The 2026 NFL Draft is over, and the Las Vegas Raiders made it official: Fernando Mendoza, quarterback out of Indiana, was the first player taken. The Heisman Trophy winner and national champion becomes the first Indiana player ever selected first overall — and the Raiders, who haven't made the playoffs since 2021, are betting their franchise on a 22-year-old who threw for 42 touchdowns last season.

The rest of the draft reflected a class without a clear top tier at quarterback. Ohio State safety Caleb Downs fell to Dallas at #11 — the Cowboys mortgaged picks to move up and grab him — and Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love went to Arizona as a running back. The Cowboys finished the weekend with five of their six top-150 picks on defense, a clear signal that new defensive coordinator Christian Parker is reshaping the roster.

The draft is done. Now teams find out who they actually drafted.

Oklahoma City swept the Lakers and now faces San Antonio, who eliminated a short-handed Minnesota team in six games. Victor Wembanyama averaged 27 points and 17 rebounds in the closeout game — after being ejected controversially in Game 4. Stephon Castle added 32 points and 11 rebounds in Game 6. The Spurs are younger, deeper, and hungrier than anyone expected when the season started.

For OKC, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the clear best player in the series. He's been the best player in these playoffs. But Wembanyama's two-way dominance makes this a genuine coin flip. In the East, the Knicks face the winner of Cavs-Pistons, with New York having the most rest of any remaining team. Jalen Brunson's playoff efficiency this year — 31 points per game on 54% shooting — is the best by any Knick in the shot clock era.

SGA. Wemby. Brunson. The Conference Finals have the right players. Now let's see who rises.

Jacob deGrom threw seven scoreless innings against the Cubs on Mother's Day, striking out 10 and lowering his ERA to 2.62. It was a vintage performance from a pitcher who missed the better part of two full seasons to injury. At 37, deGrom is pitching like the version that won back-to-back Cy Youngs in 2018 and 2019. Whatever team he's on right now has something real.

Meanwhile, the NL Central is genuinely crowded. The Cubs lead at 28-16, but the Cardinals (25-18), Brewers (24-17), and Pirates (24-20) are all within five games. Four teams with winning records in the same division before June. The Cubs' two 10-game winning streaks look impressive — but sustaining that against this division is another challenge entirely.

The NL Central is the most interesting division in baseball right now. And it's only May.

Colorado swept the Kings in the first round, then came back from three goals down to beat the Wild in Game 5 with Brett Kulak's overtime winner. Nathan MacKinnon leads all playoff scorers. The Avalanche are the Presidents' Trophy winners and the best team in the Western Conference — but Vegas isn't backing down.

The Golden Knights took out the Ducks in six games, with Mitch Marner emerging as the postseason's biggest surprise. Marner spent seven seasons in Toronto, repeatedly falling short in the playoffs. Now, in his first year with Vegas, he's been the most dynamic player on the ice. Jack Eichel and the Knights' depth are formidable. This series — Avs vs. Golden Knights, two champions from the past five years — could be the best of the postseason.

MacKinnon vs. Marner. Two champions. One Conference Finals spot. Everything is on the line.

⚡ FAST STATS

31 — Points per game for Jalen Brunson in these playoffs, on 54% shooting. The best playoff efficiency by any Knick in the shot clock era.

2.62 — Jacob deGrom's ERA. He's 37 years old and pitching like his two Cy Young seasons never ended.

121 — Points earned by the Colorado Avalanche in the regular season. The Presidents' Trophy winner hasn't lost a playoff series yet.

42 — Touchdown passes thrown by Fernando Mendoza last season at Indiana. The Raiders are betting their future on that arm.