標籤: homecoming

liverpool There’s fresh reason to believe Alisson Becker’s long-term future won’t be decided any time soon, including interest juventus A pause and Brazilian reports point to a further homecoming.

The Reds’ number 1 remains under contract until June 2027. However, his name has resurfaced in the transfer market. As we recently coveredItalian newspapers claimed that Juventus’ interest lies in one problem – the goalkeeper’s salary.

The Turin club considers Alisson’s salary to be too high. As long as there are no notable deficiencies, they are ready to move on to other goals. This effectively chills any immediate prospects of a deal.

juventus were also €15m (£13m) linked with offer. Yet the financial package around the player appears to be the real stumbling block. From Liverpool’s point of view, this relieves short-term pressure.

Long-term planning emerging in Brazil

Looking ahead, Alison’s situation takes a different turn. brazilian journalist lucas dias It is reported that his former club, Internazionale, are already monitoring the development with a view to the future.

As relayed bolavipThe Brazilian team is working on a possible return of the goalkeeper after 2027, when his Liverpool contract expires. Internally, there is a belief that a structured project can bring him back to a higher level.

This is not just wishful thinking. Alison has previously spoke about his desire to return to Brazil And end his career at the club that developed him.

Any interim steps through FIFA’s solidarity mechanism would also benefit Internationals financially. However, their real focus appears to be on a long-term reunion.

what happens next

For Liverpool, the picture is relatively clear. Juventus’ interest does not jeopardize his position at the moment, mainly due to financial constraints.

An even bigger question is at stake. If Alisson terminates his contract, the club will ultimately face a decision on succession planning.

Additionally, the growing international interest adds another layer to the story. The idea of ​​withdrawal is gaining structure rather than remaining purely emotional.

In short, Liverpool are in control today. But the story around Alisson Becker is slowly shifting towards what’s to come after Anfield, not just what happens this summer.

The Dallas Mavericks are very likely out of playoff contention for the remainder of this 2025-26 season, but there is a lot to look forward to with Cooper Flagg having a stellar rookie season.

That rookie season got a scare on Friday night when the Mavs took on the Boston Celtics. Early in the first quarter, Cooper went for a flag layup and was fouled, but he landed awkwardly and immediately grabbed his ankle in pain.

Flagg stood up with the help of his teammates and limped to the Celtics bench for a timeout.

It looked like Cooper Flagg injured his leg after going down after a foul. #nba #Different #celtics #MFFL #MFFLAGG pic.twitter.com/dTT7g2hARC

– ZeroChillSports (@ZeroChillSports) 7 March 2026

After the timeout, Cooper Flagg came back onto the floor, advanced to the free throw line, knocked down both free throws with ease, and remained in the game and played well without any problems.

Friday night’s game is the homecoming game for Maine native Cooper Flagg. He is the third player in NBA history from Maine to play in the NBA, joining current Detroit Pistons guard/forward Duncan Robinson as well as former Nets and Magic forward Jeff Turner.

“I think it’s great that his family is here,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said of Cooper Flagg’s return to the New England area. “Not just his mom, dad and brother, but other people will also be able to watch him play in person tonight. It’s exciting. Hopefully he can perform well and we understand that it’s not easy playing against this team, because they understand big games and big situations, and so it’s a big challenge for him.”

In seven minutes of the first quarter, the Mavs rookie finished the period with six points, one rebound and one steal on 2 of 5 shooting from the field.

Dallas Mavericks forward Najee Marshall pays tribute to rookie teammate Cooper Flagg before the Mavericks’ matchup with the Boston Celtics on Friday night at TD Garden.

As Dallas prepares to face off against Boston in under an hour on ESPN, Marshall steps onto the court for pregame warmups wearing a custom T-shirt honoring Flagg’s New England roots. The shirt features a graphic of a pine tree as well as the phrase “In the Flag We Trust” – a nod to the state of Maine, where the flag grew up.

Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News shared an image of Marshall’s shirt on X, formerly known as Twitter, highlighting the moment before Flagg’s Boston homecoming.

The game marks a notable milestone in Flagg’s rookie season as the 19-year-old forward plays in front of an area crowd familiar with his rise. The Maine native has quickly emerged as a central part of the Mavericks’ future during his first NBA campaign.

Here in Boston, a Nazi marshal wears this t-shirt in honor of the Cooper Flag’s homecoming.

“In the Flag We Trust.” 🌲 pic.twitter.com/5JFXVoTjaz

– Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) 6 March 2026

Flagg returned to action Thursday night after missing nearly a month with a left foot sprain. In Dallas’ 115–114 loss to the Orlando Magic, he recorded 18 points, six assists, five rebounds, four blocks and one steal while playing 26 minutes.

Nazi Marshall honors Cooper Flagg’s Boston homecoming as Mavs face Celtics

Through 50 games this season, Flagg has averaged 20.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per contest, while shooting 47.8% from the field and 30.1% from three-point range. His all-around production has made him one of the Mavericks’ most consistent contributors during a challenging season.

Dallas enters Friday’s matchup with a 21-41 record while battling several injuries on its roster. Despite the setbacks, the Mavericks have continued to give extended opportunities to young players like Flagg as they evaluate their long-term core.

Meanwhile, Boston has a 41-21 record and is in second place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Celtics also welcome back star forward Jayson Tatum, who returns from an Achilles injury suffered during last year’s postseason.

Friday’s game at TD Garden represents a homecoming moment for Flagg and another opportunity for the rookie to continue the momentum in his first season.

Did the Carolina Hurricane leave a lucky horseshoe in Raleigh?

The 5-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks came after a 2-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken, and it certainly wasn’t an easy deal, no matter how much distance in the standings one would try to indicate.

Andrei Svechnikov spent half the game with a plug in the nose after taking a puck in the face, while two goals came off the stick of the Hurricanes’ own defenseman, another due to a rare five-on-three penalty kill, and another after Jakob Slavin was caught without his stick.

However, the Hurricanes still had some luck left.

Although they trailed 2–1 at the end of the first period, they took the lead for the rest of the game as the second frame opened.

Sebastian Aho scored the fourth goal of the game for Carolina and, with it, logged his eighth 60-point season, becoming the fourth Finnish player in NHL history to accomplish this feat.

Nikolaj Ehlers, meanwhile, was up for grabs as he not only scored the game-winning goal, but also notched the seventh NHL hat trick of his career.

Nonetheless, despite some issues in their play, the Hurricanes kept the pressure on the Canucks throughout the game, creating 12 high-danger scoring chances while only allowing three.

A reunion a year in the making

This time last year, Logan Stankoven was a member of the Dallas Stars, preparing for a game in his home province of British Columbia as they had to battle the Canucks on an upcoming road trip. Meanwhile, around 500 family members and friends had tickets to support him from the stands.

Of course, that reunion did not come to fruition, as Stankoven was traded to the Hurricanes at the NHL trade deadline. Instead, his battalion watched him face the Winnipeg Jets from a sports bar across the street from Rogers Arena in Vancouver.

However, it was a different story on Wednesday. The Canucks’ own arena erupted into loud chants of ‘Let’s Go Hurricanes’ as an estimated 150 people came to cheer on Stankoven.

It may have taken them a while to gel, but they’ve certainly got a great show.

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

The San Antonio Spurs were well represented at All-Star Weekend. Victor Wembanyama was voted as the starter for the All-Star Game. Stephen Castle and Dylan Harper competed in the Rising Stars competition, with Harper also being a part of the returning Shooting Stars event. And rookie Carter Bryant, who has recently started playing regularly with the Spurs, was one of the headliners of the slam dunk contest.

Bryant was selected late as a replacement for the Rising Stars Tournament due to an injury to Memphis Grizzlies rookie Cedric Coward. He was impressive during his first All-Star Weekend appearance, showing some of the defensive ability that the Spurs knew they were getting when they drafted him.

In the first Rising Stars game as part of Team Vince, Bryant finished with four points, one rebound and one blocked shot in a little over five minutes. In the second game, as Team Vince won the Rising Stars championship, Bryant finished with five points, one rebound and one steal, while shooting a perfect 2-of-2, including 1-of-1 from 3-point range.

For Bryant, being able to participate in All-Star Weekend as a rookie was a testament to the hard work he has put in since being drafted.

“On my side, I feel like the work I’ve put in is being seen and my teammates have held me to a standard that’s allowed me to perform a certain way,” Bryant told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview. “Obviously with injuries, it took something for that to happen, but I’m fortunate enough to be in a position where I’ve performed well enough this season, whether it’s the last few games, to get a chance to play in the Rising Stars game. It’s an honor.”

Not only was Carter Bryant given the opportunity to participate in the NBA’s premier weekend, but it was a homecoming for the Spurs rookie. His father D’Sean has been a longtime prominent figure in the Southern California basketball scene, having played in college at Long Beach State before moving into coaching high school basketball.

Bryant grew up in Southern California and played his senior year of high school at local powerhouse Corona Centennial. He also played for his father at Fountain Valley and Sage Hill, two other local high schools. One of the greatest things for him about attending All-Star Weekend was the presence of his family.

Bryant said, “Growing up, All-Star Weekend is everything to a kid, especially when you love the game. The best players in basketball get together and make things happen.” “But for it to be in my hometown, and to be a part of something I’ve always dreamed of, I’m so happy. Just being able to be with my family, being able to have my loved ones supporting me, it means everything.”

And as a local kid, it was former Los Angeles Lakers superstar, the late Kobe Bryant, who provided him with his favorite All-Star memory.

Bryant said, “I would say the one that really stood out was Kobe’s last All-Star Game. Being a Southern California kid, being a kid growing up with Kobe, when he got to the All-Star Game in Toronto last year.” “That whole weekend in general, from the dunk contest to the All-Star Game, having the iconic moments in that whole thing, it was dope.”

Carter Bryant’s having a party with the Spurs

The Rising Stars Game was not the only event Carter Bryant attended during All-Star Weekend. He was also selected for the Slam Dunk Contest. He made it to the final round of the competition where he ultimately lost to Keshad Johnson of the Miami Heat.

Although Bryant did not win the dunk contest, he had a good performance overall. He explained how the event has served as a rising party for young players in the past. As he begins his rookie year with the Spurs, he feels like his All-Star Weekend participation could be a springboard for his own career.

“I think the one thing that’s been missing over the years is the swagger and confidence that a lot of the great guys had that originally did it. … It was kind of a coming out party for a lot of guys. A lot of young guys came in, they were really young players, but they wanted to do the dunk contest,” Bryant said, “kind of bringing that energy back to the dunk contest, having confidence in myself that I’m confident in the work that I do. I have a God-given ability because of my athletic talent and being able to display it.”

It was just before the All-Star break when Bryant got his first real opportunity in the Spurs rotation. Selected 14th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, he played consistently during the first few months of the regular season, but did not receive consistent playing time until February.

In the six games played just before the break, he scored in double figures three times, including a career-high 16 points in a blowout win against the Los Angeles Lakers. During that time, Bryant showed signs of being a reliable 3-point shooter. He shot a combined 44 percent from distance, a huge increase from his season average of 32.9 percent.

As far as what it takes to succeed in the NBA, one thing he has learned is patience.

Bryant said, “Patience is everything. I would say that’s the biggest thing I’ve learned. Understanding that not everything is going to be on your terms, what a great lesson that’s been.” “Having good vets and a great coaching staff, being able to sit down with a lot of the guys on the coaching staff… even in the video room, talking to the training staff about how to properly take care of my body. They’ve seen guys who have done this for a long time and had a chance to play 20 years.”

Bryant added, “That’s the ultimate goal, to play a long time and be a great player.” “Being able to pick those brains and not dwell in those moments when you feel like you can’t do anything right.”

But in addition to his offensive abilities, the defensive end of the court has been an area where Bryant has shined in his rookie season. When it comes to the Spurs’ regular rotation players, Bryant is top-10 on the team in defensive rating, according to Statmuse.

Offense in the NBA sometimes comes and goes, and the number of shots and opportunities players get often varies from game to game. But the defensive end of the court, is something that cannot be compromised. Defensively the effort and energy must always be there, no matter how many shots the player attempts.

This is a part of Bryant’s game that he is 100 percent confident he can make an immediate impact on.

Bryant said, “I don’t think you can put anybody in front of me that I can’t compete with. I embrace the competition. That’s what I grew up on. I grew up watching Kobe. I grew up watching those guys attack each other every night.” “When I grew up watching NBA basketball there were no buddy-buddy guys. It’s just the mentality, I’m trying to bring the understanding that every night is an opportunity to show what you’re made of.”

At the time of the All-Star break, the Spurs were in second place in the Western Conference standings, and were being mentioned among potential title contenders. As it stands, they are 40-16 in the West, have won eight straight games and are only two and a half games behind the No. 1 seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.

Players always have goals they want to achieve during the season, especially young players who are experiencing the NBA for the first time. But not Bryant. For him, all personal things will come in time. Right now, it is about maximizing his potential to help the team win.

Bryant said, “Making the playoffs, and with the talent that we have and the team that we have, we’re capable of making the finals. I think we’re there. I think we have a lot of guys that really work to their potential, and I think we have a good balance of vets and young guys.” “We all go to work understanding what the chances are for us as a team. I think that’s the thing for me, I’m not worried about any individual things.”

Bryant added, “Things like this come with time and come with winning.” “Winning is the first priority.”