Who declined NIT 2025?

Several major college basketball teams declined NIT invitations for the 2025 tournament, including Indiana, LSU, South Carolina, Wake Forest, Pitt, Northwestern, Rutgers, Florida State, Providence, UNLV, and Nevada, often due to roster issues, injuries, or to focus on the transfer portal and next season, with some also opting for the new College Basketball Crown tournament instead. Teams like LSU and South Carolina cited injuries, while Wake Forest focused on building for the next season, and others like Boise State, Butler, Georgetown, and Villanova chose the new CBC event.

Why did Wake Forest decline NIT?

“While we are certainly disappointed that we did not make the NCAA Tournament, we believe declining the invitation to the NIT is the right decision for this team and this time,” he said. “Our focus shifts to the future, as we aggressively attack the roster-building process for the 2025-26 season.”

Why did LSU decline the NIT?

“Unfortunately, due to some attrition on our roster with injuries we decided it was best not to participate this year. We will build on that and start our work immediately as we look to make a return to the NCAA Tournament in 2026.”

Why did Pitt decline the NIT?

"We ultimately fell short of our goal of reaching the NCAA Tournament, despite ranking favorably in the computers, performing well in conference play with a fourth-place finish and an ACC Tournament Semifinal appearance, and playing our best basketball over the last eight weeks of the season.

Did WVU decline NIT?

While the college basketball world is shocked that West Virginia was not selected for the NCAA Tournament, it was a lesser surprise that the Mountaineers also turned down a variety of postseason tournaments such as the NIT and the inaugural College Basketball Crown -- you would imagine that a team and coach that did ...

2025 NIT Tournament Preview

Why did Ohio State turn down NIT?

By being one of the top two Big Ten teams in the NET rankings that did not participate in the NCAA tournament, Ohio State was contractually obligated to participate in the event — which was reportedly going to have an NIL element to it — if it chose to play in any postseason. It was not eligible to play in the NIT.

How bad is JP Estrella hurt?

Tennessee basketball forward J.P. Estrella has a bone bruise on his left knee. The sophomore could miss two to three weeks, though a definite timeline has not been set. Estrella was injured during the Volunteers' game against Rice on November 17.

Why is Indiana not in the NIT?

Indiana will not play in the NIT or any other postseason tournaments, a source confirms with The Daily Hoosier. A late season surge that saw IU win five of their final seven regular season games including wins over Michigan State and Purdue was not enough to put Indiana in the field.

What is the largest US city without an NBA team?

Seattle stands out as the largest U.S. media market currently without an NBA team. With over 2 million TV households and a metro population nearing 4 million, its economic and fan base potential is massive, boasting a GDP of $355 billion.

Did any of Jordan's kids make it to the NBA?

No, Michael Jordan does not have children currently playing in the NBA; his sons, Jeffrey and Marcus Jordan, played college basketball but chose business careers instead of the NBA, while his daughter Jasmine also played briefly in high school but found her path in the business side of basketball with the Jordan brand. Despite their pedigree, neither son pursued professional basketball at the NBA level, with Jeffrey playing as a walk-on at Illinois and Marcus at UCF before they both transitioned to entrepreneurship.
 

Did Villanova decline NIT?

Boise State, Butler, Georgetown and Villanova declined NIT bids to join the College Basketball Crown tournament starting March 31 in Las Vegas.

Why did Nick Saban regret leaving LSU?

Saban revealed that his "biggest mistake" was leaving LSU to coach the Dolphins following the 2004 season because he found out the hard way that he enjoyed coaching college athletes more than NFL players.

What did coach Willard do?

Coach Willard (Kevin Willard) recently left the University of Maryland men's basketball program to become the head coach at Villanova, a controversial move that followed a successful, but turbulent, year at Maryland where he led them to the Sweet Sixteen but publicly aired grievances about the Big Ten and NIL funding, creating friction with fans and administrators before his abrupt departure in Spring 2025.
 

What were Kobe Bryant's last words?

Kobe Bryant's final known words were likely his last text to Lakers GM Rob Pelinka, arranging an internship for a friend's daughter, showing his dedication to mentorship just minutes before the fatal crash, though some circulating "last words" to his wife or inspirational messages are from social media tributes or dreams, not verified final statements. His actual last moments involved a text to Pelinka about helping a young aspiring agent and the final, famous "Mamba Out" at his last game, encapsulating his life's work. 

Did Boise State turn down the NIT?

Here is the inaugural Crown field:

Boise State opted for the Crown over the NIT, which features just three power-conference teams in its 32-team bracket. The Crown has five Big 12 teams, four Big East teams, two Big Ten representatives and future Pac-12 rivals Oregon State and Washington State.

What sport is losing popularity?

While football (soccer) remains most popular globally and in the US, sports like tennis, rugby, MLB (baseball), NHL (hockey), golf, and boxing have seen notable drops, particularly among younger audiences, facing competition from other entertainment, shift in media, and the dominance of NFL/NBA/College Football in the US. 

What is the smallest city to have a professional sports team?

Must be Green Bay Wisconsin. The smallest city with a professional sports team, the Green Bay Packers. Waiting list for season tickets is over 30 years... Incredible. Being built on the other side of the river in the downtown Broadway district.

What state has never had an NBA team?

There are many U.S. states without an NBA team, with about 28 or 29 states lacking one, including Maine, Rhode Island, Delaware, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming, among others, due to factors like smaller populations or market size, although some populous states also lack teams in specific major leagues. 

What city is getting a new NBA team?

Adam Silver says NBA expansion decision coming in 2026, with Las Vegas and Seattle the focus. LAS VEGAS — NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the league would decide in 2026 whether to add two teams, and if it happens, Las Vegas and Seattle are the most likely expansion cities.

Who turned down NIT invites?

11 men's college basketball teams that declined invites to the...

• Florida State. The Florida State mens basketball team competes to win their second matchup of the season against the Clemson Tigers at Donald L. ...
• Indiana. ...
• LSU. ...
• Nevada. ...
• Northwestern. ...
• Pittsburgh. ...
• Providence. ...
• Rutgers.

How much is IU paying DeVries?

Indiana men's basketball coach Darian DeVries has a six-year, $27 million contract (averaging $4.5M/year) with a base salary of $550,000 and increasing supplemental income starting at $3.7 million in his first year (2025-26), totaling around $4.25 million, plus performance bonuses for conference and NCAA success, according to reports from April 2025.
 

Is IU a bubble team?

IU basketball is an NCAA bubble team, with gauntlet of opportunity looming – The Daily Hoosier.

What illness does LeBron James have?

LeBron James has dealt with several health issues, most recently sciatica, which sidelined him for the start of the 2025-2026 season (missing weeks of play). He's also had other ailments like a groin strain, an abdominal strain, and various minor illnesses (colds, stomach viruses) that caused missed games or fatigue, common for an aging, high-usage athlete. 

Do Browns have to pay Watson if he is injured?

Yes, the Browns still have to pay Deshaun Watson due to his fully guaranteed contract, but they have an insurance policy that provides significant salary cap relief and potential cash if he misses time due to injury, like his recent Achilles tear. The insurance covers a large portion of his salary (around $44 million for 2025), and if he misses the entire 2025 season, the team receives a large cap credit in 2026, effectively softening the financial blow of his huge contract, notes Yahoo Sports and USA Today. 

Why did Carolina Marin retire?

Spain's Carolina Marin had to retire due to injury from the badminton semifinal against He Bingjiao of China. She was actually leading by winning the first game at that moment. Such a heartbreaking instance. #Olympics #badminton.