February 15, 2026

Boston Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown has expressed that he has “considered” stepping into combat sports after his basketball career concludes.

At the NBA All-Star Game media day on Saturday, the 29-year-old mentioned that he has had discussions about this prospect with UFC CEO Dana White, a known Celtics supporter.

“Honestly, I’ve considered this and spoken to a few people,” Brown stated, noting his background in Muay Thai. “Perhaps post-basketball, I’d be interested in pursuing something like the UFC or boxing. I’ve had conversations with Dana White about it, but we’ll see how things unfold in the future.”

Brown, a five-time NBA All-Star and the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, has a coach in Joe Mazzulla who is also a passionate MMA enthusiast. Mazzulla has attended numerous UFC events and often shares fight footage with his team for instructional purposes.

Giannis Antetokounmpo reaffirmed his dedication to the Milwaukee Bucks while expressing his ambition to win, aiming for a second championship to accompany the one he secured in 2021.

“As of today, I’m committed to the Milwaukee Bucks,” Antetokounmpo stated in an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews during NBA All-Star Weekend. “I’m committed to the people I collaborate with, my teammates, the coaching staff, Coach Doc [Rivers], and [GM] Jon [Horst] in management.”

“What I’ve communicated from the start of this season is that, based on my words and the way I carry myself, you’ll never hear me say I don’t want to be a Milwaukee Buck.”

Sources informed ESPN’s Shams Charania before the February 5 NBA trade deadline that Antetokounmpo had been open to a change of scenery for months, whether it was during the season or in the offseason, and that the Bucks had fielded offers for the two-time MVP.

No trades were finalized—even with interest from teams like the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and Minnesota Timberwolves—and discussions about a potential deal are anticipated this offseason, sources revealed.

In the face of future uncertainties, Antetokounmpo has publicly affirmed his loyalty to the Bucks. After the trade deadline, he shared a post on Instagram saying, “Legends don’t chase. They attract,” accompanied by an expletive-laced clip from “The Wolf of Wall Street,” where Leonardo DiCaprio’s character asserts he’s not leaving his job.

also, he told The Athletic in January, “There will never be a moment when I’ll come out and say, ‘I want a trade.'”

yet, during his conversation with Andrews, Antetokounmpo reflected on childhood dreams of playing for other teams.

“Growing up, you dream, ‘Oh, what if I played for the Knicks, at Madison Square Garden? What if I get drafted by the Lakers and am teammates with Kobe? What if I play for the Cavs and LeBron passes me the ball?'” he shared, noting that he has considered how he would fit with recent NBA championship-winning teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Boston Celtics.

The Bucks are set to resume play after the All-Star break with a record of 23-30, placing them 12th in the Eastern Conference. Antetokounmpo hasn’t played since January 23 due to a strained right calf, though Rivers indicated last week that the Bucks have no plans to bench their star player.

Antetokounmpo was named an All-Star but will not participate in Sunday’s first U.S. vs. World format.

When asked by Andrews to reflect on the Bucks’ 2020-21 NBA championship, Antetokounmpo compared the experience to savoring a delectable steak, emphasizing that he craves another opportunity for a title.

“You want that steak again,” he remarked.

At the same time, Antetokounmpo wants to make it clear that he hasn’t given up on the Bucks, asserting to Andrews, “This is my team, and I love it.”

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper remarked on Sunday that it still feels “kind of wild” to him that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski indicated back in October that the two-time National League MVP might no longer be considered an elite player.

Harper mentioned that Dombrowski’s comments didn’t serve as motivation for him, expressing confusion over why Dombrowski felt the need to publicly assess Harper’s season and postseason performance.

“I don’t get motivated by that kind of stuff. For me, the whole situation was kind of wild,” Harper told reporters. “The main point when I first joined this organization was to keep things in-house, and we expected the same from each other. So when that didn’t happen, it threw me for a loop a bit, I guess. It’s all part of it, I suppose. Just a wild situation.”

Harper’s .844 OPS last season marked his lowest since 2016, and his .261 batting average was his poorest since 2019. At 33, he has six seasons remaining on his 13-year, $330 million contract. In the 2025 regular season, he hit 27 home runs and drove in 75 runs, but struggled in the Phillies’ four-game defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series, going 3-for-15 with no RBIs.

Dombrowski acknowledged that while it was a good season, it fell short of Harper’s MVP caliber performances from 2015 with the Washington Nationals and 2021 with the Phillies.

“Can he get back to that next level? I’m not sure,” Dombrowski commented after last season. “He will be the one to dictate that more than anything else. I don’t think he’s satisfied with what he achieved. It wasn’t a bad year by any means, but when I think of Bryce Harper, I think elite, one of the top 10 players in baseball, and I don’t think it fell into that category.”

A wrist injury sidelined Harper for a month, but he conceded that his output didn’t meet his own expectations.

“Clearly, I didn’t have the year I desired,” Harper acknowledged. “My postseason performance was also lacking. I know my numbers weren’t what they should have been, but I don’t need external motivation to excel in my career. So, Dave’s comments still feel kind of wild to me.”

Taking into account the time lost due to his wrist injury, his production last season didn’t represent a significant drop from his 2024 season, where he finished sixth in the NL MVP voting, hitting .285 with 30 home runs and 87 RBIs while earning his fourth Silver Slugger Award and making his eighth All-Star team.

Over 14 seasons in the majors, including seven with the Phillies, Harper boasts a .280 batting average and 363 home runs.

ADELAIDE, Australia — Anthony Kim triumphed at LIV Golf Adelaide on Sunday, marking his first win in nearly 16 years with a spectacular final round of 9-under 63, securing a three-stroke victory.

The 40-year-old American stepped back from competitive golf for 12 years due to challenges with substance abuse. He needed to participate in a qualifying tournament last month to gain a spot for another season on the LIV Tour.

“It’s absolutely surreal that this is actually happening,” Kim expressed. “I want to extend my gratitude to everyone who has supported me.”

Playing in shorts before a large audience on a beautiful day at The Grange Golf Club, Kim achieved four consecutive birdies from Nos. 12 to 15, sinking putts of 17, 11, 14, and 17 feet.

He made a 15-footer on the par-4 17th to extend his lead to three strokes going into the final hole, receiving a warm reception from the enthusiastic crowd as he approached the 18th fairway.

though he missed a 20-foot birdie opportunity that would have tied the course record, he tapped in for par to finalize his first victory since the 2010 Houston Open.

Kim finished at 23 under par, while Jon Rahm, who had shared the third-round lead with Bryson DeChambeau, took second place with a score of 71.

“I played some really solid golf today, and I knew it was on the horizon,” said Kim, a three-time PGA Tour champion whose top finish on the LIV Tour prior to this was a tie for 25th. “The only person who needs to believe in me is myself. For anyone struggling, know that you can overcome anything.”

Kim once reached No. 6 in the world rankings in 2008, the same year he was part of a victorious U.S. Ryder Cup team. Last year, he participated in six events on the Asian Tour, making four cuts, and concluded with a tie for fifth at the Saudi International.

DeChambeau shot a 74, tying for third with Tyrrell Hatton (67) and Peter Uihlein (68) at 17 under.

The all-Australian Ripper team, consisting of Cameron Smith, Lucas Herbert, Marc Leishman, and Elvis Smylie, clinched their second consecutive victory and the second win at Adelaide.

Rahm’s Legion XIII team finished second, while Kim’s 4Aces secured a third-place finish.