Daniela Perez

It took months to track down the Shaolin Warrior monk, Master Yan’an, who trained Victor Wembanyama last summer, but we finally spoke on the night the San Antonio Spurs superstar turned in a legendary performance in Game 1 of the WCF. espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

Thunder! Spurs! Conference finals! I went long previewing the first playoff series between teams with 62+ wins since the 1998 Finals. Here are the stats, scouting notes, matchups, and trends to know before a blockbuster begins tonight: espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

Also in this story: the NFL changed its description of the Rooney Rule, by softening and removing explicit references to increasing minority hiring, a central criticism raised by Uthmeier in his March challenge to the policy. The NFL didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

On the morning of the lottery, Ted Leonsis thought he was going to lose an eye ‘Final Destination’ style and Wizards would pick fifth. But that old Bullets curse might be lifting. Behind the scenes with the Wizards on a day when they got a generational win espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

J.R. Smith graduates from North Carolina A&T tomorrow, capping a five year journey to earn his degree. Smith wanted to prove that he's more than just a professional hooper.   "I wish I could start over as a rookie now knowing what I know now."   My latest: espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

Why the Houston Rockets' season ended with a thud. Reporting on the young Rockets failure to launch with @bannedmacMahon espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

Some Sunday night reading for all you NBA fans: I wrote about the 10 biggest lessons from Round 1, and what they mean for the rest of the playoffs and offseason to come. espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

The Grizzlies will try again to trade Ja Morant this summer — and execs around the NBA believe they can find a team to take him. “There’s certainly going to be hesitation, but there’s going to be several desperate teams.” ESPN story on Morant’s market: espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

I ranked the 50 players most likely to have an impact on the 2026 postseason, combining quality and quantity of play. Probably the only time I'll ever rank Daniss Jenkins above Steph Curry on a list of any kind! espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

The NBA postseason is nigh! So the ESPN editors had me fill out my entire playoff bracket, with predicted winners for every series leading up to a surprising champion: espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

A year ago, LaMelo Ball gave GM Jeff Peterson a breakdown of why he liked Kon Knueppel before the lottery took place. That assist helped Charlotte become perhaps the most fun team to watch. “The world is starting to see how serious Hornets basketball is." espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

Ten years ago today, Kobe Bryant's 20-year NBA career ended with an iconic 60-point performance. Lakers teammates and beyond still can't believe it happened.   My latest on a look back at Kobe's final game through the eyes of the people that were there. espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

Chess is now a shared hobby among some of basketball's top minds 🧠 Read more on the NBA's chess boom from @GharibSports ⬇️ spr.ly/6016B60voI

From Wemby to DRose to Giannis to Rondo to Rudy, a fraternity of NBA players past and present are preaching the benefits of a multi-century-old board game: Chess. My latest story, months in the making, on how chess has captivated locker rooms in the NBA. espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

A strange thing is happening in the NBA this year: Almost all the fast-paced teams are bad, and almost all the slow-paced teams are good. Why? And what does it mean? I talked to a bunch of folks around the league to find out: espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

Draymond Green shared his thoughts on the current tanking issue in the NBA following the Warriors' win over the Kings. What other NBA players, coaches and execs are saying about tanking: spr.ly/6018B6xGkq

The NBA has a tanking problem that has spread into an epidemic. Here’s a wide-ranging look at the worsening tactics, the impact and the call for a fix. Reporting from our ESPN group. espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

In planning for construction of the Intuit Dome, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer wanted a building with an intense home-court advantage. In came the Wall and the @laclippersswell, a rowdy standing only area.   My latest on a one-night stand inside the Swell. espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

More on the hire: espn.com/wnba/story/_/i…

New ESPN story: With the benefit of hindsight, I ranked the 10 best and 10 worst transactions of the last year in the NBA. espn.com/nba/story/_/id…