LeBron James has equalled the NBA record for all-time games played, making his 1,611th career appearance for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Miami Heat on Thursday.

The 41-year-old took to the court against his former franchise despite a demanding cross-country flight and ongoing treatment on his arthritic left foot.

By starting the fixture, the four-time NBA champion matched the milestone set by Hall of Famer Robert Parish nearly three decades ago.

‘Deserving of the ironman record’

Parish established the original benchmark in April 1996 by surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The legendary centre stated he is entirely at peace with another player claiming his historic mantle.

“If anyone is deserving of breaking the ironman record, I would say LeBron James is,” Parish told ESPN.
“His approach to fitness and what he puts into his body reflects how I took care of myself, and it is a testament to both our longevity.”

The former Boston Celtics great retired in 1997 following a final season with the Chicago Bulls, but he always anticipated his record would eventually fall.

Availability as leadership

As the monumental marker approached last week, the veteran forward insisted his primary focus has always been reliability rather than individual accolades.

“The one thing I’ve always had in my mind is that you can’t be a leader and practice what you preach if you’re not available to your teammates,” James said.

He matched the appearance tally in exceptional physical form.

The Los Angeles talisman posted 30 points on 13-for-14 shooting during Wednesday’s impressive 124-116 victory over the Houston Rockets.

While Parish averaged 3.7 points in his final campaign at age 43, the current Lakers star entered Thursday averaging 21.4 points, 6.8 assists, and 5.6 rebounds.

“He’s playing at an All-Star level still, which is equally impressive,” Parish added.

Competitive stamina

Lakers head coach JJ Redick praised his star player’s enduring dedication to the sport in his 23rd professional season.

“His ability to put so much focus and intent into his day is how you last, how you improve, and how you stay healthy,” Redick said.

The milestone arrived during a resurgent stretch for Los Angeles, who entered Miami riding a dominant seven-game winning streak.

The WNBA and its players’ association have reached a verbal agreement on a transformative collective bargaining deal for the 2026 season.

The landmark arrangement follows 17 months of intense negotiations since players opted out of their previous contract.

Discussions culminated in a marathon 100 hours of in-person sessions during the final week.

There had been growing concerns that the North American basketball league might not start its 30th anniversary season on time.

Revenue sharing drives historic salary increases

For the first time in the competition’s history, the salary system will be directly tied to a share of overall revenue.

Players are projected to receive an average revenue share of nearly 20% across the duration of the agreement.

This marks a significant departure from the 2020 framework, which relied on rigidly set salary caps that increased by just 3% annually.

As the business side of the sport continues its rapid expansion, player remuneration will now grow proportionally.

Million-dollar contracts become reality

The new financial structure will drastically elevate the earning potential for the sport’s elite talents.

The team salary cap will rocket from approximately $1.5m (£1.2m) in 2025 to a staggering $7m (£5.5m) by 2026.

Supermax contracts will now start at $1.4m (£1.1m), shattering the previous high of roughly $249,000.

Average salaries across the division will surge to around $600,000 (£470,000), while the minimum wage will surpass $300,000 (£235,000).

Superstars set for supermax deals

The Las Vegas Aces are reportedly preparing to offer four-time Most Valuable Player A’ja Wilson one of the inaugural supermax packages.

Other leading figures, including New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart and Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier, are also expected to command maximum terms.

Kelsey Mitchell, who stood as the highest-paid competitor last year, will similarly be in the mix for a seven-figure salary.

Union representatives and league officials alike have heralded the breakthrough as a legitimate structural leap that will benefit future generations of athletes.

Number one overall seed Duke avoided a historic upset by rallying from 13 points down to beat 16th-seeded Siena 71-65 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in Greenville.

The heavily favoured Blue Devils found themselves trailing by 11 points at half-time, becoming the first top seed in tournament history to face a double-digit deficit at the break against a 16 seed.

Cameron Boozer led the comeback effort for the East Region headliners, securing a dominant double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds.

Saints push bluebloods to the brink

The fearless upstart programme, employing a rotation of just five players until the final seconds, took the fight to a team that boasts five national titles.

Gavin Doty spearheaded the underdog charge with 21 points, sinking a crucial three-pointer to give his side a 61-56 advantage with under eight minutes remaining.

Facing the prospect of joining Virginia and Purdue as the only top seeds to lose an opening match to a 16 seed, the tournament favourites responded emphatically.

Late surge secures progression

A decisive run of 11 unanswered points allowed the pre-match 28.5-point favourites to finally establish control and wrestle the game away from their opponents.

The hard-fought 33rd victory of the season ensures the five-time champions survive an almighty scare to advance to the second round.

Ninth seeds TCU survived a thrilling second-half fightback from Ohio State to claim a dramatic 66-64 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Greenville.

The Horned Frogs had established a commanding 15-point advantage by half-time following a dominant perimeter shooting display.

However, a drastic dip in form after the interval allowed the eighth-seeded Buckeyes to claw their way back into the contest.

The Big Ten outfit even snatched a 51-50 lead with just seven minutes remaining on the clock.

Late drama seals progression

Foul trouble for key forward Xavier Edmonds threatened to derail the Texan side’s tournament ambitions.

In his absence, David Punch took control of proceedings, finishing a stellar individual performance with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

The imposing forward then delivered a crucial assist in the dying moments, finding a returning Edmonds in the paint.

The standout scorer converted the decisive layup with just four seconds remaining to beat the shot clock and break Buckeyes hearts.

Bruce Thornton could only muster a desperate half-court heave on the final buzzer, sealing Ohio State’s early exit from the competition.

Backing up the pre-match talk

The tense victory successfully validated confident pre-match comments made by the impressive Punch.

He had previously stoked the rivalry by claiming his squad would emerge victorious in nine out of ten meetings between the two colleges.

Edmonds acknowledged the added pressure in the aftermath of the bruising encounter.

“His words were just a little bit misconstrued and a little twisted.”
“Still, we saw it, and we felt like we had to stand on it.”

Big 12 physicality prevails

The result serves as a significant statement for the Big 12 conference on the national collegiate stage.

The victorious roster felt their rugged defensive system would prove too overwhelming for their Midwestern opponents.

The match-winning hero highlighted the stylistic differences between the prestigious divisions.

“We just felt like them as a Big Ten team, they just haven’t felt or seen a defense like ours.”
“Being in the Big 12, and the different level of physicality and intensity, we just wanted to go out there and show them what Big 12 basketball is about.”

Los Angeles Lakers stars LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are listed as questionable for Thursday’s NBA match against the Miami Heat.

The star trio combined for 84 points during Wednesday’s 124-116 victory over the Houston Rockets.

However, the Los Angeles squad arrived in Florida shortly before 04:00 local time, severely limiting their recovery period ahead of the back-to-back fixture.

James is currently managing left foot arthritis, while Doncic has right hip soreness and Reaves is dealing with a right forearm contusion.

Historic milestone on hold

If the four-time NBA champion misses the fixture against his former franchise, his pursuit of Robert Parish’s all-time appearances record will be paused.

The veteran forward sits on 1,610 regular-season games, leaving him just one behind the Hall of Fame center’s landmark tally.

Despite grimacing in pain after knocking his elbow late in the Houston win, the 40-year-old expressed a strong desire to play in the city where he won his first two rings.

The legendary playmaker enjoyed a spectacular offensive night in Texas, shooting 13-of-14 from the floor to tie the most efficient scoring performance of his 22-season career.

Parish endorses record-breaker

Parish has held the outright games played record since April 1996, eventually retiring with 1,611 appearances.

The Boston Celtics icon recently shared his enthusiastic support for the current Lakers talisman eclipsing his long-standing benchmark.

“No player is better deserving to break that Ironman record, that 1,611 games played record, than LeBron. He deserves it, in my opinion.”

Surpassing the appearances milestone will add another remarkable accolade to a resume that already includes the league’s all-time scoring record.

Should the former Miami favourite sit out Thursday’s encounter, his next opportunity to equal the historic mark will arrive against the Orlando Magic on Saturday.

The Miami Heat are set to waive Terry Rozier before the conclusion of the regular season to open a roster spot for their upcoming NBA playoff campaign.

The 30-year-old guard has been absent from the franchise since his arrest in October as part of a federal investigation into illegal gambling.

He has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges involving wire fraud and money laundering.

Draft compensation agreed

The controversial trade that initially brought the playmaker to Florida from the Charlotte Hornets in January 2024 has been under intense scrutiny.

Questions were raised regarding whether the Miami hierarchy should have been informed of ongoing federal and league investigations before finalising the exchange.

To resolve the dispute, the Hornets have agreed to send a second-round pick in this summer’s NBA draft to the Eastern Conference side.

Miami still owes a protected 2027 first-round selection to Charlotte as part of the original transaction.

Unprecedented situation

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the complexity of the legal proceedings during a news conference at the NBA Cup in Las Vegas last December.

“It is an unprecedented situation.”

Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner

The former Charlotte star’s $26.6m (£21m) salary expires this summer, with the funds currently held in escrow pending the resolution of his legal case.

Because his contract is expiring, the impending release must be officially completed by 9 April.

Clearing waivers before the regular season ends on 12 April will allow the Heat to finalise their postseason squad.

The 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament begins on Thursday with 16 first-round fixtures taking place across the United States.

College basketball fans have waited over 130 days since the campaign tipped off for the start of this prestigious knockout competition.

The opening day of March Madness features a packed programme following a captivating regular season that was heavily dominated by a standout freshman class.

Unprecedented runs and top seeds

A major talking point heading into the sprawling bracket is the perfect regular-season run achieved by the Miami RedHawks.

Meanwhile, number one seeds Duke and Michigan headline the Thursday slate as they begin their respective national championship campaigns.

The Blue Devils face off against the 16th-seeded Siena Saints during the afternoon session in what is expected to be a heavily one-sided affair.

Later in the evening, the Wolverines will take to the court to battle the Howard Bison as they look to avoid a historic first-round upset.

Thursday’s opening round fixtures

The highly anticipated tournament action commences shortly after midday when Texas Christian University squares off against Ohio State.

Several intriguing matchups fill the evening schedule, including a clash between the third-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs and Kennesaw State.

The final tip-off of the opening night sees the formidable Houston Cougars play the Idaho Vandals.

The full list of Thursday’s first-round games is as follows:

Top overall seeds UConn are the overwhelming favourites to claim the 2026 Women’s NCAA tournament title in Phoenix, according to a panel of college basketball experts.

The Huskies open their tournament campaign on Friday and are chasing a remarkable 13th national championship.

The storied programme are just six victories away from completing a seventh perfect season.

Top seeds dominate expert selections

A unanimous sweep of 22 analysts selected the Fort Worth 1 Region leaders to advance to the Final Four.

Thirteen of those voters tipped the unbeaten squad to lift the national trophy.

While no other college received unanimous backing to reach the semi-finals, fellow top-seeds South Carolina, Texas and UCLA garnered clear majorities.

Half of the polling panel predict an exclusive Final Four consisting entirely of number one seeds.

Toughest routes to the Final Four

Despite the dominance of the highest-ranked teams, the Sacramento 2 region presents a formidable gauntlet.

The Bruins of UCLA could face significant hurdles against highly-rated second seeds LSU or third-seeded Duke.

“With LSU, the top number two seed, and Duke, the best of the number three seeds, together with UCLA, simple math says it’s Sacramento 2.”

Charlie Creme, college basketball analyst

Ole Miss are another dangerous prospect capable of derailing the Los Angeles-based outfit.

The fifth-seeded Rebels boast impressive regular-season victories over Vanderbilt, Oklahoma and Notre Dame.

The dangerous dark horses

Looking beyond the elite top bracket, the Tigers of Louisiana State University have been identified as the premier outside threat.

Their battle-tested roster suffered five defeats this season, but all came against elite SEC opposition.

“What the Tigers learned from those defeats could help them get to the Elite Eight for the fourth year in a row.”

Michael Voepel, college basketball analyst

To complete a shock championship run, the Tigers will rely heavily on a dynamic backcourt spearheaded by Flau’jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams.