MILWAUKEE BUCKS’ BOBBY PORTIS JR NAMED NBA CARES BOB LANIER COMMUNITY ASSIST AWARD WINNER FOR JANUARY
– Portis Jr. Recognized for Commitment to Mentorship, Food Security and Inclusive Community Programming –
NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 2026 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) today announced that Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis Jr. has been named the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner for January, in recognition of his commitment to supporting mentorship and addressing food insecurity initiatives. In honor of his efforts, the NBA and the NBPA Foundation will donate $20,000 to the Bobby Portis Foundation.
With January serving as National Mentoring Month, Portis Jr. has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to supporting youth across Wisconsin, with a focus on building strong mentoring relationships throughout his community efforts. Driven by his own experiences, he put this belief into practice during a November 2025 visit to the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha, spending time with over 50 young people to share stories and encourage resilience, goal setting, and self-belief.
“Giving back isn’t something I do on the side; it’s who I am,” said Portis Jr. “I was raised to uplift the people around me, and I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without my community pouring into me. So, any time I have a chance to show up, help, or make a kid smile, I’m going to do it. Using my platform to give back is important to me because it’s bigger than basketball; It’s about making a real impact and helping others feel seen, supported, and inspired to chase their own dreams.”
Currently in its fourth season, Portis Jr’s “Bobby’s Crew” program is a cornerstone of his mentorship efforts. For every Bucks home game, he donates tickets to nine Milwaukee mentoring organizations, benefitting more than 350 youth each season. He also sponsors Mentor Greater Milwaukee’s “Mentor of the Game” initiative, spotlighting nine outstanding mentors each year at Bucks home games with special in‑game recognition and custom jerseys.
Portis Jr. additionally helps combat food insecurity, one of Milwaukee’s most pressing needs. He serves on the Board of Directors for Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, where he participates in board meetings, supports major food distribution campaigns and amplifies the organization’s annual PB&J Challenge, which helped donate one million sandwiches for youth in need. Additionally, he supports the Milwaukee Bucks’ partnership with the Hunger Task Force, where he has sorted 27,000 pounds of food and packed 2,000 healthy meal bags. Through this community advocacy, he also supports the Versiti Blood Center to raise awareness for blood donation and broader health needs.
This season, Portis Jr. dedicated his community efforts to the Special Olympics, championing athletes with intellectual disabilities. Aspiring to become a Global Ambassador, he uses his platform to ensure all athletes have equal opportunities to compete and thrive.
The NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award honors NBA legend and Hall of Famer Bob Lanier, an NBA League Office executive and NBA Cares Ambassador for more than 30 years. He had an enormous influence on the NBA family and young people globally, traveling the world to teach the values of the game and making a positive impact through his kindness and generosity. The legacy he built will continue to live on through the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award, which recognizes the next generation of players’ commitment to positively impacting their communities throughout the NBA season. Each NBA season has an offseason winner followed by seven monthly award winners. The offseason winner receives the Bob Lanier trophy, and each monthly winner receives the David Robinson trophy. The NBA and the NBPA Foundation also make a donation to the charity or foundation of the player’s choice. To learn more, please visit communityassist.nba.com.
MAGIC’S BANE FINED
NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2026 – Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane has been fined $25,000 for throwing the game ball with force into the spectator stands, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.
The incident occurred at the conclusion of the Magic’s 110-109 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 24.
To view the incident, click here.
TIMBERWOLVES’ EDWARDS FINED
NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2026 – Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has been fined $25,000 for throwing the game ball with force into the spectator stands, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.
The incident occurred at halftime of the Timberwolves’ 124-121 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on Feb. 24.
To view the incident, click here.
MEMPHIS’ PIPPEN JR. AND MIAMI’S GARDNER FINED
NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2026 – Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. and Miami Heat forward Myron Gardner have each been fined $35,000 for their roles in an on-court altercation, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.
With 1:55 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Heat’s 136-120 victory over the Grizzlies on Feb. 21 at Kaseya Center, Gardner initiated the incident by bumping Pippen from behind, causing Pippen to fall to the floor. Pippen further escalated the altercation by forcefully shoving Gardner in response. Both players were assessed technical fouls and ejected from the game.
To view the incident, click here.
TIMBERWOLVES’ GOBERT SUSPENDED
NEW YORK, Feb. 21, 2026 – Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert has been suspended one game without pay for accruing his seventh Flagrant Foul point of the 2025-26 regular season, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.
Gobert, who entered Friday’s game with six Flagrant Foul points, received a Flagrant Foul 1 with :29.8 remaining in the second quarter of the Timberwolves’ 122-111 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at Target Center. Gobert will serve his suspension tomorrow when the Timberwolves host the Philadelphia 76ers at Target Center.
The NBA’s regular season Flagrant Foul point system appears below:
If the player’s regular season total exceeds 5 points, he will receive an automatic suspension following the game in which his point total exceeds 5 points and for each additional Flagrant Foul committed during that regular season, as follows:
1. Player at 4 points commits a Flagrant Foul 2: Automatic 1-game suspension
2. Player at 5 or 6 points commits a Flagrant Foul 1: Automatic 1-game suspension
3. Player at 5 or 6 points commits a Flagrant Foul 2: Automatic 2-game suspension
4. Player at 7 points or more commits a Flagrant Foul 1 or 2: Automatic 2-game suspension
To view Gobert’s most recent Flagrant Foul, click here.
NBC SPORTS DELIVERS LARGEST NBA ALL-STAR GAME AUDIENCE SINCE 2011, AVERAGING 8.8 MILLION VIEWERS ON NBC, PEACOCK AND TELEMUNDO
Powered by “USA vs. The World” Format, 2026 NBA All-Star Game Peaked at Nearly 10 Million Viewers
STAMFORD, Conn. – February 16, 2026 – The first NBA All-Star Game presented by NBC Sports since 2002 featured the widely-acclaimed “USA vs. The World” format and delivered the largest NBA All-Star audience since 2011, averaging 8.8 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo, according to preliminary Nielsen data and digital data from Adobe Analytics.
Highlighted by Anthony Edwards’ MVP performance (32 points, nine rebounds, three assists) for the victorious USA Stars, and Victor Wembanyama’s 33 points, eight rebounds and two blocks for the World team, the 2026 NBA All-Star Game topped last year’s viewership by 87% (4.7 million viewers). Viewership peaked at 9.8 million viewers from 7-7:15 p.m. ET for the closing minutes of the USA Stripes’ 48-45 victory over World.
NBA All-Star coverage followed a full day of Milan Cortina Winter Olympic competition, and led into Primetime in Milan.
NBA All-Star Game Delivers for Brands
- In addition to tentpole scale, the 2026 NBA All-Star Game delivered instant impact for advertisers. Preliminary reporting from EDO shows that brands in the game saw a +44% greater search engagement rate on NBC vs. competitive NBA telecasts.
NBA FINES UTAH JAZZ AND INDIANA PACERS
NEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2026 – The NBA announced today that it has fined two teams related to the management of their rosters for recent games.
The Utah Jazz organization has been fined $500,000 for conduct detrimental to the league related to the team’s games against the Orlando Magic on Feb. 7 and the Miami Heat on Feb. 9. During those games, the Jazz removed two of the team’s top players, Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson, Jr., before the beginning of the fourth quarter and did not return them to the game, even though these players were otherwise able to continue to play and the outcomes of the games were thereafter in doubt.
In addition, the Indiana Pacers have been fined $100,000 for violating the Player Participation Policy in connection with the team’s game against the Utah Jazz on Feb. 3. Following an investigation, including review by an independent physician, the NBA determined that Pascal Siakam, a star player under the Policy, and two other Pacers starters, neither of whom participated in the game, could have played under the medical standard in the Policy, including by playing reduced minutes. Alternatively, the team could have held the players out of other games in a way that would have better promoted compliance with the Policy.
“Overt behavior like this that prioritizes draft position over winning undermines the foundation of NBA competition and we will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “Additionally, we are working with our Competition Committee and Board of Governors to implement further measures to root out this type of conduct.”
SUNS’ DILLON BROOKS SUSPENDED
NEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2026 – Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks has been suspended one game without pay for receiving his 16th technical foul of the 2025-26 season, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.
Under NBA rules, a player or coach is automatically suspended without pay for one game once he receives his 16th technical foul during a regular season. For every two additional technical fouls received during that regular season, the player or coach will be automatically suspended without pay for an additional game.
Brooks received his most recent technical foul with 6:37 remaining in the second quarter of the Suns’ 136-109 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Feb. 11 at Mortgage Matchup Center. Brooks will serve his suspension Feb. 19 when the Suns visit the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center.
