Dallas, TX

Utah hires Dallas Mavericks assistant Alex Jensen as its next men’s basketball coach

Published

10 months ago

March 6, 2025

Utah hires Dallas Mavericks assistant Alex Jensen as its next men’s basketball coach

In its quest to escape a recent rut of mediocrity, the Utah men’s basketball program is turning to one of its own.

The Utes have hired Dallas Mavericks assistant Alex Jensen, a starter on Utah’s 1998 Final Four team, as their next head coach, the university announced Thursday.

“Alex brings with him tremendous experience coaching at the collegiate, NBA and international levels, and is widely-respected for his ability to develop players and teach the game of basketball,” Utah athletic director Mark Harlan said in a statement. “Alex has a vision and a plan for leading the Runnin’ Utes basketball program back among the nation’s elite, and I am confident that he will elevate our program and reignite the passion of our fan base along the way.”

Jensen has been an NBA assistant since 2013, working with the Utah Jazz from 2013-23 before joining Jason Kidd’s staff with the Mavericks before the 2023-24 season. Dallas made a run to the NBA Finals that season.

Jensen has college experience, as well, having spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Saint Louis, where he worked under his former college coach, the late Rick Majerus, from 2007-11.

A Utah native and former Utah Mr. Basketball, Jensen was a starting forward on the Utes’ 1997-98 team that fell to Kentucky in the national championship game. As a senior in 2000, he was named the Mountain West player of the year before embarking on a seven-year professional career overseas.

He may not be the only former Utah player from that era to be on the Utes’ sideline next season, either. CBS Sports reported Thursday that Andre Miller, a 17-year NBA veteran who’s currently the head coach of the Denver Nuggets’ G League franchise, is “in the mix” to join Jensen’s staff.

Utah, which fired coach Craig Smith in late February, is 16-14 entering its regular-season finale against BYU. The program is in its first season in the Big 12 after spending the previous 13 years in the Pac-12.

The Utes are a far cry from the perennial national contender they were during Jensen’s playing days. The program has made the NCAA Tournament only three times since the 2005-06 season and hasn’t been in the 68-team field since 2016. Smith went 65-62 in his four seasons at the school.

By turning to Jensen, Utah is following a similar path to its most hated rival. After Mark Pope left for Kentucky after last season, BYU hired Phoenix Suns assistant coach Kevin Young, who has the Cougars at 22-8 in his first season and is set to bring in a top-10 recruiting class next season led by No. 1 overall prospect A.J. Dybantsa.

“My basketball journey has been filled with so many people who have helped shape me as a coach and as a person, ultimately guiding me to this opportunity to lead the Runnin’ Utes basketball program,” Jensen said in a statement. “I’m thankful for all of the great mentors I’ve had along the way as I embark on this next step to lead Utah Basketball. This is an exciting chapter for my family and me, and I’m looking forward to returning to a place that has meant so much to me. I can’t wait to get to work with our student athletes, coaches and the University as we move forward to achieve our goals.”

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Dallas, TX

Stars-Kings preview: Dallas looks to right the ship against Los Angeles

Published

52 minutes ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Stars-Kings preview: Dallas looks to right the ship against Los Angeles

The Dallas Stars have one win in their last seven games and are looking to right the ship in the second game of a West Coast road trip.

Dallas fell in overtime to San Jose on Saturday and now look to bounce back against the Los Angeles Kings.

Here’s everything to know about the matchup.

Dallas Stars vs. Los Angeles Kings

When: Monday, 9 p.m.

Where: Crypto.com Arena in LA

TV/streaming: Victory+

Radio: Sportsradio 96.7/1310 The Ticket

Bottom line

The Kings host the Stars after LA beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in a shootout.

Los Angeles has a 19-15-10 record overall and a 7-9-5 record on its home ice. The Kings have given up 120 goals while scoring 116 for a -4 scoring differential.

Dallas has a 26-10-9 record overall and a 14-4-6 record on the road. The Stars rank second in the league with 154 total goals (averaging 3.4 per game).

The teams meet Monday for the third time this season. The Stars won the previous meeting 4-1.

Top performers

Jason Robertson has 26 goals and 28 assists for the Stars. Wyatt Johnston has scored five goals with four assists over the past 10 games.

Alex Laferriere has scored 12 goals with 10 assists for the Kings. Andrei Kuzmenko has four goals and four assists over the last 10 games.

Last 10 games

Stars: 3-3-4, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.1 assists, 3.9 penalties and 8.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.5 goals per game.

Kings: 4-5-1, averaging 2.9 goals, five assists, 4.1 penalties and 8.7 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.

Twitter: @dmn_stars

Find more Stars coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

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Dallas, TX

Cowboys news: Former Dallas 1st-round pick weighs in on who should be next DC

Published

13 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Cowboys news: Former Dallas 1st-round pick weighs in on who should be next DC

Every offseason it seems like I see a linebacker’s name pop up that the Cowboys need to get to help the defense. This year it may be Quincy Williams. Could he be the guy the middle of the defense is missing? I’ve seen some reactions, and when you dig into the type of player he is the coverage numbers may make you second guess. And honestly, I get it because it doesn’t look pretty. When you actually dig into how Quincy Williams plays, and how he is used, the conversation changes fast. So let’s talk it through like fans, not scouts trying to sound smart.

The First Thing You Need to Know: This Dude Lives in the Box

Quincy Williams is not a coverage linebacker, and he never has been. He will not be floating around in space trying to run with slot receivers or carry tight ends down the seams. When you look at the snap data, it’s not even debatable. He spent hundreds of snaps in the box, very few on the edge, only a handful in the slot, and almost none on the outside.

That tells you exactly how defenses should play him. He is there to attack downhill. If you judge this man based on coverage stats alone, you’re grading a fish on how well it climbs trees. How Quincy Williams Actually Plays

What I like about Quincy Williams is simple: when he sees it, he goes. There’s no dancing, no waiting for someone else to make the play. He triggers fast and shows up with bad intentions. Is he perfect? Absolutely not, but were any of the Cowboys linebackers last season even above average.

He will miss a tackle here and there because of his aggressive play style, but I’ll take that every day over a linebacker who catches blocks and gets pancaked. What I found even more impressive was he lines up all over the box. He can play weak side, strong side, and take inside looks, but he rarely just sat in the middle calling things out. He’s a flow-and-hunt guy, so the Cowboys would need to let him scrape, chase, and hit. That is where his game makes sense.

Not Much of a Pass Rusher

This may be another area where people will get twisted. Yes, you will see him walked up near the line sometimes, but he’s not an edge rusher. He is not winning with moves or stacking sacks. Those snaps are about pressure and confusion to make the offense account for him, mess with protection calls, and let the defense work around it. He’s a blitzer, not a technician, and if used incorrectly, it looks ugly.

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Dallas, TX

Man dies after dog attack in Dallas home, police say

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Man dies after dog attack in Dallas home, police say

A man has died after a dog attacked him inside a home in North Texas on Thursday afternoon, officials say.

Dallas police officers responded to a call in the 4100 block of Esmalda Drive at about 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7. Investigators determined the man was attacked by a dog inside a residence in the 4100 block of Pringle Drive.

The victim was taken to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries, police said.

According to a press release, the Dallas Police Department is treating the case as a homicide.

Police ask anyone with information to contact Detective Kenneth Castoral at 469‑781‑1261 or by email at kenneth.castoral@dallaspolice.gov.

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