jeffrey bernstein

The NBA presented three comprehensive anti-tanking concepts to its Board of Governors on Wednesday, with modifications expected to each before a formal vote in May, per ESPN sources. 1. 18 teams in draft lottery (seeds 7-15 in each conference) – flattened odds, with bottom 10 teams having an 8% chance, the remaining 20% odds distributed in decreasing order for 11 through 18, and and a lottery drawing for all 18 picks. 2) 22 teams in lottery using 2-year record (seeds 7-15, plus the four playoff first round exits in both conferences). Lottery teams would reach a minimum win total floor in each season, such as 25 wins. If a team falls short of the floor, it gets slotted to meet the floor. Top 4 drawn as part of lottery, as is currently. 3) 18 teams in a "5 by 5" lottery – bottom 5 teams have equal odds for the top pick, with lottery formed for picks 1-5. Bottom 5 teams have a floor at 10; those that fall out of top 5 get sorted in a separate drawing.

A look at which Mountain West football programs bring back the most production this season 👀 (via ESPN’s Bill Connelly)

UTEP Director of Athletics Jim Senter sent an email to fans today with the subject line “Future of UTEP Athletics.” “Dear Miner Nation:   With our 2025-26 basketball seasons completed, I wanted to take a minute to update you on the current state of UTEP Athletics.   The win-loss records in football, men’s and women’s basketball are nowhere near where we want them to be, nor are they what our fans expect and deserve. We believe in our head coaches, who have all been highly successful in the past. But we understand that we need to provide them with the tools to be successful. I believe we have a resource challenge, not a head coaching issue. Let me explain.   College athletics has undergone widespread, unprecedented change in recent years. Student-athletes can now transfer liberally and become eligible the next year. They are also able to earn compensation by monetizing their Name, Image & Likeness (NIL), or entering into Revenue Sharing (Rev Share) agreements and being paid directly by their school.   Currently, NCAA Division I institutions such as UTEP can provide student-athletes with up to $20.5 million annually. The reality is, few schools at our level come close to matching that number. Still, it’s an “arms race,” and the schools with the most money are most likely to entice the most talented student-athletes to join their program and give them the best chance of enjoying success.   Last year, our fundraising efforts produced $1.1 million which we could allocate to Rev Share for recruiting and retaining football and basketball student-athletes. We anticipate having $3.45 million for Rev Share during the 2026-27 athletic year – a sizeable jump, but this number still needs to grow to keep up with our Mountain West (MW) peers.   We are grateful for our donors who contributed a record $12 million in fiscal year 2025. You may be wondering why more of this total wasn't allocated to Rev Share. Of the $12 million raised, $8 million was dedicated to our Climb Higher initiative which helped UTEP cover the exit fees and forfeiture of revenue associated with departing Conference USA. Essentially, our donors helped us keep the lights on the past two years! Now that we are in a more stable financial position entering the MW, we are able to allocate over $2.3 million from our budget to Rev Share which will supplement donor contributions, giving us the aforementioned $3.45 million budget.   You may have also read that UTEP has one of the top budgets for men’s basketball in CUSA. This is also accurate, but these monies are utilized solely for general operating expenses. The costs of team travel and recruiting are higher here due to our isolated location and factor into our basketball budget.   All told, it is an exciting time for UTEP Athletics as we officially join the MW on July 1. We have a tremendous opportunity as a fan base and community to bring UTEP back to national prominence, but we can't continue on our current path and expect different results. What is needed now is a unified Miner Nation and a collective investment from campus, students, alumni, donors and the El Paso community to ensure competitive success in our new home.   If you’re asking, “How can I help?,” the answer is simple. Get involved! Buy season tickets, join the Miner Athletic Club for as little as $9.15 per month, and contribute to our competitive excellence funds in support of the team(s) of your choice. If you’re a business owner, become a corporate partner and/or buy a group experience for your employees.   As we look to the future of UTEP Athletics, it will take all of us to “Reach the Peak” in the MW. I urge each of you to share this with your friends, family and UTEP fans far and wide, and ask them to join us in our fight. Help us to elevate our competitive success, pursue championships relentlessly, and “Climb Higher” as an athletic department and El Paso community.   Thank you and Go Miners!  Jim Senter  Vice President and Director of Athletics”