9:50 AM ET Nick DePaulaESPN While New Orleans Pelicans power forward Zion Williamson’s regular-season debut was likely the most anticipated first NBA game in 16 years, the 2019 No. 1 overall pick’s debut footwear was equally awaited among the sneaker community. The most high-profile rookie to enter the league since LeBron James, Williamson’s industry-shifting decision

10:13 PM ET SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert can count on Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle’s vote for All-Star reserves. “In my opinion, he is,” Carlisle said of Gobert after the player’s dominant’s performance in the Jazz’s 112-107 win over the Mavs on Saturday. Gobert had 22 points on 8-of-8 shooting

1:51 PM ET Oklahoma City Thunder center Nerlens Noel underwent a procedure to repair a left cheek fracture and will miss Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to the team. The Thunder will also be without forward Danilo Gallinari, who is out with a sore left thumb. Noel, 25, briefly went to the locker

12:45 PM ET New York Knicks shooting guard RJ Barrett will miss at least one more week as he continues to recover from a sprained right ankle. The team said Saturday that Barrett has transitioned from crutches to a walking boot and that his next evaluation would take place in a week. Barrett has not

12:49 AM ET MIAMI — LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard earned the first triple-double of his career in Friday night’s 122-117 comeback victory over the Miami Heat. Leonard finished the game with 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, bringing the Clippers back from a 15-point deficit, while handing the Heat just their second home

8:08 PM ET MIAMI — Heat coach Erik Spoelstra responded swiftly to swingman Jimmy Butler not being selected as a starter for next month’s All Star game in Chicago, calling his omission “a joke” and adding that he’s hopeful it will help change the voting process. “I just think it’s ridiculous that we’re still in

6:30 AM ET Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brother Thanasis got to play keep-ups on the Parc des Princes pitch as they visited Paris Saint-Germain with their Milwaukee Bucks teammates ahead of Friday’s NBA Paris match against Charlotte Hornets … The Toe Poke Daily is here every day to bring you all the weirdest stories, quirkiest

2:16 AM ET PORTLAND — After his team’s 133-125 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard expressed frustration with a no-call that eventually led to him receiving a technical foul in the game’s closing seconds. With 3 minutes, 42 seconds left and Portland down by 15, Lillard scored on a

7:32 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James once again were named captains for the NBA All-Star Game, the league announced Thursday night. Antetokounmpo and James earned the honors after leading their respective conferences in fan votes and will be two of the 10 starters for this year’s game, which

After Kobe Bryant showed up to watch LeBron James and the Lakers earlier this season, James reflected on the two players’ careers. “Two guys that came straight out of high school, a lot of pressure put on both of us at such a young age. … Just use that every single day on trying to