dirk nowitzki

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Carmelo Anthony plans to opt in and take the $28 million he is due next season.

In a what-have-you-done-lately-for-me league, the Towson Catholic alumnus is reinventing himself as a key role player in Oklahoma City.

The game has different values now. A forward who can rebound and defend and post up remains a commodity, same as it has been since the sport's early days. But a forward who also can shoot 3-pointers and lead fast breaks and handcuff opposing guards — the kind of player James Naismith might have conceived of only in a science-fiction setting — has become like basketball's analog of the smartphone. Everyone wants one, and it's getting increasingly difficult to imagine life without.

The education of Maryland freshman Michal Cekovsky is a daily grind that includes five hours of learning English in the classroom and two more hours with a tutor in study hall at night.

The Mavericks and New York Knicks agreed Wednesday to a six-player trade that returns center Tyson Chandler to Dallas three years after he helped win a championship only to leave right away in free agency.

In his second season at Maryland, Alex Len has established himself as a potential No. 1 overall pick in next summer's NBA draft.

NBA legend Michael Jordan said last night that Bulls point guard Derrick Rose is the "MVP of the season." Rose, who is averaging 25 points, eight assists and four rebounds per game this season, is one of the frontrunners, for sure, but players such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki are right there, too.