NBA skills coach Drew Hanlen joins Kevin O’Connor to break down the season’s hottest topics, from star player development to the reality of tanking in the league. Drew shares inside stories about working with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jayson Tatum and others and explains why self-belief can be both a gift and a curse for rising talent.
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(0:48) When will Tatum return for Celtics?
(12:13) Player development & Deni Avdija
(21:43) Can Hornets maintain their winning ways?
(26:25) How can NBA stop tanking?
(31:09) Joel Embiid’s recovery and development
(43:02) How teams use data & analytics to improve
(49:03) Chris Paul retires from NBA
(56:43) How will defensive coaching evolve?
(01:00:11) Future of the All-Star game
Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the LA Clippers on February 2, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
Andrew Siciliano deep dives on the 2026 NFL Draft with Nate Tice & ESPN’s Matt Miller. Andrew kicks things off with Nate Tice as they parse through Nate & Charles McDonald’s latest mock draft and cover a few of the more interesting selections, including EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. going second overall to the New York Jets, RB Jeremiyah Love in the top ten, EDGE David Bailey to the Washington Commanders and more. Next, Andrew & Nate set their sites on Indianapolis for the NFL Combine as Nate gives his top prospects he’s most excited to watch test next week.
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Later, Andrew is joined by ESPN’s Matt Miller to get his thoughts on the draft (including Ty Simpson, Caleb Downs and more) before talking through his latest NFL mock draft.
(6:55) – Nate Tice breaks down latest NFL mock draft
(21:55) – Nate’s top prospects to watch at the NFL Combine
(44:00) – Matt Miller talks latest NFL mock draft
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JANUARY 19: Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers takes the field during pregame warmups before the 2026 CFP National Championship between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images)
(Photo by CFP/Getty Images)
Inside Coverage would be nothing without the impact of our beloved Terez Paylor, who was a pillar of Yahoo Sports’ NFL editorial and podcast coverage. We will continue to produce this NFL podcast in his honor, and hope that you can support Terez Paylor’s legacy in one of three ways:
• Buy an “All-Juice Team” hoodie or tee from BreakingT.com/Terez. All profits directly fund the Terez A. Paylor scholarship at Howard University.
• Donate directly at giving.howard.edu/givenow. Under “Tribute,” please note that your gift is made in memory of Terez A. Paylor. Under “Designation,” click on “Other” and write in “Terez A. Paylor Scholarship.”
Today on the Kevin O’Connor show, KOC is joined by Tom Haberstroh to ask some big questions in the NBA world: Are the Houston Rockets done? What teams have the most to prove in the 2nd half of the season? Which young players might break out and which coaches are on the hot seat?
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Then, the pair look at two of the hottest names in college basketball: Darius Acuff and Darryn Peterson. How does Acuff’s 49-point explosion affect his draft stock? Is Peterson’s self-check-out gambit for Kansas threatening his no. 1 draft pick potential?
Later, KOC is joined by Daman Rangoola, Sam Esfandiari & Claire De Lune from All-Star Weekend to talk the latest with the Lakers and Warriors. That and more on today’s show!
(1:11) Contenders with the most to prove (13:38) Young players to watch (20:26) NBA coaches on the hot seat (33:46) Kings decimated by injuries (37:12) Darius Acuff drops 49 points vs. Alabama (41:44) What’s going on with Darryn Peterson? (56:32) Daman Rangoola & Sam Esfandiari join from All-Star (1:43:10) Claire De Lune joins from All-Star
HOUSTON, TEXAS – FEBRUARY 11: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets looks on during the second half of the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Toyota Center on February 11, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)
Nate Tice & Charles McDonald join forces to answer the NFL offseason’s biggest looming questions submitted by the audience. The duo start off by diving into the New York Giants’ potential NFL Draft plans with the 5th overall pick, how the Chicago Bears can fix their defensive line and whether or not Brian Daboll is a good fit with QB Cam Ward as the new Tennessee Titans OC.
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Next, Nate & Charles discuss whether or not the Los Angeles Chargers can fix their offensive line in one offseason, if the Jacksonville Jaguars defense can take a leap next season, who the Denver Broncos should be targeting in free agency (Tyler Allgeier?) and what our expectations for the 2026 Washington Commanders should look like.
Later, the two hosts wrap up with thoughts on the New England Patriots’ upcoming offseason decisions, why Sean McVay changed to a duo run game style with the Los Angeles Rams, whether Sean McDermott was really the problem with the Buffalo Bills and more.
(44:15) – Biggest offseason questions: Patriots, Rams, Bills & more
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) warms up before the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
The Cooligans welcome former MLS head coach and analyst Giovanni Savarese for a deep dive into the 2026 MLS season. Gio shares his predictions, breakout teams to watch, and how the league continues to evolve ahead of a massive 2026 on home soil. The conversation also turns to the USMNT, as the guys assess expectations, pressure, and what success should realistically look like at the 2026 World Cup.
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Christian and Alexis then tackle the troubling racist incident involving Vinícius Júnior during Real Madrid’s clash with Benfica. They unpack how these situations are currently handled, question whether the responsibility to stop a match unfairly falls on the player experiencing abuse, and debate what meaningful structural changes could better protect players moving forward.
Finally, it’s a jam-packed Champions League recap. Folarin Balogun shines in a statement performance against Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus suffer a shocking defeat to Galatasaray, and Bodø/Glimt pull off a stunning win over Inter Milan. The boys react to all the drama, surprises, and what these results mean going forward.
Timestamps:
(6:30) – 2026 MLS preview and predictions
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(30:00) – Gio Savarese’s USMNT World Cup outlook
(39:00) – Vinicius Junior deals with racism again: time for a rule change?
(59:00) – Folarin Balogun shines in Champions League loss to PSG
(1:04:30) – Serie A teams suffer shocking Champions League losses
On today’s Kevin O’Connor Show, KOC is joined by NBC broadcaster John Fanta to talk everything NBA. They start with Eastern Conference contender power rankings: who’s the number one team in the East? Could Cade Cunningham really be MVP?
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Then, they turn to Team USA hockey’s gold-medal win against Canada before John tells the story of his call-up to the NBA on NBC by Mike Tirico.
Plus, they discuss if Anthony Edwards is the face of the league, address the troubles in Phoenix & Houston, and take a look at the top prospects in this year’s fiery draft class.
That and more, today!
Eastern Conference Contenders (1:39) USA Hockey and John’s NBC Career (43:16) Draft Class (1:10:20)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 22: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics talks to head coach Joe Mazulla during the second half of their game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on February 22, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luiza Moraes/Getty Images)
LAFC sent a loud message in their 3-0 dismantling of Inter Miami, and it wasn’t just about the scoreline. Los Angeles FC looked sharp, organized, and ruthless, while Inter Miami CF looked frustrated and overwhelmed. We break down what went wrong for Miami, what this result means long-term, and whether Lionel Messi’s heated postgame interaction with referees is a sign of deeper cracks. Plus, we recap the rest of MLS opening weekend and highlight the teams that set the tone early.
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Across the pond, the Premier League title race is heating up once again. Manchester City and Arsenal continue to push each other to the limit at the top of the table. Can City pull off another late surge, or is this finally Arsenal’s year? We examine the remaining fixtures, squad depth, and pressure points that could decide the title.
Off the pitch, concerns are growing around the 2026 tournament. With New Jersey canceling its World Cup fan zone and Gillette Stadium reportedly resisting FIFA licensing without additional funding, we ask whether the 2026 World Cup is starting to show serious organizational strain. Is this just early logistical turbulence—or a warning sign for what’s ahead?
Timestamps:
(7:00) – LAFC thrash Messi and Inter Miami
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(23:00) – MLS opening weekend recap
(32:00) – Arsenal and Man City continue to battle in PL title race
(47:45) – World Cup in danger of falling apart already?
Nate Tice & Matt Harmon join forces from Indianapolis as they preview what to watch at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. The duo kick things off with some of the buzziest news items from around Indy, including the Atlanta Falcons franchise tagging Kyle Pitts, some uncertainty from the Philadelphia Eagles around AJ Brown’s future with the team and the New York Jets planning to use a tag on RB Breece Hall.
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Next, Nate & Matt dive into their top prospects to watch this week at the NFL Combine. Matt shouts out LB Sonny Styles topping an insane linebacker class and WR KC Concepcion, while Nate talks about the entire Ohio State defense and Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love.
Later, the two hosts cover a few of the most underrated prospects to watch this week, including WR Omar Cooper, TE Kenyon Sadiq, RB Jonah Coleman and more, plus a few spare news items from Indianapolis (could a Trent Williams release be looming?)
(2:10) – Top Combine storylines and news
(24:00) – Top prospects to watch
(40:20) – Underrated prospects to watch
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(55:00) – Odds and ends from Indianapolis
Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza & Ohio State LB Arvell Reese are expected to draw eyes at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. (Jamie Squire, Getty Images; James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Jamie Squire, Getty Images; James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Chicago Bulls will be without new guard Anfernee Simons indefinitely.
Imaging on Simons’ left wrist revealed that he aggravated a previous fracture in the team’s loss to the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. It’s unclear how long Simons will be sidelined.
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Simons left the Bulls’ 126-110 loss to the Pistons on Saturday due to what the team initially called a sprain, and he didn’t play in the second half. Then imaging revealed the fracture, which Donovan said stemmed from an old injury Simons suffered when he was still with the Boston Celtics.
“The fracture hasn’t quite healed, and I think him seeing a hand specialist, they felt like, you know, once the pain subsides that he’s fine to go back to play,” Donovan said, via The Associated Press. “The last time it happened to him, it was in training camp in Boston. It was like a week or 10 days.”
Simons was dealt to the Bulls ahead of the trade deadline earlier this month in exchange for center Nikola Vučević. He has appeared in six games with the Bulls and is averaging 15.2 points and three assists since landing in Chicago.
Simons is in his eighth season in the league. The Portland Trail Blazers selected him with the No. 24 pick in 2018, and he spent his first seven seasons with Portland before being traded to Boston in a deal for Jrue Holiday last June.
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The Bulls entered Tuesday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets with a 24-34 record. They are on a nine-game losing streak and have lost 12 of their past 13 games. They sit 12th in the Eastern Conference with 23 games left in the regular season and are on pace to miss the playoffs for a fourth straight year.
INDIANAPOLIS — A top-end receiver nearing the outer edge of his prime years. A straining relationship between a franchise and a player. And a market of NFL teams processing how those factors guide his trade value.
A.J. Brown of 2026 is 2024 Stefon Diggs.
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That’s the sense I got from executives at the league’s annual scouting combine this week in Indianapolis, where Brown’s trade availability became bluntly obvious Tuesday. Given opportunities to make a strong statement about Brown being on the Philadelphia Eagles’ roster next season, both general manager Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni made no guarantees when speaking to the media. It had shades of the combine in 2024, when rumors of the Buffalo Bills potentially trading Stefon Diggs were flying and general manager Brandon Beane was put on the spot about the subject.
His response to being asked if Diggs would be on the Bills’ roster in 2024?
“Yeah, I expect him to be here.”
The wiggle-infused usage of expect was subtle but notable. Diggs was traded to the Houston Texans less than five weeks later.
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If anything, the Eagles’ language about Brown on Tuesday was even more ambiguous than Beane’s tack regarding Diggs in 2024.
“Will A.J. be here next season? I think we’re still in a spot, like, I can’t guarantee how anything is going to play out into next season,” Sirianni said of Brown. “I’m thinking I’m going to be the coach next season, but you can’t guarantee anything past tomorrow.”
“Yeah, my expectation is he wants to be here. And obviously you want good players like that in your building. As Howie said, it’s hard to get good players in this league. A.J.’s a great player and A.J. is a good teammate and A.J. is a good person. Does he want to be here? Yes. Do I want him to be here? Yes.”
For those deciphering, those were a lot of words that still failed to close any doors. If anything, Roseman made it clear that for the right price, the Eagles will trade their players.
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“I think you go into the league year listening to offers for everything and anything,” Roseman said. “If someone is going to give you something you didn’t anticipate and you won’t even have the conversation, I don’t think you’re necessarily doing your job or really servicing the team you’re with. … You never know what someone is willing to do. Certainly, we’ve been in situations where there were guys we didn’t anticipate trading that we got an offer that was too good, and then you balance it with what you can get there.”
“Without getting into specifics on any player, we’re always listening and we’re always kind of open. There’s very few things that I would shoot down without even hearing what that means, because how does it hurt to listen?”
Those are a lot of words used to say “If you’re interested in A.J. Brown, we are interested in listening.”
So what does this mean for Brown’s market?
A.J. Brown had a dip in production last season. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
(Mitchell Leff via Getty Images)
After speaking to six front-office executives in Indianapolis — including two teams that are expected to add wideout depth this offseason — Brown’s value falls into the typical eye of the beholder. Two were particularly low on his market, suggesting a third-rounder and some later-round pick swaps that could ultimately add up to second-round value. Three others pointed to the Diggs deal in 2024, when the Bills were believed to initially be looking for a first-rounder, but ultimately settled on packaging him with a fifth- and sixth-round pick and sending him to the Texans for a second-rounder. One executive believed Brown was worth a “late first-round pick” from an AFC team that Philadelphia wouldn’t face in the postseason unless it advanced to the Super Bowl. The four who fit that criteria best would be the Buffalo Bills (who hold the 26th overall pick), Texans (28th), Denver Broncos (30th) and New England Patriots (31st).
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For any acquiring team, the natural question is whether Brown is the missing element that would either open or significantly enhance a Super Bowl window over the next few seasons. But like Diggs’ waning days with the Bills, there are concerns about Brown’s seemingly shaky relationships with his head coach, quarterback and offensive coordinator last season. There are also questions about his production decline in 2025 and whether he’s capable of playing up to his three second-team All-Pro status from 2022 to 2024. Not to mention how many elite seasons remain with Brown turning 29 in June.
“Twenty-nine is when it starts to get a little scary with physical wide receivers,” one AFC executive said. “Look at Deebo [Samuel]. The drop can come fast and you don’t know for sure when it’s coming.”
Added a long-tenured NFC personnel man, “The money and [personality] are concerns, I’m sure. Whoever the [wide receiver] coach was with the Titans, where is he at now? That might be a key to a trade. He needs a sponsor and an advocate in the building to say he’s worth trading for and how ‘we’ can work with him.”
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In 2024, Brown signed a three-year, $96 million extension with the Eagles that guaranteed him $84 million. He is under contract through the 2029 season.
Brown’s wide receivers coach with the Titans was Rob Moore, who now holds the same position with the Carolina Panthers. Currently, the Panthers do not appear to be in the high-end wideout market after drafting offensive rookie of the year Tetairoa McMillan in the first round last season, and with Jalen Coker appearing ready to step into a heavier workload alongside McMillan.
Of course, this week’s combine could hold some of the answers to Brown’s potential trade market, too. Depending on their performance this week and in workouts over the next two months, as many as five to six wideouts could end up packing into the draft’s first round. It’s by far the richest offensive position in this draft, providing options for some of those teams with late first round picks and needs at wide receiver.
A key period to keep in mind is the league’s spring meetings in late March, where front offices and coaching staffs again cross paths and many pre-draft trades get significant traction. And if Brown gets traded, it’s most likely to happen prior to this draft — so that it includes 2026 compensation rather than picks in 2027, which is expected to be a much stronger and deeper class.
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“Nobody wants to give up 2027 picks right now,” the AFC executive said. “If there’s a deal with draft picks, you want it to include your 2026 picks. Especially if it’s in the first two or three rounds.”
