasional berturut-turut di Florida pada tahun 2006 dan 2007, tetap terbuka terhadap kemungkinan tersebut, menurut berbagai sumber industri, tetapi masih jauh dari harapan untuk menerima pekerjaan itu. Salah satu poin utama yang menjadi kendala adalah keinginan Donovan untuk tetap bersama Chicago hingga akhir musim reguler NBA pada 12 April — lima hari setelah portal transfer dibuka, yang tampaknya akan menempatkannya pada posisi yang sangat dirugikan dalam membangun roster UNC pertamanya. Selain itu, sumber industri mengatakan Atletik bahwa Donovan memiliki sisa beberapa tahun dalam perpanjangan kontrak yang dia tandatangani dengan Bulls musim panas lalu, ada beberapa obrolan industri tentang Donovan yang berpotensi melihat lowongan NBA yang berbeda musim panas ini, dengan kemungkinan lowongan profesional dua digit.

Jika North Carolina menunggu Donovan, hanya sampai dia kemudian mengambil pekerjaan lain, itu akan menjadi pukulan telak bagi peluang daya saing Tar Heels musim depan — dan kemunduran yang memalukan dalam pencarian untuk mengisi pekerjaan. secara luas dilihat sebagai pertunjukan lima besar dalam olahraga.

Namun, Donovan cukup serius dengan tugas UNC sehingga dia sudah mulai mendiskusikan calon stafnya jika dia menerima tawaran Tar Heels, menurut dua sumber. Staf tersebut kemungkinan besar mencakup beberapa orang yang pernah bekerja dengan Donovan di Florida dalam kapasitas tertentu, kata sumber, termasuk setidaknya satu orang yang merupakan asisten perguruan tinggi yang aktif.

Donovan juga telah menelepon setidaknya satu asisten mayor terkemuka yang tidak memiliki hubungan sebelumnya dengannya, sebuah sumber yang menjelaskan tentang pencarian tersebut menambahkan.

Para pemangku kepentingan di UNC percaya bahwa Donovan – antara keberhasilannya di perguruan tinggi sebelumnya dan silsilahnya di NBA – tidak akan mengalami banyak kesulitan dalam menarik bakat ke Chapel Hill, apalagi kecerdasan X dan O-nya.

Jika bukan Donovan, Carolina Utara akan maju ke tingkat kandidat berikutnya.

Kelompok itu akan mencakup, tanpa urutan tertentu: Mark Byington dari Vanderbilt, Ben McCollum dari Iowa, TJ Otzelberger dari Iowa State (yang sebelumnya dihubungi oleh UNC pada siklus ini), Scott Drew dari Baylor, Josh Schertz dari Saint Louis dan mantan pelatih Denver Nuggets Michael Malone, seorang analis ESPN yang merupakan agen bebas kepelatihan.

Namun, sumber-sumber industri meragukan berapa banyak – jika ada – dari kandidat tersebut yang akan bekerja serius untuk UNC.

Byington baru-baru ini menandatangani perpanjangan kontrak dengan Vanderbilt, dan sumber industri mengatakan pembeliannya bernilai $10 juta-$11 juta, harga yang mahal untuk seorang pelatih yang belum mencapai Sweet 16. Namun, Byington akan tertarik jika ditawarkan.

Mark Byington baru-baru ini menandatangani perpanjangan kontrak di Vanderbilt, tetapi dia masih bisa masuk dalam daftar UNC seiring pencarian yang berlarut-larut. (Johnnie Izquierdo / Getty Gambar)

Lalu ada McCollum, siapa membawa Iowa ke Elite Eight di musim pertamanya bersama Hawkeyes, tetapi menurut berbagai sumber industri, kemungkinan besar dia tidak akan mengambil pekerjaan di UNC meskipun ditawari. McCollum, 44, adalah penduduk asli Iowa City dan penduduk Midwestern seumur hidup yang merasa nyaman dengan perannya saat ini — dan, jika dia pergi demi darah biru, tampaknya akan jauh lebih cocok di Kansas ketika Bill Self pensiun.

Otzelberger, 48, telah menandatangani perpanjangan kontrak pada siklus ini, dan meskipun memimpin Iowa State ke tiga penampilan Sweet 16 dalam lima musim terakhir, tidak dianggap cocok secara budaya di UNC, menurut berbagai sumber yang menjelaskan pemikiran North Carolina. Hal yang sama berlaku untuk Schertz, 50, yang menolak tawaran dari NC State pada bulan Maret dan menandatangani perpanjangan yang menguntungkan dengan SLU beberapa minggu lalu. Schertz dianggap sebagai bintang yang sedang naik daun di industri ini dan akan menjadi salah satu kandidat teratas untuk pekerjaan-pekerjaan besar di carousel kepelatihan musim semi mendatang.

Adapun Drew, 55, yang memenangkan gelar nasional di Baylor pada tahun 2021, Carolina Utara telah terkenal tetapi belum secara serius melibatkannya dalam pekerjaan itu, menurut dua sumber. Menggambar sebelumnya menolak pekerjaan di Kentucky pada tahun 2024 meskipun memiliki hubungan dekat dengan direktur atletik saat itu, Mitch Barnhart. Meskipun sumber-sumber industri memperkirakan bahwa Drew – yang mencatatkan rekor 17-17 musim ini dan melewatkan Turnamen NCAA – akan tertarik pada UNC, terutama dengan dukungan finansial yang lebih baik daripada yang dimilikinya di Baylor, hanya ada sedikit pergerakan yang menunjukkan bahwa dia adalah kandidat yang serius.

Namun hal itu bisa berubah jika Donovan memilih untuk tidak menerima pekerjaan itu. Pembelian Drew dianggap dapat dikelola.

Terakhir, ada Malone, 54, yang memenangkan gelar NBA bersama Denver Nuggets pada tahun 2023 sebelum dipecat pada akhir musim 2024-25. Berbagai sumber yang menjelaskan pemikiran UNC mengatakan Malone – yang putrinya bermain bola voli di UNC dan mengikuti program tersebut musim lalu – telah menarik perhatian mantan pemain dan pendukung lama program tersebut. Pemahamannya tentang tren bola basket modern – termasuk menonjolkan MVP tiga kali Nikola Jokic – menarik dari sudut pandang X dan O dan tampaknya akan menarik bagi talenta top yang bercita-cita untuk bermain di level berikutnya. Waktu Malone bersama Jokic berarti dia juga akrab dengan agen Jokic, Misko Raznatovic, yang juga mewakili banyak rekrutan internasional terkemuka yang mencoba bermain bola basket perguruan tinggi.

Raznatovic telah menghadiri dua Final Four terakhir, termasuk tahun ini di Indianapolis, yang dihadiri beberapa kliennya bermain untuk No.3 Illinois.

Tapi seperti halnya Donovan, ada pertanyaan. Apakah Malone kandidat serius untuk lowongan NBA yang diharapkan musim panas ini? Dia tidak pernah melatih di perguruan tinggi sejak tahun 2001, ketika dia menjadi asisten di Manhattan, menjadikan stafnya lebih penting untuk jaringan dan perekrutan. Dia bahkan lebih merupakan kandidat yang out-the-box daripada Donovan, yang setidaknya memenangkan kejuaraan NCAA dan memiliki hubungan dengan banyak orang yang bekerja di bidang olahraga tersebut.

North Carolina masih dapat dengan cepat menyelesaikan masalah ini dengan mempekerjakan Donovan, yang merupakan hasil yang paling mungkin terjadi saat ini – tetapi jika tidak, maka pencarian UNC mungkin melampaui apa yang diantisipasi sekolah ketika pertama kali memecat Davis.

Jika ada sesuatu yang dapat diambil dari pencarian UNC sejauh ini, ini adalah: Banyak keuntungan bawaan yang dulu dimiliki oleh kaum berdarah biru tidak lagi berkuasa di era modern bola basket perguruan tinggi.

Lloyd, yang memimpin Arizona menjadi unggulan No. 1, pada hari Jumat mengumumkan bahwa dia telah mendapatkannya menyetujui perpanjangan dengan Wildcats sepanjang musim 2031, yang menjadikannya salah satu pelatih dengan bayaran tertinggi dalam olahraga ini. UNC tidak pernah secara resmi menawari Lloyd pekerjaan itu, menurut salah satu sumber program, namun menyampaikan kepada Lloyd bahwa mereka bersedia memenuhi persyaratan keuangan yang diperlukan untuk memikat pria berusia 51 tahun itu dari Wildcats. Banyak pendukung Tar Heels telah menyuarakan dukungan untuk Lloyd di belakang layar karena hubungannya dengan pelatih Gonzaga Mark Few – teman lama legenda UNC Roy Williams dan pelatih yang diinginkan oleh banyak pendukung sekolah untuk dipekerjakan pada tahun 2021 sebelum mengangkat Davis – tetapi pada akhirnya, Arizona memberi Lloyd semua yang dia minta untuk tetap berada di gurun pasir.

Sebaliknya, Mei tidak pernah secara serius mempertimbangkan Tar Heelsmenurut dua sumber industri, dan bisa memenangkan gelar nasional pertamanya Senin malam melawan UConn. May, 49, diperkirakan akan menerima minat NBA pada offseason ini, menurut berbagai sumber industri, tetapi tidak akan menerima pekerjaan perguruan tinggi lainnya.

Jika dia tetap di Ann Arbor, perkirakan May – seperti Lloyd – akan menandatangani perpanjangan kontrak yang menguntungkan.

Hanya beberapa jam sebelum pertandingan kejuaraan nasional Turnamen NCAA Senin malam antara UConn dan Michigan, para penggemar menerima hadiah.

NCAA merilis video paket sorotan “One Shining Moment” yang pertama dari Turnamen NCAA 1987, yang berpuncak dengan Indiana mengalahkan Syracuse 74-73 untuk memenangkan kejuaraan nasional.

“One Shining Moment” adalah sesuatu yang dinanti-nantikan para penggemar setiap tahun, karena momen terbaik Turnamen NCAA dikemas bersama untuk sebuah cuplikan sorotan yang luar biasa.

Diharapkan paket video “One Shining Moment” tahun ini akan menjadi luar biasa menyusul beberapa foto momen dari turnamen tahun ini.