Men's College Basketball

Rick Pitino is set to face one of his former teams next season with St. John's scheduled to play Kentucky during the 2025-26 season.

Pitino and Kentucky head coach Mark Pope announced on Thursday their teams will square off in the 2025 CBS Sports Classic. The game will be played on Dec. 20 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

ESPN's Jeff Borzello originally reported that St. John's was replacing UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic to set up a matchup with the Wildcats.

The CBS Sports Classic began in 2014 with Kentucky, UCLA, North Carolina and Ohio State comprising the four-team field every year since its inception.

Matt Jones of Ky Sports Radio reported on April 27 there was "chatter" that one of the regular participants in the CBS Sports Classic was trying to pull out of the event and St. John's or Connecticut were being considered as opponents for Kentucky.

Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch noted the Bruins are expected to return in 2026.

There has been no official word on why UCLA will skip this year's event, but the travel schedule for the team's first season in the Big Ten seemed to take a toll on head coach Mick Cronin.

This will mark Pitino's first game coaching against Kentucky since December 2016 when Louisville defeated the Wildcats 73-70.

Pitino spent eight seasons as Kentucky's head coach from 1989 to '97. He led the program to the Final Four three times and a national title in the 1995-96 season. Next season marks the 30th anniversary of that championship season.

The Red Storm tied the program record with 31 wins last season in Pitino's second year as head coach. They earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, losing to Arkansas in the second round.

In his first season at Kentucky after replacing John Calipari, Pope led the Wildcats to a 24-12 record. They reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament before being eliminated by Tennessee.

Highly touted USC basketball recruit Alijah Arenas has been released from the hospital following his involvement in a car crash last week.

According to TMZ Sports, Arenas' family released a statement, saying he is "now resting comfortably under close watch."

Arenas, who is the son of three-time NBA All-Star guard Gilbert Arenas, was temporarily placed in a medically induced coma last week to treat him for smoke inhalation after his Tesla Cybertruck crashed into a tree and fire hydrant, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

In another portion of the statement released Wednesday, Arenas' family added:

"While his journey to full recovery is just beginning, his spirit remains strong, and he is surrounded by love and support. ...

"The Govan and Arenas family are preparing for the road ahead with faith and determination, committed to nurturing Alijah back to 100 percent. He remains blessed, resilient, and in high spirits."

On Monday, the co-host of Gilbert Arenas' Gil's Arena podcast, Josiah Johnson, provided an update on Alijah, noting that Gilbert told him Alijah was "walking, talking, progressing very well," and avoided any serious injuries:

The 18-year-old Alijah Arenas has starred at Chatsworth Charter High School in Los Angeles, earning a 5-star recruiting rating from 247Sports.

Arenas is also ranked as the No. 7 overall player, No. 1 shooting guard and No. 2 player from the state of California in 247Sports' composite rankings for the class of 2025.

The 6'6", 195-pound guard committed to USC back in January, choosing the Trojans over several other high-profile programs.

Per 247Sports, Arenas also received scholarship offers from Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky, Texas, UCLA, West Virginia and a host of others.

Provided he is healthy enough to do so, Arenas is scheduled to enroll at USC and play for the Trojans during the 2025-26 season.

Arenas would join a USC team that finished with a losing record and missed the NCAA tournament in back-to-back years on the heels of three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.

Arizona is loading up on talent for the 2025-26 season, adding Real Madrid forward Sidi Gueye to a recruiting class that already includes Bryce James and Koa Peat.

Gueye told ESPN's Jonathan Givony he has committed to the Wildcats and praised head coach Tommy Lloyd as a key factor in his decision.

"Coach Lloyd is one of the top coaches in college, and he has coached many international players before," Gueye said. "He made me feel comfortable and showed me how I can improve and produce in his system."

Gueye, who won't turn 18 until Oct. 12, played in seven games for Real Madrid between EuroLeague and ACB during the 2024-25 season. He also started four games for the U18 team.

In 11 games between the two squads, Gueye averaged 3.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per contest. He only played a total of 110 minutes.

Givony noted Gueye's biggest selling point is elite defense thanks to a 7'4" wingspan that allows him to defend multiple positions.

Lloyd and his staff have done a good job of building a strong reputation for recruiting international players. The 2024-25 Wildcats roster had seven players born outside of the United States, with Anthony Dellorso (Australia), Motiejus Krivas (Lithuania), and Dwayne Aristode (Netherlands) set to return next season.

Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Arizona had the No. 2 ranked recruiting class in the country before adding Gueye. The group is headlined by Peat and Brayden Burries, both of whom are 5-star prospects and top-11 overall players in the 2025 class.

This group will be counted on to make up for the production being lost with players like Caleb Love and Trey Townsend exhausting their eligibility. Carter Bryant is testing the NBA draft waters while maintaining his eligibility.

The Wildcats also lost Henri Veesaar and KJ Lewis in the transfer portal.

Gueye will likely be a long-term developmental project, especially since Givony pointed out he figures to be one of the youngest players in college basketball next season.

If Gueye hits and the other incoming freshman hit as expected, the Wildcats figure to be in the mix for a national title during the 2025-26 season. They made the NCAA tournament as a No. 4 seed this season, losing to Duke in the Sweet 16.

UCF guard Mikey Williams has transferred to Sacramento State amid news that the program has hired Shaquille O'Neal as the general manager and Mike Bibby as head coach, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

Williams, a 4-star prospect in the class of 2023, was the No. 51 overall player in the 247Sports Composite list. He averaged 5.1 points in 14.0 minutes per game last year in 18 contests (five starts).

Obviously, having O'Neal and Bibby aboard is going to attract big-name talents. O'Neal, of course, is one of the most accomplished players and big men in NBA history and a larger-than-life figure whose celebrity transcends basketball. His son, Shaqir O'Neal, has transferred from Florida A&M to play hoops for the Hornets.

Meanwhile, Bibby is a former Sacramento Kings star who was the point guard for some great teams in the early 2000s, none better than the 2001-02 team that won 61 games and nearly picked off the eventual NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in the '02 Western Conference Finals.

So Bibby is a huge name who can bring this program to prominence alongside Shaq. Meanwhile, Sacramento State, led by the SAC12 coalition, is raising millions of dollars to try to join the Pac-12. State Hornet Sports provided an update in October:

So, in sum, the athletics program on the rise with plenty of potential given the massive influx of money and star power. And with that, they'll bring in talents to continue to raise the profile, and Williams is now among them.

Williams was once the No. 1 player in his class as a sophomore and a huge 5-star prospect. He also amassed a huge following on social media with 3.3 million followers on Instagram alone.

His college career got off to a quieter start, but he certainly has the talent to hit his potential at a new stop. It certainly helps to have a coach like Bibby, who was a fantastic player in his own right during his NBA career.

Buzz Williams is yet to coach a game at Maryland, but he already has a significant victory thanks to his efforts on the recruiting trail.

Joe Tipton of On 3 reported Tuesday that guard Darius Adams committed to the Terrapins men's basketball team after he previously reopened his recruitment after decommitting from UConn. Adams chose Maryland over Georgetown, Tennessee and Michigan State.

According to 247Sports' composite rankings, he is a 5-star prospect and the No. 23 overall player and No. 4 combo guard in the 2025 recruiting class.

“Buzz Williams is known for winning at every different program he goes to," Adams said, per Tipton. "He develops guards and has off-court relationships with his players. Maryland has a great history of basketball, and I can't wait to show the fans what I'm going to bring to the table."

The first thing that jumps out about the McDonald's All-American's game is his shooting stroke.

He can hit from beyond the three-point line and float shots over defenders from mid-range. He is also a solid passer with the ball in his hands when defenses close on that shooting, which should help him contribute right away at the next level.

"Where there is untapped potential is in his frame and the amount of sheer force he plays with," Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports wrote in his scouting report. "He's still growing into his body a bit and doesn't always yet have the same amount of athletic burst as other top prospects.

"Once that frame clicks though, it could unlock new aspects of his attack, help him play through contact more consistently, and make him more efficient in the lane. Right now, he can be fluid with the ball in the open floor, but doesn't pressure the rim or finish as well in a half-court game."

Adams is the first high-school prospect to join Williams at Maryland, but the new head coach is bringing in plenty of firepower through the transfer portal.

The 2025 class includes eight different transfers, including forward Elijah Saunders from Virginia and guard Isaiah Watts from Washington State. Williams also brought Pharrel Payne, Solomon Washington, George Turkson Jr. and Andre Mills with him from Texas A&M.

The Terrapins reached the Sweet 16 last season but will have an entirely new look in 2025-26 following the coaching chance.

Adams figures to be a major part of it as a high-profile recruit.

After flirting with the possibility of declaring for the 2025 NBA draft, Alex Karaban has decided to return to Connecticut for his senior season.

Karaban announced on X his "heart remains in Storrs" and he wants to "chase another national championship" with the Huskies in 2025-26.

The return of Karaban means Connecticut will bring back three of its top four scorers from last season, and incoming freshman Braylon Mullins and Georgia transfer Silas Demary Jr. will join them.

Last year, following the Huskies' second straight national title, Karaban declared for the 2024 draft while maintaining his eligibility. He ultimately decided to return to school.

Karaban was coy about staying in the draft this year when asked earlier this month if he was leaning one way or another.

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman had Karaban going to the Chicago Bulls with the No. 45 overall pick in his most recent mock draft released on April 22. His pro comparison was Georges Niang thanks to his "off-ball shooting, cutting and defensive instincts."

Despite averaging a career-high 14.3 points per game in 33 starts last season, Karaban's efficiency went down from his first two years. He shot 43.8 percent overall and 34.7 percent from three-point range on 5.9 attempts per game.

Karaban did make an impact in other ways, averaging career highs in rebounds (5.3) and assists (2.8).

Being able to bring back Karaban is a huge win for head coach Dan Hurley. The Huskies went through a soft reset last season after losing Donovan Clingan, Stephon Castle, Cam Spencer and Tristen Newton.

Connecticut still managed to win 24 games and make the NCAA tournament, losing to Florida in the second round to end its streak of 13 consecutive tournament victories dating back to the 2022-23 season.

The roster is once again stocked with talent that should have the Huskies back in the mix for a national title in 2025-26.

Shaquille O'Neal is going back to school.

The NBA legend has agreed to become the Sacramento State men's basketball general manager, per ESPN's Shams Charania. According to Charania, the role will be unpaid and voluntary.

O'Neal's son, Shaqir O'Neal, transferred to Sacramento State from Florida A&M in March to play for NBA icon Mike Bibby, who took over as the Hornets' head coach this offseason.

O'Neal joining Sacramento State follows a trend of athletes and former athletes taking on collegiate general manager positions in the age of NIL. Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry last month accepted a general manager position at his alma mater, Davidson, while Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young took on the same position for Oklahoma. Last year, former NFL quarterback Andrew Luck was named general manager at Stanford.

As more teams bring in general managers for their teams, it seems inevitable that more professional athletes will take on GM roles.

According to ABC 10's Kevin John, some of O'Neal's responsibilities will include mentoring athletes and helping them transition to the NBA. He'll also help with recruiting, sponsorships and in-game entertainment.

Sacramento State has had just two winning seasons over the last decade and is coming off a 7-25 season.

Bibby, who played for the Sacramento Kings from 2001 to 2008, took over as head coach after Michael Czepil's sole season as the team's interim head coach. Bibby previously spent time as an assistant coach in the G League and as an assistant coach for the Puerto Rican National Team.

Sacramento State has never reached an NCAA Tournament, but with star power in O'Neal and Bibby, the Hornets could attract some high-level recruits and finally make the big dance.

The Duke Blue Devils secured a commitment from Cedric Coward, a former Washington State University player ranked No. 13 in the college basketball transfer portal, according to 247 Sports.

The small forward averaged 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 55.7 percent shooting from the field.

The 6'6" guard from Fresno, California, began his career with the Division III Willamette Bearcats, playing in just one game before redshirting.

At Willamette, Coward finished second in Division III with 19 double-doubles, ending the season on a 15-game streak, per The Duke Chronical's Ryan Hammer.

He transferred to Eastern Washington State in the Big Sky conference where he played for two years where he finished his second year averaging 15.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists while shooting 38.3 percent from beyond the arc and 56.5 percent from the field.

Last season at Washington State, he played in just six games after suffering a torn labrum, per Hammer, requiring surgery to repair and cutting his season short.

The guard's greatest strength is his efficient scoring ability. Although the sample size from his most recent season is small, he knocked down 40 percent of his three-point attempts on five shots per game.

Inside the arc, he’s just as impactful, using his tight, functional handle to attack defenders off the dribble and create looks for teammates with his improved playmaking skills.

The ACC is reportedly hoping to put itself in a position to be better-represented during March Madness in the future.

According to Brandon Marcello of CBS Sports, the ACC is considering reducing its conference schedule from 20 games to 18 "so teams can schedule more marquee nonconference games and improve the league's chances of landing more at-large teams in the NCAA Tournament."

Sources told Marcello that ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, the conference's athletics directors and ESPN have been in active discussions to make the change to the conference schedule as soon as the 2025-26 season. There is an expectation that the proposal "will be approved when the league's administrators meet in May for its annual spring meetings in Florida," Marcello reported.

The ACC played an 18-game schedule as recently as 2018-19 and expanded to 20 games the following year to support the launch of the ACC Network. As part of the 20-game schedule last season, each team played two repeat opponents. Sources told Marcello that the 18-game schedule would "consist of one game against 16 teams and two games against a permanent rival (home and away) each season."

This past season, the ACC sent just four teams to the NCAA Tournament, marking the lowest percentage in conference history at 22 percent. Duke was the only team to advance past the first round, making it to the Final Four before falling to Houston. KenPom.com ranked the ACC last in its ratings for the five high-major conferences.

The ACC has been pursuing ways to improve its product and metrics for quite some time now, but to no avail. The conference went 2-14 in last season's ACC-SEC challenge, causing a major hit to its strength of schedule.

"As a league, if you don't have a great out-of-conference (record), then mathematically, you can't move up," Miami athletics director Dan Radakovich told Marcello. "Your conference is pretty much set once you get to January."

USC basketball commit Alijah Arenas, who is the son of former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, is making significant progress as he continues to recover from a single-car crash that temporarily left him in a medically induced coma.

Josiah Johnson, who is the co-host and executive producer of Gilbert Arenas YouTube talk show Gil's Arena, provided an update Thursday.

"He was placed in an induced coma as a precautionary measure due to smoke inhalation," Johnson said.

"… Happy to announce that Alijah is doing much better. Just got off the phone with Gil about five minutes ago. Alijah's doing better, walking, talking, progressing very well. He should be released from the hospital very soon. No major injuries as a result of the car accident."

Matt Moret of The Athletic noted the Los Angeles Fire Department said Arenas hit a fire hydrant and a tree while driving his Tesla Cybertruck early Thursday morning. Bystanders had to pull him out of the car, which caught fire when he was still inside.

He was then taken to the hospital and placed into a medically induced coma.

On Friday, ESPN's Shams Charania shared an update from the family :

"In a remarkable and hopeful development, Alijah Arenas has come out of his coma and has shown significant signs of progress within the last 24 hours," the update said. "In a powerful and emotional moment, Alijah opened his eyes and was able to write on a piece of paper that he remembered smoke and asked, 'Did anyone get hurt?'"

Arenas committed to USC in January during an appearance on his father's show. He is a 5-star prospect and the No. 7 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Alijah and his family following this morning's accident," USC men's basketball head coach Eric Musselman said Thursday after the car crash. "Please keep him, his teammates and friends, and the entire Arenas family in your prayers."