The Chicago Blackhawks lost one of their top all-around players when Jason Dickinson left Wednesday night’s game against Edmonton with a left leg injury.
Dickinson’s leg got pinned under him after he collided with Oilers forward Vasily Podkolzin early in the second period of Chicago’s 4-3 overtime loss. He was seen with a boot on his lower left leg as he left the locker room after the game.
The 29-year-old Dickinson has scored seven goals and nine assists in 53 games this season, his third year with the Blackhawks. Dickinson, who had a career-high 22 goals last season, is also one of the team’s best penalty killers.
Interim coach Anders Sorensen said the team would have an update on Thursday, but things didn’t look good.
“He’s valuable for us, right?” Sorensen said. “He does a lot of PK and a lot of faceoffs, tough matchups. But I thought a lot of guys stepped up after his absence here, when he got hurt.”
The Blackhawks, currently in last place, dropped to a 4-12-4 record in their last 20 games.
While Dickinson left due to his injury, Craig Smith skated for more than 11 minutes in his first game since January 8. Smith was activated from injured reserve after dealing with a nagging back injury.
Smith, 35, has six goals and five assists in 31 games this season for Chicago.
Craig Smith warms up before the game
The Blackhawks also sent defenseman Artyom Levshunov and forward Colton Dach to Rockford in the American Hockey League.
Levshunov, 19, was called up on Monday to practice with the team during the AHL’s All-Star break. The IceHogs will play their next game on Friday night in Texas.
Levshunov was the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s NHL draft. He missed the start of the season due to a fractured right foot.
“We’ve had two good, spirited practices with a lot of pace and compete and that was a good learning experience for him to see,” Sorensen said. “Talking to him, he was kind of baffled how quick it was at times but that’s good. That’s how you realize where you need to be.”
Dach, 22, made his NHL debut on January 3 against Montreal. The 6-foot-4 forward, who was a second-round pick in the 2021 draft, has one goal and three assists in 13 games with Chicago.
The Milwaukee Bucks are trading NBA champion and Olympic gold medalist Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards and bringing Kyle Kuzma back in return, a person with knowledge of the deal.
The trade also involves A.J. Johnson moving from the Bucks to the Wizards and Patrick Baldwin going from the Wizards to the Bucks, along with a future pick swap and some second-round draft picks, according to the person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity as the trade still needs league approval.
The deal, first reported by ESPN, comes one day before the Thursday 3 p.m. Eastern trade deadline.
Middleton, 33, has had injury problems and leaves the Bucks after spending all but one of his 13 NBA seasons in Milwaukee. The three-time All-Star has played only 23 games this season, 16 of which were off the bench, but he was shooting a career-high 51% in those games.
Middleton helped the Bucks win the NBA title in 2021 and played for Team USA to win gold at the Tokyo Olympics later that year. He has been praised by Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo for years.
“It’s definitely a plus having Khris back,” Antetokounmpo said earlier this season when Middleton returned after ankle issues. “Man, he takes us to the next level with his IQ, decision-making, shot ability, defense.”
Kuzma, 29, will be joining his third team, having played four years with the Los Angeles Lakers and parts of four years with the Wizards. He has averaged 17.2 points per game for his career, including 15.2 points per game this season.
Khris Middleton reacts in the 1st half
The trade gives the Bucks some financial flexibility by getting them below the second apron, which might allow them more trade options before the deadline.
Being over the second apron had limited the Bucks’ ability to make moves as they worked to improve their aging roster. The Bucks (26-22) are currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference after being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in the last two seasons.
In the trade, they sent away a player whose No. 22 jersey might one day hang in the Fiserv Forum rafters.
Middleton holds the franchise record for career 3-pointers with 1,382. He scored 12,586 points for Milwaukee, ranking him third in team history, behind Antetokounmpo and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
He is second in team history in games played (735) and minutes played (23,039), behind Antetokounmpo, and third in assists (2,990).
Middleton averaged 24 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game during the 2021 NBA Finals when the Bucks defeated Phoenix in six games. He has averaged 20.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 80 career playoff games with Milwaukee. Middleton was selected to the All-Star Game in 2019, 2020, and 2022.
However, injuries have limited his play in recent seasons.
He missed the Bucks’ seven-game loss to Boston in the 2022 Eastern Conference semifinals and played just 33 games in 2022-23 and 55 games in 2023-24. Middleton didn’t make his 2024-25 debut until December 6 as he recovered from offseason ankle surgery. He went scoreless in two games in late January.
Kuzma has also struggled this season, shooting 42% from the field, 28.1% on 3-point attempts, and 60.2% on free throws, all career lows. However, he scored 31 and 22 points in his last two games.
The Bucks selected Johnson with the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 draft. The 20-year-old guard averaged 2.9 points in seven games with Milwaukee.
Baldwin, a 22-year-old forward who went to high school in the Milwaukee area and played one season of college basketball at Milwaukee, was the 28th overall pick in the 2022 draft. He averaged 2.1 points and 4.6 minutes in 22 games this season.
Luka Doncic stands alongside the baseline before the game
Luka Doncic could make his debut with the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, coach JJ Redick said Wednesday.
Doncic took part in his first practice with the Lakers since his surprising trade from Dallas last weekend. The Slovenian star had not played for the Mavericks since injuring his left calf on Christmas Day.
Doncic won’t play when the Lakers begin a three-game homestand against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night, but there’s a good chance he will return when the Lakers play the Indiana Pacers on Saturday or the Utah Jazz on Monday night.
“We’re kind of just assessing it day by day,” Redick said. “We hope to have him back within the next few games. We just had noncontact practice today, but we got some good work in for about 45 minutes, and he’ll have a stay-ready game at some point over the next two days.
He’ll have some more opportunities to play live basketball, and then we’ll make a decision on Saturday. If it’s not Saturday, hopefully it’s Monday. (But) those decisions will be made on Saturday.”
The NBA’s broadcasters were paying attention: Shortly after Redick spoke, ESPN announced it would air the Pacers-Lakers game on Saturday, moving a Jazz-Suns game to a different time.
Doncic watched from the bench at Intuit Dome on Tuesday night as LeBron James led the Lakers to a 122-97 win over the Clippers, marking their ninth victory in 11 games.
James is still adjusting to the trade of his close friend and teammate Anthony Davis, but he has already expressed excitement about playing alongside Doncic, who he calls his favorite NBA player.
Luka Doncic and Lebron Jmes laugh on the bench
Doncic joined in 5-on-5 drills in his first Lakers practice. He ended the session chatting with Redick, James, assistant coach Scott Brooks, and forward Dorian Finney-Smith, who was Doncic’s teammate in Dallas for 4 1/2 seasons. Finney-Smith was traded to the Lakers from Brooklyn shortly after Christmas.
“Even though I don’t like the way things went down — I feel like he definitely should have got that money — but I’m happy he’s on my side now,” Finney-Smith said.
Finney-Smith also laughed at the Mavericks’ reported concerns about Doncic’s conditioning and weight.
“I know him, (and) he wants to play the whole game,” Finney-Smith said. “I think he played 40 minutes every game last playoffs. That’s one thing about LD. He wants to play. I don’t really look at the noise. I look at his production. If I’m putting up those kinds of numbers, maybe I should be 270 (pounds).”
Whenever Doncic returns to the court, Redick doesn’t think he will have any trouble adjusting to playing with James in the Lakers’ system.
“The biggest learning curve is just the language,” Redick said. “He knows basketball. He knows it at a high level. We use a lot of the concepts that he used in Dallas, which a lot of teams use. We haven’t reinvented the wheel or anything.
We are trending in the direction of playing really intelligent offensive basketball, and then you add in Luka, who’s a supercomputer on the court, who can see everything and has seen every coverage, every defense, it adds another layer for sure.”
Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine drives to the basket as New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum guards during the first half of an NBA basketball game
Zach LaVine had a message for fans as he prepared for his Sacramento Kings debut on Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic.
He’s excited about the opportunity, doesn’t take it lightly, and is ready to do everything he can to help the team win.
“They take time to come here to watch the game, spend their hard-earned money to watch and cheer on the team,” LaVine said at his introductory press conference, just days after being traded from the Chicago Bulls. “I’m going to be right there with them and do everything I can for the city.”
LaVine, who was drafted 13th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014, expressed his affection for his new team.
He worked out for the Kings before being drafted. His family is originally from California, and he owns a home in Newport Beach.
In 2018, he signed a four-year, $78 million offer sheet with the Kings, which the Bulls matched.
Additionally, both LaVine and Kings interim coach Doug Christie are from Seattle.
“I’ve been a fan of (the Sacramento Kings) for a long time,” LaVine said. “I thought I was going to sign here six years ago. I’ve had a good relationship with a lot of guys who played here, and I understand the culture here from me being from the West Coast.”
Sacramento Kings (NHL)
LaVine, a two-time All-Star, was traded to Sacramento (25-24) as part of a three-team deal with Chicago and the San Antonio Spurs, who received former Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox.
The Bulls got Kevin Huerter from the Kings and Zach Collins from the Spurs. Jordan McLaughlin moved from Sacramento to the Spurs, Sidy Cissoko went from the Spurs to the Kings, and Tre Jones was sent from the Spurs to the Bulls. The Kings also acquired six future draft picks — three first-round picks and three second-round picks.
Kings general manager Monte McNair praised LaVine as an “incredible talent,” a strong shot-maker, and “somebody who puts his stamp on the court.”
LaVine is currently averaging 24 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 34.1 minutes per game across 42 games. He ranks fifth in 3-point shooting percentage this season and holds the highest field-goal percentage from beyond the arc among players with at least 100 3-pointers made this season.
LaVine is reuniting with DeMar DeRozan, who played three seasons with the Bulls. They are excited to play together in the Western Conference.
“It just shows you how crazy this business works and how it comes around full circle,” DeRozan said. “I am excited for the guys who will play with him and I am excited for the fans to see what he is capable of doing.”
Jimmy Butler got what he wanted. He’s being traded out of Miami and secured a new contract in the process.
The Heat and the Golden State Warriors reached an agreement on a deal that sends Butler to the Bay Area, according to a person familiar with the negotiations, who spoke on Wednesday. Butler had helped lead the Heat to the NBA Finals twice before a strained relationship with the team that resulted in him being suspended three times in January.
Golden State is making the trade by moving Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson, Lindy Waters, and first-round draft picks, the person said, speaking to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity since the trade hasn’t yet received league approval.
Wiggins and Anderson will be going to Miami; it’s not clear if Anderson will remain with the Heat. Schroder is being traded to Utah—where the Warriors were on Wednesday night—and Josh Richardson is headed from Miami to Detroit along with Waters. P.J. Tucker is also moving, having just been traded to Utah, but is now set to return to Miami, where he played in 2021-22.
“My brother, man. I’m going to miss him, for sure,” said Heat forward Nikola Jovic, who admired Butler. “I think a lot of guys here will. He’s someone who did a lot for this franchise.”
The Heat will receive a protected first-round pick from Golden State, which is currently set to be a pick in this year’s draft, but that could change based on final terms. Butler has already agreed to a two-year, $113 million extension with the Warriors.
“I’m really happy that he got what he wanted,” Jovic said. “That bag’s kinda really big.”
Andrew Wiggins celebrates with Brandon Podziemski in the 2nd half
Golden State is Butler’s fifth team after playing for Chicago, Minnesota, Philadelphia, and Miami. His arrivals were celebrated in all of these cities, though his exits were not always smooth.
With the Warriors, Butler will join Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, who were part of all four of the Warriors’ recent championship teams and are hopeful of making another title run.
The Warriors had a closed-door meeting on Wednesday as news of the trade was coming out. Coach Steve Kerr spoke with the team during the time that the locker room is typically open to reporters before games. The Warriors ended up losing to Utah 131-128.
“Our guys were in the locker room getting ready to play and all of a sudden we’re saying goodbye,” Kerr said.
Butler’s split with the Heat had been building for months. The main issue was money; he was eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension, but the Heat never offered it, mainly because he missed about 25% of the games during his time with Miami.
The relationship broke down completely by the end. When Butler said in early January that he didn’t expect to find joy on the court with the Heat again, he was suspended for seven games, which was the final straw in a series of incidents the team labeled detrimental conduct.
The situation got worse: Butler was suspended three times in January, the second time for missing a team flight and the last time for leaving a shootaround early after learning he wouldn’t start a January 27 game against Orlando. That was the end.
“There was a lot said by everybody, except for me, to tell you the truth,” Butler said after his first game back following the first suspension. “We’ll let people keep talking. … The whole truth will come out.”
The Heat said Butler asked for a trade, which led them to shift their stance from team president Pat Riley’s earlier promise not to trade him. After the first suspension, the Heat said they were working to make a trade happen.
Butler is averaging 17 points per game this season. He had one of the best statistical games in Heat history against Detroit on December 16, with 35 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists.
It wasn’t the same after that. In his next six appearances, including one where he left early due to illness, Butler averaged 9.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists.
Miami Heat players in the 2nd half
Wiggins, the No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft, has averaged 18.5 points over 11 seasons—first with Minnesota and then with Golden State. He is someone Kerr has praised at times this season, and when Wiggins played well, the Warriors usually followed suit. Golden State had an 8-3 record this season when Wiggins scored at least 23 points.
“Wiggs is one of my favorite players I’ve ever coached,” Kerr said. “Just a beautiful soul, just a wonderful human being. And we don’t hang that (championship) banner in ’22 without him. Everything he brings every single day, the laughter, the smile, the joy, just a wonderful human being. And so, I’m going to miss him.”
Butler joined Miami in 2019 to fill the role of the team’s star player, replacing Dwyane Wade. He was an All-Star twice in Miami, led the Heat to the NBA Finals in the bubble in 2020, and again in 2023 as a No. 8 seed. He also delivered several standout postseason performances.
There have been 18 40-point games in Heat playoff history, and Butler is responsible for eight of them, including a team-record 56 points against Milwaukee in 2023.
The last time Butler spoke publicly as a Heat player was at a padel tournament on January 25. “I love this city with everything that I have,” he said that day.
Two days later, he was suspended by the Heat for the third and final time.
De’Aaron Fox shared his thoughts on his first game as the point guard for 7-foot-3 Victor Wembanyama:
“He is different,” Fox said. “He is special. Just the type of defensive attention he receives allows you to do things you don’t normally do.”
It turned out to be a great start for Fox with the San Antonio Spurs.
Fox scored 24 points, matched his season high with 13 assists, and Wembanyama’s clutch free throw with 2.4 seconds left helped the Spurs win 126-125 against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.
Fox had been traded to San Antonio from Sacramento in a three-team trade on Sunday.
Before the game, acting Spurs coach Mitch Johnson had predicted that Fox would fit in fast with the team.
“A player of his caliber and experience has been around the league,” said Johnson, now in his seventh season. “… I don’t see any issue with him getting up to speed.”
Fox quickly showed he was comfortable in his new role. He took the Spurs’ first shot and had 18 points by halftime.
“He just brings a lot to the table for us,” Wembanyama said.
Victor Wembanyama reacts after scoring in the 2nd half
“Our goals for the season are even more attainable. We get to use all our strengths and we just added a big strength.”
Wembanyama, who was the NBA’s rookie of the year last season and will make his All-Star Game debut this month, added 24 points. He purposely missed his second free throw at the end of the game to prevent Atlanta from having a chance at a last play. Trae Young then missed a long three-pointer.
Fox contributed five rebounds and three steals.
“When I came in everybody told me to be myself and not to come in and try to fit in,” Fox said, expressing how impressed he was with his new teammates. “That’s why I think this group can be special.”
The Chicago Bulls and point guard Lonzo Ball agreed on a two-year contract extension on Wednesday, rewarding the 27-year-old for his determination to return after missing two seasons due to injuries.
This season, Ball is averaging 7.2 points and 3.5 assists per game in 30 games, following two years away because of issues with his left knee. Last year, he had a cartilage and meniscus transplant after several previous surgeries didn’t fix the problem.
“I’m excited for him because of the journey he’s had to get back in between the lines and playing, and, obviously, give all the medical people a ton of credit for helping him get to that point,” said Chicago coach Billy Donovan after Wednesday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“I think he, really, always has felt pretty good about his situation here in Chicago, which I think is great. I think he’s been a great inspiration to a lot of us.”
Lonzo Ball and Nikola Vucevic hugs in the preseason
Ball missed Wednesday’s game against the Timberwolves due to left knee injury management. This was the second game of a back-to-back after the Bulls beat Miami the night before. Ball had played in eight consecutive games but is still not playing both games of back-to-backs.
He played 35 games in his first season with the Bulls in 2021-22 before injuries sidelined him. He made his return to play in October.
Despite rumors of trade offers, Chicago chose to keep Ball, especially after trading Zach LaVine to Sacramento over the weekend.
“We felt like he was an important piece to that, in terms of helping people,” Donovan said about Ball’s value. “He’s got a great IQ. He knows how to play, and I think anytime you have a point guard that’s got that kind of IQ, he makes people around him better.”
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr gestures toward players during the first half of an NBA basketball game
Golden State coach Steve Kerr had a plan for his team when he arrived at the arena in Salt Lake City on Wednesday. However, that plan quickly changed less than an hour before the game.
The reason for the change was that Andrew Wiggins and Dennis Schroder were no longer with the Warriors. Golden State and Miami Heat were finalizing a trade that would send Jimmy Butler to the Warriors. This left Kerr needing to come up with a new plan on very short notice. After losing 131-128 to Utah, Kerr suggested the NBA consider a change to the timing of the trade deadline.
“I think the league should consider making the trade deadline at the All-Star break just so you don’t have to face these games where guys are getting traded half an hour before a game and you’re trying to process the emotions and trying to win a game,” Kerr said. “I don’t know if it’s possible.”
The trade deadline this season is set for 3 p.m. Eastern on Thursday. All trades must be approved by the league, and then there are logistical issues in getting the traded players to their new teams.
While this is happening, the league still keeps playing.
Steve Kerr (NBA)
The Warriors had only 10 available players for Wednesday’s game, with Wiggins, Schroder, Lindy Waters III, and Kyle Anderson out due to the trade. Additionally, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody were out due to injuries.
All 10 available Warriors played. Two-way player Jackson Rowe made his NBA debut, logging 14 minutes, and fellow two-way signee Pat Spencer also played 14 minutes—matching his total for the last 11 games combined.
Kerr described the pregame experience as strange.
“Our guys were in the locker room getting ready to play,” Kerr said. “And all of a sudden, we’re saying goodbye.”
The Warriors weren’t the only team missing players due to pending trades on Wednesday, and there will likely be more teams without newly acquired players on Thursday and Friday as the deadline passes.
“It’d be great if we could move it back or make the last couple of days before the deadline off days,” Kerr said. “I don’t know how to do it. But these are tough days, for sure.”
Dalton Knecht gestures after scoring in the 2nd half
The Los Angeles Lakers are trading rookie Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and draft picks to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for center Mark Williams, a person familiar with the deal.
The source spoke on the condition of anonymity as the trade had not yet been finalized on Wednesday night.
In addition to Williams, the Hornets will receive the Lakers’ 2031 first-round pick and a first-round pick swap in 2030.
Williams, one of the NBA’s promising young centers, adds to the Lakers’ revamped roster. The Lakers made a big move recently by acquiring Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks for Anthony Davis.
Williams addresses a major need for the Lakers, who had been left with Jaxson Hayes as their only veteran center after Davis left and Christian Wood was out due to an injury.
At 7-foot-2, Williams has faced injury struggles in his three seasons with the Hornets, playing only 84 games because of back issues. However, when healthy, he’s shown his potential.
This season, Williams has averaged 16 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in 22 games. He has thrived in pick-and-roll situations while playing alongside LaMelo Ball.
Williams, who is familiar with Lakers coach JJ Redick from their time at Duke, should mesh well with Doncic, who can set him up for lob passes and pick-and-roll opportunities. Williams will also be expected to contribute defensively for the Lakers, especially after Davis’ departure.
Mark Williams blocks a shot by Richaun Holmes in the 1st half
Williams has posted seven double-doubles in his last 11 games, including a 31-point, 13-rebound performance against the Jazz. He scored 38 points in a loss to Memphis last month, but his play has been inconsistent. In a recent game against Milwaukee, he struggled with just six points and five rebounds.
Williams appears excited about the trade, sharing gold and purple hearts on social media late Wednesday.
This is the second center the Hornets have traded this season. They previously dealt 7-foot Nick Richards and a 2025 second-round pick to Phoenix for guard Josh Okogie and three future second-round picks.
The Hornets are clearly focused on long-term growth under new owners Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, collecting multiple assets. The team now has their first-round pick for the next seven years, plus several other picks from future trades.
Knecht, who was the Lakers’ first-round pick last year, has averaged 9.4 points and 3.1 rebounds as a rookie. He started 12 games, including a 37-point performance with nine 3-pointers, but his playing time has decreased in 2025.
Reddish has averaged 3.3 points per game in his second season with the Lakers. He started 26 games last year but has played much less under Redick.
Doncic, who has been out since Christmas with a strained left calf, is expected to make his Lakers debut on Saturday against the Indiana Pacers. The Lakers will decide that in the morning.
With this deal, the Lakers have traded seven of the 13 players on their opening night roster. The trade also cleared a spot for the Lakers to add another player to their roster.
Michael Porter Jr. takes the ball forward in the 1st half
Michael Porter Jr. has kept his attention on making shots, not on the trade rumors surrounding him.
He’s ignored the rumors and raised his level of play. On Wednesday night, the Denver Nuggets forward matched his career high with 39 points in a 144-119 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. This came after scoring 36 points on Monday in another win over the Pelicans.
Porter had been the focus of trade talk ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline. He got a confidence boost after Monday’s game when head coach Michael Malone simply said, “We’re not trading Michael Porter.”
“I can’t control whether I get traded or not, so that was never something I was stressed about,” Porter said after his big game Wednesday, in which he also grabbed 12 rebounds, had four assists, and stole the ball three times in nearly 37 minutes. “But it is nice to be somewhere where you’re wanted, and to know that your coach is saying that.
I know things can change quick in this league, and you’ve got to win, and you’ve got to produce, but it is good to know that you’re wanted somewhere.”
Porter shot the ball well all game, finishing 16 of 23 from the field and hitting five 3-pointers. His teammates made sure to get him the ball late in the game to help him break his career high, but his final jumper missed. The Nuggets are 15-2 when Porter scores 30 or more points.
Michael Porter Jr. and Christian Braun celebrate after scoring
“It wasn’t just the 39 and the pretty jump shot,” Malone said about Porter’s performance. “It was the rebounding. It was the defense. It was the activity and the playmaking as well. So hats off to Michael for just impacting the game across the board.”
Trade talk is a regular part of the NBA, and this season has already seen some major deals. Nothing surprises three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, who scored 38 points on Wednesday.
“Don’t take it personally. It’s a business. It’s a job,” Jokic said, giving advice to teammates who might get traded. “It’s not that you’re going to go do something else. You’re going to (another) team to play basketball. It can happen.
“That doesn’t mean that you’re a bad player, a good player. I think just maybe the team wants to change the energy. It’s a normal thing to happen in the NBA.”
Porter was selected by Denver at No. 14 in the 2018 NBA draft after a back injury affected his college career at Missouri. He sat out his first season in Denver following back surgery in July 2018.
In 2021, he signed a five-year maximum extension with the Nuggets. Over his career, Porter has shot 41% from 3-point range.
Former Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera looks on before an before an NCAA college football game
Former NFL head coach Ron Rivera is planning to return to college to work at his alma mater.
On Wednesday, Rivera shared on social media that he is following the example of Bill Belichick and will take a position at California.
“Coach Belichick has made going back to school, cool,” Rivera wrote. “Stay tuned I am coming home.”
Neither Rivera nor the school have revealed what role he will take at Cal. Coach Justin Wilcox is starting his ninth season as the head coach of the Golden Bears with a 42-50 career record.
“Our alum, Ron Rivera is an icon in football for good reason,” UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons said. “I’m thrilled to be in discussion with him about the details of joining the Cal team to support and advance our football program. We will release more information as soon as possible.”
Cal’s rival, Stanford, recently hired former star quarterback Andrew Luck as the general manager of their program.
Chicago Bears players celebrate after an interception
Rivera was an All-American linebacker at Cal in 1983 before being drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 1984 NFL Draft.
Rivera was part of a Super Bowl-winning team in his second season and had a nine-year playing career.
Rivera began his coaching career in 1997 and served as head coach for the Carolina Panthers for nine seasons and the Washington football team for four years. He finished with a regular-season record of 102-103-2 and won AP NFL Coach of the Year awards in 2013 and 2015 with the Panthers.
Rivera led his teams to the playoffs five times, with his best season in 2015 when Carolina went 15-1 in the regular season but lost the Super Bowl to Denver.
LSU coach Brian Kelly responded on Wednesday to claims made on national television that he showed little concern for Greg Brooks Jr.’s well-being after the defensive back’s football career was ended by emergency surgery to remove a brain tumor.
“You can question me as a football coach. You can question me in terms of the things that we do on the field. But off the field, as a parent, as a husband, as somebody that is actively involved in every community that I’ve been involved with, this is where the line is drawn with me,” Kelly said during a press conference where he was supposed to discuss transfer players.
“That comment struck a nerve with me,” Kelly added. “It hit my heart.”
Kelly was responding to a remark made by Brooks’ father on ABC’s Good Morning America on Monday.
“My son almost lost his life, coach,” Greg Brooks Sr. said, claiming his family had not heard from Kelly since October 2023. “Where were you? Forget about football. Pick up the phone and say you love the kid, man.”
Brooks is suing LSU, claiming that the university was slow to check his symptoms and allowed an unqualified doctor to perform brain surgery in September 2023, right after he was diagnosed with medulloblastoma.
Greg Brooks Jr. in the 1st half of the game
Brooks suffered multiple strokes during the surgery, according to the lawsuit. He has had to relearn how to eat and write, still has trouble speaking, and cannot walk.
The lawsuit states that Brooks first showed symptoms during a preseason practice, including nausea, dizziness, and headaches. It also claims LSU coaches pressured Brooks to play in LSU’s first two games that season, telling him he could lose his starting position if he sat out.
More than a month after his symptoms began, LSU sent Brooks to a neurologist who discovered the tumor, the lawsuit says.
“It is factually incorrect to state that I was not there by Greg’s side through this ordeal,” Kelly said. “I was there on multiple occasions. We had somebody from my staff that was there virtually every single day.”
“We love Greg,” Kelly added. “We love him for the person that he is, for the competitor that he is, and the battler that he is, and can only wish him continued progress as he goes through an incredibly difficult time. But it was important for me to set the record clear as to my care or my love for Greg.”
