Ricky O'Donnell
@rickyodonn.bsky.social
Basketball at all levels + programming associate director for SB Nation
Not too many times in my life have I thought "the Bears could have won the Super Bowl" so that one hurts but Iceman will be back
January 19, 2026 at 3:18 AM
Not too many times in my life have I thought "the Bears could have won the Super Bowl" so that one hurts but Iceman will be back
Caleb makes the new Best Throw In Bears History every week
January 19, 2026 at 2:37 AM
Caleb makes the new Best Throw In Bears History every week
This is the Kyler Gordon who felt like a top-3 most important player on this defense coming into the season
January 19, 2026 at 1:49 AM
This is the Kyler Gordon who felt like a top-3 most important player on this defense coming into the season
I have fake trades for Jonathan Kuminga as is my duty, and yes one of them involves the Bulls as a third team:
www.sbnation.com/nba/1100375/...
www.sbnation.com/nba/1100375/...
Jonathan Kuminga trade ideas for 3 teams, including Lakers and Mavs deal
Here’s three fake Jonathan Kuminga trades that actually make sense for the Warriors.
www.sbnation.com
January 16, 2026 at 9:12 PM
I have fake trades for Jonathan Kuminga as is my duty, and yes one of them involves the Bulls as a third team:
www.sbnation.com/nba/1100375/...
www.sbnation.com/nba/1100375/...
The horrors continue but at least Luther Burden is on my favorite football team
January 16, 2026 at 6:19 PM
The horrors continue but at least Luther Burden is on my favorite football team
Reposted by Ricky O'Donnell
NEW #CashConsiderations with @rickyodonn.bsky.social: The Bulls are in the same place as usual, but is AK actually ready to do something different and get crazy at the trade deadline? Will believe it when I see it, but the buzz is getting louder.
open.spotify.com/episode/5Jtd...
open.spotify.com/episode/5Jtd...
Are Bulls actually ready to make trades?
open.spotify.com
January 16, 2026 at 2:20 PM
NEW #CashConsiderations with @rickyodonn.bsky.social: The Bulls are in the same place as usual, but is AK actually ready to do something different and get crazy at the trade deadline? Will believe it when I see it, but the buzz is getting louder.
open.spotify.com/episode/5Jtd...
open.spotify.com/episode/5Jtd...
"Illinois has so much firepower that it can withstand illness, injuries, and off-nights and still look like one of the most explosive teams in the country."
Wrote about the Illini showing how to build a modern college basketball contender: www.sbnation.com/college-bask...
Wrote about the Illini showing how to build a modern college basketball contender: www.sbnation.com/college-bask...
Illinois basketball’s evolution shows how to build a contender in the modern era
Illinois scoured the world to build a modern college basketball contender on its own terms
www.sbnation.com
January 15, 2026 at 6:13 PM
"Illinois has so much firepower that it can withstand illness, injuries, and off-nights and still look like one of the most explosive teams in the country."
Wrote about the Illini showing how to build a modern college basketball contender: www.sbnation.com/college-bask...
Wrote about the Illini showing how to build a modern college basketball contender: www.sbnation.com/college-bask...
Keaton Wagler's case as a first-rounder looks pretty unassailable on the spreadsheets, and he's passing my eye test (far more coveted, obviously) tonight. Sets up the stepback so well and really looks like nasty shooter. I don't know how he wins so easily off the dribble without much burst.
January 15, 2026 at 3:06 AM
Keaton Wagler's case as a first-rounder looks pretty unassailable on the spreadsheets, and he's passing my eye test (far more coveted, obviously) tonight. Sets up the stepback so well and really looks like nasty shooter. I don't know how he wins so easily off the dribble without much burst.
Thinking about how Jeremiah Fears was supposed to be a freshman on this Illini team. Every move he made worked out pretty well I'd say.
Pumped to be in the gym for Illinois-Northwestern tonight. Getting another look at Illini wing Keaton Wagler, probably the most surprising freshman in the country. Looking like a first-round pick lately.
January 15, 2026 at 1:32 AM
Thinking about how Jeremiah Fears was supposed to be a freshman on this Illini team. Every move he made worked out pretty well I'd say.
Pumped to be in the gym for Illinois-Northwestern tonight. Getting another look at Illini wing Keaton Wagler, probably the most surprising freshman in the country. Looking like a first-round pick lately.
January 15, 2026 at 1:09 AM
Pumped to be in the gym for Illinois-Northwestern tonight. Getting another look at Illini wing Keaton Wagler, probably the most surprising freshman in the country. Looking like a first-round pick lately.
Reposted by Ricky O'Donnell
Fun fact: The Bulls have been 18-21 4 years in a row.
January 14, 2026 at 6:32 AM
Fun fact: The Bulls have been 18-21 4 years in a row.
Ranked the 21 best players in men's college basketball (limit one per school) this season www.sbnation.com/college-bask...
College basketball’s 21 best men’s players during 2025-26 season, ranked
Let’s rank the best players in men’s college basketball this season.
www.sbnation.com
January 14, 2026 at 3:40 PM
Ranked the 21 best players in men's college basketball (limit one per school) this season www.sbnation.com/college-bask...
Tre Jones had 13 made threes all year coming into the night and ripped five. Bulls also had more offensive rebounds than the Rockets (impossible), only had seven turnovers, and still lost.
January 14, 2026 at 3:47 AM
Tre Jones had 13 made threes all year coming into the night and ripped five. Bulls also had more offensive rebounds than the Rockets (impossible), only had seven turnovers, and still lost.
Coaches will always find minutes for a little guard to spark the offense even if he's food on defense, but offensively-tilted bigs don't get the same benefit of the doubt. Smith's defense kinda stinks, but who cares, he crushes with Giddey and gets up 10+ 3PA per 100. Bulls need him to play more.
No one cares about the Bulls, but the one thing I'd like to see the rest of this meaningless season is more minutes for Jalen Smith. He has a +14.6 on/off swing, grades out as a top-75 offensive player in the best metrics, and he's only plays 17 minutes per game. Bump him to 30 as a 4+5 combo big.
January 13, 2026 at 8:31 PM
Coaches will always find minutes for a little guard to spark the offense even if he's food on defense, but offensively-tilted bigs don't get the same benefit of the doubt. Smith's defense kinda stinks, but who cares, he crushes with Giddey and gets up 10+ 3PA per 100. Bulls need him to play more.
No one cares about the Bulls, but the one thing I'd like to see the rest of this meaningless season is more minutes for Jalen Smith. He has a +14.6 on/off swing, grades out as a top-75 offensive player in the best metrics, and he's only plays 17 minutes per game. Bump him to 30 as a 4+5 combo big.
January 13, 2026 at 8:28 PM
No one cares about the Bulls, but the one thing I'd like to see the rest of this meaningless season is more minutes for Jalen Smith. He has a +14.6 on/off swing, grades out as a top-75 offensive player in the best metrics, and he's only plays 17 minutes per game. Bump him to 30 as a 4+5 combo big.
Will Anderson would have been a great Bear if he didn’t have to get sacrificed for Caleb
January 13, 2026 at 2:26 AM
Will Anderson would have been a great Bear if he didn’t have to get sacrificed for Caleb
Bears won because they have the better coach and the better quarterback and they’re both young enough to be beating Green Bay for a long, long time. Packers backers are ordered straight to hell for an infinite amount of time
January 11, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Bears won because they have the better coach and the better quarterback and they’re both young enough to be beating Green Bay for a long, long time. Packers backers are ordered straight to hell for an infinite amount of time
Last night Bill Wennington walked into the bar 0.5 seconds after OZ’s touchdown, I gave him a big high-five, he hit the group a boisterous “Bear down” and in that moment the Green Bay Packers were toast
January 11, 2026 at 3:17 PM
Last night Bill Wennington walked into the bar 0.5 seconds after OZ’s touchdown, I gave him a big high-five, he hit the group a boisterous “Bear down” and in that moment the Green Bay Packers were toast
1.26 points per possession for Wisconsin in the win
The No. 64 Wisconsin offense just gave the No. 1 Michigan defense the business, felt like a perfect game by the Badgers, Blackwell and Boyd are so good. Michigan was allowed 0.87 points per possession coming in and Wisconsin scored *a lot* more than that.
January 10, 2026 at 8:23 PM
1.26 points per possession for Wisconsin in the win
The No. 64 Wisconsin offense just gave the No. 1 Michigan defense the business, felt like a perfect game by the Badgers, Blackwell and Boyd are so good. Michigan was allowed 0.87 points per possession coming in and Wisconsin scored *a lot* more than that.
January 10, 2026 at 8:23 PM
The No. 64 Wisconsin offense just gave the No. 1 Michigan defense the business, felt like a perfect game by the Badgers, Blackwell and Boyd are so good. Michigan was allowed 0.87 points per possession coming in and Wisconsin scored *a lot* more than that.
This has to be the most hungover crowd of the season
January 10, 2026 at 3:55 PM
This has to be the most hungover crowd of the season
I find this AD injury to be not so bad for the Mavs because: a) they weren't going to get anything good for him anyway (Risacher sucks), b) now they can ethically tank with their lone controllable 1st-rounder until 2031, c) you get a look at him with Kyrie + Coop + their pick next year.
January 9, 2026 at 9:49 PM
I find this AD injury to be not so bad for the Mavs because: a) they weren't going to get anything good for him anyway (Risacher sucks), b) now they can ethically tank with their lone controllable 1st-rounder until 2031, c) you get a look at him with Kyrie + Coop + their pick next year.
How it feels to be alive in 2026
January 9, 2026 at 4:07 AM
How it feels to be alive in 2026