Sports in 2026
As 2025 closes, global sports are entering a new era where athletes, not teams, drive attention, technology reshapes broadcasts, and major events redefine commercial reach.
COLUMNISTS
Around the NBA: Jokic’s Record Night, Lakers Exposed, Thunder Warning Signs
![Christmas Day belonged to Jokic, but the ripple effects are being felt across the NBA. [photo credit: Denver Nuggets Instagram]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-27-at-22-18-42-Instagram-400x200.png)
Nikola Jokic delivered a historic Christmas Day performance while early-season trends exposed cracks for contenders and highlighted teams thriving on extra possessions.
Jordan-Pippen feud could end? Randy Brown leads push for reunion
![Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen remain key figures in Bulls’ six championships. [photo credit: NBA.com]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/pippen_100809-400x200.webp)
Randy Brown, three-time Chicago Bulls champion, is calling for a truce between Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, working to bring the legendary teammates back together.
Recalling when China ended PH’s Asian Youth Basketball Championship reign
![The Philippines ruled Asian youth basketball for 10 years, but China broke the streak in 1980 with a hard-fought finals victory. [photo credit: PH Sports Bureau Facebook]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/196586132_946422879487739_2563068651815666081_n-400x200.jpg)
China ended the Philippines’ decade-long dominance at the 1980 Asian Youth Basketball Championships with a 94-84 win in the final, halting the Filipinos’ impressive youth basketball reign.
Reap what you sow
![Adam Silver [Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1024px-Adam_Silver_15847004771-400x200.jpg)
Since Adam Silver legalized sports betting in the NBA, critics question whether integrity and player protection are at risk amid growing gambling controversies.
Resilient San Francisco 49ers
![Christian McCaffrey steps up in a depleted 49ers offense. [photo credit: Christian McCaffrey Instagram]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Screenshot_411-400x200.png)
Despite a wave of injuries, the San Francisco 49ers leaned on depth and defense to edge the Los Angeles Rams, 26–23, in overtime on Thursday Night Football.
Northport draft pick joins long list of Tiong Lian alumni in PBA
![NorthPort’s sixth-round pick Tibayan adds depth to the roster. [PBA Images]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/PBA-Images4-400x200.jpg)
Jonas Raphael Tibayan, a Chiang Kai Shek and National University product, was picked in the sixth round of the 2025 PBA Draft by NorthPort, adding his name to a storied line of Tiong Lian standouts who reached the pros.
PBA@50
Scoring 50 points in a PBA game is a rare feat reserved for only a handful of Filipino stars. From Allan Caidic’s legendary 79-point outburst to Arvin Tolentino’s 51-point eruption, these performances are etched in basketball history.
Of Luka, and FIBA EuroBasket
![Luka Doncic’s move to the Lakers comes with major financial consequences. [Los Angeles Lakers Instagram]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot_78-400x200.png)
Luka Doncic faces a crucial choice on August 3: sign a $223M Lakers extension or test free agency in 2026, just weeks before leading Slovenia in EuroBasket 2025.
A Favre Fall
![Brett Favre’s legacy is examined in the Netflix documentary "Untold: The Fall of Favre". [photo credit: Brett Favre Instagram]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/474525712_18482414224034495_4404262750121958448_n-400x200.jpeg)
Netflix’s “Untold: The Fall of Favre” sheds light on how fame shields athletes from accountability, giving Jenn Sterger a voice long denied by the media.