INGLEWOOD, CA — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took a forceful stand against tanking in his NBA All-Star Weekend press conference, talking at length about the hot-button topic that’s ‘been part of this league for a long time.’

Earlier this week, the league fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 and Indiana Pacers $100,000 for violations of its player participation policy and conduct detrimental to the league. They aren’t the only teams openly tanking, though, ahead of a 2026 draft that’s thought to be one of the strongest in recent years.

Silver’s response at the Intuit Dome on Saturday was just as blatant.

‘Are we seeing behavior that is worse this year than we’ve seen in recent memory? Yes, is my view,’ he said. ‘Which was what led to those fines, and not just those fines but to my statement that we’re going to be looking more closely at the totality of all the circumstances this season in terms of teams’ behavior, and very intentionally wanted teams to be on notice.’

In addition to more fines, Silver was asked if he would consider stripping draft picks from teams that continue to tank.

‘There is talk about every possible remedy now to stop this behavior,’ he said.

Silver also mentioned that the league has had economists look at the draft lottery system and point out how the incentives — the worst-performing teams receiving the best odds for a pick and the teams that just miss out on the playoffs being stuck in the middle of the road — are backwards.

‘I think there was a more classical view of that in the old days, where it was just sort of an understanding among partners in terms of behavior,’ Silver said. ‘I think what we’re seeing is modern analytics where it’s so clear that the incentives are misaligned. … The worst place to be, for example, is to be a middle-of-the-road team. Either be great or be bad, because then that will help you with the draft.

‘In many cases, you have fans of those teams — remember, it’s not what they want to pay for to see poor performance on the floor, but they’re actually rooting for their teams in some cases to be bad to improve their draft chances.’

Silver added that the league is focused on both the short-term response — fines and putting teams on notice about tanking — while also looking for a long-term solution to a problem that has been ever-evolving.

Former Commissioner David Stern introduced the draft lottery in 1985, which Silver said the league has made adjustments to ‘about five times.’ Some in the media have begun calling for the draft to be abolished entirely and, while that’s an extreme end of the spectrum, Silver admitted Saturday that it might be time — past time, even — for the league to reassess.

‘It’s a bit of a conundrum,’ Silver said. ‘The All-Star is 75 years old. The league is 80 years old. It’s time to take a fresh look at this to see to whether that’s an antiquated way of going about doing it. Ultimately, we need a system to fairly, I think, distribute players. I think it’s in the players’ interest as well as the teams that you have a level of parity around the league. There’s only so many jobs and so many cities.

‘… What we’re doing, what we’re seeing right now, is not working; there’s no question about it. Yes, is there more I can do? Have I attempted not only to respond to behavior we’ve seen but send a clear message that we’re going to be scrutinizing everything we see going forward? Absolutely.’

Adam Silver discusses prediction markets

With the news of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s recent investment in Kalshi, Silver took a moment to discuss where the league stands as far as prediction markets go.

‘We currently are looking at prediction markets essentially in the same way that we’re looking at sports betting markets or sports betting companies,’ Silver said. ‘We have a rule that was collectively bargained with the Players Association that players can make, I will call them, de minimis investments in sports betting companies, and we’re applying the same rule to prediction markets.’

The rule is that players cannot hold more than a 1% interest in sports betting — and now, by extension, prediction market — companies. To Silver’s knowledge, Antetokounmpo’s stake in Kalshi is ‘much smaller’ than that, so he is not in violation of any league rules.

But it’s still an issue that Silver is keeping a close eye on.

‘It’s rapidly evolving,’ he said. ‘Prediction markets have now come on the scene fairly recently as, I don’t know how else to say it, major sports betting marketplaces. Whether prediction markets are allowed to go forward in the form they’re in now will, I think, be ultimately an issue for the courts and for Congress.

‘But even if they go away, the league is now dealing with essentially 40 different jurisdictions that have legalized sports betting in the United States. Still a huge illegal market. I’d say one other category that I hardly ever hear people talk about is that the last I looked, there are probably 80 countries in the world outside of the United States that also have legalized betting on the NBA.’

MILAN — Jordan Stolz did more than reach the halfway point of his pursuit of four Olympic gold medals at the Winter Games.

He left the skating world agog Saturday, Feb. 14.

For the second race in a row, Stolz set a new Olympic record while holding off rival Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands. This time it came in the men’s 500 meters, three days after Stolz made Olympic history in the 1,000 meters.

“We just watched some special, historic skating,” said Cooper McLeod, the American speed skater, who finished 22nd in the 30-skater field. “We saw the Olympic record lowered by almost half a second today. That doesn’t happen.”

With two Olympic gold medals in hand, Stolz faces simple math if not a simple assignment. To get four golds, he must win his final two races: the 1,500 meters Thursday, Feb. 19 and the mass start Feb. 21.

Watch Winter Olympics on Peacock

“I think if I have a good 1,500 — it should turn out well — I’m hoping for gold in that,’’ Stolz said. “Mass start’s just kind of a toss up. It’s more like a bonus. It’s so hard to say what’s going to happen in that …”

What’s happened so far bodes well for the 21-year-old American from Wisconsin. Stolz has joined Eric Heiden as the only U.S. men to win the gold in the 500 and 1,000 at the same Olympics. American legendary speed skater Bonnie Blair did it twice.

It started Wednesday when he overtook de Boo down the stretch of the 1,000 meters while setting a new Olympic record. The rivals were paired up again in the 500 and both men beat the Olympic record. But it’s a record now held by Stolz witth a time of 33.77

‘He’s the man to beat right now,” de Boo said.

Pressure? What pressure?

After his victory in the 500, Stolz was asked a couple of times about how he’s dealing with the pressure. At which point it became clear he’s not feeling much, if any, pressure.

“I kind of felt in the beginning before the 1,000,” he said. “It’s something you just have to deal with and get out of your mind because if it’s going to affect your racing, you can’t be letting things like that affect you. And especially now you only have one chance to win. So it’s something you just have to put out your mind.’’

Apparently that’s easier said than done.

“I admire his discipline and his medals, of course, and also how he handles the pressure,” de Boo said of Stolz. “He’s been in a favorite role for a very long time and he’s been able to keep a steady pace and keep on winning. So yeah, a lot of respect for that.”

When it comes to handling pressure, Stolz wasn’t divulging any secrets about how he does it. Or maybe how doesn’t have any secrets.

“There’s nothing too specific,” he said when asked how he does it. “I just try and focus on the things that I can control. And in skating when I’m on the ice, it’s more about feeling. So there’s not too many things you can’t control outside of it.

“But yeah, I just try not to think about skating when I’m back at the rink as much.”

Historical context

Stolz is seeking to become only the third athlete to win four gold medals in a single Winter Olympics.

Ole Einar Bjørndalen of Norway did it in the biathlon in 2002 and Lidiya Skoblikova of Russian did it in speed skating in 1964.

American speed skater Eric Heiden in 1980 became the only person to win five gold medals at the Winter Olympics.

While Stolz can’t win five at these Games, he clearly is motivated by the chance to cement his status as a legendary speed skater right alongside Heiden. Heiden is widely regarded as the greatest speed skater ever.

But Laurent Dubreuil, a 33-year-old Canadian who won the bronze medal while finishing behind Stolz and de Boo, sees things differently.

“I think Jordan’s the greatest speed skater of all time,’’ he said.

Get our Chasing Gold Olympics newsletter in your inbox for coverage of your favorite Team USA athletes

Athletes from more than 90 countries will compete for Winter Olympic medals in 116 events over 16 days, and USA TODAY is keeping a tally of every nation finishing on the podium. Here’s a look at the latest medal standings on the morning of Sunday, Feb. 15, as well as when each medal event will take place.

USA TODAY Sports has a team of more than a dozen journalists on the ground in Italy to bring you behind the scenes with Team USA and keep you up to date with every medal win, big moment and triumphant finish. Get our Chasing Gold newsletter in your inbox every morning and join our WhatsApp channel to get the latest updates right in your texts.

Broadcast coverage of the 2026 Milano Cortino Winter Olympics is airing exclusively airing across NBC’s suite of networks with many competitions airing live on its streaming service, Peacock, which you can sign up for here .

What is the medal count at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics?

All data accurate as of Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, at 7:45 a.m.

Meet Team USA 2026: Get to know the athletes behind the games

1. Norway: 22 Total (11 Gold, 34Silver, 7 Bronze)
2. Italy: 19 Total (6 Gold, 3 Silver, 10 Bronze)
3. United States: 17 Total (5 Gold, 8 Silver, 4 Bronze)
4. Japan: 15 Total (3 Gold, 4 Silver, 8 Bronze)
5. France: 14 Total (4 Gold, 7 Silver, 4 Bronze)
6. Austria: 13 Total (4 Gold, 6 Silver, 3 Bronze)
7. Germany: 13 Total (4 Gold, 5 Silver, 4 Bronze)
8. Sweden: 10 Total (5 Gold, 4 Silver, 1 Bronze)
9. Netherlands: 9 Total (4 Gold, 4 Silver, 1 Bronze)
10. Switzerland: 9 Total (4 Gold, 2 Silver, 3 Bronze)
11. Canada: 9 Total (1 Gold, 3 Silver, 5 Bronze)
12. South Korea: 5 Total (1 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze)
13. Australia: 5 Total (3 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze)
14. Czech Republic: 4 Total (2 Gold, 2 Silver, 0 Bronze)
15. China: 4 Total (0 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze)
16. Slovenia: 3 Total (2 Gold, 1 Silver, 0 Bronze)
17. Poland: 3 Total (0 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze)
18. Latvia: 2 Total (0 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze)
19. New Zealand: 2 Total (0 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze)
20. Bulgaria: 2 Total (0 Gold, 0 Silver, 2 Bronze)
21. Finland: 2 Total (0 Gold, 0 Silver, 2 Bronze)
22. Brazil: 1 Total (1 Gold, 0 Silver, 0 Bronze)
23. Great Britain: 1 Total (1 Gold, 0 Silver, 0 Bronze)
24. Kazakhstan: 1 Total (1 Gold, 0 Silver, 0 Bronze)
25. Belgium: 1 Total (0 Gold, 0 Silver, 1 Bronze)

2026 Winter Olympics upcoming medal events schedule

Feb. 15

BIATHLON: Men’s 12.5km Pursuit
FREESTYLE SKIING: Men’s Dual Moguls Final
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: Men’s 4×7.5km Relay
ALPINE SKIING: Women’s Giant Slalom
SNOWBOARDING: Mixed Team Cross Final
BIATHLON: Women’s 10km Pursuit
SPEED SKATING: Women’s 500m
SKELETON: Mixed Team
SKI JUMPING: Women’s Large Hill

Feb. 16

SHORT TRACK: Women’s 1000m
ALPINE SKIING: Men’s Slalom
FIGURE SKATING: Pair Skating Free Skate
FREESTYLE SKIING: Women’s Big Air Final
SKI JUMPING: Men’s Super Team Final Round
BOBSLED: Women’s Singles

Feb. 17

NORDIC COMBINED: Large Hill/10km: 10km
SNOWBOARDING: Women’s Slopestyle Final
BIATHLON: Men’s 4×7.5km Relay
SPEED SKATING: Men’s, Women’s Team Pursuit Finals
BOBSLED: Men’s Doubles

Feb. 18

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: Women’s, Men’s Team Sprint Free Final
FREESTYLE SKIING: Women’s Aerials Final
SNOWBOARDING: Men’s Slopestyle Final
ALPINE SKIING: Women’s Slalom
BIATHLON: Women’s 4x6km Relay
SHORT TRACK: Women’s 3000m Relay
SHORT TRACK: Men’s 500m

Feb. 19

FREESTYLE SKIING: Men’s Aerials Final
SKI MOUNTAINEERING: Women’s, Men’s Sprint
NORDIC COMBINED: Team Sprint/Large Hill 2×7.5km
ICE HOCKEY: Women’s Final
SPEED SKATING: Men’s 1500m
FIGURE SKATING: Women’s Free Skate

Feb. 20

FREESTYLE SKIING: Women’s Cross Final
BIATHLON: Men’s 15km Mass Start
SPEED SKATING: Women’s 1500m
CURLING: Men’s Bronze Medal Game
FREESTYLE SKIING: Men’s Halfpipe Final
SHORT TRACK: Men’s 5000m Relay Final
SHORT TRACK: Women’s 1500m Final

Feb. 21

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: Men’s 50km Mass Start Classic
FREESTYLE SKIING: Mixed Team Aerials Final
FREESTYLE SKIING: Men’s Cross Final
SKI MOUNTAINEERING: Mixed Relay
CURLING: Men’s Gold Medal Game, Women’s Bronze Medal Game
BIATHLON: Women’s 12.5km Mass Start
SPEED SKATING: Men’s, Women’s Mass Start
FREESTYLE SKIING: Women’s Halfpipe Final
ICE HOCKEY: Men’s Bronze Medal Game
BOBSLED: Women’s Doubles: Heat 4

Feb. 22

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: Women’s 50km Mass Start Classic
CURLING: Women’s Gold Medal Game
BOBSLED: Men’s Quads Final
ICE HOCKEY: Men’s Gold Medal Game

MILAN — For Ilia Malinin, a terrible night was followed by a wonderful postscript. 

The 21-year-old Quad God’s epic meltdown on the ice at the 2026 Winter Olympics has already been well documented. He fell twice, made mistakes on other jumps and finished a devastating eighth in the men’s figure skating competition. It was the worst performance by a gold-medal favorite in Olympic figure skating history. It was as bad as it gets for an athlete at the most crucial moment of a young career.

But what happened afterward? It was beautiful. 

Watching Winter Olympics on Peacock

Throughout sports over the years, in the aftermath of crushing defeat, athletes have reacted in different ways. Some keep it together. Others behave horribly. The names of those who have thrown helmets at lockers or destroyed tennis rackets or thrown golf clubs or berated reporters or just refused to talk at all number in the hundreds, perhaps thousands. 

But Ilia Malinin? After spending significant time hugging and speaking with the surprising gold medalist Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan, he walked purposely behind the curtains to the mixed zone interview area, where, just a couple of minutes after leaving the ice, he spoke calmly, politely and intelligently with NBC’s Andrea Joyce, fully answering the four questions she asked, including saying this: 

“I was not expecting that, I felt like going into this competition I was so ready … maybe I was too confident that it was going to go well. … I think it was definitely mental, just now finally experiencing that Olympic atmosphere, it’s crazy, it’s not like any other competition, it’s really different. I’m still so grateful that I was able to put in this work and effort to get to where I am, but of course that was not the skate that I wanted.”

And his first thought when his music ended? 

“I blew it, that’s honestly the first thing that came to my mind was there’s no way that just happened.” 

Joyce thanked him for the interview, and he thanked her back. 

Malinin then ran the gauntlet of the maze-like mixed zone, answering the same questions over and over again. When he reached the U.S. journalists, he answered everything again, but none of his answers sounded forced. He was patient and thoughtful. It was as if he was being asked about it all for the first time, offering new words and phrases to describe what he had just done. 

‘The pressure of the Olympics really gets you,” he said. “The pressure is unreal. It’s almost like I wasn’t aware of where I was in the program. Usually I have more time and more feeling of how it is, but this time, it all went by so fast. … It just felt so overwhelming. I didn’t really know how to handle it in that moment.”

Malinin always has been respectful of the writers and broadcasters who cover him, and Friday night, arguably the worst night of his life, was no different. 

His behavior was all the more remarkable when one considers how long it will be before Malinin gets another chance to compete on such a meaningful stage. Most athletes who have lost their temper after a defeat get to play another game or match in a few days or weeks. Even the Super Bowl loser has a chance to do it all again in 52 weeks.

But Malinin? He has to wait four years for another opportunity at the Olympic Games, making his performance after his on-ice performance so wonderfully memorable.

Get our Chasing Gold Olympics newsletter in your inbox for coverage of your favorite Team USA athletes

It’s looking increasingly likely that rain could impact the 2026 Daytona 500, as the NASCAR’s Cup Series is set to get underway on Sunday.

The latest forecast shows a 55% chance of rain with the added possibility of thunderstorms creating the chance of a delay or even postponement of The Great American Race at Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR officials have already moved up the scheduled drop of the green flag by an hour to 1:30 p.m. ET.

In the past 15 years, the 500 has been moved to or finished on Monday because of inclement weather in 2012, 2020 and 2024. In 2021, the race was delayed six hours and didn’t finish until after midnight.

Kyle Busch – who has never won the Daytona 500 – is the pole sitter for the 68th edition of the historic competition. Chase Briscoe, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney round out the starting top five. The race will also feature seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson.

Buy your copy of our commemorative Dale Earnhardt book!

Daytona 500 weather forecast

Here’s the latest AccuWeather forecast for Daytona Beach, Florida:

Sunday, Feb. 15: Mostly breezy and cloudy. Morning showers in spots, then thunderstorms are possible in spots late in the afternoon. High temperature of 80 degrees and a low of 59. Chance of precipitation: 55%
Monday, Feb. 16: Passing showers are likely in the morning, with clouds giving way to some sun. Cooler and becoming breezy in the afternoon. High temperature of 65 degrees and a low of 53. Chance of precipitation: 55%.

When is the 2026 Daytona 500?

Date: Sunday, Feb. 15
Start time: 1:30 p.m. ET
Location: Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, Florida)
TV: Fox
Streaming: Fubo (free trial), Sling
Defending champion: William Byron

Watch Daytona 500 on Fubo

MILAN – The American men’s hockey team goes into their last preliminary round game of the 2026 Winter Olympics having earned a measure of resilience.

Much as their Group C play so far has been against underdogs – and that won’t change in the final preliminary game on Sunday, Feb. 15, at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena – the Americans’ 2-0 record hasn’t come without challenges. The Danes twice forced the U.S. to play from behind, and kept Saturday’s game close going into the third period before the U.S. pulled away, 6-3. Against Latvia, the Americans had to deal with two called-back goals.

‘I think it can serve us well moving forward,’ U.S. coach Mike Sullivan said after the victory over Denmark. ‘Because when you hit bumps in the road and you’re able to overcome those types of things, I think it says a lot about your group. And I think it galvanizes the group in a lot of ways.

‘It also provides hard evidence that we’re able to overcome anything that comes our way. And that’s an important part of success in this type of a tournament.’

A victory over Germany would put the U.S. in first play in group play, and earn a bye into the quarterfinals.

‘We’ve just got to keep building our game,’ Sullivan said. ‘I think that’s part of the process, is just trying to get better each and every day, and that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to refine, we’re trying to define and refine, every single day. We’ve just got to keep moving the needle. We want to become a better version of ourselves.’

Jack Eichel described the team as an ‘unfinished product’ when asked what the Americans need to work on as the preliminary round wraps up.

‘I think you want to be good with puck management,’ he said. ‘You want to be good breaking the puck out and transitioning from defense to offense. Some of our D-zone structure, things like that, some of the breakdowns we’ve had, to continue to improve on. We’re going to continue to get better. It’s all part of this.’

The Americans didn’t start well against Denmark, falling behind 2-1 on a fluky goal when Jeremy Swayman didn’t see the puck that Nicholas B. Jensen fired from near his own bench. But in both of their preliminary games the Americans have put on dominant performances in the second period, putting themselves in position to put the games away in the third period.

‘I thought that if we played our game for 60 minutes, things would go our way, and they did,’ Eichel said. ‘I give them credit, they played really hard, they were opportunistic. They got a couple goals. No game is going to be easy, we realized that. I thought it was good of the group to continue to play our game for 60 minutes and find a way to win.’

Eichel set up Brady Tkachuk’s tying goal midway through the game and then scored to make it 3-2. Tkachuk is off to a great start in the tournament, with goals in each game and his usual strong physical presence.

‘He’s a beast,’ Sullivan said. ‘He’s a beast. His energy is contagious. He’s so vocal on the bench in between periods. He’s a positive guy. He drags everybody into the fight, literally and figuratively, and that’s what we love about him.’

From their first line to what masquerades as their fourth line (Jack Hughes is on it) and their defensive pairings and goaltending depth that numbers Swayman, Connor Hellebyck (who started against Latvia) and Jake Oettinger, the Americans are poised to earn a couple days before the quarterfinals if they take care of the Germans like they did the Latvians and Danes.

‘it’s one of those quick tournaments that you kind of have to find it quick,’ Tkachuk said. ‘I think that’s what’s so good about our group, is that we’re just kind of scratching at it right now and it’s going to work out that we’re going to peak at the right time.’

INGLEWOOD, CA — The NBA All-Star Weekend festivities have arrived. Saturday featured a wealth of events, highlighted by the mainstays: the NBA Slam Dunk and 3-Point Contests.

Before the main event of Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game, where the U.S. will take on the world in a new round-robin format, the crowd at Intuit Dome was entertained by the high-flying antics of Carter Bryant (San Antonio Spurs), Jaxson Hayes (Los Angeles Lakers), Keshad Johnson (Miami Heat), Jase Richardson (Orlando Magic).

USA TODAY Sports provided updates, highlights and results for the dunk and 3-point contests and the rest of Saturday night’s events:

NBA dunk contest highlights

NBA 3-point contest highlights

Shooting Stars contest highlights

Slam Dunk Contest: Heat forward Keshad Johnson wins

It won’t be one of the memorable Slam Dunk Contests that fans will talk about for years to come, but Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson took the title in his first time competing in the event.

He topped Spurs rookie Carter Bryant with a final round score of 97.4 points. His top dunk of the night was a between-the-legs slam from the right baseline that he lobbed to himself. Johnson nearly hit his head on the backboard and slammed it home. The judges gave him a score of 49.6 for the dunk.

Final round, second dunk: Carter Bryant

It came down to the last dunk of the night. Bryant had to attempt a dunk several times and eventually had to bail. His first try was supposed to be a between-the-legs lob off the backboard that he then wanted to slam with a reverse. He had two attempts rim out, and as time wound down, he switched to a two-handed 360 dunk.

The judges gave him a score of 43.0, for a final round score of 93.0. That gave the Slam Dunk Contest title to Heat forward Keshad Johnson.

Final round, second dunk: Keshad Johnson

Using a long runway from well beyond half court, Johnson didn’t quite take off from the free throw line, but he did thunder it home with a swooping windmill.

The judges gave him a score of 47.8, for a final round total of 97.4.

Final round, first dunk: Carter Bryant

Another impressive dunk, Bryant caught a lob he threw to himself from the top of the key and slammed it home after putting the ball between his legs. He threw it down with power, getting a pop out of the crowd.

The judges gave him a perfect 50.

Final round, first dunk: Keshad Johnson

As he has all night long, Johnson danced his way through his turn. He went back to the dunk he had been trying late in the first round, doing a lobbed dunk underneath the basket that he also looped between his legs.

The judges were impressed, giving him a near-perfect score of 49.6, the highest of the night thus far.

Second dunk: Keshad Johnson

After he twice tried to do an in-between-the-legs dunk off of a lob, Johnson pivoted and did a two-hand, rock-the-cradle dunk from the baseline.

The judges gave him a score of 45.4, giving him a first-round score of 92.8. That moves him into the final, against Carter Bryant.

Second dunk: Carter Bryant

Bryant tossed a lob to himself and then flushed it down with a powerful windmill that showcased his jumping ability. It wasn’t necessarily a flashy dunk, but it was smooth and powerful.

The judges gave him a score of 49.2 to give him a first-round score of 94.8, securing his spot in the final.

Second dunk: Jase Richardson

Richardson used the help of a friend to try to lob the pass off the backboard, but a scary fall made him rethink the dunk. During that attempt, Richardson got caught on the backboard and fell flat on the court, appearing to hit the back of his head on the floor.

He got up and pivoted to a two-handed 360 slam.

The judges gave him a score of 43.4, for a total first-round score of 88.8.

Second dunk: Jaxson Hayes

Sensing that he needed to make up for his score, Hayes stood at the left wing and lobbed a pass and then, as he approached the ball, he tapped it with his right hand to himself before looping it between his legs for the dunk.

The judges gave him a score of 47.2 points on the dunk, for a total first-round score of 91.8.

Fourth up: Jaxson Hayes

Hayes seemed to know that his dunk wasn’t all that.

He took off from well within the backcourt and seemed to want to do a jump from the free throw line, but Hayes was well inside of that when he took off. From there, it was a pretty straightforward attempt, slamming it home.

The judges gave him a score of 44.6.

Third up: Keshad Johnson

Give him style points for coming out of the tunnel with rapper E-40, who wasn’t just a prop. Johnson took off from the right wing and jumped over E-40 — without any assistance or leverage — while posing at the apex with his left hand behind his head. Once he flushed it home, Johnson broke out into a little dance.

The judges gave him a score of 47.4, so far the highest total of the round.

Second up: Jase Richardson

The son of two-time Slam Dunk Contest winner Jason Richardson, Jase lobbed a pass to himself from the wing before grabbing the pass off the bounce for a reverse slam that he pumped once.

The judges gave him a score of 45.4, which was just 0.2 points behind Bryant.

First up: Carter Bryant

Looking loose and relaxed, Spurs forward Carter Bryant came from the left baseline and jumped underneath the basket, doing a 360-windmill, slamming it on his first attempt.

The judges gave him a score of 45.6; Dwight Howard was the judge who gave him the highest score of 48.

Judges

The judges for the Slam Dunk Contest will be Dominique Wilkins, Dwight Howard, Corey Maggette, Brent Barry (first Clipper to ever win the Slam Dunk Contest, in 1996) and Julius Erving.

NBA Shooting Stars competition: Team Knicks win

Final round: Team Knicks

Needing to post a big number to win the Shooting Stars competition, Team Knicks won it on the four-point spot, draining four shots from deep. That pushed their score to 47, topping Team Cameron by nine points.

Final round: Team Cameron

Competing against Team Knicks in the Shooting Stars final, Team Cameron (former Duke players Kon Knueppel, Jalen Johnson and former guard Corey Maggette) posted a score of 38. Team Cameron made good use of the four-point shots from near midcourt to pad their score. Team Knicks is up next.

Fourth up: Team Knicks

Posting the highest score of the first round, Team Knicks dropped 31 points, advancing to the final round with Team Cameron. Team Knicks are led by Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson and retired Knick Allan Houston. The designated passer is Rick Brunson, who is an assistant on the Knicks staff and Jalen’s father.

Third up: Team Harper

Former NBA guard Ron Harper and his two sons Dylan (Spurs) and Ron Jr. (Maine Celtics) avoided elimination and scored 18. They did eliminate Team All-Star.

Second up: Team Cameron

With actor and comedian Anthony Anderson serving as the designated passer, Team Cameron (Kon Knueppel, Jalen Johnson and former guard Corey Maggette) posted a score of 24, which puts them in good position to move on to the final round. Team Cameron gets its name because all players came from Duke, which plays its home games at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

First up: Team All-Star

Up first in the Shooting Stars competition, which is a shooting game with three participants and a designated person passing the ball, Team All-Star (former Piston Richard Hamilton, Chet Holmgren and Scottie Barnes) scored 16 points.

3-Point Contest: Damian Lillard ties record with third career championship

Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard isn’t playing this season because of a torn Achilles he suffered in the playoffs last season, when he was a member of the Bucks. It didn’t matter.

Lillard combined for 56 points across both rounds of the 3-Point Contest, including a final round score of 29, to win his third career title in the event. He joins Celtics legend Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the only players to win the event three times.

‘That’s all I do it for, to keep adding to my legacy,’ Lillard said during an interview in the moments after he claimed his victory.

Final round: Devin Booker

Devin Booker was not playing around. He drained the first nine attempts of his final round to start hot, though he did cool off a touch. He entered the final rack with the chance to win the title, but he had two big misses that prevented him from catching Damian Lillard, who now wins his third career 3-Point Contest.

Final round: Damian Lillard

Lillard hit 4-of-5 shots on his first two racks to set the tone for a very solid 29 points that may be tough to beat. Devin Booker needs 30 or more to win the title.

Final round: Kon Knueppel

Knueppel made 4-of-5 shots in his first rack, but then struggled to sustain that momentum, hitting just four tries over his next two racks. His score of 17 likely won’t be enough to win it all.

Eighth up: Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard

Competing as he’s recovering from a torn Achilles rupture, Lillard is still looking to win his record third career 3-Point Contest. Lillard actually started slowly and appeared as though he would be eliminated, but he drained 9 of his last 10 attempts, including four in the moneyball rack to post a score of 27 to move on. He joins Devin Booker (30) and Kon Knueppel (27) as the three finalists.

Seventh up: Suns guard Devin Booker

We now have a new leader. Devin Booker put on a clinic, especially in the moneyball rack that had each attempt worth two points. Leaving the moneyball rack for last, he hit 4-of-5 attempts and posted a score of 30, eliminating Heat guard Norman Powell.

Sixth up: 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey

Unfortunately for Maxey, one of the premier perimeter shooters in the NBA, he had several of his attempts rattle out and just miss. His score of 17 isn’t enough to move on to the second round.

Fifth up: Bucks forward Bobby Portis

Getting a score of only 15, Bucks forward Bobby Portis Jr. is eliminated. Portis, so far, has the lowest score of the contest.

Fourth up: Heat guard Norman Powell

Norman Powell, competing in front of his previous home fans, avoided elimination on the final rack. His score of 23 puts him in third place, though his spot is in danger. The top three contestants advance, so he’ll need the back half of the field to sputter. Powell eliminated Nuggets guard Jamal Murray.

Third up: Nuggets guard Jamal Murray

It looks like Murray won’t be moving on to the second round — unless he gets considerable help. Murray started slowly and was able to drain a few shots here and there, but he could never catch fire. He finishes with a first-round score of 18, which is nine behind current leader Kon Knueppel.

Second up: Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell

Wearing a Jaylon Tyson jersey to honor his teammate, Donovan Mitchell drained each shot from the first rack, but he cooled off a touch in the middle. His score of 24 is respectable, but he already trails Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel by three.

First up: Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel

First up to get the 3-Point Contest was Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel who didn’t show any nerves at all to begin the competition. He posted an excellent score of 27 after his first round, taking advantage of the moneyball rack.

Energy and buzz building in the Intuit Dome

Fans here are starting to take their seats and trickle into the Intuit Dome as buzz is starting to build in the arena before All-Star Saturday. Queen Latifah took center court to introduce the participants in the 3-Point Contest, and we’re only minutes away from getting underway.

How to watch the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk and 3-Point Contest?

When: Saturday, Feb. 14, 5 p.m. ET
Where: Intuit Dome (Inglewood, California)
Channel: NBC
Streaming: Peacock

Watch NBA All-Star Slam Dunk and 3-Point events on Peacock

When is the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?

The game will take place Sunday, Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. ET.

Where is the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?

Los Angeles will serve as host of All-Star weekend and all of its events, including the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, the Slam Dunk Contest and the 3-Point Contest. Events will take place at the Intuit Dome, the home venue of the Los Angeles Clippers.

What is the Shooting Stars competition?

Four teams of three players each will compete in two rounds, with the top two advancing to the finals. Teams have 70 seconds to hit a shot from seven different spots on the court. Each player on a team shoots at each spot in a set order.

Seven shooting spots

Right lane layup/dunk (2 points)
18′ right baseline (worth 2 points)
Right elbow (2 points)
Right win 3-pointer (3 points)
top of the key (2 points)
Left corner 3-pointer (3 points)
Long range 3-pointer (4 points)

Shooting Stars Participants

Team Knicks

Jalen Brunson, Allan Houston, and Karl-Anthony Towns

Team Harper

Ron Harper Sr., Dylan Harper, and Ron Harper Jr.

Team All-Star

Richard Hamilton, Scottie Barnes, and Chet Holmgren

Team Cameron

Corey Maggette, Kon Knueppel, and Jalen Johnson

Is there a Skills Competition?

The skills challenge, first introduced in 2003 and testing players’ shooting, ball-handling, and passing in an obstacle-course format, has now been replaced by the Shooting Stars competition, which last appeared at All-Star Weekend in 2015.

What are the rules for the 2026 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest?

The full list of rules for the NBA Slam Dunk Contest can be found on the All-Star website.

Four dunkers will compete in the two-round competition. For each dunk, a score from 40 to 50 will be given by each judge. The average of the five judges’ scores will be the individual dunk score. The two players with the highest dunk scores at the end of the first round will advance to the second and final round.

For each scored dunk in both rounds (Dunks #1 and #2 in the First Round and Dunks #1 and #2 in the Final Round), each dunker will have 90 seconds and a maximum of three attempts to complete the dunk. If the player has not completed the dunk at the expiration of the 90 seconds, he will be given a final try to complete the dunk. If the player does not complete the dunk, he will receive a score of 40 points.

Tiebreakers in the first round will be decided by a vote from the judges; the player with the most votes will advance. In the second round, a tiebreaker will be decided by a one-dunk dunk off to determine the champion.

Who won the NBA 3-point contest last year?

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro netted 24 points in the final round of action to take the prize last year. He beat out the likes of sharpshooters Darius Garland and Buddy Hield.

Who won the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest last year?

McClung won the dunk contest in 2025, capping off a three-peat for the G League star that began in 2023. Though he won’t be competing in 2026, McClung revealed on Twitter that he plans on sharing the dunks he had been working on after the contest ends.

NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest winners

Here are the previous five slam dunk winners:

2025 (San Francisco): Mac McClung (Magic)
2024 (Indianapolis): Mac McClung (Magic)
2023 (Utah): Mac McClung (76ers)
2022 (Cleveland): Obi Toppin (Knicks)
2021 (Atlanta): Anfernee Simons (Trail Blazers)

Who is in the NBA 3-Point Contest?

Here are the participants competing in the three-point contest:

Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard
Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis
Miami Heat guard Norman Powell

Who is participating in the 2026 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest?

Carter Bryant (San Antonio Spurs; rookie)
Jaxson Hayes (Los Angeles Lakers)
Keshad Johnson (Miami Heat)
Jase Richardson (Orlando Magic; rookie)

The dunk contest will have a new champion this year after three-time defending champion Mac McClung announced to ESPN through his father he’d be sitting out this year .

This year, the field features two rookies in Bryant and Richardson. Richardson, selected 25th overall by the Magic in last year’s draft, is the son of two-time Slam Dunk Contest winner Jason Richardson (2002 and 03). Hayes is in his third season with the Lakers and seventh NBA season in total.

While not a starter, he’s thrived in a backup role in LA and and has been the beneficiary of more than a few lobs from LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Johnson is in his second NBA season; his rookie year was split between Miami and their G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

What time is the 2026 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest?

The 2026 NBA All-Star dunk contest will be held on Saturday, Feb. 14 in Los Angeles at the Intuit Dome, home of the Clippers. The dunk contest will directly follow the 3-point contest and the return of the shooting stars competition.

All-Star Saturday begins at 5:00 p.m. ET.

What time is the 2026 NBA 3-Point Contest?

The 3-point contest is one part of the Saturday festivities, which begin at 5 p.m. ET. The 3-point contest will precede the popular slam dunk event.

MILAN – The seeding for the qualifying round and the quarterfinals will be known at the end of the final day of the preliminary round of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Canada and Slovakia have already won Group A and Group B, respectively, and the Group C title will come down to the USA-Germany game at 3:10 p.m. ET (USA Network, Peacock) on Sunday, Feb. 15.

The USA clinches Group C if it wins. Germany would clinch it if it beats the Americans in regulation because they would be tied at six points each and the first tiebreaker is head-to-head competition.

That’s important because the top four seeds (group winners and best second-place team) get a bye to the quarterfinals. The remaining eight teams have to play in the qualifying round, with the four winners advancing to the quarterfinals.

If the USA wins in regulation, the top overall seed would also be in play, with goal differential being the deciding factor. Canada, which plays France, is plus 9 while the USA is plus 7 heading into Sunday’s action.

USA TODAY Sports is covering all the hockey action at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on Sunday. Follow along:

Olympic men’s hockey scores and schedule today

All times Eastern and accurate as of Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, at 7:23 p.m.

6:10 a.m. – Switzerland vs. Czechia, Group A on CNBC, Peacock
10:40 a.m. – Canada vs. France, Group A on USA, Peacock
3:10 p.m. – USA vs. Germany, Group C on USA, Peacock
3:10 p.m. – Denmark vs. Latvia, Group C on CNBC, Peacock

Where to watch Olympic men’s hockey

Watch Olympic men’s hockey on Peacock

How the Olympics men’s hockey tournament works

The 12 teams are divided into three groups. They are:

Group A: Canada, Switzerland, Czechia, France
Group B: Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Italy
Group C: USA, Germany, Latvia, Denmark

Teams play one game each against the other three teams in their group. Countries get three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime win, one for an overtime/shootout loss and zero for a regulation loss.

After the preliminary round is complete, teams are seeded 1 through 12 under the following criteria:

Higher position in the group
Higher number of points
Better goal difference
Higher number of goals scored for
Better IIHF world ranking

The top four teams (group winners and best second-place team) get a bye to the quarterfinals. Teams 5-12 play in a qualifying round, with the winners going to the quarterfinals.

Playoff qualification games are on Feb. 17, quarterfinals are Feb. 18 and semifinals are Feb. 20.

The bronze medal game is Feb. 21 and the gold medal game is Sunday, Feb. 22.

Damian Lillard was a shocking addition to the NBA’s 3-point contest during All-Star weekend, given that the 35-year-old, nine-time All-Star hasn’t played a single minute of NBA basketball this year.

His inclusion in the event was head-scratching to many fans. Still, there’s no denying that Lillard is one of the best shooters in NBA history.

Not only has he shot over 35% from 3 in nine of his last 10 seasons, but he has won the 3-point contest twice already — 2023 and 2024. He was aiming to become just the third player in NBA history to win the event three times, and the first to do so non-consecutively.

Larry Bird won the event every year from 1986 to 1988, while Craig Hodges won the event each year from 1990 to 1992.

Lillard had a chance to make history. So, did he do it? Here are the full results from the 2026 NBA 3-point contest:

2026 NBA 3-point contest results

First round

*-advanced to the final round

Devin Booker* – 30
Damian Lillard* – 27
Kon Knueppel* – 27
Donovan Mitchell – 24
Norman Powell – 23
Jamal Murray – 18
Tyrese Maxey – 17
Bobby Portis Jr. – 15

Finals

Damian Lillard – 29
Devin Booker – 27
Kon Knueppel – 17

Booker missed the final three shots of his last rack, wasting three opportunities to tie and possibly win the event. Lillard’s win makes him the third three-time champion.

What did Damian Lillard score in his prior two wins?

In 2023, Lillard scored 26 points in the finals. His competitors, Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton, scored 25 and 17 respectively.

In 2024, Lillard, a model of consistency in this event, scored 26 points yet again, beating Trae Young (24) and Karl-Anthony Towns (22).

Lillard’s 29 points in 2026 mark the most he’s ever scored in a 3-point contest win.

The selection committee for the women’s NCAA Tournament has given fans their first glimpse as to what seeding might look like when March Madness rolls around.

Ahead of the clash between SEC contenders South Carolina and LSU on Feb. 14, the committee unveiled its first of two projections for the top 16 seeds. Members of the committee met in Indianapolis a few days ago to put together a mock bracket.

Undefeated UConn was tabbed as the No. 1 overall seed, followed by UCLA, South Carolina and Vanderbilt. The Commodores defeated Texas 86-70 at home on Thursday, a victory that seemingly pushed Shea Ralph’s team to the one-line. Vanderbilt hasn’t been a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament since 2002.

Full top 16 projection:

UConn
UCLA
South Carolina
Vanderbilt
Texas
Michigan
Louisville
LSU
Ohio State
Duke
Iowa
TCU
Maryland
Michigan State
Ole Miss
Oklahoma

Big Ten, SEC dominant in women’s basketball

The Big Ten and SEC have looked like the deepest and most competitive conferences in women’s college basketball all season and both were rewarded in this first projection with six seeds each in the top 16.

If Ole Miss holds on to its spot, it would be a historic seeding for the Rebels. They haven’t been a top-four seed since 1992. Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s team is 20-5 this season and has won six of its last eight games. But the Rebels have a tough schedule coming up with four consecutive games against ranked opponents within the next eight days: Kentucky, Tennessee, LSU and South Carolina.

Michigan State is projected to host opening weekend games for the first time since 2016.

In this projection, the ACC has two top 16 seeds, while the Big 12 and Big East have just one each. Opportunities remain for teams like Baylor, West Virginia and North Carolina to play their way into hosting rights.

The selection committee will unveil a second projection of the top 16 seeds in two weeks, on Sunday, March 1, at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN. The day before Selection Sunday — March 14 — the committee will announce which teams earned top 16 seeds and hosting rights before revealing the full bracket.