Rumors

Rick Barnes expects Nate Ament to go through the NBA Draft process after his freshman season with Tennessee basketball. The Vols coach said Thursday said “there’s nothing to talk about” with Ament in regards to a decision because Barnes believes it is obvious. “The fact of the matter is I don’t see how he can’t go to the NBA because I think he’s one of the top players in the country,” Barnes said.

on3.com

Less than a day after it was reported that Florida basketball coach Todd Golden could be pursued by the Golden State Warriors – those rumors were put to an end. In his first press conference since the end of the season, Golden was asked if he was set to return to coach the Gators next season. “I’m definitely planning on coaching the Gators,” said Golden, who didn't expand further.

Gainesville Sun

Shams Charania: Florida junior Thomas Haugh -- a projected potential lottery pick -- will return to the Gators next season, he tells me, @JeremyWoo and @jeffborzello . With the 2027 Player of the Year candidate back in the fold, Florida becomes the favorite to open next season at No. 1.

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If Steve Kerr walks, ESPN reported that the front office would consider external candidates, even exploring the college ranks. I'm told the Warriors love Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden. He's known the Lacob family for years, and league sources say they've long admired his coaching talent ever since he was an assistant coach at the University of San Francisco. But Golden would be no guarantee to leave Florida for a Warriors franchise that is, frankly, a less appealing destination than it used to be. With aging stars and no youthful core to build around, the Warriors may no longer be in a position to get exactly what they want.

Yahoo! Sports

Michael J. Duarte: Arkansas basketball player Darius Acuff Jr, expected to be a top-5 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft is also courtside for Rockets-Lakers Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs tonight.

Twitter

Shams Charania: Florida's Alex Condon – the No. 30 prospect on ESPN's Top 100 – is returning to the Gators for his senior year, he tells me and @JeremyWoo. Condon will be a projected first-rounder in 2027 and among the top big men in college basketball.

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Adam Zagoria: Kentucky’s Jayden Quaintance declares For the NBA Draft

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Jackson Collier: Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas declares for the NBA Draft while also maintaining his college eligibility.

Twitter

Kentucky is expected to hire Jackson State head coach Mo Williams as an assistant under Mark Pope, multiple sources tell KSR. The move comes on the heels of his son’s commitment to the Wildcats, 2026 four-star guard Mason Williams becoming Pope’s first pledge of the spring on Friday. They took an official visit to Kentucky together last week.

on3.com

Kentucky basketball just picked up a commitment from Mason Williams, the son of former NBA champion and Jackson State head coach Mo Williams. The younger Williams — rated a four-star in the 2026 class — has chosen to play his college ball in the SEC. His father was a star at Alabama before embarking on a long NBA career that included a championship.

HBCU Gameday

Shams Charania: Arkansas freshman star Darius Acuff Jr. has landed a signature shoe with Reebok, becoming the first NCAA men’s athlete to receive one from a major U.S. brand while still in college, Reebok’s head of basketball, Jide Osifeso, tells ESPN.

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Immanuel Quickley had a night on Tuesday. Not just any other night, but a Wilt Chamberlain kind of evening. The former Kentucky Wildcats star put on a show in the Raptors’ 145-127 win over Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., leading Toronto with 40 points on 11-for-13 shooting from the field to go along with 10 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals in 34 minutes of action. Quickley’s performance made him just the second player in the history of the NBA to have at least 40 points and 10 dimes, while shooting 80% or better from the floor in a game. Chamberlain was the first one to do it, and he accomplished that monster stat line three times, according to ESPN Insights.

Larry Brown Sports

Calipari, who won a national championship during his time coaching at Kentucky, went almost seven minutes during his post-game press conference talking about today’s game after a reporter asked his thoughts on the Nnaji move. "I’ve got friends that are playing with 27-year-olds, and they feel bad, and I said, ‘Don’t feel bad. We don’t have any rules. Why should you feel bad?'" Calipari said, per Awful Announcing. "But let me give you this. Real simple: the rules bees the rules. So, if you put your name in the draft, I don’t care if you’re from Russia and you stay in the draft, you can’t play college basketball. ‘Well, that’s only for American kids.’ What? If your name is in that draft, and you got drafted, you can’t play college because that’s our rule. ‘Yeah, but that’s only for American kids.’ OK. OK."

FOXnews.com

Already on the radar of NBA scouts, Muurinen is projected as one of the top recruits in the 2026 high school class, with programs like Arkansas, Duke, and Kentucky battling for his commitment. His EuroBasket experience, where he’s proven he can handle the moment against grown professionals, has only raised his profile. At just 18 years old, Muurinen has joined his parents as a representative of Finnish basketball on the international stage. His journey from Finland to Madrid to the United States is just beginning, but the confidence, versatility, and competitive fire he’s showing at EuroBasket suggest that he won’t just be a name to remember in the future—he’s already making noise now.

nbabigboard.com