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If there is one characteristic that the players expected to be at the very top of next month's draft share, it is confidence. They know they're good, and they don't mind telling you that they're good. And for the teams now in position to get those top players — Washington at No. 1, Utah at No. 2, Memphis at No. 3 and Chicago at No. 4 — the next few weeks are going to be teeming with promise.

“Since I’m in this draft class, I’m going to say we’re one of the best draft classes,” said Dybantsa, who led Division I men's college basketball in scoring this past season. "We’ll see how that pans out and how our careers pan out, but if you ask me right now, I think we’re one of the best draft classes.”

Fair enough.

An unforeseen trade or something popping up in the medical exams that will take place over the next few weeks could change things, but for now, it seems like the first four names Commissioner Adam Silver will call on June 23 will be BYU's Dybantsa, Kansas' Darryn Peterson, Duke's Cameron Boozer and North Carolina's Caleb Wilson.

They are not the only four good players in this draft. Far from it, it seems. But there does seem to be a significant amount of star power at the top, which made Sunday's draft lottery feel perhaps a bit more consequential than others.

“I feel like it can be the best ever," Wilson said when asked how good the Class of 2026 can be. "We have a deep draft and I feel like everybody wants to play hard and prove themselves. And it’s just a matter of time before we can do that.”

Indiana was devastated not to get a pick after having the league's second-worst record this season. The Pacers — who made the NBA Finals a year ago — surrendered the No. 5 pick to the Los Angeles Clippers to help pay off the trade made this season for center Ivica Zubac, who surely is going to help Indiana when Tyrese Haliburton returns from his torn Achilles.

But to miss out on grabbing some of the talent available this year, put simply, that hurt Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard.

“Today, it stings,” Pritchard said. “But wait ‘til next season. Let’s give this group an opportunity to go compete for a championship, because they've proven they can do it.”

Wizards President Michael Winger likes to get into the math of things, and he knows a 14% chance isn't exactly great. But it was as good as anyone else in that draft lottery, and in the end it was good enough to get Washington that No. 1 pick.

But why?

“I don’t have a compelling answer for that. I think that ultimately it was just our time. I think it was time to get that pick," Winger said. "Whether it’s because there’s a special athlete at the top of the draft that we want or organizationally we’re ready for a player like that, whatever the case may be ... the basketball gods decided that this was our year.”

The Wizards were the big winner. They weren't the only winner.

Oklahoma City gets a lottery pick in this draft because of the years and years and years that general manager Sam Presti spent on collecting both good players and draft capital. That means the reigning champions — maybe back-to-back champions by draft time — will only get even better.

The Clippers got a top-five pick, Memphis gets a No. 3 pick, Chicago's rebuild will see the Bulls land an extremely good player, and Utah — which was fined $500,000 this year for sitting some players in the fourth quarters of games — is sitting at No. 2.

“Agree to disagree,” is what Jazz owner Ryan Smith famously wrote when the NBA hit him for the half-million-dollar fine. The credo now might be wait and see; the Jazz have a lot of young talent, and now will get even deeper on that front.

Jazz guard Keyonte George was at Sunday's lottery. He said the Jazz are keeping the receipts — his way of saying yes, Utah has taken note of all the tanking talk that dogged the team this season.

“We’re going to make sure we go at our own pace, understand we’re a new group and we’re on our journey to something special," George said. "But yeah, as a group, we’ll have a chip on our shoulder for sure.”

There's a lot of basketball left to be played this season. New York is in the NBA's final four already, awaiting Cleveland or Detroit in the Eastern Conference finals. Oklahoma City can get back to the Western Conference finals on Monday, and if the Thunder get there they'll be waiting for either San Antonio or Minnesota.

But draft talk is picking up speed. And given how much talent is out there, that's understandable.

“A lot of people are saying we’re the best class in the last 10 years,” Peterson said. "So, we’re going to try our best to be that.”

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

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Bengals News (5/11): No contract drama with Cashius Howell

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A&M defensive lineman Cashius Howell (DL41) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Cashius Howell just made every Bengals fan breathe a sigh of relief after participating in first day of rookie minicamp
Cincinnati watched last year’s first-round pick, Shemar Stewart, sit out of the entire offseason program before signing his rookie deal during the beginning of training camp. It doesn’t sound like Howell is going to take the same approach despite being unsigned unlike most of his fellow draftees.

How Bengals Rookie WR Colbie Young Put Himself And His City On The Map
“Full circle story. Ups and downs,” Young says. “The hardest part is not a lot of people make it out of there … It’s a great town. Everybody knows everybody. Very peaceful at times … There’s just not a lot of exposure.”

Rookie Minicamp Quick Hits | Jack Dingle’s Favorite Bengal Hints At His Style; Why New O-Linemen Feel At Home As Bengals
“I want to be a part of this culture. I did local day here (a week before the draft) and I got to know a little about Coach. It’s a tough, gritty, Cincinnati culture. Just like I had at Cincinnati. They’re a family-oriented team. It’s great to be a part of it.”

Bengals’ waiver wire signing won’t prevent more moves
But this is a Bengals team adamant about building around and supporting Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter. And the team didn’t do nearly enough last year to find a proper veteran leader and quality depth, merely signing the likes of Oren Burks.

Another Ravens free agent sounds like he wants to join Bengals
“I will say, I did enjoy, when I was at the Pro Bowl, getting to know Joe Burrow, just seeing how he locked in for a flag football game and the competitive side that he has and how he turns it on,” Van Noy said.

Cincinnati Bengals rookie minicamp: Thoughts on 5 newcomers on first day
The most important piece of news coming out Friday was that unsigned draft picks Cashius Howell (second round, Texas A&M) and Tacario Davis (third round, Washington) both signed the participation waiver despite being the last two rookies from this class that have not signed. Remember, last year, that’s where the trouble began for Shemar Stewart, and it didn’t end until his rookie contract dispute spilled into the first week of training camp.

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Sunday, May 10, 2026

Nets could land new franchise face — if NBA draft lottery is kind to them

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Darryn Peterson of the Kansas Jayhawks reacts on the floor, Image 2 shows Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) drives around Kansas Jayhawks forward Flory Bidunga (40), Image 3 shows AJ Dybantsa reacts to scoring a career high

CHICAGO — The Nets don’t have the face of their franchise.

Lottery luck Sunday in Chicago (3 p.m. on ESPN) could change that.

Brooklyn hasn’t drafted a homegrown All-Star in over a decade, dating back to Brook Lopez. But in a generational class with a trio of projected franchise-changers, the Nets go into Sunday’s lottery tied for the best odds of winning the No. 1 pick (14.0 percent) and of landing a coveted top 3 pick (40.15 percent).

BYU wing AJ Dybantsa, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson and Duke big Cam Boozer are all viewed as face-of-the-franchise stars, with North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson an elite prospect who could conceivably turn that Big Three into a Fantastic Four.

“If I got another guy here who really is able to create and draw some attention, and now I’m getting two or three wide-open 3s a game, it would really help us,” Michael Porter Jr. said on the Road Trippin’ podcast.

“That’s what we’re [looking for]. I’ve talked to the front office, and that would be a big thing for us. I think we’re going to get a good draft pick, and then we’ve got the most money in the NBA to go get a really good playmaking two-guard or point guard; that would just help.”

Forward AJ Dybantsa reacts to scoring a career high and new freshman record during the second half of BYU’s win over rival UTAh on Jan. 24, 2026, in Provo, Utah. AP

Despite a glaring need for a playmaker, Brooklyn is talent-poor enough that it will almost certainly draft the best available player and trade or sign a guard if needed. With the Nets owning Houston swap rights on next year’s pick — in a class already seen as weak — Sunday marks their best shot at a young star.

Dybantsa, Peterson or Boozer are all perceived cornerstones, and Wilson could be as well. If they fall outside the top 4, there are a host of guards in Kingston Flemings, Darius Acuff Jr., Keaton Wagler and Mikel Brown Jr.

Could sliding as they did last year prompt Brooklyn to be more aggressive in the trade market?

They can’t dip below the seventh pick, but their likeliest landing spots are sixth (26.02 percent chance) or fifth (14.82 percent chance).

Cameron Boozer drives on Flory Bidunga during the first half of Duke’s win over Kansas in the State Farm Classic on Nov. 18, 2025 at Madison Square Garden. Robert Sabo for NY Post

A franchise that has been one of the league’s most star-crossed will send owner Joe Tsai to the team drawing room and Hall of Famer Vince Carter to the dais seeking some much-needed luck.

“I’m excited to be representing the Nets at the draft lottery this weekend,” Carter said in a message recorded for Brooklyn fans. “I’m hoping I can bring us some luck. Stay tuned. Go Nets.”

The Nets need luck more than their lottery co-leaders, as Indiana reached the Finals a year ago and Washington added Anthony Davis and Trae Young. Brooklyn lacks a star, and this is its best opportunity for one.

Kansas guard Darryn Peterson Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

To drive that point home, the Mavs, Spurs, 76ers and Hornets got the first four picks last year, and vaulted from averaging 29 wins to 44. But the Jazz, Wizards, Pelicans and Nets settled for the next four selections, and after averaging 20.5 wins were right back in the cellar again with 21.

The lottery has rarely been kind to the Nets, with top 8 odds 10 times and only moving up twice: winning in 1990 to land Derrick Coleman and again a decade later to pick Kenyon Martin. Within two years they’d made the Finals.

Their lucky charm in the drawing room that day in 2000 — ex-team president Finn Wentworth — told The Post a successful Sunday could spark a similar meteoric rise.

“Ours was the worst draft. This is arguably the best draft in the modern era,” Wentworth told The Post. “They don’t need to get the first pick in this draft, it’s so deep. If they get one of the top 3 picks, they’ve got a force to coalesce around.

“If they can get one of the top 3 picks in this draft, they can coalesce around this guy, that’s going to go ahead and become a cornerstone.

“This is one of those drafts where it’s very, very deep. You have three or four guys that are A-pluses, and then you have a bunch of A’s.”

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49ers News: Happy Mothers Day y’all

PALO ALTO, CA - NOVEMBER 26: Christian McCaffrey #5 of the Stanford Cardinal is greeted by his mother Lisa McCaffrey (white poncho) following an NCAA football game against the Rice Owls played on November 26, 2016 at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Five Major Takeaways from 49ers Rookie Minicamp
“You can tell he played left tackle for six years in college. He’s built like a left tackle, which means he carries his weight effortlessly. In fact, he wears no. 74 — Joe Staley’s old number — and even moves a bit like him.

Willis is moving to guard because he has short arms. But he already looks like a better athlete than Connor Colby, who started six games at left guard as a rookie last season. I wouldn’t be surprised if Willis beats out Colby for that job this year.”

NFL writer believes 49ers WR Ricky Pearsall is headed for a breakout season
“Last year coming into the season and healed up from the gunshot wound: PCL, knee injury, ankle, inconsistency, and a lack of availability,” Whitner said. “That’s Year two. Now we did see him flash. We did see his ability to separate. We did see him make plays, but we didn’t see it when it counted.

“Now you go into Year three. If Ricky Pearsall misses around 50% of the availability in the games this year, I can say that it’s probably over for the perception of Ricky Pearsall developing into a number-one wide receiver in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.”

“Pearsall has been written off in many circles,” Davenport added. “But there’s a legitimate scenario where Pearsall has far and away the best season of his career this year.”

Raheem Morris shares why choosing the 49ers was ‘an easy choice for me’
“Saleh was a man of few words. That does not appear to be the case with Morris.”

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Saturday, May 9, 2026

49ers News: Start up the rookie hype machine

How Raheem Morris plans to bring more ‘multiplicity’ to 49ers’ defensive line (paywall)
“League rules prevented the 49ers’ rookies from working on site until Thursday. Stribling, however, has been training all week in nearby Los Gatos, which is where he prepared for the combine.”

Kawakami: Big plays, no drama? De’Zhaun Stribling and the 49ers’ WR dreams (paywall)
“And then on Thursday, at the start of this week’s short rookie minicamp, Stribling calmly walked in front of cameras and recorders and made it even clearer.

This guy probably isn’t the total opposite of Aiyuk, Deebo, and Jennings, but he sure seems less likely to combust on the 49ers the way each of those three players did at different points and in varying degrees.

Notably, he’s not a young rookie — he played at three schools (Washington State, Oklahoma State, and Mississippi) and is 23 — and Stribling comes off as even more mature than that. Like he’s got the world view of a steely five-year veteran.

“My father was a Marine for 17 years, right?” Stribling said. “So he kind of instilled a lot of discipline and a great work ethic in me. I’m a very calm person outside of football. Just kind of going through life. But when the pads come on and I’m on the field, I turn into a different mentality.

“I’m very process-oriented, very goal-oriented person. I like to get everything done to my maximum ability.””

49ers rookie minicamp takeaways: Mykel Williams makes promising return (paywall)
“The former first-round pick underwent a mobility and resistance workout on a side field for about a half hour.

It appeared to be a promising development as Williams, who also tore the lateral meniscus in his right knee on Nov. 2, prepares for training camp in July and August.

General manager John Lynch has said he would expect Williams to observe a gradual ramp-up in participation during camp. His recovery is not as far along as that of star counterpart Nick Bosa, who also tore the ACL in his right knee, but about a month and a half earlier on Sept. 21. Bosa did not suffer additional damage to any surrounding ligaments, unlike Williams.”

How the 49ers’ offseason plan was shaped by Seahawks’ defensive dominance (paywall)
“Call it the Seattle Shove. The 49ers were kicked around by the Super Bowl champion Seahawks last year, and Seattle’s defensive domination pushed the 49ers to upgrade the offensive areas in which they were exposed as deficient.”

49ers sign six of their eight draft picks
“The San Francisco 49ers announced that they have signed the following six of their eight draft picks.

WR De’Zhaun Stribling, Mississippi
RB Kaelon Black, Indiana
OT Carver Willis, Washington
CB Ephesians Prysock, Washington
LB Jaden Dugger, Louisiana
OT Enrique Cruz, Kansas”

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Friday, May 8, 2026

49ers News: Salute to Jauan Jennings

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: Jauan Jennings #15 of the San Francisco 49ers throws the ball to Christian McCaffrey #23 for a touchdown in the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Former 49ers WR Jauan Jennings signs one-year deal with Vikings
“The Minnesota Vikings have reportedly signed former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings to a one-year deal worth up to $13 million.”

What the 49ers saw in De’Zhaun Stribling to select him No. 33 overall
“OK, let’s go back to 2024 when Stribling was at Oklahoma State. In the video, I used Kansas State as an example because they had two NFL players in their secondary — one plays for the 49ers — and ran NFL coverages.

When you take a player as early as the 49ers did, Stribling has to show far more than simply being an effective blocker, or gadget player, or even as a deep threat. We showed how useful he can be on a down-to-down basis. At Oklahoma State, you could see Stribling winning in isolated situations.

When receivers create multiple yards of separation on underneath routes, your eyes should light up. Getting schemed open or running double moves isn’t impressive. Beating a cornerback on a slant and ending up multiple arm’s length away from them are the types of plays that should move the needle.

Stribling has the defensive back hopping the other way on the play route above. It’s a clean route that leads to yards after the catch.

Not every win a receiver has is when he’s targeted. Take this rep against the player the Chiefs traded up for, Mansoor Delane, for example. Stribling beats Delane instantaneously off the line and has him chasing for the entirety of the route.

When Stribling is progressing as a route runner forward and keeping his feet moving, he’s problematic to deal with.

He can get stuck at the line of scrimmage when he tries to muscle his way through the cornerback. There are also times when Stribling will get his feet outside of his frame, leading to balance issues at the top of his route. Those are all coachable.”

49ers’ new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris can talk, but one topic is off-limits (paywall)
“Raheem Morris, 49, 23-year NFL coaching veteran, is known as a strong communicator who connects well with his players. And this is clear after the former Falcons and Buccaneers head coach had his introductory news conference with Bay Area reporters Thursday: The gifted speaker is also adept at saying plenty — and revealing little — with the media…..

….Morris is well versed in multiple systems: He’s overseen both 3-4 and 4-3 defenses, and he’s increasingly used five-man fronts that have included three defensive linemen and two stand-up outside linebackers. On Thursday, Morris did stress the importance of mixing up fronts and coverages to keep offenses guessing.

“You’ve got to have some multiplicity in your front,” Morris said. “You’ve got to have multiplicity in the back end. You’ve got to be able to do different things. You’d like to be able to do those things when you decide to do those things and use them as terms where you can dictate. … But (the 49ers) have been a four-down rush team, and we’ve done a nice job with it.”

49ers QB Brock Purdy is working on this key area ahead of training camp (paywall)
“Purdy has said before that former Niners quarterback coach Brian Griese helped him understand the importance of throwing blind and knowing route timing down to the exact number of steps.

Pocket movement, Kubiak pointed out, is also a matter of timing.

“He can make plays with his feet, but are you missing an opportunity to make a better play down the field,” Kubiak said. “Maybe because you decided to run, or you moved a certain way and you missed a guy down the field. So it’s just working on pocket movement, working on ways you can move in the pocket to find throwing lanes and being more consistent in that area.”

49ers coaches speak to reporters ahead of rookie minicamp
“So, like when Kyle came to Tampa fresh out of UCLA, all fired up and eager, we were stealing his dad’s zone scheme keeper game as much as he was stealing Tampa two and all different values that he wanted to bring to us. So when we did all the cross training where even when we were young, it was constantly, staff development within the building with some of the better coaches that we had been around in our lifetime, like Mike Tomlin was secondary coach and Monte Kiffin was the defensive coordinator along with Rod Marinelli, and what he was able to bring with the original a part of his attack front doing some of the different things, sort of the stuff that we have, very similar to that stuff. And he was running all the good coaches andJoe Barry, all those guys. But we shared a bunch of information, and then I got a chance to obviously work on defense in such a long time. When I was able to switch over to offense, with Kyle in Atlanta kind of having the outside-in version of what the offense looks like, what it means and what it’s going to do to really get into the deep weeds of it, watch him game plan and watch him go through the process of a week of preparing for a different team. And then even when he left, being able to stay on that side of the ball and really develop and grow as a person that can really go out there and formulate plays to go find open spaces and do different things that you want to do from an offensive standpoint was so much fun and a different perspective than you had just going out there coaching defense, right? You can actually speak in their language, understand what some of the quarterback reads are, being able to be detailed enough to go out there and try to stop those things. Being able to explain it to your players in a completely different way, which was my strength when I went from defense to offense.”

Netflix to stream 49ers vs. Rams Week 1 international showdown in Australia
“The NFL’s full 2026 schedule is expected to be released soon, confirming dates, kickoff times, and broadcast assignments for the upcoming season.”

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